Henry Hamilton journal
Collection — Folder: S2862
Identifier: S2862
Scope and Contents
This collection comprises photostats of the 175-page journal of British colonial Governor Henry Hamilton, ranging from 1778 to 1779. The original item is located at Harvard University Library.
The journal provides detailed descriptions of the divisions and arrangement of forces in the British military for the Western Campaign (p. 54), including Native Americans, volunteers, militia, and regulars; of British movement along the rivers and lakes, including the employment of gun boats; of rituals and habits of the Native Americans, including practices of religion (pp. 40, 61) and customs when engaged in war (pp. 35, 39). Native American tribes mentioned include the Ottawa, Chippawa, Pottawatomi, Apache, Shawnee, Chickasaw, and Delaware, along with considerable information about the Miami and their village life.
The journal also describes preparation for the seizure of Fort Vincennes (pp. 84-90); the bearing of captured colors to Colonel Clark at Kaskaskia (p. 105); the capture of Fort Vincennes by the British with Captain Help being taken prisoner (p. 114); the rise of the Wabash River until it overflows its banks (p. 125); Captain Helm and other prisoners at parole within the fort (p. 128), and describes life in general within Fort Vincennes before its capture by Colonel Clark. Important passages of the journal are the proposals sent to George Rogers Clark before the surrender of Fort Sackville on February 24, 1779 (p. 19) and Clark’s demanding surrender of the fort by Hamilton’s forces (pp. 131-148), including the text of letters exchanged. Hamilton’s departure under guard to Williamsburg, Virginia and jail (p. 148-160) closes the journal.
The journal provides detailed descriptions of the divisions and arrangement of forces in the British military for the Western Campaign (p. 54), including Native Americans, volunteers, militia, and regulars; of British movement along the rivers and lakes, including the employment of gun boats; of rituals and habits of the Native Americans, including practices of religion (pp. 40, 61) and customs when engaged in war (pp. 35, 39). Native American tribes mentioned include the Ottawa, Chippawa, Pottawatomi, Apache, Shawnee, Chickasaw, and Delaware, along with considerable information about the Miami and their village life.
The journal also describes preparation for the seizure of Fort Vincennes (pp. 84-90); the bearing of captured colors to Colonel Clark at Kaskaskia (p. 105); the capture of Fort Vincennes by the British with Captain Help being taken prisoner (p. 114); the rise of the Wabash River until it overflows its banks (p. 125); Captain Helm and other prisoners at parole within the fort (p. 128), and describes life in general within Fort Vincennes before its capture by Colonel Clark. Important passages of the journal are the proposals sent to George Rogers Clark before the surrender of Fort Sackville on February 24, 1779 (p. 19) and Clark’s demanding surrender of the fort by Hamilton’s forces (pp. 131-148), including the text of letters exchanged. Hamilton’s departure under guard to Williamsburg, Virginia and jail (p. 148-160) closes the journal.
Dates
- 1778-1779
Creator
- Hamilton, Henry, 1734-1796 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Literary rights, including copyright resides with the creators of the documents or their legal heirs and assigns. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts. The publisher must also obtain permission of the copyright holder. The literary and property rights for the original are held by Harvard University Library.
Biographical Note
Henry Hamilton was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1734, as the second son to Henry “The Honourable” Hamilton and Mary Dawson. As a member of the Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland, he entered the British army. He saw action during the French and Indian War in North America as a captain in the 15th Regiment of Foot, participating in the 1758 attack on Louisbourg and the Battle of Quebec. He was captured in 1760 at Sainte-Foy and ransomed for release. Due to a strong tie to Governor General of British North American Guy Carleton, Hamilton started vying for political rank in the new atmosphere of the American colonies. He was allotted the rank of brigade major before selling his military commission for a political career in 1775.
That same year, Hamilton was appointed lieutenant governor and superintendent of Indian affairs at Fort Detroit, Province of Quebec. By the time he arrived within Fort Detroit, the American Revolutionary War was already underway, and he only had around 300 soldiers attached to him as a political figure. Hamilton, needing more allies, sought out Native American tribes in the area for help, establishing decent relations with them. An artist, he also drew portraits of many Native Americans he encountered. He developed a controversial policy of encouraging raids against American frontier settlements in the colonies of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky, despite knowing that British Loyalists would be caught in the raids as well. His offering of goods and supplies for the service and evidence of bringing back scalps taken by the Native Americans led to his nicknames, “The Hair Buyer" or "The Hair-Buyer General.” Among the victims were hundreds of women and children from both sides.
His actions led to a loss in political clout and support at a time when the Americans were active in the area (now present-day Indiana). As a result, Hamilton gathered what men he could muster and marched southeast on October 7, 1778, to recapture a British post at Fort Sackville some 600 miles away. They captured the fort initially, but a surprise counter by Colonel George Rogers Clark led to American revolutionaries recapturing the outpost. Rogers took Hamilton and his entire command prisoner. He was then marched to the coast and imprisoned until he was exchanged in March of 1781. Hamilton immediately sailed to London, England on a British ship. In 1782, Hamilton returned to North American upon appointment to Canada as lieutenant-governor, and later deputy-governor, of the Province of Quebec. Part of his duties included helping Loyalists from the American colonies find new homes in Canada. He was later be appointed governor of Bermuda, serving from 1785 to 1794, and governor of Dominica from 1794 until his death in 1796.
Sources:
Arthur, Elizabeth. “Hamilton, Henry.” Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 4. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003. Accessed September 3, 2024. https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/hamilton_henry_4E.html.
Barnhart, John D., ed. Henry Hamilton and George Rogers Clark in the American Revolution: With the Unpublished Journal of Lieutenant Governor Henry Hamilton. Crawfordsville, IN: R. E. Banta, 1951.
Farrell, D. R. “Mobilizing for War: Logistics and the British War Effort in the West, 1775-1783.” George Rogers Clark: Selected Papers From The 1983 And 1984 George Rogers Clark Trans-Appalachian Frontier History Conferences. Accessed September 3, 2024. https://npshistory.com/series/symposia/george_rogers_clark/1983-1984/sec2.htm.
Sheehan, Bernard W. "The Famous Hair Buyer General: Henry Hamilton, George Rogers Clark, and the American Indian." Indiana Magazine of History, 79 (1983): 1-28.
Wikipedia. “Henry Hamilton (colonial administrator).” Wikipedia.org. Accessed September 3, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Hamilton_(colonial_administrator).
That same year, Hamilton was appointed lieutenant governor and superintendent of Indian affairs at Fort Detroit, Province of Quebec. By the time he arrived within Fort Detroit, the American Revolutionary War was already underway, and he only had around 300 soldiers attached to him as a political figure. Hamilton, needing more allies, sought out Native American tribes in the area for help, establishing decent relations with them. An artist, he also drew portraits of many Native Americans he encountered. He developed a controversial policy of encouraging raids against American frontier settlements in the colonies of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Kentucky, despite knowing that British Loyalists would be caught in the raids as well. His offering of goods and supplies for the service and evidence of bringing back scalps taken by the Native Americans led to his nicknames, “The Hair Buyer" or "The Hair-Buyer General.” Among the victims were hundreds of women and children from both sides.
His actions led to a loss in political clout and support at a time when the Americans were active in the area (now present-day Indiana). As a result, Hamilton gathered what men he could muster and marched southeast on October 7, 1778, to recapture a British post at Fort Sackville some 600 miles away. They captured the fort initially, but a surprise counter by Colonel George Rogers Clark led to American revolutionaries recapturing the outpost. Rogers took Hamilton and his entire command prisoner. He was then marched to the coast and imprisoned until he was exchanged in March of 1781. Hamilton immediately sailed to London, England on a British ship. In 1782, Hamilton returned to North American upon appointment to Canada as lieutenant-governor, and later deputy-governor, of the Province of Quebec. Part of his duties included helping Loyalists from the American colonies find new homes in Canada. He was later be appointed governor of Bermuda, serving from 1785 to 1794, and governor of Dominica from 1794 until his death in 1796.
Sources:
Arthur, Elizabeth. “Hamilton, Henry.” Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 4. Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003. Accessed September 3, 2024. https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/hamilton_henry_4E.html.
Barnhart, John D., ed. Henry Hamilton and George Rogers Clark in the American Revolution: With the Unpublished Journal of Lieutenant Governor Henry Hamilton. Crawfordsville, IN: R. E. Banta, 1951.
Farrell, D. R. “Mobilizing for War: Logistics and the British War Effort in the West, 1775-1783.” George Rogers Clark: Selected Papers From The 1983 And 1984 George Rogers Clark Trans-Appalachian Frontier History Conferences. Accessed September 3, 2024. https://npshistory.com/series/symposia/george_rogers_clark/1983-1984/sec2.htm.
Sheehan, Bernard W. "The Famous Hair Buyer General: Henry Hamilton, George Rogers Clark, and the American Indian." Indiana Magazine of History, 79 (1983): 1-28.
Wikipedia. “Henry Hamilton (colonial administrator).” Wikipedia.org. Accessed September 3, 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Hamilton_(colonial_administrator).
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically in the order of the original.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation from Hugh Landon in December 1937.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 1999/03/23 by Philip N. Williams. Collection reprocessing completed 2024/09/03 by A.J. Chrapliwy. EAD finding aid created on 2024/09/04 by A.J. Chrapliwy.
Creator
- Hamilton, Henry, 1734-1796 (Person)
- Title
- Henry Hamilton journal
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
