Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: General R. Hamilton, C.B., Madras Army

India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Pegu (Captn., Baggage Mastr. Staff ); Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Central India (Bt. Major, A.A.G. Saugor Fd. Dn.), second with silver brooch bar, good very fine (2) £800-1000

Richard Hamilton was born on 18 December 1810 and baptised on 26 November 1812 in the Parish of Harrow, Middlesex. Educated at Harrow, 1822-26, he was passed for a Cadetship in the Madras Infantry and sailed for India in 1828. Appointed an Ensign in May 1828, he was posted to the 1st Madras Native Infantry. Promoted to Lieutenant in February 1836, he was appointed to act as Quartermaster and Interpreter to his regiment in April 1839, having for some time previously acted as Adjutant. On 29 April 1837 he married Mary Cox at Madras. He was advanced to Brevet Captain in May 1844 and was promoted to Captain (Acting Brigade Major, Kolapore) in March 1846.

He saw his first active service in the Pegu operations of 1852-53, when as Baggage Master on the Madras Staff, he was present at the actions of Tonghoo and Beeling and was mentioned in despatches by Brigadier-General Steele (London Gazette 29 April 1853) and received the brevet of Major. Hamilton was subsequently appointed Assistant Adjutant-General to the Field Division of Saugor and Nerbudda, under Major-General Whitlock, and saw action against the Mutineers at Kubrai, Banda and Kirwee. He was promoted to Major in May 1858, Lieutenant-Colonel in February 1861, Colonel in September 1863 and Major-General in May 1869. Appointed the Divisional Commander of the British Burma Division in 1873, he was awarded the C.B. in May 1875. Promoted to Lieutenant-General in 1875, he retired from active service on 18 December 1880 and received the rank of General in 1884. Returning to Europe in 1877, General Hamilton died at Torquay on 1 March 1888.

Hamilton was the author of Game, an important book on game hunting in India, published under the pseudonym of Hawkeye, Madras 1881. Sold with a folder of copied research.