LORD GEORGE HAMILTON,
Appointed 23rd January, 1692.
Lord George Hamilton, fifth son of William Duke of Hamilton, was an officer in the Royal Regiment in the reign of Charles II., and also of James II., and, adhering to the Protestant interest at the Revolution in 1688, he was advanced to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, and on the 1st of March, 1690, to the brevet rank of colonel. He served under King William III. in Ireland, and distinguished himself at the battle of the Boyne; and in 1691 he was at the siege of Athlone, at the battle of Aghrim, and the capture of Limerick. In January, 1692, he was appointed colonel of the Royal Fusiliers, at the head of which corps he distinguished himself at the battle of Steenkirk, and his gallantry was rewarded with the colonelcy of the Royal Regiment. Continuing to serve under King William in the Netherlands, he distinguished himself in 1693 at the unfortunate battle of Landen, and in 1695 at the siege of Namur, and while engaged in this service he was promoted to the rank of brigadier-general. On the 3rd of January, 1696, he was advanced to the peerage by the titles of Baron Dechmont, Viscount of Kirkwall, and Earl of Orkney; and in March, 1702, he was promoted to the rank of major-general. He served the campaign of this year under the Earl of Marlborough, and was engaged in the siege of Stevenswaert. He commanded a brigade of infantry during the campaign of 1703, was advanced to the rank of lieutenant-general, and invested with the order of the Thistle in 1704; and, having proceeded with the army into the heart of Germany, took part in gaining the glorious victories of Schellenberg and Blenheim. In 1705 he distinguished himself at the siege and capture of Huy; and in the following year at the battle of Ramilies, and the siege of Menin. He also took a distinguished part in the battle of Oudenarde in covering the siege of Lisle; and in forcing the passage of the Scheldt in 1708. In 1709 he distinguished himself in the movements which preceded and led to the battle of Malplaquet, and during this hard-contested action he signalized himself at the head of fifteen battalions of infantry. He also signalized himself at the siege of Douay in 1710; and in the beginning of the following year he was promoted to the rank of general. He was also engaged in passing the French lines in 1711, and commanded twenty battalions of infantry at the siege of Bouchain.
On these occasions the Earl of Orkney had evinced personal bravery and military talents of a superior character. At the close of the war he was a member of the privy council, and governor of Edinburgh Castle. On the accession of George I. he was appointed one of the lords of the bedchamber to his Majesty, and governor of Virginia; and in January, 1736, he was promoted to the rank of field marshal. He was many years one of the sixteen representatives of the Scottish peerage; and died in January, 1737.
EDWARD FITZPATRICK,
Appointed 1st August, 1692.
Edward Fitzpatrick was many years an officer of the Holland Regiment, now third foot or buffs, in which corps he rose to the rank of captain, and was so distinguished for a regular attention to duty, and for devotion to the Protestant interest, that at the revolution in 1688 he was promoted to the colonelcy of a regiment of foot (afterwards disbanded) with which he served in King William's wars. He was at the battle of Walcourt in 1689; and at the siege of Cork and Kinsale in 1690; and having signalized himself at the battle of Steenkirk in 1692, he was rewarded with the colonelcy of the Royal Fusiliers. In 1693 he was wounded at the battle of Landen; and in 1694 he was promoted to the rank of brigadier general. In 1695 he commanded a brigade of infantry at the siege of Namur, and he acquired the confidence of his sovereign, and the esteem of his companions in arms. He was drowned on the 10th November, 1696.