imported>Dajasj: Removed external links, Using External Links Remover

2024-11-02T14:41:12Z

Removed external links, Using External Links Remover

New page

{{Short description|British army officer (1818–1892)}}
{{other people}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2021}}
[[File:Douglas_Hamilton,_1870.jpg|thumb|Major-General Douglas Hamilton, 1870[[File:Douglas Hamilton, signature.jpg|frameless]]]]

General '''Douglas Hamilton''' (8 April 1818 – 20 January 1892) was a British [[Presidency armies|Indian Army]] officer, gazetted to the 21st Regiment of the [[Madras Army|Madras Native Infantry]] from 1837 to 1871. He was a well known surveyor of the early British [[hill station]]s in [[South India]] and a famous [[Hunting#Modern sport hunting|sportsman]], [[Hunting#Indian subcontinent|shikari]], [[big-game hunter]] and [[Trophy hunting#The hunting trophy|trophy]] collector. He was an acute observer of [[nature]] and a [[Gentleman#Modern usage|gentleman]]. He legitimately shot more [[game (food)|game]] in the [[Nilgiri Hills]] than any other sportsman.<ref name="Hamilton, p. xxxviii">Hamilton, p. xxxviii</ref>

==Family==
Hamilton was born on 8 April 1818, and educated at [[Harrow School]].
He was the youngest of eight sons of Charles Hamilton esq. of Sudbury Grove house, [[Middlesex]] - not far from [[Harrow on the Hill]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Harrow, including Pinner : The growth of the hamlets {{!}} British History Online |url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/middx/vol4/pp172-198 |access-date=2023-11-17 |website=www.british-history.ac.uk}}</ref> - and of [[List of places in Bedfordshire#K|Kensworth House]], [[Hertfordshire]]. His father was employed at the [[War Office]] and died on 28 June 1834 aged 56.<ref name="Urban">{{cite book|last=Urban|first=Sylvanus|title=The Gentleman's Magazine|publisher= F. Jefferies|location=London|year=1834|volume=II July - December|page=332|chapter=Obituaries|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MU-KvHgmlFsC&q=Charles+Hamilton+%22Sudbury+Grove%22,+Middlesex&pg=PA332}}</ref>
[[File:Douglas Hamilton, preface art.jpg|thumb|''Records of Sport'', Preface]]

Hamilton's brother Edward was the editor of his 1892 autobiography, ''"Records of sport in southern India chiefly on the Annamullay, Nielgherry and Pulney mountains, also including notes on Singapore, Java and Labuan,{{nbsp}}..."'' This is about "years long gone by when the [[muzzle loader]], with all its drawbacks, was the chief weapon in use."<ref name="Ham">{{cite book|last=Hamilton|first=General Douglas|title=Records of sport in southern India chiefly on the Annamullay, Nielgherry and Pulney mountains, also including notes on Singapore, Java and Labuan, from journals written between 1844 and 1870|editor=Hamilton, Edward|publisher= R. H. Porter|location=London|year=1892|pages= Illustrated, photo. Frontis of the author. Numerous illustrations, some full page. 284 pages. Quarto|oclc=4008435|url=http://www.worldcat.org/wcpa/oclc/262468650?page=frame&url=%3D%3FUTF-8%3FB%3FaHR0cDovL3d3dy5hcmNoaXZlLm9yZy9kZXRhaWxzL3JlY29yZHNvZnNwb3J0aW4wMGhhbWlyaWNo%3F%3D&title=&linktype=digitalObject&detail=}}</ref> His brother Richard, a Captain in the 1st Regiment [[Madras Army|M.N.I.]], was well known to all Southern Indian sportsmen as the author of ''Game'' under the soubriquet of " Hawkeye."

His uncle was Captain George Peevor of His Majesty's [[Royal Leicestershire Regiment]], who served in the [[Gurkha War|Nepal Campaign]] of 1815-16 and in the [[Third Anglo-Maratha War|Mahratta]] and [[Pindari]] wars, 1817–18, including the capture of [[Jubbulpore]] in 1839-40.<ref>Hamilton, p. ix</ref>

==Military career==
In 1834 Douglas Hamilton went to the [[East India Company]]'s [[Addiscombe Military Seminary]], and received his commission in the [[Presidency armies|East India Company's Army]] in 1837, being gazetted to the 21st Regiment of the [[Madras Army|Madras Native Infantry]]. He embarked at [[Portsmouth]] in the "Duke of Argyle" on 1 September of the same year, arriving in the Madras Roads on 14 December.

His regiment was sent to [[Kaladgi|Kulladghee]] in the [[Bombay Presidency]] to replace one which had gone to the front in the [[First Anglo-Afghan War|first Afghan Campaign]]. In 1846, he went with his regiment to [[Singapore]], and was fortunate to obtain three months' leave in 1848 to visit the Island of [[Java]] for hunting. In 1849, he visited England on furlough and returned to India in 1852.

Douglas was very interested in [[Sustainable forest management|forest conservation]] in South India, and often visited his old friend General James Michael who was organizing an experimental forest conservancy in the [[Annaimalai Hills]]. He was appointed to temporarily manage the conservancy when Michael returned to England on sick leave in 1854. He showed great aptitude for these new forestry duties. In 1857 Michael was again ill and had to relinquish the work altogether. Douglas succeeded permanently to the appointment and for the three years was in charge of the Annaimalai forests, supplying [[teak]] [[lumber]] for [[shipbuilding]] at the [[Bombay Dockyard]].

During this period he also became Assistant Conservator of Forests under [[Hugh Francis Cleghorn|Dr. Hugh Francis Cleghorn]] who established the [[Tamil Nadu Forest Department|Madras Forest Department]] and whose work led to the establishment of the [[Ministry of Environment and Forests|Forest Department of India]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Oliver|first=J.W.|title=The Indian Forester|publisher=R. P. Sharma, Business Manager, Indian Forester|location=Allahabad|year=1901|edition=Original from Harvard University, Digitized 4 April 2008|volume= v.27 |page=623|chapter=Forestry in India|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2U8YAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Douglas+Hamilton%22+madras++-johnson+-elephant+-whale+-william+1862&pg=PA623}}</ref>

In 1860 he went with his regiment to [[Hong Kong]] and returned to Madras in February, 1861.<ref>Hamilton, pp. xii, xiii</ref>

==Hills surveys==
[[File:Douglas Hamilton, Pillar rocks.jpg|thumb|Pillar Rocks]]
In 1862 he was relieved of routine regimental duties and given a [[roving commission]] by [[Sir Charles Trevelyan, 1st Baronet|Sir Charles Trevelyan]], the Finance Minister of India and former Governor of [[Madras Presidency]], to conduct surveys and make drawings for the Government of all the hill [[plateau]]s in Southern India which were likely to suit as Sanitaria, or quarters for European troops.<ref name="Cass">{{cite journal|last=Cass|first=F.|year=1982|journal=The Journal of Imperial and Commonwealth History |volume=11, 12 |publisher=MetaPress |page=146|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hE8pAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Douglas+Hamilton%22+madras++-johnson+-elephant+-whale+-william+1862}}</ref> Thereafter, Douglas Hamilton was on "special duty" with the 44th Regiment, Madras Native Infantry.{{citation needed|date=September 2023}}

[[File:Douglas Hamilton, Bababooden hills, falls.jpg|thumb|left|Upper falls near Muddikull, Bababooden hills]]
A series of careful [[drawings by Douglas Hamilton]] of the [[Annaimalai Hills]], [[Palani Hills]] and [[Shevaroy Hills]] was the result. While at work on this commission he had great opportunities to follow his favorite pursuit, and also to observe the habits of the various animals inhabiting the different districts. These well-known drawings showed him as an accurate observer and a careful draughtsman. Each series of drawings was accompanied by a [[Survey article]] describing all aspects of the district.<ref>Hamilton, p.xiii</ref> Some of his publications about these surveys include:

[[Berijam Lake|Berijam Swamp]]<ref name=Balinga>{{cite book|last=Baliga|first=B. S. |title=Madras District Gazetteers|publisher=Published by Printed by the Superintendent, Govt. Press|location= Madras, India |year=1957|edition=Original from the University of Michigan|url=https://books.google.com/books?num=100&hl=en&safe=off&client=safari&rls=en&q=drinking%20water%20berijam%20-com&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wp}} p. 155</ref> was first described in 1864 by Hamilton. In 1864, Hamilton submitted a report that stated that the Berijam Lake area was the best site in the [[Palani Hills]] for a military [[cantonment]] or [[Sanatorium]].

Hamilton described the place as being located near a lake. As the report progressed, however, it became clear that what Hamilton initially had termed a lake was no such thing: it was a valley where he thought he detected evidence of an ancient lake bed. The distinction seemed scarcely worthy of note to Hamilton, so persuaded was he that this location offered the most picturesque environment for a settlement. "Let but the lake be reconstructed and a road made to it, and this magnificent sheet of water ... will of itself attract residents to its vicinity. "The Fort Hamilton military outpost, later built there, was named for him.<ref name="Mathew">{{cite book|last=Matthew|first=K. M. |title=The Flora of the Palni Hills, South India|publisher=Rapinat Herbarium|year=1999|edition=Original from the University of California Digitized 8 February 2008|volume=Item notes: v.1|page=xvii|isbn=978-81-900539-3-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?q=berijam+hamilton&client=safari&lr=&num=100&as_pt=ALLTYPES&as_brr=0}}</ref>

In March 1866 he went to the [[Baba Budan Giri Range|Budan Hills]] for the purpose of making drawings and a report. In August, 1870, he obtained three months' leave due to poor health and went to [[Australia]]. He visited [[King George Sound]], [[Melbourne]], [[Sydney]], and [[Adelaide]], and returned to Madras in November much better health.<ref name="Hamilton, p. xxxviii"/>

;Commissions
The dates of Gen. Douglas Hamilton's military commissions indicate ten promotions in his 54-year career:
:[[Ensign (rank)#United Kingdom|Ensign]]- 1 January 1834,<ref name="Hamilton, p. xxxix">Hamilton, p. xxxix</ref> Military school
:[[Lieutenant#Lieutenant/first lieutenant|Lieutenant]]- 12 June 1837,<ref name="Hamilton, p. xxxix"/> the year he arrived in Madras.
:[[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|Captain]]- 31 January 1838,<ref name="Hamilton, p. xxxix"/> rapid promotion
:[[Major (United Kingdom)|Major]]- 29 June 1858<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22828|page=1359|date=4 March 1864}}</ref> (*2 March 1847, regimental duty in Singapore)
:[[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|Lieut.-Col]]. 1 January 1862<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=22625|page=2497|date=13 May 1862}}</ref>- (*1853, return from 3-year furlough in England)
:[[Brevet (military)#United Kingdom|Brevet]] colonel, 1 January 1867<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=23450|page=6655|date=15 December 1868}}</ref>
:Substantive [[Colonel (United Kingdom)|Colonel]]- 1 January 1874<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=24091|page=2351|date=1 May 1874}}</ref> (*1 January 1862, begin commission from Sir Charles Trevelyan)
:[[Major-General (United Kingdom)|Major-Gen]].- 1 October 1877<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=24552|page=750|date=15 February 1878}}</ref>
::(Major general, transferred to unemployed supernumerary list), 1 July 1881<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25042|page=6215|date=29 November 1881}}</ref> (*1 January 1867, before return to England)
:[[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieut.-Gen]].-10 March 1882<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25104|page=2078|date=5 May 1882}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25119|page=2850|date=20 June 1882}}</ref> (*1 October 1877, declining health)
:[[General (United Kingdom)|General]]- 1 December 1888<ref name="Hamilton, p. xxxix"/><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25884|page=7203|date=18 December 1888}}</ref>
::(*) dates from autobiography vary from dates in London Gazette and Army Lists except General.<ref name="Hamilton, p. xxxix"/><ref>Quarterly Indian Army List of 1891</ref>

==Big-game hunting==
[[File:Douglas hamilton, Spearing antelope.jpg|thumb|Spearing Antelope]]
Douglas Hamilton's earliest introduction to big game shooting was at Kulladghee in 1839. In those days [[Blackbuck|Blackbuck antelope]]s were very numerous, but very wild and difficult to approach.<ref>Hamilton, p. 1</ref>

[[File:Douglas Hamilton, 5 tigers seen.jpg|thumb|left|5 Tigers seen]]
In 1854, Hamilton bought Mallock's Bungalow at [[Pykara#Pykara Falls|Pykara]] for 200
rupees. This is the well known hut, where for many years he entertained and showed sport to many of his friends, amongst whom were [[Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein|Prince Frederick of Schleswig Holstein]], Sir [[Victor Brooke]], Bob Jago father of the Ootacamund Hunt, and the oldest and most intimate of all, General James Michael. The hut was still in his possession when he died 38 years later.<ref>Hamilton, p. 122</ref>

[[File:Death of Tusker.jpg|thumb|Death of the Great Tusker]]
He closely observed over 50 wild [[Bengal tiger|tigers]] during his career and in 1854 he killed his first tiger at the Avalanche in the [[Nilgiri Hills]]. One tiger he killed in 1857 was {{convert|98|in|cm|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|38|in|cm|abbr=on}} tall at the shoulder. A friend of Hamilton, Colonel Nightingale, once killed eight tigers in six days, including a [[Tiger attack|man eater]] that attacked him and the trained elephant he was riding. That tiger was {{convert|50|in|cm|abbr=on}} tall at the shoulder and {{convert|122|in|cm|abbr=on}} long with length of skin, {{convert|150|in|cm|abbr=on}}.<ref>Hamilton, p. 218</ref>

[[File:Douglas hamilton, Sambar bucks & does.jpg|thumb|left|Sambar bucks and does]]
In 1855 in the [[Annaimalai Hills]], he killed his first [[Indian elephant|elephant]], a large tusker which measured {{convert|110|in|cm|abbr=on}}nine feet two inches at the shoulder, with tusks {{convert|5.5|in|cm|abbr=on}} in diameter and {{convert|64.5|in|cm|abbr=on}} and {{convert|57|in|cm|abbr=on}} long, respectively.<ref>Hamilton, p. 147</ref>

In 1863, at [[Hassanoor]] together with Sir [[Victor Brooke]], Hamilton shot the largest [[Indian elephant|elephant]] ever killed in Southern India. This trophy had one perfect tusk {{convert|96|in|cm|abbr=on}} long and a broken tusk measuring {{convert|71|in|cm|abbr=on}} long. It was {{convert|11|ft|m}} tall at the shoulder.<ref>Hamilton, p. 158</ref>

Between 1855 and 1869, Hamilton shot and killed two hundred and ninety-five [[Sambar (deer)|sambar]]. The largest ever killed in the Nilgiri Hills, shot by Hamilton, stood fourteen [[Hand (length)|hands]] ({{convert|56|in|cm|abbr=on}}) high at the shoulder and antlers measuring {{convert|41.5|in|cm|abbr=on}} and {{convert|38.75|in|cm|abbr=on}}, respectively.<ref>Hamilton, pp. 257, 258</ref>

[[File:Douglas Hamilton, Attacked by bison.jpg|thumb|Attacked by Bison, 30 Aug. 1856]]
In 1856 he was attacked and run over by a large injured [[Gaur|bison]] bull he shot in the Annaimalai Hills, but suffered only minor injuries. The larger horn was {{convert|35|in|cm|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|5.75|in|cm|abbr=on}} in diameter at the base. He killed his last bison at Permund in 1866.<ref>Hamilton, p. 238</ref>

He did not kill many [[leopard]]s, but did kill one fine specimen of a black Leopard near his hut in 1857. He shot his last leopard in 1870, an old male {{convert|74|in|cm|abbr=on}} long with a beautiful skin.<ref>Hamilton, p. 235</ref>

In 1861, Hamilton recorded 114 species of birds near [[Kodaikanal]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Ramaswamy|first=Vijaya |title=Historical Dictionary of the Tamils|url=https://archive.org/details/historicaldictio00rama|url-access=limited|publisher=Scarecrow Press|year=2007|pages=[https://archive.org/details/historicaldictio00rama/page/n187 117]|isbn= 978-0-8108-5379-9}}</ref>

==Return to England==
On 20 June 1871 he finally left India after thirty-five years' service, and arrived at [[Southampton]] on 19 July.

The "Oriental Sporting Magazine," in noticing his departure, has the following passage:
:"The great Sportsman and Shikarie who has recently left these hills for England on account of failing health, is Colonel Douglas Hamilton, than whom [sic] a truer friend, a more kindly gentleman, a keener observer of nature, and a more enthusiastic [[Hunting#Modern sport hunting|sportsman]] it has never been our good fortune to know. The regret at his departure is universal. We may truly state that he has legitimately shot more [[Game (food)|game]] on these hills than any other sportsman, and a sight of the [[Trophy hunting|trophies]] that adorn the walls of his house, of the sketches and incidents of the chase, and the relation thereof was a rich treat, and one never again to be experienced."<ref name="Hamilton, p. xxxviii"/>

From 1872 to 1887 he annually rented a [[Moorland|moor]] and [[deer forest]] in [[Scotland]], for the purpose of following his favorite pursuit of [[deer stalking]], and many a grand [[Red Deer|stag]] fell to his rifle. The invigorating air of the [[Scottish Highlands|Highlands]] restored his health and strength.

[[File:Douglas Hamilton, My last leopard, Feb. 8, 1870.jpg|thumb|His last leopard, 8 Feb. 1870]]
He never appeared to suffer from severe exertion and fatigue till the autumn of 1887, when, from constant exposure in bad weather he got a violent chill, and from that date, although at times appearing to get fairly well he never recovered his health. After a sharp attack of [[influenza]], he suddenly died on the night of 20 January 1892.<ref name="Hamilton, p. xxxix"/>

==Gallery==
{{Main|Drawings by Douglas Hamilton}}
<gallery>
Image:Douglas hamilton, Nilgiri Tahr.jpg|Nilgiri Tahr pair
Image:Douglas Hamilton, Niligiri Tahr, Annaimalai.jpg|Nilgiri Tahr, Annaimalai
Image:Douglas Hamilton, Axis Deer.jpg|Axis deer, trophy antlers
Image:Douglas hamilton, Meeting Tiger.jpg|Meeting Tiger
image:Douglas Hamilton, Elephant shot.jpg|First Shot at the Great Tusker
Image:Douglas Hamilton, Plunge knife in bison.jpg|Plunge knife in Bison
Image:Douglas Hamilton, Head of bull bison.jpg|Head of bull bison
Image:Douglas Hamilton, Dimensions of Bison horns.jpg|Dimensions of Bison horns
</gallery>

==References==
{{Commons category}}
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20110425002207/http://relivearth.com/blog/archives/709 Hunter Turned Conservationist]

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamilton, Douglas}}
[[Category:1818 births]]
[[Category:1892 deaths]]
[[Category:British naturalists]]
[[Category:Hunters from British India]]
[[Category:Graduates of Addiscombe Military Seminary]]
[[Category:Administrators in British India]]
[[Category:Forestry in India]]
[[Category:British East India Company people]]
[[Category:British East India Company Army generals]]
[[Category:People educated at Harrow School]]
[[Category:Deaths from influenza]]

Douglas Hamilton - Revision history

imported>Dajasj: Removed external links, Using External Links Remover