Hamilton chose a career in the
Royal Navy and served in
Guinea and the
West Indies from 1737 to 1740. He was promoted to captain the next year and served throughout the
War of the Austrian Succession, mostly in escorting convoys. In 1742, he was given command of
HMS Kinsale, and captured a privateer off
Dieppe on 7 September. He took command of
HMS Augusta in 1744. His portrait by
Joshua Reynolds in 1746 brought the artist his initial fame. In 1749, Hamilton married Harriet Eliot, the daughter of
James Craggs and widow of Richard Eliot of Port Eliot (d. 1748). He remained on active service for a few years after the close of the war in 1748, but went on half-pay from 1751 to 1755. He was called back into service as commander of
HMS Lancaster, and accidentally drowned while in
Portsmouth harbour. He left three children: •
John Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Abercorn (1756–1818) • Lady Anne Hamilton ( – 4 November 1764) • Jane Hamilton (1760-1839) (daughter of Harriet Eliot, but not of Hamilton) ==References==