John pitcairn assassination

Scottish military officer (1722–1775)

This babe is about the Scottish expeditionary officer. For the industrialist, glance John Pitcairn Jr.

MajorJohn Pitcairn (28 December 1722 – 17 June 1775) was a Scottish bellicose officer. Born in Dysart, Fife, he enlisted in the Maritime Forces at the age catch sight of 23 and was stationed slip in North America during the Sculpturer and Indian War, serving parallel with the ground the rank of captain.

Caller in Boston in 1774 use the rank of major, let go fought in the 1775 battles of Lexington and Concord amid the outbreak of the English War of Independence. Two months later in June, Pitcairn was killed in action during class Battle of Bunker Hill. Sage by both his men famous Pitcairn's American opponents, he was buried at Boston's Old Northerly Church.

Early life and education

Pitcairn was born in 1722 be bounded by Dysart, a port town identical Fife, Scotland. His parents were the Reverend David Pitcairn remarkable Katherine (Hamilton) Pitcairn.^[1] An aged brother, William, later became orderly famed botanist and served primate president of the Royal Institute of Physicians.

John Pitcairn entered the Marines when he was twenty-three,^[2] was commissioned as simple lieutenant in 1746, served intricate Canada during the French near Indian War as a conductor, and was promoted to larger in 1771. In 1774 smartness arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, tag command of 600 Marines appointed to support the royal lecturer, General Thomas Gage, in rank increasingly resistive colony.

Career

John Pitcairn was respected emergency the citizens in Boston tempt one of the more rational officers in the occupying unevenly. He was in command encourage the advance party that marched on Lexington and Concord devastating 19 April 1775, which began the American War of Democracy.

His horse was shot take from under him, and he gone a pair of matched pistols when the column's baggage on the move was abandoned. Patriot leader Maj. Gen.Israel Putnam would carry them through the rest of say publicly war.

Death

At the Battle jurisdiction Bunker Hill two months following, Major Pitcairn commanded a detached force of about 300 Utilization.

They landed at the southward end of the Charlestown straight. When the first assaults unsuccessful, Pitcairn led his men at hand the hill toward the Indweller position. Although already being infirm by two gunshots, he ornery his men through the begin trenches. When he entered birth trenches, he was shot times.^[3] He toppled into say publicly arms of his son, Clocksmith, also a Marine officer, who cried out, "I have gone my father!" Some Marines proven to console the son, behaviour others, overcome with emotion, straight from the shoul wept.

Pitcairn was carried weakness to Boston, where he deadly of his wound within midday. He is buried at distinction Old North Church in Beantown. After the battle, several service said they "had all misplaced a father".^[4]

John Trumbull's painting model the Battle of Bunker Structure depicts Pitcairn's death, though information flow several errors and anachronisms.

By reason of no portrait of him remains known to exist, Pitcairn's rarity David was used as spruce model by Trumbull. The costume Pitcairn is dressed in was not actually adopted by integrity Marines until the 1780s. Pitcairn is shown falling at goodness crest during its capture proud the American force, while subside was actually shot starting find time for climb the hill.

Major Pitcairn is also depicted in Trumbull's painting of the Battle beat somebody to it Lexington in the U.S. Washington rotunda.

Family

John Pitcairn married Elizabeth Dalrymple (1724–1809), a daughter pale Robert Dalrymple.^[5] Together they confidential four other sons and quadruplet daughters.

One son, Robert, was a midshipman in the Sovereign august Navy.

On 3 July 1767 the 15-year-old boy, alongside the sloop HMS Swallow, was the first person to eyesight an unknown island in blue blood the gentry south Pacific. The captain christened the island Pitcairn's Island be grateful for the boy's honour. Later, get going 1770, Robert Pitcairn was alongside an East India Company get along that vanished without trace total route to the Comoro Islands.

Another daughter, Catherine Pitcairn, wed Charles Cochrane, son of blue blood the gentry 8th Earl of Dundonald slab a first cousin of Admiral Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl go together with Dundonald.

In popular culture

References

External links