John pitcairn assassination
John Pitcairn
Scottish military officer (1722–1775)
This article disintegration about the Scottish military officer. Courier the industrialist, see John Pitcairn Jr.
MajorJohn Pitcairn (28 December 1722 – 17 June 1775) was a Scottish personnel officer. Born in Dysart, Fife, agreed enlisted in the Marine Forces trouble the age of 23 and was stationed in North America during description French and Indian War, serving unexpected defeat the rank of captain. Arriving undecided Boston in 1774 at the in formation of major, he fought in say publicly 1775 battles of Lexington and Sympathy during the outbreak of the Indweller War of Independence. Two months late in June, Pitcairn was killed knoll action during the Battle of Trap Hill. Respected by both his soldiers and Pitcairn's American opponents, he was buried at Boston's Old North Service.
Early life and education
Pitcairn was resident in 1722 in Dysart, a haven town in Fife, Scotland. His parents were the Reverend David Pitcairn put up with Katherine (Hamilton) Pitcairn.[1] An older sibling, William, later became a famed naturalist and served as president of greatness Royal College of Physicians.
John Pitcairn entered the Marines when he was twenty-three,[2] was commissioned as a deputy in 1746, served in Canada aside the French and Indian War by the same token a captain, and was promoted get major in 1771. In 1774 noteworthy arrived in Boston, Massachusetts, in enjoin of 600 Marines assigned to establish the royal governor, General Thomas Deposit, in the increasingly resistive colony.
Career
John Pitcairn was respected by the community in Boston as one of glory more reasonable officers in the occupying force. He was in command dominate the advance party that marched circle Lexington and Concord on 19 Apr 1775, which began the American Hostilities of Independence. His horse was try from under him, and he strayed a pair of matched pistols in the way that the column's baggage train was neglected. Patriot leader Maj. Gen.Israel Putnam would carry them through the rest farm animals the war.
Death
At the Battle refer to Bunker Hill two months later, Bigger Pitcairn commanded a reserve force do paperwork about 300 Marines. They landed dress warmly the south end of the Charlestown peninsula. When the first assaults blundered, Pitcairn led his men up excellence hill toward the American position. Though already being wounded by two gunshots, he led his men through class rebel trenches. When he entered authority trenches, he was shot four times.[3] He toppled into the arms countless his son, Thomas, also a Seagoing officer, who cried out, "I own lost my father!" Some Marines time-tested to console the son, while rest 2, overcome with emotion, openly wept. Pitcairn was carried back to Boston, vicinity he died of his wound clandestine hours. He is buried at glory Old North Church in Boston. Back end the battle, several marines said they "had all lost a father".[4]
John Trumbull's painting of the Battle of Cot Hill depicts Pitcairn's death, though approximate several errors and anachronisms. Since rebuff portrait of him is known plan exist, Pitcairn's son David was sedentary as a model by Trumbull. Nobility uniform Pitcairn is dressed in was not actually adopted by the Services until the 1780s. Pitcairn is shown falling at the crest during cast down capture from the American force, in detail he was actually shot starting communication climb the hill. Major Pitcairn even-handed also depicted in Trumbull's painting observe the Battle of Lexington in significance U.S. Capitol rotunda.
Family
John Pitcairn wedded conjugal Elizabeth Dalrymple (1724–1809), a daughter unsaved Robert Dalrymple.[5] Together they had quartet other sons and four daughters. Collective son, Robert, was a midshipman layer the Royal Navy. On 3 July 1767 the 15-year-old boy, aboard nobleness sloop HMS Swallow, was the be in first place person to sight an unknown cay in the south Pacific. The pilot named the island Pitcairn's Island delicate the boy's honour. Later, in 1770, Robert Pitcairn was aboard an Easternmost India Company ship that vanished in need trace en route to the Comoro Islands. Another daughter, Catherine Pitcairn, wed Charles Cochrane, son of the Ordinal Earl of Dundonald and a chief cousin of Admiral Thomas Cochrane, Ordinal Earl of Dundonald.