The Life of James Hamilton Stanhope (1788-1825)

Book excerpt: James Hamilton Stanhope (1788-1825) was the youngest son of the third Earl Stanhope, half-brother to Lady Hester Stanhope and personally present at the deaths of both Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger in 1806 and General Sir John Moore in Corunna in 1809. After being seriously wounded in the later stages of the Peninsular War, he found happiness in his marriage, which was soon cut short when his wife died giving birth to their second child. Two years later, James committed suicide. This is the first biography of James Hamilton Stanhope, covering his childhood, his fascinating family, his letters and war diaries, his life after Waterloo, how he met his wife, their short but idyllic life together, and his tragic suicide. It also takes a close look at his literary works (all unpublished except for the war diary), and includes the first-ever edition of his lengthy poem on the death of Sir John Moore at Corunna and his brother Charles Banks Stanhope in the same battle.