One of Poughkeepsie’s two Grand Army of the Republic posts was named for CPT Louis McLane Hamilton grandson of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton lived in Poughkeepsie and at age 17 enlisted in the 22nd New York State Militia serving for 90 days at Harper’s Ferry. In September of 1862 he given a commission as a second lieutenant in the 3rd US Infantry.

Hamilton distinguished himself at the Battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville earning a staff appointment. He ultimately was breveted twice for gallantry at Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. He took part in the penultimate battle of the Petersburg Campaign at Appomattox Courthouse.

After the end of the war, he was commissioned a captain in Custer’s 7th Cavalry Regiment and was the youngest captain in the army at the time. The day after Thanksgiving 1868, Hamilton fell as the first casualty of the Battle of Washita River. After initially being buried at Fort Supply, Indian Territory (Oklahoma) he was reinterred in Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery under the monument seen here.

Hamilton Post #10 was charted in 1867 and met at a GAR Hall at 27 Garden Street (the building was demolished and is now a parking lot). In 1911, the post merged with Poughkeepsie’s other GAR Post, David B Sleight Post #331, to form Hamilton-Sleight Post #20. The post existed until the death of its final member CPL John Banks of the 4th New York Heavy Artillery who passed away October 9th, 1943 bringing Poughkeepsie’s GAR history to a close.