Thomas Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Haddington was a Scottish nobleman.
Background
Thomas Hamilton, Lord Binning was the eldest son of Thomas Hamilton, 1st Earl of Haddington and his second wife, Margaret Foulis of Colinton. Until his accession to his father"s Earldom, he was known by the courtesy title Lord Binning. Binning attended his father at the funeral of King James in London, and later was a canopy bearer during Charles I"s 1633 coronation in Edinburgh at Holyrood Abbey.
Binning succeeded to his father"s titles in 1637, and the following year, at the King"s urging, signed the National Covenant.
Education
Following education abroad Binning returned to Scotland where he attended Parliament in 1621.
Career
At the start of the Bishops" War, Haddington was commissioned Major General for the Lothians, under General Leslie. When General Leslie advanced into England in 1640, he left armaments behind at Duns, Haddington retrieved them back to his headquarters at Dunglass Castle, to prevent their capture by the English garrison at Berwick upon Tweed. On 29 August, he beat back an attempt of the garrison of Berwick to capture a magazine of victuals and arms near Coldstream.
On 30 August 1640, a huge explosion took place in the powder magazine of the castle, destroying lieutenant
Haddington standing in the courtyard reading correspondence from Leslie to his kinsfolk and men was killed.