Private John Hutchinson was born in 1783 in Kegworth, Leicestershire. He was 5 foot 6 inches tall with blue eyes and brown hair. He was a tailor by trade.  

On the 4th April 1809, he volunteered into the 45th Nottinghamshire Regiment of Foot for limited service with the Nottinghamshire Militia at the age of 26 years.  

In August 1809, he volunteered into the 1st Battalion and served with them during the Peninsula War of 1809-1814. He was wounded in the left thigh at Ciudad Rodrigo, wounded in the neck at Badajoz, and was wounded in right hand at Orthes. On the 4th April 1816, he was discharged at Dublin and was granted a Chelsea pension on the 10th August 1852.