A goal either side of half-time was enough to see the men from Dumfries grab a deserved win over an injury-hit Hamilton.
After a poor opening half hour, Hamilton came into the game and could have gone ahead as a Scott Agnew chip shot from the edge of the box went just over.
A few minutes earlier Queens had just lost skipper Jim Thomson to a serious head injury, and this looked as though it would be crucial as the home side started to build up some pressure. They again went close after 34 minutes when Steven Thomson forced Richie Barnard into a good save with a well-directed header.
The Queens keeper was again called upon a minute later as he was forced to make a brave block at the feet of Brian Wake following a Juanjo through ball.
However, the visitors came back into it and a Paul Burns shot from 25 yards had David McEwan in the Accies goal scrambling to turn the ball away for a corner.
From the resulting Derek Lyle corner, Queen of the South took the lead as Burns met the ball at the back post and his volley deflected into the net off Wake after 39 minutes.
Queens could have made it two on the stroke of half-time as a spectacular 40-yard effort from Lyle forced McEwan into an excellent save.
Early in the second half Hamilton should have been back on level terms as an excellent turn inside the box by Juanjo saw him clear but he was denied by the impressive Barnard.
The visitors then secured the points in the 62nd minute as substitute John O'Neill controlled an Andy Aitken cross just inside the box and fired an unstoppable shot past McEwan.
Hamilton pressed towards the end and went close through a Mark McLaughlin long- range shot before Andy Aitken cleared a David Elebert shot off the line.
DUKE'S VERDICT - A well deserved victory for Queens considering they lost Jim Thomson early in the game. Everyone gave 100 % for Ian McCall and got the early break with the Burns goal. Queens grew in confidence as the game progressed and O'Neil's wonderful goal was the icing on the cake for the big Queens following who bellowed out their songs all afternoon much to the bemusement of the very quiet home crowd.
DUKE'S MAN OF THE MATCH - There were several good performances for Queens especially in defence but Steve Bowey gets my vote. The Wee Geordie covered every inch of the plastic pitch at new Douglas Park and must delighted his manager.
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