John Thomas (American general) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Thomas
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| Born | 1724 Marshfield, Massachusetts |
| Died | June 2, 1776 (aged 51–52) Richelieu River, near Chambly, Province of Quebec, British America |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch |  Continental Army |
| Rank | Major general |
| Commands held | 2nd Massachusetts Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Seven Years' War |
John Thomas (1724 – 1776) was an American doctor and a brave soldier from Massachusetts. He rose to become a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He played an important role in the siege of Boston. Thomas also led a difficult retreat from Canada after an unsuccessful invasion. Sadly, he died from smallpox during this retreat.
John Thomas was born in Marshfield, Massachusetts. When he was young, he studied medicine with Doctor Tufts in Medford. After finishing his studies, he started his own medical practice in Kingston. He was married to Hannah Thomas. Together, they had two sons and one daughter.
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Early Military Service
John Thomas began his military career during the King George's War. In 1746, he became a surgeon for a regiment. This group of soldiers was heading to Annapolis Royal in Nova Scotia. He enjoyed military life very much.
The next year, in 1747, he decided to change his role. He became a lieutenant instead of a surgeon. In 1755, he served as a surgeon again. This time, he was part of General William Shirley's regiment.
French and Indian War Role
By the time the French and Indian War started, Thomas had become a colonel. He served in the militia, which were local citizen soldiers. He went back to Nova Scotia in 1759 for more service. In 1760, General Jeffery Amherst gave him an important command. Thomas led a division during the attack on Montreal. His division helped capture the city. After the war ended, he returned to his medical practice in Kingston.
American Revolutionary War Leadership
As tensions grew before the American Revolutionary War, John Thomas took action. He gathered a group of volunteers in Plymouth County. This group became known as the 2nd Massachusetts Regiment. Thomas served as their colonel. In February 1775, the state assembly recognized his leadership. They named him a brigadier general.
He then led his troops to the siege of Boston. This was a major event where American forces surrounded the British in Boston. In June, the Continental Congress officially appointed him a brigadier general in the new Continental Army.
Returning to Service
General Thomas briefly resigned from his position. He was disappointed because four major generals were named, but he was not among them. At that time, Congress wanted to name only one major general from each state. Artemas Ward was chosen over him. However, George Washington and Charles Lee both asked him to stay.
Because of their requests, Thomas returned to service. The Congress then decided that he would be ranked higher than all other brigadier generals in the army. This showed how much they valued his experience.
Victory at Dorchester Heights
On the night of March 4, 1776, General Thomas led his division to Dorchester Heights. This area overlooked the south harbor of Boston. His troops worked hard to build defenses there. They used cannons that Henry Knox had brought all the way from Fort Ticonderoga.
From this strong position, Thomas's forces could threaten the British fleet. The British realized they were in danger. They were forced to leave Boston. On March 17, they evacuated Boston. After this important victory, Thomas was finally named a major general.
Commanding the Canadian Campaign
After General Richard Montgomery was killed, John Thomas was given a new command. He was assigned to lead the Canadian invasion. He joined the army besieging Quebec on May 1. However, he found the situation was very bad. The American forces there had less than 1,000 soldiers. The city of Quebec had more defenders than that, plus strong walls.
More than 300 of his soldiers were supposed to be discharged soon. To make things worse, smallpox was spreading rapidly through the army. General Thomas immediately sent the sick soldiers to Trois-Rivières. He then began to retreat with the remaining healthy troops.
General Thomas himself became ill with smallpox. He died on June 2, 1776, during the retreat. He passed away near Chambly, along the Richelieu River. By June 18, the Continental Army had completely left Canada.
Legacy and Recognition
- The town of Thomaston, Maine is named after him.
