Thomas Knowlton was born on November 11, 1740 at West Boxford, Massachusetts, United States, the son of William and Martha (Pinder) Knowlton. He was descended from Captain William Knowlton of Kent, England, who died about 1633 during a voyage from London to Nova Scotia. The widow and children settled in Ipswich, Massachusetts. Thomas's youth was spent in Ashford, Connecticut, where his father had settled on a four-hundred-acre farm.
In 1755 Knowlton enlisted for service in the Seven Years' War. He was successively promoted to sergeant, ensign, and lieutenant. During the brief hostilities between England and Spain he accompanied General Lyman to Cuba and took part in the siege of Havana (1762). After peace had been declared he resumed farming at Ashford. Following the battle of Lexington he was elected captain of an Ashford company and marched to the defense of Massachusetts.
At the battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, Prescott ordered Knowlton to leave the entrenchments and take up a position at the base of the hill, where he was to prevent the British right wing from flanking the Continental troops. Knowlton hastily fortified a rail and stone fence by building a second fence and filling the intervening space with new-mown hay. Stark's regiment extended the fortification, and the breastwork was the scene of severe fighting. When the Continentals were forced to fall back Stark and Knowlton remained at the breastwork to protect the line of retreat. This task accomplished, they withdrew in relative good order. He was commissioned major of the 20th Continental Infantry on January 1, 1776.
On the night of January 8, 1776, Knowlton made a daring sally into Charlestown. The British officers in Boston were attending the production of a farce written by General Burgoyne entitled The Blockade of Boston. The character burlesquing Washington--accoutred with an enormous wig and sword and attended by a ragged orderly bearing a rusty musket seven or eight feet long--had just appeared on the stage when a breathless runner brought word of Knowlton's raid. Howe and his entourage left at once "amidst fainting and shrieking among the females. " Knowlton burned the houses in Charlestown quartering the British and captured five prisoners. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel by Congress on August 12, 1776, and after the battle of Long Island he organized a small corps of picked men called "Rangers. "
In the battle of Harlem Heights on September 16, 1776 Knowlton, commanding the "Rangers, " was sent out to encircle a detachment of about 300 British Light Infantry, attack their rear, and effect their capture. Unfortunately he attacked too soon--a flank attack instead of an assault upon the enemy's rear as Washington intended--and the British escaped. Knowlton pursued and was killed.
Thomas Knowlton was distinguished for his military service during the Seven Years’ War and the American Revolution. He fought in numerous important battles during the war. For his valuable services in preventing the destruction of the main body of Continental troops at the battle of Bunker Hill, Knowlton received from a Boston admirer a gold-laced hat, a sash, and a gold breastplate.
On April 5, 1759, Knowlton was married to Anna Keyes of Ashford.
