Thomas W. Knowlton (November 22, 1740 – September 16, 1776) was an American
patriot who served in the
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the st ...
and was a colonel during the
American Revolution
The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolu ...
. Knowlton is considered America's first Intelligence professional, and his unit,
Knowlton's Rangers
Knowlton's Rangers was a reconnaissance and espionage detachment of the Continental Army established by George Washington. Named after its commander, Thomas Knowlton, the unit was formed in 1776.
History
On August 12, 1776, General of the Arm ...
, gathered
intelligence
Intelligence has been defined in many ways: the capacity for abstraction, logic, understanding, self-awareness, learning, emotional knowledge, reasoning, planning, creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. It can be described as the ...
during the early
Revolutionary War. Knowlton was killed in action at the
Battle of Harlem Heights
The Battle of Harlem Heights was fought during the New York and New Jersey campaign of the American Revolutionary War. The action took place on September 16, 1776, in what is now the Morningside Heights area and east into the future Harlem nei ...
.
Early life and education
Knowlton was born into a military family on November 22, 1740, in
West Boxford,
. When he was eight, his family relocated to a farm in
Ashford Ashford may refer to:
Places
Australia
*Ashford, New South Wales
*Ashford, South Australia
*Electoral district of Ashford, South Australia
Ireland
*Ashford, County Wicklow
*Ashford Castle, County Galway
United Kingdom
* Ashford, Kent, a town
** ...
,
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
(current property of the
June Norcross Webster Scout Reservation). In 1755, at fifteen, Knowlton served in the French and Indian War with his older brother Daniel. He enlisted in Captain
John Durkee
John is a common English name and surname:
* John (given name)
* John (surname)
John may also refer to:
New Testament
Works
* Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John
* First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John
* Second E ...
's company, and is known to have joined Daniel on scouting missions into enemy territory. He later served in Captain John Slapp's 8th Company, where he served with
Throope Chapman. He served during six campaigns in the war and was promoted to lieutenant in 1760. He also fought in
Israel Putnam
Israel Putnam (January 7, 1718 – May 29, 1790), popularly known as "Old Put", was an American military officer and landowner who fought with distinction at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783). He als ...
's company against the Spanish during the
British expedition against Cuba
The siege of Havana was a successful British siege against Spanish-ruled Havana that lasted from March to August 1762, as part of the Seven Years' War. After Spain abandoned its former policy of neutrality by signing the family compact with ...
in 1762.
By August 1762, Knowlton had returned home and married Anna Keyes. He and his wife raised nine children. At the age of thirty-three, Knowlton was appointed a
Selectman of Ashford, Connecticut.
Battle of Bunker Hill
On April 18, 1775, General
Thomas Gage dispatched a contingent of British troops to
Lexington and
Concord, about fifteen miles from
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the capital city, state capital and List of municipalities in Massachusetts, most populous city of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financ ...
, Massachusetts. This action led to the outbreak of hostilities that became the American Revolution. On learning of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the
militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non- professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
s of Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire communities mobilized their members. Thomas Knowlton joined his militia, the Ashford Company, which became part of the
5th Connecticut Regiment, along with the men from
Windham,
Mansfield
Mansfield is a market town and the administrative centre of Mansfield District in Nottinghamshire, England. It is the largest town in the wider Mansfield Urban Area (followed by Sutton-in-Ashfield). It gained the Royal Charter of a market t ...
and
Coventry
Coventry ( or ) is a city in the West Midlands, England. It is on the River Sherbourne. Coventry has been a large settlement for centuries, although it was not founded and given its city status until the Middle Ages. The city is governed ...
,
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
. Knowlton was chosen unanimously as captain and led 200 men into Massachusetts. His force consisted of farmers, without uniforms, primarily armed with shotguns.
Knowlton was ordered to
Charlestown to join Colonel
William Prescott. Knowlton's troops were sent by Colonel Prescott to oppose the advancing British
grenadier
A grenadier ( , ; derived from the word ''grenade'') was originally a specialist soldier who threw hand grenades in battle. The distinct combat function of the grenadier was established in the mid-17th century, when grenadiers were recruited from ...
s, and took their posts on the side of Breed's hill. Knowlton was in command of a 200 men work party. His men dismantled another fence further back and used its rails to strengthen the existing fence, and they filled the space between with new-mown grass which formed an effective breastwork. There they held their ground until the general retreat, and were among those providing cover as the troops retreated. Only three men from Knowlton's company died in the battle.
In 1776, Knowlton was sent by General Washington during the
Siege of Boston
The siege of Boston (April 19, 1775 – March 17, 1776) was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War. New England militiamen prevented the movement by land of the British Army, which was garrisoned in what was then the peninsular tow ...
to burn any remaining buildings at the base of
Bunker Hill, with orders to capture any British troops guarding the location. Knowlton accomplished his mission without firing a shot or losing a single man.
Years later, Colonel
Aaron Burr said: "''I had a full account of the Battle from Knowlton's own lips, and I believe if the chief command had been entrusted to him, the issue would have proved more fortunate. It was impossible to promote such a man too rapidly.''" In June 1775, for his bravery at
Bunker Hill, Knowlton was promoted by Congress to major. One of his men later remembered that Knowlton was very courageous, never crying, ''Go on, boys!'' but always, ''Come on, boys!.'' On January 8, 1776, he led a troop in a successful incursion into Charlestown to burn housing used by British officers.
Knowlton's Rangers

On August 12, 1776, General of the Army
George Washington promoted Knowlton to
lieutenant colonel. He was ordered to select a group of men from Connecticut,
Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area and the seventh-least populous, with slightly fewer than 1.1 million residents as of 2020, but i ...
, and Massachusetts to carry out reconnaissance missions. America's first official spies, "Knowlton's Rangers" were also the first organized American elite troops. The American spy, Captain
Nathan Hale
Nathan Hale (June 6, 1755 – September 22, 1776) was an American Patriot, soldier and spy for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He volunteered for an intelligence-gathering mission in New York City but was captured ...
, was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Knowlton. The date "1776" on the modern
U.S. Army's intelligence service seal refers to the formation of Knowlton's Rangers.
On September 16, 1776, a company of rangers led by Knowlton was scouting in advance of Washington's army at the
Battle of Harlem Heights
The Battle of Harlem Heights was fought during the New York and New Jersey campaign of the American Revolutionary War. The action took place on September 16, 1776, in what is now the Morningside Heights area and east into the future Harlem nei ...
. While reconnoitering the British outposts they were engaged by elements of the light infantry brigade commanded by Major General Alexander Leslie. They managed a successful retreat and later mounted a counter-attack with the support of riflemen led by Major Andrew Leitch of
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography an ...
. General Washington ordered the units to fall on the enemy's rear, while a feint in front engaged the British troops’ attention. Knowlton's force turned prematurely and made contact with the right flank of the British instead, losing the element of surprise. In the face of heavy fire from the British, Knowlton rallied his troops to carry on the attack. Both American commanding officers fell mortally wounded in front of their men. Knowlton's loss was lamented by Washington in his general orders for September 17, 1776 with the statement "''The gallant and brave Col Knowlton, ... would have been an Honor to any Country, having fallen yesterday, while gloriously fighting ...for his country ''".
Knowlton Award
In 1995 the Military Intelligence Corps Association established the LTC Thomas W. Knowlton Award. The Knowlton Award recognizes individuals who have contributed significantly to the promotion of Army Military Intelligence in ways that stand out in the eyes of the recipients, their superiors, subordinates and peers. These individuals must also demonstrate the highest standards of integrity and moral character, display an outstanding degree of professional competence, and serve the MI Corps with distinction.
An August 1, 2012 posthumous recipient of the Knowlton Award was
Marian Rejewski
Marian Adam Rejewski (; 16 August 1905 – 13 February 1980) was a Polish mathematician and cryptography, cryptologist who in late 1932 reconstructed the sight-unseen German military Enigma machine, Enigma cipher machine, aided by limited docu ...
, the
mathematician
A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems.
Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, mathematical structure, structure, space, Mathematica ...
-
cryptologist at the
Polish General Staff's
Cipher Bureau who in late 1932 reconstructed the German military
Enigma cipher machine.
Marian Rejewski
Marian Adam Rejewski (; 16 August 1905 – 13 February 1980) was a Polish mathematician and cryptography, cryptologist who in late 1932 reconstructed the sight-unseen German military Enigma machine, Enigma cipher machine, aided by limited docu ...
's posthumous Knowlton Award was accepted at his home town,
Bydgoszcz
Bydgoszcz ( , , ; german: Bromberg) is a city in northern Poland, straddling the meeting of the River Vistula with its left-bank tributary, the Brda. With a city population of 339,053 as of December 2021 and an urban agglomeration with more ...
,
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is divided into Voivodeships of Poland, sixteen voivodeships and is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union (EU), with over 38 mill ...
, on September 4, 2012, by his mathematician daughter, Janina Sylwestrzak.
["''Najwyższe odznaczenie amerykańskiego wywiadu za złamanie kodów Enigmy''" ("Highest American Intelligence Award for Breaking Enigma Ciphers"), '' Gwiazda Polarna'' (The Pole Star), vol. 103, no. 20 (September 22, 2012), p. 6.]
References
Sources
*, 160 pages
*, 384 pages
*
*
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*
Further reading
*
External links
Portrait by John TrumbullGeorge Washington's General Orders dated September 17, 1776Thomas Knowlton Genealogy Information from descendant Thomas Knowlton Gibson
{{DEFAULTSORT:Knowlton, Thomas
1740 births
1776 deaths
United States military personnel killed in the American Revolutionary War
American spies
People of colonial Connecticut
People from Ashford, Connecticut
Continental Army officers from Connecticut
People of Connecticut in the French and Indian War
United States Army Rangers
Military personnel from Connecticut
American spies during the American Revolution