Chapter 6 - Knowlton's Rangers

The files that Mary Pat Knowlton needed to research were not immediately accessible so while we waited, since I had never heard of them, I decided to check out "Knowlton's Rangers" on the Internet. To my surprise I immediately found an article on the web site of the Connecticut Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. There was no author identified nor were any sources cited. But to my amateur eye the organization sounded legitimate (another largely volunteer historical society), and the site looked professional enough. So I read what it had to say.



Born in West Boxford, Massachusetts in 1740, Thomas Knowlton moved to Ashford, Connecticut at eight years of age and nine years later appeared on the muster rolls of Captain John Slapp's 8th Co, First Connecticut Regiment. He rose through the ranks while serving in several Connecticut regiments and participated in the battle of Havana, Cuba in 1762 - one of twenty of Israel Putnam’s 107-man company to return.

With the Battle of Lexington in 1775 Knowlton rejoined his militia and Putnam's Connecticut Regiment. He was promoted to Major as a result of his valorous actions at the Battle of Breed's Hill and "In New York on August 12, 1776 Knowlton was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. In September he was put in charge of an elite hand picked independent corps which was under the direct command of Washington. This unit was called the 'Rangers' or 'Knowlton's Rangers'. (Captain Nathan Hale was a member of this unit.") (www.connecticutsar.org/articles/scarlet_no3.htm)

According to this source Knowlton's Rangers were not formed until three months after the execution of Thomas Hickey - a contradiction to the Hartford Times article that averred the alleged Wethersfield resident was "selected (to be Washington’s bodyguard) from the ranks of Knowlton’s Connecticut Rangers."

I went back to the Google search results to look for corroboration from other sources. The National Park Service website and (www.nps.gov/revwar/revolution_day_by_day/1776_main.html) and Wikipedia both also agreed that Knowlton's Rangers had not yet been formed at the time of Hickey's death.

I also found the full roster of Knowlton's Rangers listed online in www.army.mil/History and it did not contain anyone named Hickey - Thomas or otherwise.

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