Thomas Proctor | |
|---|---|
| Born | c. 1739 County Longford, Ireland |
| Died | 16 March 1806 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service |
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| Years of service | 1775–1781 |
| Rank | &sq=&lang=&file=File:US-O6_insignia.svg){kind=small} Colonel (Continental Army)Major General (Militia) |
| Commands | 4th Continental Artillery Regiment |
| Battles / wars | |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 3 |
| Other work |
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Thomas Proctor or Thomas Procter (c. 1739 – 16 March 1806) commanded the 4th Continental Artillery Regiment during the American Revolutionary War. He was born in County Longford, Ireland, emigrated to British America, married in 1767 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and joined the carpenter's guild in 1772. Receiving a commission as an artillery captain in October 1775, he proceeded to raise a company of Pennsylvania state artillery. After a second company was recruited, Proctor was promoted to major and both companies joined George Washington's army. Proctor led his gunners at Princeton in January 1777. The state authorities elevated Proctor to the rank of colonel and charged him to recruit an eight-company Pennsylvania State Artillery Regiment a month later.
In June 1777 Proctor's Continental Artillery Regiment officially became part of the Continental Army. He played an important role in the battles of Brandywine and Germantown in 1777 and at Monmouth in 1778. He went on the Sullivan Expedition against the Iroquois Nation in 1779. His regiment was renamed the 4th Continental Artillery Regiment in August 1779. He took guns into action at Bull's Ferry in 1780. The hot-tempered Proctor often quarreled with the Pennsylvania civil authorities and this led him to resign from the army in April 1781.
Proctor served as county sheriff of Philadelphia in 1783–1785 and City Lieutenant of Philadelphia in 1790. Secretary of War Henry Knox named him to go on a peace mission in 1791 to the Native American tribes near Lake Erie. Proctor was appointed a brigadier general of militia in 1793 and the following year was sent to suppress the Whiskey Rebellion. In 1798 he became a major general of militia. He died at Philadelphia in March 1806, having outlived his second wife by two years.