Thomas Wheeler (soldier)

Thomas Wheeler (c. 1620 – 1676) was an English colonial military officer who served in the Massachusetts Bay Colony and later the Colony of Connecticut. He is best known for his participation in King Philip's War, specifically for leading a disastrous expedition to Quabaug (present-day Brookfield, Massachusetts) in August 1675.

Wheeler's early life and migration to the New World are sparsely documented, but he likely arrived in the 1630s or 1640s. He settled in Concord, Massachusetts and later moved to Connecticut. He held various positions of public trust and rose through the ranks of the colonial militia.

In the lead-up to King Philip's War, Wheeler served as an Indian agent, tasked with attempting to maintain peace between the colonists and the Native American tribes. However, tensions escalated rapidly, and in the summer of 1675, he was ordered to lead a company of soldiers to Quabaug to negotiate with the Nipmuck tribe and secure their neutrality.

Wheeler's expedition was ambushed by a large force of Nipmucks. Eight colonists were killed, and the remainder, including Wheeler, were forced to retreat to a fortified house in Brookfield. The house was besieged for several days before being relieved by a larger colonial force. Wheeler's account of the ambush and siege, "A Thankefull Remembrance of Gods Mercy," provides a valuable primary source perspective on the early stages of King Philip's War.

Despite the initial setback, Wheeler continued to serve in the colonial militia throughout the war. He participated in several other engagements against Native American forces. After the war, he remained in Connecticut and died in 1676. His legacy is primarily tied to the Quabaug ambush, which is often viewed as a critical turning point in King Philip's War. His writings offer insight into the attitudes and experiences of English colonists during a period of intense conflict with Native Americans.