Thomas Gage

General The Honourable Thomas Gage
Portrait by John Singleton Copley, c. 1768
13th Governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay
In office 13 May 1774 – 11 October 1775
Monarch	George III
Preceded by	Thomas Hutchinson
Succeeded by	Governor's Council (acting) John Hancock (as Governor of Massachusetts)
Commander-in-Chief, North America
In office September 1763 – June 1775
Monarch	George III
Preceded by	Jeffery Amherst
Succeeded by	Frederick Haldimand
Military Governor of Quebec
In office 1760–1763
Preceded by	François-Pierre Rigaud de Vaudreuil
Succeeded by	Ralph Burton
Personal details
Born	10 March 1718/19[1] Firle, Sussex, England
Died	2 April 1787 (aged 67–68) Portland Place, London, England
Spouse	Margaret Kemble Gage ​ ​ (m. 1758)​
Profession	Military officer official
Signature
Military service
Allegiance	Kingdom of Great Britain
Branch/service	British Army
Years of service	1741–1775 1781–1782
Rank	General
Commands	80th Regiment of Light-Armed Foot Military governor of Montreal Commander-in-Chief, North America
Battles/wars	War of the Austrian Succession Battle of Fontenoy Jacobite rising of 1745 Battle of Culloden French and Indian War Braddock Expedition Battle of the Monongahela Battle of Carillon Pontiac's Rebellion American Revolutionary War Battles of Lexington and Concord Siege of Boston Battle of Bunker Hill

General Thomas Gage (10 March 1718/19 – 2 April 1787) was a British Army general officer and colonial official best known for his many years of service in North America, including his role as British commander-in-chief in the early days of the American Revolution.

Being born into an aristocratic family in England, he entered military service, seeing action in the French and Indian War, where he served alongside his future opponent George Washington in the 1755 Battle of the Monongahela. After the fall of Montreal in 1760, he was named its military governor. During this time he did not distinguish himself militarily, but proved himself to be a competent administrator.

From 1763 to 1775 he served as commander-in-chief of the British forces in North America, overseeing the British response to the 1763 Pontiac's Rebellion. In 1774 he was also appointed the military governor of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, with instructions to implement the Intolerable Acts, punishing Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party. His attempts to seize the military stores of Patriot militias in April 1775 sparked the Battles of Lexington and Concord, beginning the American Revolutionary War. After the Pyrrhic victory in the June Battle of Bunker Hill, he was replaced by General William Howe in October 1775, and returned to Great Britain.