On this day 250 years ago Major General John Thomas died of smallpox and was buried in an unmarked grave at Fort Chambly, Canada. Gen. Thomas was not the only member of the Continental Army in Canada who died of smallpox that day, and he was not the only Continental buried in an an unmarked grave at Fort Chambly. At least 2000 Continental soldiers died from smallpox in Canada, many more than were killed in combat with the British. It is fair to say that the Continental Army was defeated by smallpox in Canada rather than by the British Army. You can visit a memorial to Thomas and the other Continental soldiers buried at Fort Chambly.

Sources: https://revolutionarywarjournal.com/major-general-john-thomas/; Jay Kravetz’s Daily History Column today