General William Howe
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The Right Honourable The Viscount Howe KB PC |
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Engraving by Henry Bryan Hall
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| Member of Parliament for Nottingham |
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In office 1758–1780 Serving with Willoughby Aston (1758–1761) Serving with John Plumptre (1761–1774) Serving with Charles Sedley (1774–1778) Serving with Abel Smith (1778–1779) Serving with Robert Smith (1779–1780) |
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| Preceded by | George Howe |
| Succeeded by | Daniel Parker Coke |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 August 1729 |
| Died | 12 July 1814 (aged 84) Twickenham, United Kingdom |
| Resting place | Twickenham |
| Political party | Whig |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 Great Britain / British Empire
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| Service/branch |
 British Army
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| Years of service | 1746–1803 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | Colonel, 60th (later 58th) Regiment of Foot Colonel, 46th Regiment of Foot Commander-in-Chief, North America Colonel, 19th Light Dragoons Northern District |
| Battles/wars |
War of the Austrian Succession |
War of the Austrian Succession
Seven Years' War
General William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, KB, PC (10 August 1729 – 12 July 1814) was a British Army officer who rose to become Commander-in-Chief of British forces during the American War of Independence. Howe was one of three brothers who had distinguished military careers.
Having joined the army in 1746, Howe saw extensive service in the War of the Austrian Succession and Seven Years' War. He became known for his role in the capture of Quebec in 1759 when he led a British force to capture the cliffs at Anse-au-Foulon, allowing James Wolfe to land his army and engage the French in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. Howe also participated in the campaigns to take Louisbourg, Belle Île and Havana. He was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the Isle of Wight, a post he would hold until 1795.
Howe was sent to North America in March 1775, arriving in May after the American War of Independence broke out. After leading British troops to a costly victory in the Battle of Bunker Hill, Howe took command of all British forces in America from Thomas Gage in September of that year. Howe's record in North America was marked by the successful capture of both New York City and Philadelphia. However, poor British campaign planning for 1777 contributed to the failure of John Burgoyne's Saratoga campaign, which played a major role in the entry of France into the war. Howe's role in developing those plans and the degree to which he was responsible for British failures that year (despite his personal success at Philadelphia) have both been subjects of contemporary and historic debate.
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