George Howard (soldier)

Sir George Howard
Portrait of Sir George Howard circa 1760
Born	17 June 1718
Died	16 July 1796 (aged 78) Grosvenor Square, London
Buried	Great Bookham, Surrey
Allegiance	Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1736–1796
Rank	Field Marshal
Commands held	3rd Regiment of Foot
Battles/wars	War of the Austrian Succession Jacobite Rebellion Seven Years' War
Awards	Knight Companion of the Order of the Bath

Field Marshal Sir George Howard KB, PC (17 June 1718 – 16 July 1796) was a British military officer and politician. After commanding the 3rd Regiment of Foot at the Battle of Fontenoy in May 1745 during the War of the Austrian Succession and after commanding that regiment again at the Battle of Falkirk Muir and the Battle of Culloden during the Jacobite Rebellion, he returned to the continent and fought at the Battle of Lauffeld. He went on to command a brigade at the Battle of Warburg during the Seven Years' War. He subsequently became the Governor of Minorca.

Born the son of Lieutenant General Thomas Howard and his wife Mary Howard (née Moreton, daughter of William Moreton, Bishop of Meath), Howard was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford and was commissioned as a lieutenant in his father's regiment (later the 24th Regiment of Foot) in 1736. He was promoted to captain in 1737 and transferred to the 3rd Regiment of Foot in 1739. Promoted to lieutenant colonel on 2 April 1744, he commanded the 3rd Regiment of Foot at the Battle of Fontenoy in May 1745 during the War of the Austrian Succession.