With  them  the  Americans  were  defeated  in  bat-
tle on  Long  Island  (Aug.  27,  1776),  and  for  this
he  was  soon  afterwards  knighted.  He  took  pos-
session of  New  York  city  Sept.  15,  and  was  de-
feated in  battle  at  White  Plains,  Oct.  28.  (See
White  Plains,  Battle  of.)  On  the  16th  of  Novem-
ber he  captured  Fort  Washington,  on  New  York
island,  and  in  July,  1777,  be  sailed  in  the  fleet
of  his  brother,  Admiral  Howe,  for  Chesapeake
Bay.  Marching  for  Philadelphia,  he  defeated
Washington  in  battle  on  Brandywine  Creek
(Sept.  11,  1777),  and  entered  Philadelphia  on
the  26th  of  September.  Howe  repulsed  an  at-
tack made  by  Washington  (Oct.  4)  at  German-
town,  and  spent  the  ensuing  winter  in  Philadel-
phia. In  May,  1778,  he  was  succeeded  by  Sir
Henry  Clinton,  and  returned  to  England.  Sii-
William  was  made  lieutenant-general  of  ord-
nance in  1782,  and  in  1786  colonel  of  dragoons
and  full  general.  In  1795  he  was  appointed
governor  of  Berwick,  and  on  the  death  of  his
brother,  in  1799,  succeeded  to  his  Irish  viscounty.
Howe  was  governor  of  Plymouth  and  a  Privy-
Councillor  at  the  time  of  his  death.
Howe,  William,  Commakder  of  the  Brit-
ish Army  in  America.  The  miuistry  resolved
to  raise  the  military  force  in  Boston  to  ten  thou-
sand men,  and  supersede  the  incapable  Gage.
