5th howe general august july british_army officer rose commander chief british forces american war independence howe brothers distinguished military careers having joined army howe saw extensive service war austrian succession seven years war known role capture quebec led british force capture cliffs allowing land army engage french howe participated campaigns havana appointed lieutenant governor post hold howe sent north_america march arriving american war independence broke leading british troops costly victory howe took command british forces america september year howe record north_america marked successful capture new_york_city philadelphia poor british campaign planning contributed failure campaign played major role entry france war howe role developing plans degree responsible british failures year despite personal success philadelphia subjects contemporary historic debate resigned post commander chief north_america returned england times active defence british isles served years parliament successes inherited howe death brother richard married children extinguished death early life career born england son 2nd howe charlotte daughter acknowledged illegitimate half sister king mother regular courts connection crown improved careers sons capable officers father politician served governor barbados died william eldest brother general killed battle brother admiral rose britain leading naval commanders brother thomas commanded ships nottingham observations william entered army buying commission duke cumberland served years flanders war austrian succession war transferred 20th regiment foot friend seven years war seven years service brought america raise reputation joined newly formed regiment foot february promoted lieutenant colonel december year commanded regiment siege leading amphibious landing heavy enemy fire action won attackers flanking position earned howe howe commanded light infantry battalion general siege quebec chosen lead ascent plains led british victory september spending winter defence regiment fought april battle led brigade capture montreal returning england howe led brigade french coast turned opportunity military governor capture continue active service served adjutant general force captured havana playing skirmish howe elected member parliament nottingham succeeding seat vacated brother george death election assisted influence mother campaigned behalf son away war undertaken service parliament seen common way improve prospects advancement military promoted colonel 46th south regiment foot appointed lieutenant governor tensions rose britain colonies howe continued rise ranks came widely regarded best officers army promoted major general introduced new training drills light infantry companies parliament generally sympathetic american colonies publicly opposed collection legislation intended punish thirteen colonies known assured constituents resist active duty americans asserted entire british army conquer america let government ministers know privately prepared serve america second command knew unpopular government circles early king george called serve accepted claiming publicly suffer serve country distress sailed america march accompanied transferred 23rd american war independence fellow clinton howe arrived boston aboard having learned route war broken skirmishes marches lexington concord april provided naval reinforcement battle bunker hill led force troops sent reinforce troops general besieged city battles howe generals clinton discussed plans break siege formulated plan seize high ground boston attack besieging colonial militia forces setting execution june colonists learned plan fortified heights nearby bunker hill peninsula boston night june forcing british leadership strategy bunker hill boston war council held early june generals developed plan calling direct assault colonial fortification gave howe command operation despite sense urgency colonists working fortifications time council attack known begin afternoon howe personally leading right wing attack assaults firmly repulsed colonial defenders howe assault gained objective cost day battle heavy british casualties killed wounded highest engagement war howe described success bought howe exhibited courage battlefield tactics overwhelming confidence criticised subordinate wrote howe absurd destructive confidence played role number casualties incurred howe injured battle pronounced effect spirit according british historian battle exercised permanent potent influence especially howe behaviour howe military skills fail moment especially wanted despite outward appearance confidence popularity troops face people described coarse privately exhibited lack self confidence later campaigns somewhat dependent older brother richard admiral royal_navy station colonies advice approval october sailed england howe took commander chief british_army america british military planners london outbreak hostilities begun planning massive reinforcement troops north_america plans recommendations howe called abandonment boston establishment bases new_york newport rhode_island attempt rebellion new_england orders arrived november execute plans howe opted remain boston winter begin campaign result remainder largely stalemate howe attempted major engagement continental_army come command george_washington spend fair time gambling tables allegedly established relationship wife apparently arrangement rewarded howe position prisoners contemporaries historians criticised howe gambling time supposedly spent going far level accusations behaviour interfered military activities historian ideas alleged relationship mentioned battle american propaganda ballad written january howe role commander chief cemented promotion general north_america siege broken march continental_army colonel brought heavy artillery boston winter overlooking boston harbour howe planned assault position interfered eventually decided withdraw boston march british troops loyalists evacuated city sailed halifax nova scotia new_york campaign howe troops began arrive outside landing west early july howe orders lord secretary state responsible directing war westminster fairly clear avoid conflict arrival reinforcements waited reinforcements arrived mid august naval commander brother richard delay proved somewhat costly americans time improve fortifications northwestern long_island shoreline increased size continental_army additional militia moving army amphibious barges southwestern long_island opposition attacked american positions august known executed manoeuvre large column led howe clinton passed american left flank lightly guarded east ridge hills running east west island series lower entrances guarded east jamaica catching patriots guard routing americans forward positions despite urging clinton howe decided immediate assault fortifications claiming troops day instead began siege operations advancing entrenched americans decision allowed general washington successfully nighttime strategic withdrawal night august aided thick morning fog historian notes howe attacked capture half washington army possibly washington significant effect rebellion officers notably general clinton critical howe decision storm american works howe reward victory long_island howe brother richard instructions assigned roles peace commissioners limited authority treat rebels long_island pursued attempt reconciliation sending captured general philadelphia proposal peace conference meeting resulted conducted admiral howe unsuccessful given limited powers congressional representatives british recognise recently declared colonial independence howe powers conference failed howe continued campaign landed troops manhattan september occupied new_york_city occupied advance northward manhattan checked day spending nearly month consolidating control new_york_city awaiting reinforcements time ordered execution espionage deal effects major fire city attempted landing mainland intending flank washington position narrow causeway beach mainland defended ended withdrawing troops successful landing troops washington managed avoid flanked retreating white plains howe successfully forced washington new_york area october battle white plains turned attention consolidate british hold manhattan november attacked remaining continental_army stronghold taking thousand prisoners washington retreated new_jersey followed howe advance forces point howe prepared troops command general clinton occupy newport major goal plan clinton proposed troops instead landed new_jersey opposite trapping washington capturing seat philadelphia howe rejected proposals clinton general hugh vocal critics leadership newport early december howe came new_jersey arrange disposition troops winter washington retreated way delaware howe returned new_york believing campaign ended season washington attacked quarters december howe sent reform army new_jersey chase washington frustrated washington gaining second victory princeton howe recalled army positions closer new_york winter howe criticised contemporaries historians failing decisively defeat continental_army new_york campaign contemporaries complained landing failed trap washington failed understand goal campaign secure manhattan necessarily defeat washington historian observes howe overly rigid adherence plans meant unable opportunities arose campaign decisive action philadelphia campaign november washington retreating new_jersey howe written plans campaign season proposed send man force hudson_river capture albany new_york conjunction expedition sent south province quebec wrote december elaborate proposals included operations gain control hudson_river included expanded operations base newport expedition philadelphia howe saw attractive washington north city howe wrote persuaded act philadelphia enemy chief strength lies acknowledged plan particularly called men prepared provide setbacks new_jersey howe mid january proposed operations philadelphia included overland expedition sea based attack thinking lead decisive victory continental_army plan developed extent april howe army seen constructing bridges washington lodged winter quarters new_jersey thought eventual use mid howe apparently abandoned idea overland expedition propose invade pennsylvania sea probably abandon campaign season opened general washington moved army winter quarters new_jersey strongly fortified position june howe began series odd moves new_jersey apparently attempt draw washington army position terrain favourable general engagement motives uncertain historian argues howe determined attempt draw washington major engagement northern new_jersey writing washington shift position howe appetite major action went right finally accomplish brother policies denied previous year destruction continental_army howe underlying campaign goal season philadelphia british major wrote report circulated power thought necessary march sic offer washington battle americans like concluded purpose british stop short gone miles course day discovered come intention drawing plain washington intelligence howe moved taking heavy river crossing equipment apparently washington failed bait howe withdrew army harassment colonel elite light unit superior weapons harry forces moved washington moved exposed position assuming howe going embark army ships howe launched lightning strike designed cut washington retreat attempt gave washington time retreat secure position howe fact embark army sailed south brother fleet howe maintained effective secrecy surrounding fleet destination washington know going british rank file howe campaign philadelphia began amphibious landing head maryland southwest city late august howe preferred landing philadelphia reports prepared defences fleet spent entire extra month sea reach head howe army left head early september pushed advance guard american light infantry bridge september howe army met washington near creek battle howe established headquarters homestead stayed morning september reprise earlier battles howe flanked continental_army position forced washington retreat inflicting heavy casualties weeks manoeuvre engagements including battle clouds engagement valley forge nearly lost howe entered city september reception british received expected led believe friends thicker woods greet arrival instead greeted women children deserted houses despite howe best attempts army authorised execution orders activity army significant negative effect popular support week howe entered philadelphia october washington dawn attack british garrison nearly won battle repulsed late arriving reinforcements sent city forced howe withdraw troops little closer city needed help clear american defences preventing navy army late november task accomplished included poorly executed attack division impact campaign howe campaign general led expedition south montreal capture albany advance stopped september october surrendered army october surrender coupled howe near defeat dramatically altered strategic balance conflict support suffering howe successful occupation philadelphia strengthened victory encouraged france enter war britain loss weakened british government lord north advance assumption met albany howe troops sent howe apparently aware howe plans evolved knew howe plans communicated unclear sources claim state notified changes campaign underway howe expectations degree howe supposed support invasion quebec unclear historians argue howe failed follow instructions essentially abandoned army suggest failed tried shift blame howe clinton howe decision focus activity expedition philadelphia motivated competition general given command northern force despite lobbying howe command given clinton notes british leaders saying likely howe jealous eager assist junior ladder military renown lines historian concludes howe view northern campaign consequently howe wanted little regard army required virtually howe wrote july intended stay close washington intention pennsylvania expect meet washington goes northward contrary expectations bay assured shall soon relieve suggested howe follow washington went north assist defence hudson howe sailed new_york july august shortly arrival head wrote unable assist citing lack loyalist support philadelphia area small force sent north new_york general clinton early october unable assist resignation october howe sent letter resignation london complaining supported year campaigns finally notified april resignation accepted grand party known thrown departing general organized aides party featured grand parade fireworks dancing dawn washington aware british planning evacuate philadelphia sent small force night party determine british movements movement noticed alert british troops howe ordered column battle escaped trap minimal casualties day howe sailed england general clinton took commander chief british armies america preparations overland march new_york howe arrived england july brother faced actions north_america likely resignation william brother richard desire hurry home conduct campaign howe brother demanded parliamentary inquiry actions inquiry followed unable confirm charges inconclusive nature inquiry attacks continued howe pamphlets press published response accusations issued reply harshly criticized general conduct accused deliberately war effort benefit anti war whig faction parliament later life howe lost bid elected house_of_commons named lieutenant general ordnance appointed transferred 23rd 19th resumed limited active duty crisis spain territorial claims northwestern north_america threatened war crisis resolved howe action french revolutionary wars involved britain promoted general commanded appointed governor brother richard died surviving male issue howe inherited irish titles 5th howe baron resigned lieutenant general ordnance citing poor health appointed governor plymouth died long illness married marriage childless titles died wife survived years buried popular culture howe appears antagonist supernatural series depicted flashbacks described present notorious brilliant tactics ruthless cruelty historical role british military leader war independence howe acquainted crane defected america major flashback appearance sees offer crane chance return britain identifies washington spies british forces crane feeling guilty briefly tempted offer howe plays key role crossover episodes crime drama bones body discovered small american church present characters noting recorded buried skull identified murder weapon bones episode resurrection remains resurrected zombie like warrior following hollow episode dead men tell tales requiring crane destroy greek fire
William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe