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 Howe,
WILLIAM, military officer; born in England, Aug. 10,
1729; was, by illegitimate descent, uncle of George III. He entered
the army as cornet of dragoons, and distinguished himself under
Wolfe at Quebec. Made colonel of infantry in 1764, he rose to the
rank of major-general in 1772. In May, 1775, he arrived at Boston
with reinforcements for General
Gage. At that time there was much reluctance among British
officers to serve against the American colonists. The Earl of
Effingham and the eldest son of William
Pitt resigned their commissions rather than engage in the
unnatural service; and General
Oglethorpe, the senior general of the royal army, declined the
proffered service of commander-in-chief of the British army in
America. After Gage's recall, it was offered to General Howe, and
accepted. He was in chief command in the
battle of Bunker
(Breed's) Hill, June 17, 1775, and when forced to leave Boston,
March, 1776, went with his troops to Halifax. In August, the same
year, he landed a large number of troops on Staten Island, near
New York. With them the
Americans were defeated in battle on Long Island, August 27, 1776,
and for this he was soon after knighted. He took possession of New
York City, September 15, and was defeated in battle at
WHITE PLAINS,
October 28. On November 16 he captured
Fort Washington, on Manhattan
Island, and in July, 1777, sailed in the fleet of his brother,
Admiral Howe, for Chesapeake Bay. Marching for Philadelphia, he
defeated George
Washington in battle on Brandywine Creek, September 11, 1777,
and entered Philadelphia on September 26. Howe repulsed an attack
made by Washington, October 4, at
Germantown, and spent the ensuing
winter in Philadelphia. In May, 1778, he was succeeded by
Sir Henry
Clinton, and returned to England. Sir William was made
lieutenant-general of ordnance 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-councilor
at the time of his death, July 12, 1814. |
