HOWE, Sir WILLIAm (1729-1814). A British soldier in the American Revolution, younger brother of Richard, Earl Howe (q.v.), whom he succeeded as fifth Viscount Howe in 1799. He was educated at Eton, was appointed a cornet in 1746, and saw service in Flanders. In 1750 be became captain, and in 1757. having attained the rank of lieutenant-colonel. he was placed in com mand of the Fifty-eighth Foot, and sent with it in the following year to America. where he took part in the siege and capture of Louisburg and accompanied Wolfe on his expedition to Quebec. Atter the capture of Montreal, in 1760. he re turned to Europe, and in 1762 was adjutant-gen eral of the expedition against Havana. After the close of the Seven Years' War he was made colonel of the Forty-sixth Foot (1764). was elected to Parliament as a Notting ham, and in I NS was appointed Lieutenant-Gov ernor of the Isle of Wight. He attaired the rank of major-general in 1772. When the rupture with the American Colonies became imminent, Howe was pronounced in his condemnation of the Government's course. Nevertheless, in spite of this feeling, and of his dislike for Gen eral Gage, he commanded the reinforcements sent to the latter at Boston in March, 1775. He commanded the British in the battle of Bunker Bill, on June 17th following. Later he was made a lieutenant-general. and in October succeeded Gage in command of all the troops in America outside of Canada. with the local rank of general. He was besieged in Boston by Wash ington during the winter of 1775-76. and. being compelled to abandon the city, withdrew his troops to Halifax, and afterwards transferred his com mand to Staten Island. whence he moved on New York, winning the battle of Long Island on Au gust 27, 1776. and occupying the city on Septem ber 15th. On October 2Stli he defeated Washing
ton at White Plains, and afterwards captured Forts Washington and Lee, after which he set tled down in New York for the winter. It was not until June, 1777, that he again took the field. Wishing. to reach Philadelphia. and finding that he had not a sufficiently large force to ad vance across New Jersey in the face of Wash ington's army, he embarked his troops, and sailed down the coast and up the Chesapeake Bay as far as Elkton, where he landed his forces on August 28th. Marching northward, he en countered and defeated Washington at the Brandywine on September 1 1th, and on Septem ber 27th occupied Philadelphia. On October 4th the Americans were repulsed at Germantown. After hearing the news of Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga on October 17th, Howe made ar rangements to stay in Philadelphia during the winter, while Washington went into winter quar ters at Valley Forge. Howe had sent in his resig nation shortly after taking Philadelphia, but it was not accepted until May, 1778, when Sir rlenry Clinton was appointed to succeed him. Before leaving Philadelphia his officers gave him a farewell entertainment in the shape of a mock tournament, which they named the `Misehianza' (q.v.). Ile was severely era: eised for his inactivity at Philadelphia, and in 1779, after his return to England. his conduct was the subject of a Parliamentary inquiry; but the examining committee reached no definite decision in the matter. In 1782 he became lieu tenant-general of ordnance, and attained the rank of full general in the following year. Dur ing the remainder of his life he held various commands in England.