Over two significant conflicts, The Howe brothers from Great Britain played an unparalleled role in the narrative of American history. Through a combination of triumphs and missteps, George Howe, Richard Howe, and William Howe profoundly influenced the trajectory of America’s formative years, spanning from the French and Indian War to the Revolutionary War. Their collective story is a compelling study in military leadership, familial legacy, and the complex dynamics of colonial conflict.
George Howe in the French and Indian War
George Howe (1725-1758) earned the esteemed description of “the best officer in the British Army” from James Wolfe, a testament to his military prowess and respected leadership. The Howe family, a lineage deeply intertwined with British power structures, provided a strong foundation for the brothers’ careers. Their father, Emanuel Scrope, the Second Viscount Howe, held a prominent position in Parliament and served as the Royal Governor of Barbados for several years before his death in 1735. George Augustus, the eldest son and inheritor of the title as Third Viscount, was born in 1725 and was poised for rapid advancement within the British military ranks. By the young age of twenty, George had already secured a commission as an ensign in the 1st Foot Guards. He further honed his military acumen as an aide-de-camp to the Duke of Cumberland, experiencing firsthand the brutal realities of the Jacobite Rebellion and the War of the Austrian Succession. These early experiences were instrumental in shaping his military philosophy and leadership style.
As the Seven Years’ War erupted across global theaters in 1756, George Howe’s career ascended further. He was appointed colonel of the newly formed 60th Regiment of Foot (Royal Americans), dispatched to the British colonies, and subsequently placed in command of the 55th Regiment. His reputation and abilities garnered the attention of influential figures such as William Pitt and members of Parliament. This recognition led to his promotion to brigadier general. In this elevated role, he served as second-in-command to Major General James Abercromby during the pivotal 1758 campaign aimed at capturing Fort Carillon (Ticonderoga) from French control. This campaign would prove to be a defining moment not only for the war but also for George Howe’s legacy.
Brigadier General Howe quickly distinguished himself by cultivating a strong rapport with the colonial provincial troops participating in the expedition. Unlike many of his British peers, George displayed a genuine admiration for the irregular warfare tactics employed by the colonials. He actively sought to learn from their field expertise, demonstrating a pragmatic and adaptable approach to military strategy. His commitment to understanding and respecting the colonial soldiers extended beyond tactics. He adopted their habits, forgoing silver utensils in favor of simpler fare, sleeping on the ground alongside his men, and even washing his own uniform in the manner of the provincial troops. This uncommon display of solidarity and respect fostered deep admiration among the colonial soldiers. They revered him for his “robust Soldier-like Constitution, his bold, enterprising Spirit, and every other military accomplishment.” One contemporary observer noted, “His soldiers love and fear him, and are willing to comply with his Commands, because he first sets them an Example.” This intimate connection with his troops, coupled with his military skill, solidified his position as a beloved leader.
Brigadier General Howe became the most favored British regular officer serving in the colonies during the French and Indian War. His bravery was unquestionable, his tactical thinking innovative, and crucially, he possessed the rare ability to connect with the men under his command on a personal level. Tragically, his promising career in America was cut short. On July 6, 1758, while personally spearheading an advance force against French resistance near Bernetz Brook, just miles from the fortifications of Carillon, Howe was fatally struck in the chest by a musket ball. His instantaneous death sent shockwaves through the British ranks. A British officer lamented, “In Lord Howe, the soul of General Abercromby’s army seemed to expire.” His loss was deeply felt, not just militarily, but also morally, as he represented a unique bridge between the British regulars and the colonial forces.
In recognition of Brigadier General George Howe’s exceptional service and the profound impact of his character, the Massachusetts Assembly, in a gesture of profound gratitude and respect, allocated funds the following year for a memorial to be erected in Westminster Abbey. This unprecedented act of honoring a British officer by a colonial assembly deeply resonated with his younger brothers, William and Richard. They never forgot this testament to their brother’s character and service. It became their charge to uphold and extend their family’s burgeoning legacy of military heroism and national service.
Richard and William Howe in North America during the Revolution
Like their esteemed elder brother, Richard Howe (1726-1799) and William Howe (1729-1814) were predestined for careers in military service from their early years. Richard entered the Royal Navy in 1740, while William joined the Army in 1746. Both brothers gained valuable experience during the War of the Austrian Succession and the French and Indian War, building their professional foundations in significant global conflicts. Richard, known as “Black Dick” due to his dark complexion, demonstrated early naval aptitude and leadership. In June 1755, while captaining the Dunkirk, he led a successful pursuit off Nova Scotia, intercepting French transports carrying regular troops to Canada and capturing eight companies. This naval engagement, though relatively minor, marked the opening naval salvo of what would escalate into the Seven Years’ War the following year. Richard’s distinguished service continued throughout that war and the subsequent decade, marked by a swift ascent through naval ranks. This culminated in his appointment as commander of Britain’s naval forces in North America in February 1776, a pivotal role as the colonies edged toward rebellion. Alongside his brother William, he was tasked with quelling the burgeoning colonial uprising.
William Howe also accumulated substantial combat experience during the French and Indian War. He commanded the 58th Regiment of Foot during the siege of Louisbourg in 1758, attracting the attention of Brigadier General James Wolfe, who would later become a key figure in the Quebec campaign. In the subsequent year, 1759, William led light infantry units under Wolfe at the crucial Battle of Quebec and continued to serve with distinction under General Jeffry Amherst near Montreal. These campaigns solidified his reputation as a capable and courageous military leader.
Following the cessation of hostilities in the French and Indian War, William Howe transitioned into politics while maintaining his military career and consistent promotions. He served as a Member of Parliament representing Nottingham, offering him insights into the political dimensions of empire and governance. As tensions escalated between Great Britain and its American colonies, both Richard and William Howe advocated within government circles for a policy of restraint and the avoidance of armed conflict with their American kinsmen. They understood the complexities of the colonial relationship and the potential for disastrous outcomes from military confrontation. Despite their pleas for moderation, events spiraled towards conflict. Massachusetts, a hotbed of colonial dissent, ignited the flames of rebellion in April 1775 with the Battles of Lexington and Concord. The following month, Major General William Howe, alongside fellow major generals John Burgoyne and Henry Clinton, arrived in Boston, dispatched to suppress the escalating unrest. Despite his personal reservations about engaging in conflict with the colonists, William recognized his duty to the Crown and country superseded his personal feelings. He still hoped that a resolution could be achieved without further bloodshed.
General Howe’s direct experience in the Revolutionary War commenced on June 17, 1775, during the Battle of Bunker Hill. This single day profoundly shaped his operational and tactical approach throughout the remainder of the war against the Americans. Under orders from General Thomas Gage, William led a force of 2,600 British soldiers against entrenched rebel positions on the Charlestown Peninsula, primarily focused on Breed’s Hill. The British forces launched three successive waves of assaults against the American lines, resulting in devastating casualties as red-coated soldiers fell in large numbers before the entrenched colonial defenses. Howe himself directed the attacks against the enemy center. Ultimately, after immense losses, British forces succeeded in dislodging the Americans and securing the peninsula. While a tactical victory for Howe, it came at an exorbitant cost, with over 1,000 British casualties. The Battle of Bunker Hill instilled in Howe a deep aversion to costly frontal assaults against fortified enemy positions. He understood that victories achieved at such a high price were strategically unsustainable in the long run.
William Howe’s tenure as commander of the British army in America, a position he assumed in September 1775, is best characterized by a pattern of tactical and operational successes juxtaposed with overall strategic failure. His land forces consistently defeated the Continental Army in key engagements across New York and Pennsylvania. However, Howe repeatedly failed to deliver the decisive, crushing blow that would effectively cripple the American rebellion and prevent them from continuing the fight. The fundamental flaw in Howe’s strategy lay in his misidentification of the revolution’s center of gravity. He mistakenly believed that capturing major American cities, the commercial and political hubs, would break the rebellion’s back. He failed to recognize that the true source of American resilience was the Continental Army itself and the unwavering commitment of the American people to their cause.
Following the evacuation of Boston in March 1776, British strategic focus shifted to capturing New York City, perceived as the economic and financial heart of the colonies. Sailing from Halifax, Howe arrived off the coast of New York in late June, and his brother Richard joined him the following month, uniting their command efforts. By mid-August, the Howe brothers had assembled the largest British expeditionary force ever deployed in the Western Hemisphere, comprising over 30,000 soldiers, thirty warships armed with 1,200 cannons, and 10,000 sailors. By November, George Washington’s Continental Army had been driven out of New York and was in retreat across New Jersey, though crucially, it remained intact as a fighting force.
General Howe’s forces inflicted significant defeats upon the Americans, but his consistent failure to capitalize on tactical victories with decisive strategic maneuvers proved detrimental. Washington managed to evade complete destruction and preserve his army, ensuring the continuation of the war. New York City fell under British control, but the larger conflict was far from resolved. Instead of relentlessly pursuing the retreating Continental Army and attempting to trap them against the Delaware River, Howe opted to put his forces into winter quarters. He operated under the assumption that the American army and the revolution itself would simply collapse during the winter months. This strategic miscalculation proved to be profoundly wrong.
The subsequent year, 1777, witnessed the Howe brothers redirect their strategic focus towards Philadelphia, the political center of the revolution. They aimed to capture yet another major city in the hopes of undermining the rebellion’s leadership and infrastructure. Admiral Howe’s naval fleet transported his brother’s land forces by sea to Maryland, initiating a campaign that mirrored the previous year’s operations. The British forces inflicted further defeats on Washington’s army at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown, and Philadelphia subsequently fell to British occupation. However, much like the capture of New York, the fall of Philadelphia failed to deliver a decisive blow. The Continental Congress simply relocated to continue governing, and the Continental Army, though bloodied, remained a viable fighting force, demonstrating the resilience of the American cause.
Despite their military objectives, the Howe brothers consistently harbored a desire for a peaceful resolution. They hoped to achieve reconciliation through negotiation rather than sustained bloodshed, reflecting their reluctance to wage war against those they still considered countrymen. On numerous occasions, particularly during their occupation of New York, the brothers initiated peace negotiations with American representatives. However, these attempts at reconciliation consistently failed to bridge the widening divide.
The most significant of these peace overtures occurred at the Billopp House on Staten Island on September 11, 1776. There, Richard Howe personally met with prominent American figures John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, and Edward Rutledge. In response to Howe’s proposals for reconciliation with the Crown, Benjamin Franklin delivered a blunt and decisive rejection, stating, “We cannot now expect happiness under the domination of Great Britain. All former attachments have been obliterated.” Franklin articulated the irreversible shift in colonial sentiment. Too much blood had been shed, and too much animosity had been generated, rendering any prospect of peaceful reconciliation unattainable. The events of the following year further solidified the impossibility of a negotiated peace.
By May 1778, with the war entrenched and far from a British victory, General William Howe resigned from his command and returned to England, his military reputation significantly tarnished by the ongoing stalemate in America. Richard remained in America for a short while longer, successfully overseeing the evacuation of Philadelphia in June 1778 and even securing a naval victory against a combined Franco-American force in Rhode Island later that year. However, he too soon returned home. The Howe brothers had been dispatched to suppress a rebellion, but their actions, while achieving tactical successes, ultimately prolonged and intensified the conflict, inadvertently giving new impetus to the American Revolution. Their desire for peace, while perhaps well-intentioned, was ultimately undermined by their inability to decisively utilize British military power to force American submission. They failed to fully grasp that the true engine of the revolution was not the control of cities, but the unwavering will of the American people.
The saga of the Howe brothers in America is a narrative of both triumph and tragedy, imbued with a profound sense of irony. During the French and Indian War, they fought to secure the American colonies for the British Crown. During the American Revolution, their actions, despite their intentions, contributed to losing those very colonies for the same Crown. Their story remains a critical chapter in understanding the complexities of British-American relations and the ultimate emergence of the United States.
Further Readings
