135 William Howe Facts: Refresh Your Memory About The Revolutionary War

William Howe was the third son of Charlotte and Emanuel Howe.

The fifth viscount and the commander-in-chief of the British military, William Howe is known to have been an instrumental part of the American Revolutionary War. William Howe, as commander-in-chief, made sure that the might of the British troops was made evident to George Washington.

Through his expertise of all things to do with the battlefield and his knack for winning battles in the toughest of situations, General William Howe made his entrance into the American Revolutionary War with the Battle of Bunker Hill and established himself as someone to look up to.

His many successful conquests were somewhat contested by the fact that he had previously assured the people of Nottingham that he believed in peaceful negotiation with the Americans.

Whether or not he was genuine about his intentions is a matter of speculation.

After the war and his many successes, he resigned from the post of commander-in-chief in the year 1777. Keep reading to know more about William Howe and his life!

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Fun Facts About William Howe

William Howe is remembered fondly as one of the people who played a major role in the American Revolution.

Howe was the third son of Emanuel Howe and his wife Charlotte and followed the examples set by his elder brothers to join the military.

Born on August 10, in the year 1729, Howe led the British forces in North America in many battles and even emerged victorious in most.

General William Howe is known to have been sympathetic towards the American cause and he wanted to make sure that the American War did not end badly for the British-American people that lived in the land.

Howe first landed in America during the Seven Years' War.

He is said to have played a pivotal role in many of the battles that were fought on the land, and hence, Howe is remembered as a war hero in his own nation.

He is also known as a central figure in the captures of Belle-Île and Montreal, and hence, the name General William Howe was well earned. Howe was the adjunct general of the British Troops that captured Havana.

The capture of Havana in the year 1762 was also a milestone in Howe's career.

Howe joined the military at the tender age of 17 and quickly rose to the position of lieutenant as he fought during the War of the Austrian Succession. His rank was elevated to captain shortly afterward in the year 1750.

It was in the 20th Regiment of Foot that Howe made friends with Major James Wolfe, who would be his companion in North America, in the Indian and French Wars.

One of the fun facts about General William Howe is that he was popularly called Sir William Howe in order to distinguish him from his brother Richard. Richard Howe was the fourth viscount at the time and William went on to later become the fifth viscount.

All of William Howe's siblings were known for having distinguished and accomplished careers in the British force.

All brothers were renowned fondly in their own rights, however, General William Howe's many wins against the American militia definitely put them somewhat at the top of the familial ladder. General Howe joined the military at the tender age of 17 and then went on to play crucial roles in the American Revolution and the French and Indian wars.

It was because of these victories that General Howe eventually rose to the position of Commander-in-Chief of the British land forces.

Historical Facts About William Howe

Sir William Howe played pivotal roles in the Seven Years' War and the War of the Austrian Succession.

In these events, he either led the British forces all by himself or under distinguished and famous military figures such as Major James Wolfe.

The British Army had many men within it that sympathized with the American cause and Sir William Howe was one of them.

As a result, it is believed that Howe's role was also to make sure that the British government or troops weren't too hard on their colonies during the many battles that took place.

However, at the same time, General Howe was very effective when it came to defeating the American forces in many battles such as the Battle of Bunker Hill.

The American Rebellion may have found some sympathy in General Howe's eyes but he still understood the purpose of the battle and made sure that his army was lethal against them.

One of Howe's many victories that are fondly talked about is the capture of Quebec. It was through this conquest that General Howe was able to allow Major Wolfe's army to penetrate through the plains of Anse-au-Foulon and meet with the French in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham.

It is known as the start of his career since he then went on to win many more battles even though Howe's army wasn't always stronger in comparison to the opposing army.

He was also pivotal in the captures of Belle-Île, Louisbourg, and Havana. He was named the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Wight and continued to hold the post until the year 1795.

General Howe first went to America in March 1775, when the American War of Independence had already broken out.

General Howe had a very expensive victory in the Battle of Bunker Hill and then went on to take control of the British Army in the American War from Thomas Gage.

The capture of New York City and Philadelphia was a personal victory for General Howe, as he went on to make sure that Washington's army could not win. He took the control of the British Army from Thomas Gage and went on to sail to Staten Island, in New York.

George Washington was already anticipating an attack and hence moved from Boston to capture Long Island and Manhattan.

The capture of New York was of utmost importance to General Howe and hence, he was decisive about making his move after more resources and ammunitions had arrived.

In his conquest of New York, he aimed at displaying the might of the British troops in front of the American colonies and the Continental Army in order to make sure that England maintained its stronghold.

Facts About William Howe's Impact

After his brother's death in the Battle of Carillon, William Howe was elected as a member of the Parliament as a representative of the Nottingham constituency. However, he only was elected after he assured the people that he would not harm their American colonies by showing any British might.

When Howe was deployed as a general to fight in North America, his fellow supporters were left in a confused state.

He went against the promise that the British troops would make sure that the rebellion was handled in a diplomatic and peaceful manner.

Following his arrival in Boston, it is unsure whether he actually tried to keep his promise along with contemporaries such as John Burgoyne, since he showed particular valor in the Battle of Bunker Hill and all other conquests that followed.

In the Battle of Bunker Hill, the British lost almost half of their troops under General William Howe.

In Boston, however, Howe withdrew after George Washington showed his strength, and moved to Nova Scotia. His capture of New York and Philadelphia is understood to have been most impactful against the Continental Army.

In America, Howe was appointed the commander in place of Thomas Gage.

Facts About William Howe's Childhood

William Howe was the third child of Emanuel and Charlotte Howe. Emanuel was the second viscount.

Emanuel Howe's three sons joined the military and were all distinct figures in the militia.

One of the fun facts about William Howe's early life is that his grandmother was the mistress of King George I. In this way, William Howe and his brothers could somehow be termed as the illegitimate uncles of King George III.

Emanuel Howe, William Howe's father, served as the Governor of Barbados, while his wife was a frequent attendant at the courts of King George II and King George III.

Hence, we can very well say that William Howe's rise to fame in England was a given.

In addition to being born in a distinguished family, he was also very skilled at the battlefield and proved his worth repeatedly.

Starting his career with the Battle of Bunker Hill with his contemporary, John Burgoyne, William Howe repeatedly proved to the throne that he was a useful tool when it came to the situation in America with regards to the war for independence.

Having outsmarted George Washington through his own will and the sheer might of the British troops, General William Howe was undeniably one of the most powerful figures of his own time.

In his own life, he married but bore no children. Hence, the viscountcy ended with his own death in the year 1814.

It is quite interesting to note that this member of the British military joined the army at the tender age of 17 and took only a couple of years to rise from the ranks of an ordinary officer to the commander-in-chief.

Although his family definitely had the knack for the battlefield, rising to such a rank in the British military is no ordinary feat.

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