William Howe was born in England on August 10, 1729. He commanded the light infantry under Maj. General James Wolfe on the Plains of Abraham at the Battle of Quebec, Canada on September 13, 1759. He was in command at the Battle of Bunker Hill on July 17, 1775. On October 10, 1775, he replaced Lt. General Thomas Gage as Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in America. After the Continental Army Commander-in-Chief General George Washington secured Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston Harbon and then mounted artillery, Howe ordered an evacuation of forces to Halifax, Nova Scotia on March 17, 1776. In August 1776, General Howe began operations against New York City, completely securing it on November 20, 1776, with the occupation of Fort Lee, New Jersey. He then entered winter quarters.
In June 1777, he sailed to Chesapeake Bay. On September 11, he defeated General Washington at the Battle of Brandywine and occupied Philadelphia on September 26th. He again defeated Washington at the Battle of Germantown on October 4, 1777. He then entered winter quarters at Philadelphia. In May 1778, Howe is replaced as British Army Commander in America by Lt. General Henry Clinton and recalled.In 1779, Parliament investigated his conduct, but General Howe was cleared of blame because of having insufficient forces. In 1782, he was made Lt. General of the Ordinance. In 1786, he was promoted to full General. In 1795, he was named Governor of Berwick. In 1799, following the death of his brother, Admiral Richard Howe, he succeeded to the Irish Viscount. At the time of his death on July 12, 1814, he was a privy councilor and governor of Plymouth.
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