HOWE, WILLIAM HOWE, 5TH VISCOUNT

born Aug. 10, 1729 died July 12, 1814, Plymouth, Devonshire, Eng. commander in chief of the British Army in North America (177678) who, despite several military successes, failed to destroy the Continental Army and stem the American Revolution. Brother of Adm. Richard Lord Howe, William Howe had been active in North America during the last French and Indian War (175463), in which he earned a reputation as one of the army's most brilliant young generals. Sent in 1775 to reinforce Gen. Thomas Gage in the siege of Boston, he led the left wing in three costly but finally successful assaults in the Battle of Bunker Hill. Succeeding to the supreme command the following year, he transferred his forces southward and captured the strategic port city of New York; his army then occupied the whole area around the city and went into winter quarters. When active operations were resumed in June 1777, Howe moved his troops to the south bank of the Delaware River and won two successive victories over the Americans at the Battle of Brandywine (September) and the Battle of Germantown (October). His next winter was spent in the occupation of Philadelphia. Howe recognized his failure, however, to demolish the modest force of Gen. George Washington, then encamped at nearby Valley Forge; his entire operation had furthermore exposed the troops of Gen. John Burgoyne in upper New York State and led to the disastrous British defeat at Saratoga that fall. Howe therefore resigned his command before the start of operations in 1778, to be succeeded by Gen. Henry Clinton. Returning to England, he saw no more active service but held a number of important home commands. He succeeded to the viscountcy on the death of his brother in 1799; upon his own death, without issue, the peerage expired.