British General William Howe

Children's Literature

Here is the story of the Revolutionary War told through the life of William Howe, the general who commanded the British forces during the American War of Independence. When Howe served in Canada in the French and Indian War that preceded the American Revolution, he led many men who were from the colony of Massachusetts. Because of that association, he developed a positive feeling for Americans and the 13 colonies and publicly criticized King George's government's treatment of the colonies. Despite Howe's attitude, King George summoned him to the palace, then commanded Howe to lead a large number of British soldiers in America. Howe didn't want to accept, but could not in good conscience refuse a direct order from the king. Even though he had been sympathetic to the American cause, he became a formidable adversary in a war whose outcome was not at all assured. He was a shrewd general who tested the mettle of American troops who were often outnumbered and who fought under extremely difficult conditions. Boxed text adds interesting, complementary anecdotes, such as George Washington returning General Howe's lost dog and the heroism of Molly Pitcher. The illustrations include several maps. A glossary explains words that are boldfaced in the text. Included are a chronology for Howe's life, a Revolutionary War time-line, suggestions for further reading and an index. For this book in the "Revolutionary War Leaders" series, Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., a leading American historian, was senior consulting editor.
—Janet Crane Barley