Sir william howe biography for kids video

Howe was one of three brothers who had distinguished military careers. In historiography of the American war he is usually referred to as Sir William Howe to distinguish him from his brother Richard , who was 4th Viscount Howe at that time. He became known for his role in the capture of Quebec in when he led a British force to capture the cliffs at Anse-au-Foulon , allowing James Wolfe to land his army and engage the French in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham.

What is william howe famous for

He was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of the Isle of Wight, a post he held until However, poor campaign planning for contributed to the failure of John Burgoyne 's Saratoga campaign , which played a major role in the entry of France into the war. Howe's role in developing those plans and the degree to which he was responsible for British failures that year despite his personal success at Philadelphia have both been subjects of contemporary and historic debate.

He was knighted after his successes in He resigned his post as Commander-in-Chief, British land forces in America, in , and the next year returned to England, where he was at times active in the defence of the British Isles. He sat in the House of Commons from to for Nottingham. He inherited the Viscountcy of Howe upon the death of his brother Richard in He married, but had no children, and the viscountcy became extinct with his death in This connection with the crown may have improved the careers of all four sons, but all were also very capable officers.