William Howe and the American War of Independence

The first major work on this enigmatic British general for more than 40 years, William Howe and the American War of Independence offers fascinating new insights into his performance during the revolution in America. From 1775 to 1777, Howe commanded the largest expeditionary force Britain had ever amassed, confronting the rebel army under George Washington and enjoying a string of victories. However, his period in command ended in confusion, bitterness and a parliamentary inquiry, because he proved unable to crush the rebellion. Exactly what went wrong has puzzled historians for more than 200 years. For most Howe has been relegated to the role of a bit player, but, with the help of new evidence, this book looks afresh at his army, his relationships with key military and political figures and his own personal qualities. The result is a compelling reassessment of a forgotten general that offers a new perspective on a man who won his battles, but could not win his war.>

About the author

David Smith has studied in both the United States and the UK, and was awarded his PhD in Military History in 2014 by the University of Chester. He has a special interest in the military history of the 18th to 20th centuries, ranging from the American Revolution to British colonial conflicts. David is currently a visiting lecturer in Military History at the University of Chester.

Product details

• Authors: David Smith
• Assisted by: Jeremy Black (Editor)
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 30.09.2016
• EAN: 9781350006881
• ISBN: 978-1-350-00688-1
• No. of pages: 208
• Series: Bloomsbury Studies in Military History; Bloomsbury Studies in Military; Bloomsbury Studies in Military History
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > History > Regional and national histories; Non-fiction book > History > Biographies, autobiographies; Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900, Biography: historical, political & military, military history, HISTORY / Modern / 18th Century, HISTORY / Military / United States, c 1500 onwards to present day, 18th century, c 1700 to c 1799, United Kingdom, Great Britain, United States of America, USA, History of the Americas, Biography: historical, political and military, Specific wars and campaigns, Early modern warfare (including gunpowder warfare), Later 18th century c 1750 to c 1799