# Lord Howe — The American Crisis character guide

> Lord Howe in The American Crisis by Thomas Paine.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Howe

**First appearance:** 0003-the-crisis-ii-to-lord-howe

## Snapshot

The admiral and peace commissioner whose offers of reconciliation Paine treats as bait, not mercy.

## Who they are

Lord Howe is both naval commander and would-be negotiator, empowered to quiet the colonies by treaty if he cannot by force. His tension is that his commission depends on Americans believing his terms are generous, while Paine insists they are a trap designed to divide and disarm. He matters because his peace overtures force the Crisis to argue that negotiation itself is the greater danger.

## Relationships

### [America](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_american_crisis_se/characters/america)

_rivalry_

Lord Howe, as a British commander, is an antagonist to the American cause for independence.

### [George Washington](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_american_crisis_se/characters/george_washington)

_rivalry_

Washington and Lord Howe were opposing military commanders in the American Revolutionary War.

### [Tories](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_american_crisis_se/characters/tories)

_friendship_

Lord Howe, as a British peace commissioner, sought to negotiate with and gain support from the Tories.

### [America](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_american_crisis_se/characters/america)

_rivalry_

Lord Howe, as a British commander, is an antagonist to the American cause for independence.

### [George Washington](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_american_crisis_se/characters/george_washington)

_rivalry_

Washington and Lord Howe were opposing military commanders in the American Revolutionary War.

## In the story

### [The Crisis II: To Lord Howe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_american_crisis_se/chapters/the-crisis-ii-to-lord-howe)

British commissioner and military commander, recipient of Paine's critique and mockery.

### [The Crisis VI: To the Earl of Carlisle, General Clinton, and William Eden, Esq., British Commissioners at New York](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_american_crisis_se/chapters/the-crisis-vi-to-the-earl-of-carlisle-general-clinton-and-william-eden-esq-british-commissioners-at-new-york)

Not directly mentioned, but referenced implicitly as part of British command.

### [Endnotes](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_american_crisis_se/chapters/endnotes)

Lord Howe is noted as a British commissioner sent to negotiate with Congress and as a friend of Franklin in London.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_american_crisis_se/characters/lord_howe
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_american_crisis_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_american_crisis_se/characters