# Sir William Howe — The American Crisis character guide

> Sir William Howe in The American Crisis by Thomas Paine.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Howe, General Howe, Sir William Howe, Sir William

**First appearance:** 0002-the-crisis-i

## Snapshot

The British general Paine calls the greatest enemy the Tories have, dragging war into the very country they hoped to spare.

## Who they are

Howe commands the king's forces in America and, in Paine's telling, is deceived by the Tories even as he deceives them — expecting thousands to flock to his standard with muskets shouldered. His flaw is a kind of overconfident calculation: he stakes everything on taking Philadelphia, and Paine argues that even success there cannot win the continent. He matters because his campaign is the immediate military threat the early Crisis numbers are written to answer.

## In the story

### [The Crisis I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_american_crisis_se/chapters/the-crisis-i)

British general whose recent actions are described as 'rather a ravage than a conquest'; Paine warns against his threats and promises of mercy.

### [The Crisis IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_american_crisis_se/chapters/the-crisis-iv)

Directly addressed by Paine as the British commander whose army is weakening and destined for defeat.

### [The Crisis V: To Gen. Sir William Howe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_american_crisis_se/chapters/the-crisis-v-to-gen-sir-william-howe)

Directly addressed by Paine; criticized for retreating into Philadelphia and for the failed attack on Mud Island.

### [To the Inhabitants of America](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_american_crisis_se/chapters/to-the-inhabitants-of-america)

Mentioned as the British general whose earlier victories led to defeat, and who is now trapped in Philadelphia.

### [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)

Howe is mentioned as a British commissioner and as the commander who occupied Philadelphia; Franklin's remark about Howe is cited.

## Links

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