The Howe brothers, Admiral Richard and General William, raised Britain's prospects in the Revolutionary War following the defeat at Lexington and Concord and the disastrous victory at Bunker Hill with a series of victories in 1776. The brothers, known for their reckless courage, were supportive of one another and worked in cooperation to launch amphibious attacks on the revolutionaries. Their oldest brother George had been killed in action at Ticonderoga during the French and Indian War (I've mentioned in one of my posts about that war). The Howe brothers not only held military commands, they had been appointed as peace commissioners.
The approach of the British Armada and army to Staten Island in June 1776 was described as London afloat. It was the largest invasion fleet to sail east across the Atlantic. The combine numbers exceeded the total population of Philadelphia, the largest city in the colonies, and the 32,000 troops seriously outnumbered George Washington's army of 19,000. General Howe planned to conquer New York, taking a major port and the mouth of the Hudson through which he could advance north to Lake Champlain and to Canada.
On August 22, 1776, the Howe's launched the invasion of Long Island where Washington had stationed 9,000 troops. (See my novel Crisis in Fire and Snow for my exciting take on the battle). Howe pinned Washington's troops with a feigned frontal assault by his Hessians while sending a flanking force around via Jamaica Pass to route the Americans. Washington made a miraculous retreat and crossing of the East River under cover of darkness and a morning fog to avoid complete capture.
Howe went on to take Manhattan, winning at Kip's Bay, amphibiously outmaneuvering Washington at Harlem Heights, and a heavy rain at White Plains allowed Washington to escape again. (All these are also related in Crisis in Fire and Snow). Howe went on to take Fort's Washington and Lee, capturing most of the garrisons.
Washington continued to escape the British pursuit with an army that was down to only 3,500 troops. Going into winter quarters, Howe's arms had taken 4,500 prisoners (including 4 generals), 235 cannon, with thousands of shells, cannonballs, and muskets, and frightened the Continental Congress into fleeing Philadelphia.
It was a terrible crisis for the Americans, but Howe was still blamed for lethargy in letting Washington to escape and failing to follow up after each victory to crush destroy the rebellion entirely. Some attributed his lack of hot pursuit on the field to his pursuit of Elizabeth Loring, with whom he had a public affair. However, it may be that Howe's caution was strategic. The brothers, as military leaders and peace commissioners, hoped overwhelming force coupled with conciliatory measures might persuade the rebels to reconcile with Britain. The prevalent belief in Britain was that the militant rebels were few and that a show of force would embolden the majority of the colonists to rally to the crown. Admiral Howe even issued a proclamation of his peace commissioner power to grant pardons and declare peace. All of their peace efforts came to naught, being too little too late as the struggle had become a fight for independence rather than a negotiation for terms of reconciliation.
Howe had driven Washington to desperation, and he pushed his tattered and rag-tag force through a snow storm and across the Delaware to defeat the garrison at Trenton--but I'll save that for another post.
The above is condensed from The Men Who Lost America by Andrew Jackson O'shaughnessy -- Chapter 3.
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Good news on the writing front this week came in two forms. First, the Sultry Murder Jazz Pinup Noir anthology with my story "A Stardust Memory" came out this week--and I'm named on the cover. Second, my story "Seventh Hussar and Aide to the Mage" was accepted for the Wyrd Warfare anthology scheduled to come out next month. I'll link it then.
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