One of Great Britain's most illustrious naval heroes, Richard, Lord Howe, served as commander in chief of British naval forces during the Revolutionary War (1775-83) from summer 1776 to summer 1778, two crucial years during which his efforts at reconciliation may have cost Great Britain the war. Howe had distinguished himself repeatedly in the Seven Years' War (French and Indian War, 1754-63) and was highly respected in both the colonies and Britain. In 1775 he saw the conflict with the North American colonies as a national tragedy and wanted nothing more than to have the opportunity to bring the two sides together. He was finally given the chance in the beginning of 1776 when he managed to get appointed as both commander of naval forces in North America and peace commissioner. In July 1776 he joined his brother, Sir William Howe, in New York. William Howe had command of the British land forces and was also a peace commissioner.

Because he saw himself as much a peacemaker as anything else, Admiral Howe did not prosecute the war as vigorously as he might. He did not press to trap the Continental army in the Battle of Long Island (August, 27-30, 1776), and contrary to his orders he did not use the navy to punish the Revolutionaries. Despite Britain's overwhelming strength at sea, he did not order a tight blockade, nor did he launch punitive raids on coastal towns. He even allowed fishermen to pursue their trade unmolested. The appeal for peace seemed to have some effect in New Jersey in November and December in 1776, but George Washington's strike across the Delaware and the Battles of Trenton and Princeton (December 26, 1776, and January 3, 1777) revived the Revolutionary cause.

Although Howe recognized that force would have to be used in the 1777 campaign, he did not pursue a vigorous course in that year either. He agreed to tie much of his fleet to his brother's army in their long journey from New York to the Chesapeake on their way to Philadelphia. Once William Howe captured Philadelphia, the Howe brothers struggled to clear away the Delaware River forts controlling the approaches to Philadelphia. With General John Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga (October 17, 1777), both brothers offered their resignations.

While William's replacement, General Henry Clinton, was on the scene and could take charge of the army in the spring, Richard had to wait until someone could be sent from England. In the meantime he had to face a large French fleet under the comte d'Estaing. The French fleet joined General John Sullivan in his attack on the British outpost in Newport. Howe sailed to Rhode Island Sound and began to maneuver for position with the French on August 10, 1778. Before the two fleets could fully engage, a hurricane struck, dispersing both forces. Although Howe did not defeat the French, Estaing's fleet was so battered by the storm that it sailed for Boston to refit. This withdrawal compelled Sullivan to abandon his attack on Newport in the Battle of Rhode Island (August 29, 1778).

Despite Howe's failure in the North American campaign, he later served with distinction in the command of an expedition to relieve Gibraltar in 1782, as well as in the opening phases of the wars with France that began in 1793. Popular among the common seamen, who nicknamed him "Black Dick," Howe was the government's chief negotiator during the mutinies at Spithead and the Nore in 1797. He died two years later, on August 5, 1799.

Bibliography:

Ira D. Gruber, The Howe Brothers and the American Revolution (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1972).

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