#william howe

Last updated 9/26/25

It would be quite selfish of me to keep these to myself, wouldn't it? This list will be updated frequently, in accordance to what I have found. These were found while doing my own research for various topics, and taken from the bibliographies of many books. Some of these I will have cited in posts of mine, many others will not appear anywhere in my work. Mostly primary sources, but quite a few books make their appearance.

Sorted alphabetically by surname of author

*Some sources, for the sake of readability, have their title somewhat shortened and/or authors removed. In this case, the sourced author will be chosen according to reverse alphabetization, as this is how they are listed on the Archive

This is either ASS and I’m blind to it, or I did this with no reference of my own face or Howe’s and it looks this good

( @robynusprime @pizzarawrllsz @ynaffiter @general-howe )

On Memorial Day, the story of the First Maryland Regiment — and the rearguard charge that kept the Revolution alive By Michael Phillips | MDBayNews ANNAPOLIS — It was August 27, 1776 — six weeks after the signing of the Declaration of Independence — and the American experiment was already on the verge of extinction. The Continental Army, badly outmaneuvered by British General William Howe on…

how i feelafter drwi)ng yaoi instead of do8gh work

mammon and howe x that scott pilgrimpic💥💥💥💥

urghhhrhggggeh theyr ttskignover my midn i cant lookjat green/blue and red wihtout thinkignof them bc i assoctiatthose colors with them!!!!!!!!😣😣😣😣😣😣

Here are brief summaries I cobbled together from memory + grudgingly using Wikipedia against my pride

This is not edited and barely coherent because halfway through I realized I had a flight to catch tomorrow and needed to finish this so I could start packing but it made sense enough that it calmed down my confused overwhelmed brain.

~~~

Different sources say different things about his family’s wealth but all in similar ballparks. Upper middle class merchant family– had enough money to send him to fancy private schools, but was forced to stop education at 17 (1767) by father to work in family business. Seems more out of practicality than financial strain though? But that’s a guess

Wanted to join the military but not enough money to purchase the officer’s commission he wanted (well he DID have enough money, it just wasn’t reasonable. Like how you could go buy a full eighteenth century ball gown right now but is that reasonable?)

Wanted to “break free from the middle-class life to which he felt condemned” definitely fits in with the whole growing up with his head in books. Wanting to be an artist and enjoying theater, wanting to be a Shakespearean main character. Very Catherine Moorland core. Lowkey should’ve cast JJ Field as Catherine Moorland for shits and giggles but that’s off topic. Wanting adventure and glory seems to be a key motivator through his life. (but who am i to put thoughts into the brain of a dead man…oh wait lmm)

Anyways, 1767, John returns to London from Geneva to work at father’s countinghouse. Father died in April 1769, but John kept working out of obligation to support his mother, 3 younger sisters, and 1 younger brother. He fucking despised working and being a merchant. He wanted drama and glamour and he was restless.

Very soon after his father died in 1769, John’s family travelled to Buxton Spa in Derbyshire. Not sure why. Vacation ig? This really IS giving Catherine Moorland. Seems like this is when he met Anna Seward at a poetry meeting place/possibly enlightenment salon? (though I have no evidence for the latter besides the time period and John’s values…need to search up if Anna Seward was into the enlightenment. Seems like she’d love Wollstonecraft).

Anywayssss he meets Anna Seward at her father’s home (Bishop’s Palace, Lichfield…idfk where places are in Britain) and I’d assume they bonded over the arts both being poets and all.

Anna introduced John to her foster sister, Honora Sneyd, who is literally described as a muse, “beautiful, yet reserved”. Honora is 17 at this time and sources debate John’s age. Wikipedia says 18 and I need to check sources for that, but I feel like he’s 19. He would have turned 19 in May 2, 1769 and his father died April 1769 and this trip was after his father’s death so that doesn’t leave much time in between. Either way, he was a year-ish older than Honora which thank god is better than the Peggy Chew age gap.

Anyfuckingways, enjoy a quote about Honora from Anna: “fresh and beautiful as the young day-star when he bathes his fair beams in the dews of spring”. So basically, with all the poetry Anna wrote about Honora, people think they may have been in a sapphic relationship. I haven’t done much research on them, but I do know Anna was the biggest Honora x John shipper, so idk what the situation there is. Like Anna fr was described to be “reading love poems aloud as Andre and Sneyd dreamily held hands” though idk if that’s an exaggeration on part of one of the articles or not. Anna did write the Monody of Major Andre after he died, though, so she does seem to at least like him.

***now, there’s so much i can dig into about John and Honora, so expect a reblog of updates for this section***

John and Honora seemed to be in a Romeo and Juliet impulsive ass romance situation. Very starcrossed, engaged very quickly, daddy didn’t approve. ***DO MORE RESEARCH HERE!!! ARCHIVE OF THEIR LETTERS!!!***

Alright so they’re engaged but Honora’s father thought John was too poor. Do more research on how rich Honora/Anna’s father was? To contextualize John’s family’s wealth? Honora’s father said he’d only let them marry if Andre stopped trying to go into the military and actually got rich. At that, Andre went back to London and began working in the countinghouse.

Now up to this point, Andre has been romanticizing the military and dreaming of glory and honor and adventure and all, but he’s giving all that up for Honora. He hates everything. He despises toiling around with this business and omfg poor little guy he sounds so anguished in their letters. Add more when you read all their letters

But uh after a few months, Honora’s father was like break off the engagement, John will never be rich enough. It seems by then, Honora didn’t really protest and she wasn’t as in love with John anymore (poor guy! He was gonna give everything up for her. Fr a shakespearean lovesick and tragic tale) and also Honora was being courted by a shit fucking ton of other people. So John being heartbroken decides he’s going to the military and there’s no point to stay in london. He uses the ~$300,000 he inherited from his father’s death to buy a commission as second lieutenant in the british army (Royal Fusiliers, 7th Regiment of Foot) March 4 1771. The engagement with Honora broke off December 1770 so he had plenty of time to be anguished and say goodbye to his family. Once John Enlisted, he was sent to Germany for special training for ~2 years? Wikipedia says 2 but the math isn’t adding up so it’s closer to 3 years.

1774, John sails to America on the ship St. George (along with Samuel Smith! Who I’ve heard of and need to research…wonder if they really met/got along?) and he never sees his family again after being enlisted. He does write to them, though. John lands September 2 in Philadelphia, and people were not very nice to him. At that time Philadelphia was very much rebels and the first continental congress was there (i think) so his little ship of redcoats probably wasn’t great. Imagine John wanting to just get tf out of the city and hating it and feeling lost and alone, and then a couple years later he’s among the highest social circles and does the Mischianza.

So John heads out of philadelphia, sails up the hudson, and travels from albany in the kind of wilderness. He’s like hunting and sleeping outside and all. Big ass change! I know he mentions somewhere he’s not used to this, growing up in London/Geneva and all. He seems generally content because he came here for adventure after all and yeah my hc about him being scared of spiders and mud is probably false. He was a manly man /srs.

So John gets stationed in Canada, and after Lexington and Concord (April 1775), his regiment was sent to Fort Saint Jean which was on the Richelieu river which ig was important as rivers generally are. In June 1775, Benedict Arnold raids Fort Saint Jean (not to be confused with Fort St. Jean in Louisiana…i was thoroughly confused when I searched the wrong one) after his success at Ticonderoga. This puts the fort on edge and by September, General Montgomery has besieged Saint Jean. The siege ends in November and John is captured along with **insert number I saw somewhere…36 is coming to my mind but i dont think it’s right** men. For Arndre purposes, John prolly would say something about how Fate drove Arnold to raid his fort and if that hadn’t happened, the next series of events wouldn’t have either, and the two would’ve never met. John seems the type to believe in Fate (but that’s just my own hc) and Arndre meeting is really goddamn a lot of things had to happen for this to lay out this way.

Anyways, John is captured and John writes a salty letter to his mum about how disgusting the patriot soldiers are. He gets sent to the rural town of Lancaster PA, which is what people did then– send PoWs to rural places to get them out of the way. On John’s way there, he stops by Albany where he meets Philip Schuyler who seems to like him. In Lancaster, John is under “house arrest” but he’s literally allowed anywhere he wants within 7 miles of the town as long as he signs an agreement to not escape.

Lancaster seems very rural and very different from what John’s used to (I believe this is where that quote comes from, not his trip in Albany from the hudson before). He apparently hunted pheasant and grouse and I misread it as he hunted peasants. Many of the locals there were German and he became well liked since he was fluent in German. Oh did I mention that even though his education stopped at 17 he was fluent in four languages by then?

Andre was housed with Caleb Cope who was a Quaker and against the war, but he grew to like John Andre as everyone did. John gave his 13 y/o son art and math lessons and Cope described John as “sporting with us children as if he were one of us”. This part is actually so fucking touching?? Like John being the oldest sibling, of course he can lead the younger children along and play with them. Idk much about his family life, but he does seem to care a lot for them and one of his last wishes was for Clinton to ensure his mother and sisters were cared for. So John, probably a bit homesick, is now taken into another family. He’d be 25-26 at the time, so significantly older, but I think it’s cute that he’d be showing his playful side here and reconnecting with what he liked to do. During this time, he mentioned sketching the Cope property as a gift for them, and that sketch was later discovered (with John Andre’s signature in the corner and a note from Cope’s grandson on the back!) and auctioned off.

After the battle of long island in august 27 (i think) 1776, it was a british victory so a bunch of rebels were captured. John was released in a prisoner exchange and went to NYC to rejoin the british. I’ve seen sources saying he was released fall 1776 and december 1776 and I don’t trust either, so I’ll have to find out later. Kinda off topic anecdote but omfg imagine the second continental congress’s dismay. They just declared independence and now a major port city has been captured by the british and their militia there poof destroyed. So much Jedams stress fucking must have happened.

So now, John meets Sir William Howe (i gotta research this guy. mild crush/admiration for the howe brothers but not enough information) and Howe of course is charmed by John like everyone else. He thinks John’s german is important for communicating with the Germans oh and John studied military drawing in Geneva! Combo of art + hoping for glory seems very fitting for him. Anyways, Howe liked John’s military drawings and in January 1777 Howe made John a captain and convinced Major General Charles Grey to make John his aide de camp.

Late august of 1777, John tags along with Howe for the Philadelphia campaign. The same city he landed in and he felt out of place and ridiculed for his red uniform. They landed in Head of Elk, Maryland and John was there on Sept 11, 1777 for the Battle of Brandywine which I need to research more about since I only have info on the Continental side as of now. Either way, it ended with a British victory but the Continental army managed to get away mostly in okay shape so it wasn’t the crushing blow that Howe wanted.

Wait not chronological but Sept 3 was a more minor battle that I don’t see mentioned often but John was also at the Battle of Cooch’s Bridge. Basically 800 american troops tried to stop the brits leading to a running battle where the british managed to push up north and the americans had to retreat. John didn’t really fight but he was stationed at Aiken’s tavern where he wrote some journal accounts and drew a pretty map so his Geneva education wouldn’t go to waste (okay but john’s maps were FIRE. i could never). I’ll attach the map he drew if I remember to and the neat lil map of the philadelphia campaign I found.

Anyways where tf was I. yep yep brandywine and then after that a pissed Gwash sends Major General Anthony Wayne and 1,500 men to annoy the british flanks from behind and Andre said they were “infesting our rear on the march” goddamn i rly wanna read andre’s journal. If yall know where to find it please do tell me. Alright so Howe orders General Grey to get the continentals to fuck off. At 1am 20th september, Grey crept in on the sleeping americans camping at Paoli. Andre was his aide de camp and at his side. The men were ordered to take the flints off their muskets and silently spear the americans with their bayonets. There’s a nice quote about them and Andre called it a slaughter. So after that, there’s this scene of Andre and the officers holding a celebration and drinking amongst the corpses in the camp and Gwashy was shooketh from Grey’s attack because goddamn that was brutal. So basically after that, the British just marched into Philadelphia (sept 26 1777) without much resistance.

Next was the Battle of Germantown where Washington tried to regain Philadelphia. Howe had his forces split between Philadelphia and Germantown with 3000 stationed in Philadelphia (mostly higher ranking) and 9000 in Germantown. Washington wanted to take out the larger force in Germantown before taking Philadelphia. Now, the Continentals at Germantown are PISSED after the Paoli massacre. They want blood. They’re pissedddd. I literally don’t remember much except it was the first retreat of some british infantry? And it was Howe’s favorite infantry or smth and he got upset and ordered them to go tf back but chaos ensued. The Chew House (I think Howe was quartered there? But that conflicts with him being quartered at Master’s/Penn mansion so maybe he was at both? Or maybe it was some other British General quartered there) got occupied by the British and the defense of the Chew house was very very key to the British victory of Germantown. I think this is the house where John Laurens was waving his sword with one hand and trying to burn it down with hay with the other but I’m not certain. Either way, it was completely crucial that the british did not let any continentals in this house.

One singular continental got in through a window and was immediately held at gunpoint, but then the guy holding him at gunpoint was shot by another british soldier behind him aiming for the continental. That poor continental guy was so terrified he just. Ran out. As he should tbh.

Uh anyways there’s an account from John Andre about the defense of Chew’s House and it was something along the lines of blood and corpses and chaos pew pew pew. I’m not sure exactly what John was doing while the house was besieged, but he seemed to be following Howe around in the streets.

It was foggy af at Germantown which was an advantage to the Continentals at first, but then it added to their confusion. Due to some indecisiveness on the American part and Howe quickly getting reinforcements from Philadelphia, the Americans surrendered because they thought they were surrounded. Just gonna say if Benedict Arnold did his impulsive charge (™) then the battle could’ve been completely different– the british wouldn’t have philadelphia, john wouldn’t have met Peggy Shippen, and literally none of this shit would’ve happened (or at least not the way it did…john might have still been promoted to head of intelligence, but then maybe Benedict would have gotten paid or credit or smth for saving the ass of the second continental congress in philadelphia and okay imma stop the ranting). The defense of Chew’s house was also engraved on a british military badge that was some first of its kind but idk the details. Anyways that was a tangent let’s get back to John Andre.

Basically, that winter 77-78 the Continentals were suffering at Valley Forge and the British were lounging around Philadelphia. The Chew house previously mentioned was the house of Benjamin Chew who idk much about but he was a lawyer and away at the time so the British took his house. He was supposedly a close friend of Gwash and gwash treated his children like his own. Sounds like a really fire backstory considering how gwash never had kids and Peggy Chew could be one of the daughters he never had. Except there’s some glaring contradictions and none of my sources are the best for this section. There’s like nothing on Benjamin Chew himself and only his connections within the Continentals/the Congress. Either way, it really seems like the Chews would be rebels but Peggy Chew gets called a Loyalist? Idfk.

Well anyways, Peggy Chew somehow ends up being courted by John Andre and also goes to the Mischianza? So either they were really lax about letting friends of gwashy into their british party or they didn’t know or Peggy was secretly a loyalist? Also John gets described as “The dark-haired, dark-eyed Andre, with his easy charisma and brooding romanticism” oh wow im swooning here. Except tf do you mean dark eyed? He’s got blue eyes in his paintings. And as far as I know, I don’t think he has a confirmed hair color. This specific article im looking at rn seems a lil fishy but whatever im here for the sexy british officer descriptions. Basically they go on long walks in Benjamin Chew’s garden and John makes her poetry and plays the flute. Guys if someone did this to me I would fr melt and die on the spot i’m a sucker for eighteenth century romance. Please take my arm and walk me around in the garden while you seduce me with your knowledge and education. Alright enough simping time to get on topic.

During the winter where John courts Peggy Chew, he also meets Peggy Shippen and there is no evidence of a romance between them like Turn says. But okay they’re both named Peggy, both born in 1760, they’re both considered the prettiest ladies in Philadelphia (Abigail Adams specifically commenting on how gorgeous Peggy Chew was so damn she’s got my seal of approval), and both really fucking rich. Have you noticed a theme of John getting the rich girls whose rich fathers don’t approve? Wait alright so I was talking about Peggy Shippen. John’s friend Captain Hammond (research later) said of Peggy “we were all in love with her” alright my dude she’s 17. But either way, by christmas apparently John was spending every evening at the Shippen house (this is almost exactly copied off an article which idk how much I trust) and took peggy out for sleigh rides and theaters. ALRIGHT EVEN IF THIS ISN’T TRUE YOU GOTTA ADMIT IT’S FUCKING ADORABLE. I want Peggy and John laughing and teasing each other in a sleigh ride and perhaps throwing some snowballs though I can’t imagine either of them in a snowball fight. Maybe John since he’s spent some time with the Cope children outside, but definitely not Peggy. This would be an amazing Arndre thing though– I can imagine John and Benedict organizing a whole war out of snowballs and building elaborate forts.

Anyways, during this time John was very much happy since he’s got a nice rank as Captain and Grey’s aide de camp and allowed to be stationed in the main city (Ben Franklin’s house! Which was evacuated obv since he was living there) and HE GETS TO RECONNECT WITH THE ARTS!!!!!!! So he has this friend Oliver De Lancey and they turned a warehouse on South Street into a theater. Apparently John wasn’t a good actor (from lOcAl cRitIcS so yeah they’re blind John is so hot and pretty and charming from your unbiased fanatic here but he did 13 total plays that winter. If yall know or can somehow figure out what plays he put on, please tell me it would make my entire fucking year. I need historically accurate fanfiction and I would read those plays just because John did them. Also John casted british officers and prostitutes?? John my dear what. Actually it might’ve been normal at the time bc like shakespeare. Improper for women to act in shakespeare’s time. But. THEATER KID JOHN ANDRE PLUS SLEIGH RIDES WITH PEGGY AND ROMANTIC TRYSTS WITH OTHER PEGGY. PHILADELPHIA WAS FIRE. I MISS THE WINTER OF ‘77.

Alright so spring 1778, Howe announced that he was going back to England so Andre and De Lancey (which surprised me since I’ve never seen De Lancey get credit before! But makes sense bc they were artist besties) organized a giant ass party for Howe. It was a 13 hour party called the Mischianza/Mechianza which means medley in Italian (I believe John is fluent in Italian bc wow overachieving sexy genius. Big brains are infinitely hotter than big dicks) and the party was May 18 1778 which i WILL be celebrating this year. It was the largest festival that took place during the amrev and John went to a bunch of generals for funding and got a whopping total of $700,000 (today’s money) for the party. Actually DAMN. DAMN. The party included a parade of boats in the Delaware river, a firework show, a knight jousting tournament with 14 officers all dressed up and shields designed by John, marching bands (some source told me there were THREE marching bands), and a giant ass banquet and ball for 400 people. Peggy Chew was John’s date to the party and people think Peggy Shippen attended, but she might not have. Also, Lafayette was really close by during that party at Baron hill (he was almost captured the next morning) and the British were talking about capturing Lafayette and displaying him at the party like some spectacle. Also collecting information for my Lafayette x John Andre fic ideas.

Also another fun fact: Peggy Shippen used the letters sent by Peggy Chew to John Andre to disguise invisible ink messages to send to NYC (this was after the british evacuation of Philadelphia and John had been promoted to head of espionage). The Peggies were also good friends, but that doesn’t surprise me much.

Anyways this is where I get lazy since I gotta go pack my suitcase but I’ll include some highlights.

After the british left philadelphia there was Grey’s raids (which john accompanied as Charles Grey’s aide de camp) in sept 1778. Grey left for England afterwards and Andre was promoted Major and Clinton’s aide de camp. Clinton was generally paranoid and prickly and unliked but John woah woah woah surprise he charmed Clinton and by 1779 was adjutant general (which usually is a rank for Lieutenant Colonels/Colonels…pretty sure colonel is a requirement in britain later on but not yet).

Oh and i forgot the battle of monmouth was after the british left philadelphia.