Henry Clinton (American War of Independence)

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Image:Sir henry clinton.jpg General Sir Henry Clinton, KB, (April 16 1738–December 23 1795) was a British officer during the American Revolution. He was born in Newfoundland, Canada where his father, George Clinton, served as Governor, and he grew up in New York where his father served as Royal Governor from 1741 to 1751. When old enough, he spent a time in the New York militia.

In 1751, Clinton went to England and was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards, becoming a captain and then lieutenant-colonel in the Grenadier Guards by 1758. From 1760 to 1762, he distinguished himself as an aide-de-camp to Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick in the Seven Years' War, being promoted to colonel. After the peace, he received the colonelcy of a regiment of foot. In 1772, he was promoted to major-general. Thanks to the influence of his cousin, the Duke of Newcastle, he obtained a seat in Parliament which he held from 1772 until 1784, first for Boroughbridge and subsequently for Newark.

In March 1775, King George III, in response to a growing rebellion in the American colonies, dispatched major generals Clinton, William Howe, and John Burgoyne to strengthen the British military presence in Boston. With the British under siege at Boston since April, he led an assault to remove the rebels north of the harbour and in the Battle of Bunker Hill was successful, but at the cost of over 1,000 casualties. Fearing a similar situation to the south of the harbour at Dorchester Heights, he strongly advocated an assault to secure it from rebel occupation, but his warnings went unheeded by Howe. In January 1776, Clinton was sent south with a small fleet and 1,500 men to assess military opportunites in the Carolinas. During his absence, his fears were justified when the Dorchester Heights were occupied and fortified by the rebels, forcing the British to retreat to Halifax, Nova Scotia.

In June 1776, an attack under his command was made on Fort Sullivan at Charleston, South Carolina, which resulted in humiliating defeat and the campaign was called off.

Clinton and his twenty-five ships rejoined the main fleet to participate in General Howe's August 1776 assault on New York City. Clinton presented arguments for launching the attack up the Hudson River, but all his arguments were dismissed by General Howe. After the British had established themselves at Gravesend on Long Island, Clinton's plan was followed and proved a great tactical success in the Battle of Long Island, for which he was made a Lieutenant General and a KB.

After the Saratoga Campaign in May 1778, Clinton replaced Howe as Commander-in-Chief, North America and assumed command in Philadelphia. He at once concentrated the British forces at New York, pursuing a policy of foraying expeditions in place of regular campaigns.

In 1779, he invaded South Carolina, and the following year, in conjunction with Admiral Marriot Arbuthnot, he won an important victory with the capture of Charleston. However, he had constant command difficulties with Lord Cornwallis, his second in command.

After the Battle of Yorktown and the capitulation of Cornwallis in 1782, he was superseded as Commander-in-Chief, North America by Sir Guy Carleton, and returned to England. He was blamed for the loss of the colonies. Historians have since shifted more blame upon Cornwallis. He published a Narrative of the war in an attempt to clear his reputation.

In 1790, he was re-elected to Parliament, and was promoted to full General in October in 1793. The following year, he was made Governor of Gibraltar, but he died in England before assuming command.

Henry Clinton had two sons who continued the family tradition of high command: