Henry Clinton is General William Howe’s second-in-command for the early years of the Revolutionary War. He’s an intelligent, experienced general, although he struggles to prove himself to Howe, failing mission after mission. Clinton begins to resent Howe, openly complaining about him in front of other officers. He accuses Howe of being too slow-paced and methodical to a fault. In the end, Howe replaces Henry Clinton as his second-in-command with General Charles Cornwallis.
Get the entire 1776 LitChart as a printable PDF.
General Henry Clinton Character Timeline in 1776
The timeline below shows where the character General Henry Clinton appears in 1776. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1: Sovereign Duty
...sent military reinforcements to America, led by three generals: William Howe, John Burgoyne, and Henry Clinton.
(full context)
Chapter 3: Dorchester Heights
...at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Howe is also rumored to dislike his second-in-command, Henry Clinton.
(full context)
Chapter 5: Field of Battle
General Henry Clinton of the British army hasn’t distinguished himself in the war with America, having failed in...
(full context)
At 9PM, Clinton gives the order for the British troops to march out to Brooklyn. While neither Clinton...
(full context)
Chapter 6: Fortune Frowns
On the British side, General Clinton argues with General William Howe about the best way to proceed with the invasion. Howe...
(full context)
...sending orders for two hours, allowing the Americans to escape. The truth, however, is simpler: Clinton’s orders were simply to drive back the Americans and then wait for his arrival in...
(full context)
Chapter 7: Darkest Hour
...the British side, the taking of Fort Washington catalyzed a major shift in strategy. General Clinton is reassigned to invade Rhode Island. Clinton dislikes the campaign he has been given. He...
(full context)
General Clinton and General William Howe have been quarrelling for months. At White Plains, Clinton says he...
(full context)
