William Howe and Charles Cornwallis were commander-in-chief of the British army for the American Revolution.
The commander-in-chief of the Continental Army was George Washington.
Howe, Cornwallis, and Washington were all of about equal training and experience when the American Revolution began. All three men had served in the Seven Years' War prior to the Revolution and rose to prominence during that war. The American Revolution pitted the three men against each other turning fellow military men into enemies. George Washington proved to be an acceptable general but more importantly he provided a morale booster for the troops.