He was played by David Morse. Despite his known nickname alias Brutal, he's a very good, nice, and polite character of both the novel and movie. But will kick ass if he has to and like the other characters hates Percy Wetmore, guard and one of the novel's and movie's main villains. Howell also surpervised executions at Cold Mountain like the execution of Arlen Bitterbuck, criminal and redeemed villain. He was also very close to Paul Edgecomb and the rest of the heroes of the book and movie.