Appointment On 10 November 1775, Germain was appointed
Secretary of State for the American Department replacing
Lord Dartmouth in the post. At that time, North's cabinet had three secretaries of state; one each for Europe (the
Northern Department), America, and the rest of the world (the
Southern Department). Besides
international relations, the secretaries were responsible for a great deal of Colonial administration and for military operations within their area. That made Germain the primary minister responsible for suppressing the rebellion that had broken out in 1775 in the colonies. He promoted or relieved generals, took care of provisions and supplies and became involved with the strategic planning of the war.
American War of Independence In 1776, he worked with General
John Burgoyne to plan, support and issue orders for the
Saratoga campaign, a British attack from Canada through New York to separate New England from the regions south of there, an expected move expected to end the rebellion. Germain sent unclear orders to General
William Howe, who captured the Americans' capital of Philadelphia rather than joining with Burgoyne's army. This contributed to the campaign's disastrous failure with the defeat and surrender of Burgoyne's entire army. Following the entry of France, Spain and the
Dutch Republic into the conflict, British emphasis shifted to focus increasingly on their colonial territories in the Caribbean and India. British troops were withdrawn from
Philadelphia and reinforcements were sent to the
British West Indies. In 1779 one of Germain's associates,
Richard Cumberland, was sent to
Madrid for failed talks designed to reach a separate peace settlement with Spain.
British disaster at Yorktown In 1781, the confusion involving orders sent to
Charles Cornwallis from
Henry Clinton contributed to the loss at the
Siege of Yorktown. The news of Yorktown reached London on 25 November 1781, and the messenger went first to Germain's residence at
Pall Mall. Germain then went to tell other ministers. Together they went to Lord North, who reportedly cried out "Oh God – It's all over". It was agreed that Germain, rather than North, should take the news to the King who was at
Kew. The
King's Speech two days later had to be re-written in light of Yorktown. News of the surrender galvanised the opposition, and the government majorities began to shrink over the following months with calls for resignations of senior ministers. Germain drew up a plan to continue the war by using the existing British bases in
Charleston,
New York,
Savannah, and Canada to harass the American coastline and frontiers. He also advocated re-occupying
Newport in
Rhode Island to give a foothold in
New England.
Departure from office Germain became a target for the opposition and was eventually persuaded to step down in exchange for a peerage, and in February 1782, he was made
Baron Bolebrooke, in the County of Sussex, and
Viscount Sackville, of Drayton in the County of Northampton. That was considered essential if the North government was to survive by bringing in factions of the opposition to which Germain was personally objectionable. He was replaced by
Welbore Ellis. In spite of Germain's departure, the North government fell shortly afterwards in February 1782 and was followed by a period of political instability. Shortly after the fall of the North government, news arrived of the decisive British naval victory at the
Battle of the Saintes in the Caribbean, which would have boosted the government if it had still been in power and British successes late in the war came partly thanks to the strategic dispositions made by North and Germain. The
Shelburne government agreed to the
Peace of Paris, which brought an end to the war in 1783 and recognised the independence of the United States. ==Later life==