In 1759 he was appointed major of a brigade and in October of that year was left in command of Crown Point with instructions to strengthen the fortifications.
With the encouragement of Lord Amherst he started a small settlement at the head of Lake Champlain, purchasing land in the area.
[4] He built mills, storehouses, and boats, including the schooner Katherine that later became the USS Liberty when seized by the patriots.
[7] In pursuit of this goal Skene went to England and was appointed lieutenant governor of Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and royal surveyor of the woods around Lake Champlain.
[8] He was advised to gather petitions from the inhabitants before seeking a royal patent for the new colony; Allen and others arranged a meeting at Westminster in the Grants on 11 April 1775, which approved a resolution asking "be taken out of so oppressive a jurisdiction and either annexed to some other government, or erected and incorporated into a new one".
When the American Revolution began, Skene's son Andrew was arrested as Crown Point and Ticonderoga were being seized.
His arrival there alarmed the Continental Congress to the extent of appointing a committee headed by John Adams to look over his papers; after their report, he was sent to Connecticut under arrest.
He has had the most unreserved and unlimited confidence of Lord Dartmouth, during the whole of the past winter, and it seems for some time before; and together with a contemptible puppy of a parson, V——, has been contriving to debauch, seduce, and corrupt New-York.
[10]After giving parole, Skene and his son lived with Sarah Hooker at her house in West Hartford, Connecticut.
[13] He also may have been influential in Burgoyne's decision to cut a road from Skenesborough to Fort Edward, perhaps with a view to improving access to his settlement.