After serving as a junior officer in the American Revolutionary War, he fought with the Coldstream Guards under the Duke of York during the Flanders Campaign.

Lord Buckingham's aunt, Hester Grenville, had married William Pitt, who became Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

[4] He transferred the 7th Regiment of Foot at New York with promotion to lieutenant in September 1777 and saw action at the Battle of Forts Clinton and Montgomery in October 1777 and then took part in the Philadelphia campaign during the American Revolutionary War.

[10] He commanded the regiment under Sir Ralph Abercromby in the action at Fort St. Andries, and with Major General David Dundas at Tuil on the river Waal and participated in the disastrous retreat from the Rhine.

[20] Having been appointed a Knight of the Order of the Bath on 1 February 1813[21] and promoted to full general on 4 June 1813, Nugent was replaced as Commander-in-Chief by Lord Moira in October 1813.

[2] On return he unleashed a "skin-full of venom" against Lord Moira who in turn complained to the Prince Regent about Nugent's hostile behaviour.

[20] He was advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 2 January 1815[22] and, having been elected Member of Parliament for Buckingham again in July 1818,[23] he was awarded an honorary DCL by the University of Oxford in 1819.

Maria was a daughter of Cortlandt Skinner, the Attorney-General of New Jersey and a descendant of the Schuyler and Van Cortlandt families of British North America,[28] Together, they had three sons and two daughters, including:[7] George and Maria Nugent lived at Stowe and enjoyed a close friendship with his aunt and uncle, Lord and Lady Buckingham.

[33][34] Sir George died at Westhorpe House on 11 March 1849 and was buried at St John the Baptist Church in Little Marlow.