[5] In 1768, Lord Drummond first came to America from Scotland to defend his family's rights to lands in the Province of New Jersey, namely those of the Earl of Melfort in Perth Amboy.
Due to his many influential friends on both sides of the Atlantic, he took on the role of intermediary between the colonies and England during the American Revolution.
During the first two weeks of January, he discussed his plan with sympathetic members of the Continental Congress, which included Thomas Lynch.
In early February 1776, Drummond and Lynch met in New York in an attempt to revive the stalled peace negotiations, however, General George Washington's refused to cooperate, which led to the failure of Drummond's peace mission by early March.
[8] After the failure of the peace plan, Drummond served as an adviser to Gen. William Howe, the Commander-in-Chief, North America for the British Army,[9] before his return to England in November 1778.