Carleton-Germain Feud

CARLETON-GERMAIN FEUD. The personal animosity between Guy Carleton, governor of Canada, and George Sackville Germain, Britain's secretary of American affairs, began with Carleton's hostile testimony against Germain during the inquiry of the latter's conduct at the Battle of Minden of 1 August 1759. Their feud mattered, as Carleton and Germain held their posts for most of the Revolution. Carleton's failure to take Ticonderoga in the fall of 1776 turned the king against Carleton and led to John Burgoyne's appointment as commander of the expedition from Canada in 1777. Germain seized the opportunity to kill whatever chances Carleton might have had for further advancement, going so far as to attribute the Trenton disaster to Carleton's "supineness" in not attacking Ticonderoga. Carleton was so disgusted by the lack of support from the London government owing, as he saw it, to Germain's interference, that he resigned his position in 1778 and returned to England, where he could more effectively snipe at Germain. Despite constant derision from members of Parliament, Germain held on to his office until 1782. As Germain's reputation collapsed, Carleton's rose, being named commander-in-chief of British forces in North America on 2 March 1782. He acquitted himself well in directing the withdrawal of British troops from the United States and upon his return home in late 1783 received a very handsome annual pension of £1000.

SEE ALSO Carleton, Guy; Germain, George Sackville;Ticonderoga Raid.

                      revised by Michael Bellesisles