His character commanded wide respect and he lived to play a great part in public life.
He became Governor General of India, and was Viceroy of Ireland when its restless union with England was brought about in 1800.
Yorktown settled the issue of the war but did not end it.

For more than a year still hostilities continued and, in parts of the South, embittered faction led to more bloodshed.

In England the news of Yorktown caused a commotion.

When Lord George Germain received the first despatch he drove with one or two colleagues to the Prime Minister's house in Downing Street.

A friend asked Lord George how Lord North had taken the news.