 After returning to New York , Cornwallis applied to Clinton for leave to return to England , where his wife was ill . Clinton , believing Cornwallis was well positioned to influence the political leadership to gain additional troops for the war effort , granted the leave , and Cornwallis returned to England in December 1778 . Although he spent some time pleading Clinton 's case , his wife 's illness distracted him . Finding her in " a very weak state indeed " , he stayed with her until she died on February 14 , 1779 . Cornwallis was devastated by the loss , reporting that her death had " effectually destroyed all my hopes of happiness in this world . " He eventually decided to return to service in April 1779 ; in a letter to Clinton he offered to serve either in the southern colonies or the West Indies . 
