Nugent succeeded his brother, Thomas Nugent, 4th Earl of Westmeath, in 1752. He served in the French army, seeing action at Ramillies, Oudenarde, Malplaquet, the sieges of Douai and Quesnoy, and at Denain. He began as an officer in 1706 and ended as Maréchal de camp in 1744. He retired from active service in 1748. He died at Nivelles in Walloon Brabant in 1754.