Lieutenant General Richard Prescott (1725–1788) was a British officer born in England.
Military career
Prescott was appointed a major of the
33rd Regiment of Foot on 20 December 1756. He transferred to the
72nd Regiment of Foot on 9 May 1758, and became lieutenant-colonel of the
17th Regiment of Foot on 14 December 1761. He transferred to the
50th Regiment of Foot in May 1762, with which he served in the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
during the
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War, 1756 to 1763, was a Great Power conflict fought primarily in Europe, with significant subsidiary campaigns in North America and South Asia. The protagonists were Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and Kingdom of Prus ...
.
Prescott transferred to the
7th Regiment of Foot and was brevetted colonel in the army on 25 June 1772;
he went to Canada in 1773. On the reduction of
Montreal
Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
by the Americans in 1775, Prescott attempted to take Quebec from American forces in 1775, but was forced to surrender to the Americans on 17 November. In September 1776, he was exchanged for General
John Sullivan. In November, he became colonel of his regiment. In December, he was third in command of the expedition against
Rhode Island
Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...
, where he remained in command of the British forces before the
Battle of Rhode Island
The Battle of Rhode Island (also known as the Battle of Quaker Hill) took place on August 29, 1778. Continental Army and Militia forces under the command of Major General John Sullivan had been besieging the British forces in Newport, Rhode Is ...
.
Lieutenant-Colonel
William Barton and a force of 40 men captured Prescott at his quarters on
Prescott Farm in Rhode Island on 10 July 1777 and took him to Providence. Prescott was eventually moved and imprisoned in Connecticut, splitting time between East Windsor and Enfield. He was later again exchanged, this time for General
Charles Lee. Prescott resumed his command in Rhode Island but was almost immediately superseded by Sir
Robert Pigot.
Notes
Further reading
*
External links
Prescott Farm History in Rhode Island
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prescott, Richard
1725 births
1788 deaths
British Army lieutenant generals
British Army personnel of the American Revolutionary War
33rd Regiment of Foot officers
72nd Highlanders officers
Royal Leicestershire Regiment officers
Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment officers
Royal Fusiliers officers
British Army personnel of the Seven Years' War