Richard Prescott

Lieutenant General Richard Prescott (1725–1788) was a British officer born in England.

Richard Prescott
Born1725 (1725)
Died1788 (aged 62–63)
Allegiance Kingdom of Great Britain
Service/branchBritish Army
RankLieutenant General
Battles/warsSeven Years' War
American Revolutionary War
Signature

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,[1] and became lieutenant-colonel of the 17th Regiment of Foot on 14 December 1761.[2] He transferred to the 50th Regiment of Foot in May 1762, with which he served in the Holy Roman Empire during the Seven Years' War.

Prescott transferred to the 7th Regiment of Foot and was brevetted colonel in the army on 25 June 1772;[3] he went to Canada in 1773. On the reduction of Montreal 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, and in December he was third in command of the expedition against Rhode Island, where he remained in command of the British forces prior to the Battle of Rhode Island.

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 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 Prescott resumed his command in Rhode Island but was almost immediately superseded by Sir Robert Pigot.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
  1. "No. 9789". The London Gazette. 6 May 1758. pp. 1–2.
  2. "No. 10165". The London Gazette. 12 December 1761. p. 2.
  3. "No. 11260". The London Gazette. 23 June 1772. p. 1.

Further reading
  • McBurney, Christian M. (2013). Kidnapping the enemy. The Special Operations to Capture Generals Charles Le & Richard Prescott. Westholme Publishing. p. 234. ISBN 978-1594161834.
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