Lieutenant General
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
Richard Prescott (1725–1788) was a
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
officer
An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...
, born in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
.
Military career
He was appointed a
major
Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...
of the
33rd Regiment of Foot, on 20 December 1756, transferred to the
72nd Regiment of Foot
The 72nd Highlanders was a British Army Scottish regiment, Highland Infantry Regiment of the Line. Raised in 1778, it was originally numbered 78th, before being redesignated the 72nd in 1786. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with the 78 ...
on 9 May 1758, and on 14 December 1761,
lieutenant-colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
of the
17th Regiment of Foot
17 (seventeen) is the natural number following 16 and preceding 18. It is a prime number.
Seventeen is the sum of the first four prime numbers.
In mathematics
17 is the seventh prime number, which makes seventeen the fourth super-prime, as s ...
, before in May 1762, transferring to the
50th Regiment of Foot, with which regiment he served in the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...
during the
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754†...
.
He afterward transferred to the
7th Regiment of Foot
7 (seven) is the natural number following 6 and preceding 8. It is the only prime number preceding a cube.
As an early prime number in the series of positive integers, the number seven has greatly symbolic associations in religion, mythology, s ...
before he was
brevetted
In many of the world's military establishments, a brevet ( or ) was a warrant giving a commissioned officer a higher rank title as a reward for gallantry or meritorious conduct but may not confer the authority, precedence, or pay of real rank. ...
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge of ...
in the army on 25 June 1772,
before he went to
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
in 1773. On the reduction of
Montreal
Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...
by the Americans in 1775, Colonel Prescott, who had the local rank of
brigadier-general
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
, attempted to descend to
Quebec
Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...
with the British troops and the military stores, but was obliged 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
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
, where he remained in command of the British forces prior to 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 Isl ...
.
On
Prescott Farm
Prescott Farm is a historic preservation of a colonial farm in Middletown ( Newport County), Rhode Island. It spans 40 acres, and was in danger of demolition before Doris Duke, through the Newport Restoration Foundation bought it in 1973 and beg ...
in Rhode Island, he was abducted from his quarters at night on 10 July 1777, by Lieutenant-Colonel
William Barton and a force of 40 men including
Jack Sisson. The Americans took him to Providence. Prescott was again exchanged, this time for General
Charles Lee. Prescott resumed his command in
Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
, but was almost immediately superseded by Sir
Robert Pigot
Sir Robert Pigot, 2nd Baronet (20 September 1720 – 1 August 1796) was a British Army officer during the American Revolutionary War.
Life
Robert Pigot was born in London, England in 1720. His two brothers were George Pigot, 1st Baron Pigot, ...
.
He became a
major-general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...
, 29 August 1777, and
lieutenant-general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
, 26 November 1782. See "The Capture of Prescott by Lieutenant-Colonel William Barton", an address at the centennial celebration of the exploit, by Jeremiah Lewis Diman (Providence, 1877).
Notes
Further reading
*
External links
Prescott Farm History in Rhode Island
{{DEFAULTSORT:Prescott, Richard
1725 births
1788 deaths
British Army 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