George Prevost
Encyclopedia
Sir George Prévost, 1st Baronet (19 May 1767 – 5 January 1816) was a British
soldier and colonial
administrator. Born in Hackensack
, New Jersey
, the eldest son of Swiss French
Augustine Prévost
, he joined the British Army
as a youth and became a captain in 1784. Prévost served in the West Indies during the French Revolutionary Wars
and the Napoleonic Wars
, and was commander of St. Vincent
from 1794 to 1796. He became lieutenant-governor of St. Lucia from 1798 to 1802 and governor
of Dominica
from 1802 to 1805. He is best known to history for serving as both the civilian Governor General and the military Commander in Chief in British North America
(now part of Canada
) during the War of 1812
between Britain and the United States of America.
, a French-speaking Swiss Protestant, and a lieutenant-colonel in the British Army
. His mother was Nanette (Ann) Grand. George Prévost was educated at schools in England and in the North American continent.
, in which his father was a senior officer. In 1782, he transferred to the 47th Regiment of Foot, as a lieutenant
, followed in 1784 by a move to the 25th Regiment of Foot
as a captain
. He then returned to the 60th Foot on 18 November 1790 with the rank of major
, at the age of 23. Prévost's maternal grandfather was a wealthy banker in Amsterdam
, and his money is considered to have certainly been responsible for his grandson's quick advancement up the chain of command in the British Army, as promotion could then be obtained "by purchase"
.
from 1794-1795. During fighting on 20 January 1796, he was wounded twice, and he returned to England shortly after, where he was appointed to become an inspecting field officer. On 1 January 1798, Prévost became a colonel
, and on 8 March he became a brigadier-general, at the age of 30. In May he was appointed to be the lieutenant governor of St Lucia, where his fluency in French and conciliatory administration won him the respect of the French planters living there. In 1802, he returned to Britain as a result of ill health.
. In 1803, the French attempted to seize the island, and Prévost fought against them. He would also fight against the French in an effort to reclaim St Lucia. On 1 January 1805, at the age of 37, Prévost was promoted to major-general, and soon after he was granted leave to return to England, where he became a commander of the Portsmouth
district, and where he was appointed to be a baronet
. In 1806, Prévost became a colonel commandant
of his regiment.
, and he was also promoted to lieutenant-general, although this was a rank that he held only in Nova Scotia. He was tasked with improving the military defences of the Atlantic colonies. He arrived at Halifax on 7 April 1808 and by the end of April he had taken steps to increase opposition in New England
to the American government's hostile attitude towards Britain. The President of the United States of America in 1808, Thomas Jefferson
, had placed an embargo on American trading with Britain. From 1808, to the beginning of the War of 1812
, Prévost tried to encourage New England to trade with Britain by setting up "free ports" in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick
, where American goods could be landed without a need to pay customs duties. This led to a substantial increase in Nova Scotia's trade not only with New England, but also with the West Indies. Prévost could do little to improve the sub-standard fortifications in Nova Scotia, but was able to secure the approval of the legislature in Nova Scotia to amend a militia law, which lead to Prévost's ability to mobilize a small, effective militia force to work with the regular garrison during an emergency.
The amendment of the law is considered to be a good achievement by Prévost, because his predecessor as lieutenant governor, John Wentworth
, had been responsible for relations between the executive and legislative bodies of Nova Scotia weakening. Wentworth had tried to increase his own executive power at the expense of the legislative House of Assembly. When Prévost arrived, the House of Assembly, led by William Cottnam Tonge, was struggling to control government expenditures. In an effort to appease Tonge, Prévost appointed him to be his second-in-command during an expedition against Martinique
. They departed from Halifax on 6 December 1808. Unfortunately, Tonge’s departure did not lead to a peaceful relationship between the House of Assembly and the executive body as Prévost’s replacement during his absence, Alexander Croke, fought with the Assembly over a supply bill. Eventually, Croke rejected the bill on the basis that it did not fit in with royal prerogatives, and then could not reach an agreement with the Legislative Council over how to settle the dispute between himself and the Assembly.
Martinique was captured, and Prévost returned to Halifax on 15 April 1809. Tonge did not return, as he decided to stay in the West Indies. Prévost opposed Croke’s actions, restored "good understanding" with the Legislative Council, and then calmed the Assembly by deciding not to follow the constitution of Nova Scotia down to the letter. On 10 June 1808, the House of Assembly passed the supply bill, and also voted to use 200 guineas to purchase a sword for Prévost as a sign of their approval for Prévost's conduct during the expedition against Martinique
. Prévost believed he had successfully maintained the crown's prerogative. In 1809, using his good relationship with the Assembly, he was able to secure a tax on distilled liquors, with the proceeds of which he could pay the cost of equipment for the provincial militia. For the rest of his term as lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia, Prévost ensured he did not make an executive act that the Assembly would oppose to a great degree.
Prévost had become a popular lieutenant governor, but this was threatened by his attempts, beginning in 1810, to strengthen the Church of England
in Nova Scotia, since that might alienate other religious groups. He persuaded the British government to allow him to use surplus arms funds to develop Anglican churches, and to enlarge King's College in Windsor
. He also appointed Anglican clergy to be civil magistrates, protected the Anglican ownership of land and their influence over the education of children, and placed an Anglican bishop in the Legislative Council. On the condition that the bishop resided in Halifax, Prévost was able to increase the salary of the bishop. In an effort to appease other religious groups, he appointed a number of Roman Catholic and Presbyterian clergy to be magistrates, and he authorized a grant of money for the Church of Scotland.
During May 1811, when Prévost was preparing to oppose the Assembly over its policy of compensating its members for their expenses, feeling that it was irregular, open to abuse, and "an evil highly dangerous to the prerogative of the Crown", he was ordered to move to Lower Canada to replace Governor Craig.
. As commander-in-chief, he took over the presidency and administration of Lower Canada
from Thomas Dunn on 14 September. He would remain the president of Lower Canada until 15 July 1812. During his time as commander-in-chief, he was focused on ensuring the military security of the Atlantic colonies.
Prévost was worried about the disposition of Canadians if a war started involving British North America and tried to conciliate Canadian political leaders, who had been disappointed by the partisan alliance between Craig and the British oligarchy. The leader of the Canadian party, Pierre-Stanislas Bédard, was opposed by several people trying to gain his position, and Prévost exploited the rivalry. In 1812, Bédard, losing his motivation for continuing as leader, was given a judgeship in an area of British North America from which he could not have a major influence over the general political system. Prévost worked with the moderate Louis-Joseph Papineau, treating him as the leader. Prévost also nominated five Canadians to be appointed to the Legislative Council between 1811 and 1815, an unusual move as Canadians had usually been excluded from being appointed since 1798. In a report to the Colonial Office, Prévost said that he wanted to create a Legislative Council "possessed of the consideration of the country, from a majority of its members being independent of the government", in order to transfer to it "the political altercations which have been hitherto carried on by the governor in person."
which the United States regarded as a cause of war, he negotiated an armistice, but peace did not result and the war resumed. During the early months of 1813, Prévost twice visited Upper Canada
where the military and civil situation was unsatisfactory after the Governor and Commander there (Major General Isaac Brock
) had been killed in action. As a result, he was present in Kingston
in May, and took personal charge of an attack on the main American naval base on Lake Ontario
. A victory here could have been decisive but the expedition was hastily mounted and at the Battle of Sackett's Harbor
both Prévost and the naval commander, Commodore James Lucas Yeo
, attacked hesitantly. After meeting stiff resistance, they withdrew.
In 1814, large reinforcements became available after the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte. Prévost planned an attack along Lake Champlain
and the Hudson River
, but the army which he led personally was driven back at the Battle of Plattsburgh
after the British naval squadron on Lake Champlain was defeated. Commodore Yeo considered that the British ships under Captain George Downie
(who was killed in the action) had been ordered into action prematurely by Prévost, and that Prévost had failed to order an attack by his own troops until it was too late to avert the defeat of Downie's squadron.
Prévost had also made himself unpopular among some of the Army officers under his command who were veterans of the Peninsular War
(such as Manley Power
, Thomas Brisbane
, and Frederick Philipse Robinson
) by his perceived over-caution, and his niggling insistence on correct dress and uniform. He had also alienated several successful Canadian officers (such as Charles de Salaberry
) by seeming to claim their successes for himself and failing to reward them properly. However, it was the complaints by the Navy and Peninsular veterans which prompted his recall. Although the Duke of Wellington
accepted that Prévost's strategy was correct, he wrote on 30 October 1814,
In December, Wellington's former Quartermaster General, Sir George Murray
, was sent to Canada with the local rank of Lieutenant General specifically to order Prévost to return to London to explain his conduct of the Plattsburg campaign. He delivered the order on 2 March 1815, by coincidence only a day or so after news of the ratification of the Treaty of Ghent
, which ended the war, arrived in Quebec. Prévost felt himself publicly humiliated by the manner and timing of his succession. After ordering hostilities to cease and disbanding the militia, he left Quebec on 3 April. He was given a hasty vote of thanks by the Assembly in Quebec.
Later historians judge Prévost's preparations for defending the Canadas with limited means to be energetic, well conceived, and comprehensive, and against the odds he had achieved the primary objective of preventing an American conquest.
Prévost is buried in East Barnet
, near London
, England.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
soldier and colonial
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
administrator. Born in Hackensack
Hackensack, New Jersey
Hackensack is a city in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and the county seat of Bergen County. Although informally called Hackensack, it was officially named New Barbadoes Township until 1921. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 43,010....
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, the eldest son of Swiss French
Swiss French
Swiss French is the name used for the variety of French spoken in the French-speaking area of Switzerland known as Romandy. Swiss French is not to be confused with Franco-Provençal/Arpitan or Romansh, two other individual Romance languages spoken in areas not far from Romandy.The differences...
Augustine Prévost
Augustine Prevost
Major General Augustine Prévost was a Swiss-born British soldier who served in the Seven Years' War and the American War of Independence.-Seven Years War:...
, he joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
as a youth and became a captain in 1784. Prévost served in the West Indies during the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
and the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, and was commander of St. Vincent
Saint Vincent (island)
Saint Vincent is a volcanic island in the Caribbean. It is the largest island of the chain called Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is located in the Caribbean Sea, between Saint Lucia and Grenada. It is composed of partially submerged volcanic mountains...
from 1794 to 1796. He became lieutenant-governor of St. Lucia from 1798 to 1802 and governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of Dominica
Dominica
Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...
from 1802 to 1805. He is best known to history for serving as both the civilian Governor General and the military Commander in Chief in British North America
British North America
British North America is a historical term. It consisted of the colonies and territories of the British Empire in continental North America after the end of the American Revolutionary War and the recognition of American independence in 1783.At the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775 the British...
(now part of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
between Britain and the United States of America.
Early life
George Prévost was born on 19 May 1767, in the Province of New Jersey. His father was Augustin PrévostAugustine Prevost
Major General Augustine Prévost was a Swiss-born British soldier who served in the Seven Years' War and the American War of Independence.-Seven Years War:...
, a French-speaking Swiss Protestant, and a lieutenant-colonel in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. His mother was Nanette (Ann) Grand. George Prévost was educated at schools in England and in the North American continent.
1779-1790
On 3 May 1779, Prévost was commissioned at the age of eleven, as an ensign in the 60th Regiment of FootKing's Royal Rifle Corps
The King's Royal Rifle Corps was a British Army infantry regiment, originally raised in colonial North America as the Royal Americans, and recruited from American colonists. Later ranked as the 60th Regiment of Foot, the regiment served for more than 200 years throughout the British Empire...
, in which his father was a senior officer. In 1782, he transferred to the 47th Regiment of Foot, as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
, followed in 1784 by a move to the 25th Regiment of Foot
King's Own Scottish Borderers
The King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...
as a captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
. He then returned to the 60th Foot on 18 November 1790 with the rank of major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
, at the age of 23. Prévost's maternal grandfather was a wealthy banker in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, and his money is considered to have certainly been responsible for his grandson's quick advancement up the chain of command in the British Army, as promotion could then be obtained "by purchase"
Sale of commissions
The sale of commissions was a common practice in most European armies where wealthy and noble officers purchased their rank. Only the Imperial Russian Army and the Prussian Army never used such a system. While initially shunned in the French Revolutionary Army, it was eventually revived in the...
.
1791-mid 1802
While serving in the 60th, Prévost was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on 6 August 1794. He was stationed in St VincentSaint Vincent (island)
Saint Vincent is a volcanic island in the Caribbean. It is the largest island of the chain called Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It is located in the Caribbean Sea, between Saint Lucia and Grenada. It is composed of partially submerged volcanic mountains...
from 1794-1795. During fighting on 20 January 1796, he was wounded twice, and he returned to England shortly after, where he was appointed to become an inspecting field officer. On 1 January 1798, Prévost became a colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
, and on 8 March he became a brigadier-general, at the age of 30. In May he was appointed to be the lieutenant governor of St Lucia, where his fluency in French and conciliatory administration won him the respect of the French planters living there. In 1802, he returned to Britain as a result of ill health.
Late 1802-1806
On 27 September 1802, soon after fighting against France resumed, Prévost was chosen to be the governor of DominicaDominica
Dominica , officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles region of the Caribbean Sea, south-southeast of Guadeloupe and northwest of Martinique. Its size is and the highest point in the country is Morne Diablotins, which has an elevation of . The Commonwealth...
. In 1803, the French attempted to seize the island, and Prévost fought against them. He would also fight against the French in an effort to reclaim St Lucia. On 1 January 1805, at the age of 37, Prévost was promoted to major-general, and soon after he was granted leave to return to England, where he became a commander of the Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
district, and where he was appointed to be a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
. In 1806, Prévost became a colonel commandant
Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant is a military title used in the armed forces of some English-speaking countries. The title, not a substantive rank, could denote a senior colonel with authority over fellow colonels...
of his regiment.
Service as Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
On 15 January 1808, Prévost was appointed to become the Lieutenant Governor of Nova ScotiaNova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, and he was also promoted to lieutenant-general, although this was a rank that he held only in Nova Scotia. He was tasked with improving the military defences of the Atlantic colonies. He arrived at Halifax on 7 April 1808 and by the end of April he had taken steps to increase opposition in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
to the American government's hostile attitude towards Britain. The President of the United States of America in 1808, Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
, had placed an embargo on American trading with Britain. From 1808, to the beginning of the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, Prévost tried to encourage New England to trade with Britain by setting up "free ports" in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, where American goods could be landed without a need to pay customs duties. This led to a substantial increase in Nova Scotia's trade not only with New England, but also with the West Indies. Prévost could do little to improve the sub-standard fortifications in Nova Scotia, but was able to secure the approval of the legislature in Nova Scotia to amend a militia law, which lead to Prévost's ability to mobilize a small, effective militia force to work with the regular garrison during an emergency.
The amendment of the law is considered to be a good achievement by Prévost, because his predecessor as lieutenant governor, John Wentworth
John Wentworth (governor)
Sir John Wentworth, 1st Baronet was the British colonial governor of New Hampshire at the time of the American Revolution. He was later also Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia.-Early life:...
, had been responsible for relations between the executive and legislative bodies of Nova Scotia weakening. Wentworth had tried to increase his own executive power at the expense of the legislative House of Assembly. When Prévost arrived, the House of Assembly, led by William Cottnam Tonge, was struggling to control government expenditures. In an effort to appease Tonge, Prévost appointed him to be his second-in-command during an expedition against Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
. They departed from Halifax on 6 December 1808. Unfortunately, Tonge’s departure did not lead to a peaceful relationship between the House of Assembly and the executive body as Prévost’s replacement during his absence, Alexander Croke, fought with the Assembly over a supply bill. Eventually, Croke rejected the bill on the basis that it did not fit in with royal prerogatives, and then could not reach an agreement with the Legislative Council over how to settle the dispute between himself and the Assembly.
Martinique was captured, and Prévost returned to Halifax on 15 April 1809. Tonge did not return, as he decided to stay in the West Indies. Prévost opposed Croke’s actions, restored "good understanding" with the Legislative Council, and then calmed the Assembly by deciding not to follow the constitution of Nova Scotia down to the letter. On 10 June 1808, the House of Assembly passed the supply bill, and also voted to use 200 guineas to purchase a sword for Prévost as a sign of their approval for Prévost's conduct during the expedition against Martinique
Invasion of Martinique (1809)
The invasion of Martinique of 1809 was a successful British amphibious operation against the French West Indian island of Martinique that took place between 30 January and 24 February 1809 during the Napoleonic Wars...
. Prévost believed he had successfully maintained the crown's prerogative. In 1809, using his good relationship with the Assembly, he was able to secure a tax on distilled liquors, with the proceeds of which he could pay the cost of equipment for the provincial militia. For the rest of his term as lieutenant governor of Nova Scotia, Prévost ensured he did not make an executive act that the Assembly would oppose to a great degree.
Prévost had become a popular lieutenant governor, but this was threatened by his attempts, beginning in 1810, to strengthen the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
in Nova Scotia, since that might alienate other religious groups. He persuaded the British government to allow him to use surplus arms funds to develop Anglican churches, and to enlarge King's College in Windsor
Windsor, Nova Scotia
Windsor is a town located in Hants County, Mainland Nova Scotia at the junction of the Avon and St. Croix Rivers. It is the largest community in western Hants County with a 2001 population of 3,779 and was at one time the shire town of the county. The region encompassing present day Windsor was...
. He also appointed Anglican clergy to be civil magistrates, protected the Anglican ownership of land and their influence over the education of children, and placed an Anglican bishop in the Legislative Council. On the condition that the bishop resided in Halifax, Prévost was able to increase the salary of the bishop. In an effort to appease other religious groups, he appointed a number of Roman Catholic and Presbyterian clergy to be magistrates, and he authorized a grant of money for the Church of Scotland.
During May 1811, when Prévost was preparing to oppose the Assembly over its policy of compensating its members for their expenses, feeling that it was irregular, open to abuse, and "an evil highly dangerous to the prerogative of the Crown", he was ordered to move to Lower Canada to replace Governor Craig.
Service as Governor-in-Chief of British North America
On 4 July 1811, Prévost became a lieutenant-general outside of Nova Scotia, and was appointed as commander-in-chief of British forces in North America. On 21 October, he was appointed to be the governor-in-chief of British North AmericaBritish North America
British North America is a historical term. It consisted of the colonies and territories of the British Empire in continental North America after the end of the American Revolutionary War and the recognition of American independence in 1783.At the start of the Revolutionary War in 1775 the British...
. As commander-in-chief, he took over the presidency and administration of Lower Canada
Lower Canada
The Province of Lower Canada was a British colony on the lower Saint Lawrence River and the shores of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence...
from Thomas Dunn on 14 September. He would remain the president of Lower Canada until 15 July 1812. During his time as commander-in-chief, he was focused on ensuring the military security of the Atlantic colonies.
Prévost was worried about the disposition of Canadians if a war started involving British North America and tried to conciliate Canadian political leaders, who had been disappointed by the partisan alliance between Craig and the British oligarchy. The leader of the Canadian party, Pierre-Stanislas Bédard, was opposed by several people trying to gain his position, and Prévost exploited the rivalry. In 1812, Bédard, losing his motivation for continuing as leader, was given a judgeship in an area of British North America from which he could not have a major influence over the general political system. Prévost worked with the moderate Louis-Joseph Papineau, treating him as the leader. Prévost also nominated five Canadians to be appointed to the Legislative Council between 1811 and 1815, an unusual move as Canadians had usually been excluded from being appointed since 1798. In a report to the Colonial Office, Prévost said that he wanted to create a Legislative Council "possessed of the consideration of the country, from a majority of its members being independent of the government", in order to transfer to it "the political altercations which have been hitherto carried on by the governor in person."
War of 1812
For most of the War, Prévost's strategy was defensive and cautious. Learning in August 1812 that the British government had repealed some of the Orders in Council (1807)Orders in Council (1807)
The Orders in Council were a series of legislative decrees made by the United Kingdom in the course of the wars with Napoleonic France which instituted its policy of commercial warfare. Formally, an "Order in Council" is simply the type of legislation by which the British government decreed these...
which the United States regarded as a cause of war, he negotiated an armistice, but peace did not result and the war resumed. During the early months of 1813, Prévost twice visited Upper Canada
Upper Canada
The Province of Upper Canada was a political division in British Canada established in 1791 by the British Empire to govern the central third of the lands in British North America and to accommodate Loyalist refugees from the United States of America after the American Revolution...
where the military and civil situation was unsatisfactory after the Governor and Commander there (Major General Isaac Brock
Isaac Brock
Major-General Sir Isaac Brock KB was a British Army officer and administrator. Brock was assigned to Canada in 1802. Despite facing desertions and near-mutinies, he commanded his regiment in Upper Canada successfully for many years...
) had been killed in action. As a result, he was present in Kingston
Kingston, Ontario
Kingston, Ontario is a Canadian city located in Eastern Ontario where the St. Lawrence River flows out of Lake Ontario. Originally a First Nations settlement called "Katarowki," , growing European exploration in the 17th Century made it an important trading post...
in May, and took personal charge of an attack on the main American naval base on Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. A victory here could have been decisive but the expedition was hastily mounted and at the Battle of Sackett's Harbor
Battle of Sackett's Harbor
The Second Battle of Sacket's Harbor or simply the Battle of Sacket's Harbor, took place on 29 May 1813, during the War of 1812. A British force was transported across Lake Ontario and attempted to capture the town, which was the principal dockyard and base for the American naval squadron on the lake...
both Prévost and the naval commander, Commodore James Lucas Yeo
James Lucas Yeo
Sir James Lucas Yeo KCB was a British naval commander who served in the War of 1812.Yeo was born in Southampton on 7 October 1782, and joined the Royal Navy as a midshipman at the age of 10. He first saw action as a lieutenant aboard a brig in the Adriatic Sea, and distinguished himself during the...
, attacked hesitantly. After meeting stiff resistance, they withdrew.
In 1814, large reinforcements became available after the defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte. Prévost planned an attack along Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
and the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
, but the army which he led personally was driven back at the Battle of Plattsburgh
Battle of Plattsburgh
The Battle of Plattsburgh, also known as the Battle of Lake Champlain, ended the final invasion of the northern states during the War of 1812...
after the British naval squadron on Lake Champlain was defeated. Commodore Yeo considered that the British ships under Captain George Downie
George Downie
George Downie was a British Royal Navy officer during the War of 1812. He commanded the British squadron which attacked the American fleet anchored at Plattsburgh Bay in Lake Champlain during the Battle of Plattsburgh on September 11, 1814...
(who was killed in the action) had been ordered into action prematurely by Prévost, and that Prévost had failed to order an attack by his own troops until it was too late to avert the defeat of Downie's squadron.
Prévost had also made himself unpopular among some of the Army officers under his command who were veterans of the Peninsular War
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War was a war between France and the allied powers of Spain, the United Kingdom, and Portugal for control of the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic Wars. The war began when French and Spanish armies crossed Spain and invaded Portugal in 1807. Then, in 1808, France turned on its...
(such as Manley Power
Manley Power
Lieutenant General Sir Manley Power, KCB, ComTE was a British military leader who fought in a number of campaigns for Britain and rose to the rank of Lieutenant General. He is chiefly remembered for leading a brigade of Portuguese troops under The Duke of Wellington in the Iberian Peninsular War...
, Thomas Brisbane
Thomas Brisbane
Major-General Sir Thomas Makdougall Brisbane, 1st Baronet GCH, GCB, FRS, FRSE was a British soldier, colonial Governor and astronomer.-Early life:...
, and Frederick Philipse Robinson
Frederick Philipse Robinson
Sir Frederick Philipse Robinson, GCB was a Virginian soldier, born in the Highlands, near New York, in September, 1763, who fought for Britain during the American War of Independence....
) by his perceived over-caution, and his niggling insistence on correct dress and uniform. He had also alienated several successful Canadian officers (such as Charles de Salaberry
Charles de Salaberry
Lieutenant Colonel Charles-Michel d'Irumberry de Salaberry was a French-Canadian of the seigneurial class who served as an officer of the British army in Lower Canada and won distinction for repelling the American advance on Montreal during the War of 1812.-Early years:Born at the manor house of...
) by seeming to claim their successes for himself and failing to reward them properly. However, it was the complaints by the Navy and Peninsular veterans which prompted his recall. Although the Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
accepted that Prévost's strategy was correct, he wrote on 30 October 1814,
It is very obvious to me that you must remove Sir George Prevost. I see he has gone to war about trifles with the general officers I sent him, which are certainly the best of their rank in the army; and his subsequent failure and distresses will be aggravated by that circumstance; and will probably with the usual fairness of the public be attributed to it.
In December, Wellington's former Quartermaster General, Sir George Murray
George Murray (Lieutenant-Governor)
Sir George Murray, GCB, GCH, FRS was a Scottish soldier and politician.-Background and education:Murray was born in Perth, the second son of Sir William Murray, of Ochtertyre, 5th Baronet , and was educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh and the University of Edinburgh.-Military career:In...
, was sent to Canada with the local rank of Lieutenant General specifically to order Prévost to return to London to explain his conduct of the Plattsburg campaign. He delivered the order on 2 March 1815, by coincidence only a day or so after news of the ratification of the Treaty of Ghent
Treaty of Ghent
The Treaty of Ghent , signed on 24 December 1814, in Ghent , was the peace treaty that ended the War of 1812 between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland...
, which ended the war, arrived in Quebec. Prévost felt himself publicly humiliated by the manner and timing of his succession. After ordering hostilities to cease and disbanding the militia, he left Quebec on 3 April. He was given a hasty vote of thanks by the Assembly in Quebec.
Later life
On his return to England, the Government and Army authorities at first accepted Prévost's explanations for his conduct at Plattsburgh and during the War generally. Soon afterwards, the official naval despatch on the Battle of Plattsburgh was published, together with Yeo's complaints. Both these accounts blamed Prévost for the defeat at Plattsburgh. Prévost requested a court martial to clear his name. The trial was set for 12 January 1816, the delay being necessary to allow witnesses to travel from Canada, but Prévost was already in ill health and died a week before it was due to convene. His widow declined the offer of a peerage in honour of her husband, as she did not consider herself and her family to have sufficient means to support the dignity.Later historians judge Prévost's preparations for defending the Canadas with limited means to be energetic, well conceived, and comprehensive, and against the odds he had achieved the primary objective of preventing an American conquest.
Prévost is buried in East Barnet
East Barnet
East Barnet is an area of North London within the London Borough of Barnet bordered by New Barnet, Cockfosters and Southgate. It is a largely residential suburb whose central area, known locally as the Village, contains a variety of shops, public houses, restaurants and services. East Barnet is...
, near London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England.