Robert Prescott
Encyclopedia
General
Robert Prescott (Lancashire
c.
1726 – 21 December 1815 Rose Green West Sussex
) was a British
soldier and colonial
administrator. He enlisted in the British Army
in 1745 and served during the Seven Years' War
. He was at the siege of Louisburg and became an aide-de-camp
to General Jeffrey Amherst in 1759 participating in the capture of Montreal
.
Prescott then served in the West Indies and became Governor of Martinique in 1794. In 1796 he became governor-in-chief of British North America
and commander of British forces. He remained in the position until 1807 but spent much of his time outside of Canada. He was unable to resolve growing demands among French-Canadians and was recalled in 1799.
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Robert Prescott (Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
c.
Circa
Circa , usually abbreviated c. or ca. , means "approximately" in the English language, usually referring to a date...
1726 – 21 December 1815 Rose Green West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
) was a British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
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. He enlisted 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...
in 1745 and served during the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
. He was at the siege of Louisburg and became an aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
to General Jeffrey Amherst in 1759 participating in the capture of Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
Prescott then served in the West Indies and became Governor of Martinique in 1794. In 1796 he became governor-in-chief of 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...
and commander of British forces. He remained in the position until 1807 but spent much of his time outside of Canada. He was unable to resolve growing demands among French-Canadians and was recalled in 1799.