Mark Prévost

A British officer of French and Swiss origin, Mark Prévost commanded troops around the British Empire, but his most significant contributions came from his service in North America. Along with his brothers, Augustine and Jacques, Prevost was recruited and commissioned as an officer in Great Britain’s new Royal American Regiment. Receiving the rank of Colonel, he was sent to the American colonies in 1756 to serve in the French and Indian War. He was wounded at the Battle of Carillon in 1758 and took to New York City to recover. In 1761, Prévost partook in an expedition to deter French troops at Fort Niagara. Afterward, he returned to New York City where he was assigned command over a group of troops.

Prévost remained in the colonies as a loyal servant to the crown. When the Revolution broke out Prévost was a Lieutenant Colonel living in Paramus, New Jersey. To aid in the British’s Southern campaign, Prévost, and brother Augustine, were stationed in St. Augustine, Florida. He was moved to Georgia in 1778, where he served shortly as British governor of the colony. By March of 1779, he served as a commander in the Battle of Brier Creek in Georgia, leading the British to victory. The British continued their string of southern successes, creating a stronghold in the region. Meanwhile, in 1781, Prévost was sent to Jamaica to put down an uprising. It was there that he died from wounds received earlier in the Revolution.