Lot 30: John Bogle (Edinburgh 1746 - Edinburgh 1803)

General Robert Prescott (1725-1816), wearing staff uniform of scarlet coat with blue facings and gold epaulette, his powdered hair worn en queue and tied with a black ribbon
signed with initials and dated, IB/ 1780, gold bracelet clasp frame, the reverse inscribed, General Prescott/ Gov. of Canada./ By/ J. Bogle/ 1789
Oval, 34mm. (1 3/8ins.) high

H.M., 1999
P.A., 1999
S.N.P.G., 2000-2003

S.P.N.F., no.56

Robert Prescott was born in Lancashire. He became captain of the 15th foot, 1755, and served in the expeditions against Rochefort in 1757, and Louisburg in 1758. He acted as aide-de-camp to General Amherst in 1759, and afterward joined the army under General James Wolfe.
In 1794 he sailed with the troops to Martituque, where he landed without opposition. He effected the complete reduction of the island and forts, which capitulated on 22 March, and was afterward appointed civil governor of the island. His wise and judicious management of affairs prevented an uprising of the natives.
From Martinique he was sent to Guadaloupe, where he pursued the same firm and conciliatory policy, and at this time he refused the proffered governorship of St. Lucia. Finding it impossible to effect much at Guadaloupe, he withdrew the British troops there, and sent some to Antigua and Dominica, and the rest to Martinique, where he returned.
His health failing, he applied for leave to return to England, where he arrived, 10 February, 1795. On 12 July, 1796, he succeeded Lord Dorchester as governor of Canada, and on his arrival in Quebec he began strengthening the fortifications of that city. In 1797 he was also appointed governor of Nova Scotia, and he remained at the head of the government of that colony, and of Canada and New Brunswick, until 1799. General Prescott returned to England, and settled at Rose Green, near Battle, where he died.
An earlier version of this miniature, dated 1776, is in the National Portrait Gallery, London. There has been some confusion over the date of the present lot, previously thought to be 1789. Close inspection has revealed the date to be 1780, when Prescott became Colonel.