Major General Augustine Prévost (b. August 22, 1723 Geneva, Switzerland – d. May 4, 1786 East Barnet, England) was a Swiss-born British soldier who served in the Seven Years' War and the American War of Independence.
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Like his younger brother Mark Prevost, Prévost joined the 60th (Royal American) Regiment of Foot as a major on January 9, 1756 at the regiment's establishment. He fought in the French and Indian War, during which he suffered a wound.
By the summer of 1776, Prévost, then a colonel, was in charge of a contingent of the 60th stationed in St. Augustine, the capital of British East Florida.
In the winter of 1778, following a proposal of Lord George Germain, Prévost, now a brigadier-general, was given orders by General Sir Henry Clinton to invade Georgia. Prévost dispatched two units north: one under the command of lieutenant-colonel Lewis V. Fuser and the other under his younger brother Mark.
Prévost arrived at Savannah, Georgia on January 17, 1779 which was protected by British Lieutenant-Colonel Archibald Campbell. Prévost assumed command but also sent the message to General Clinton that he wished to resign, feeling that a younger man should take his place. In September 1779 Brigadier General George Garth was sent to replace him, travelling from New York on HMS Experiment. Garth was however captured before he could reach Savannah and Prévost remained to defend the town from a combined French and Continental force in an action that came to be known as the Siege of Savannah.
Augustine was the father of Sir George Prévost, and of Major Augustine Prevost (b. August 29, 1744 Geneva – d. January 17, 1821 Greenville, NY).
Descendents of Prevost settled in the United States and Peru.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Gabriel Christie |
Colonel-Commandant of the 2nd Battalion, 60th Regiment of Foot 1779–1786 |
Succeeded by Gabriel Christie |