PRIDEAUX, John, British soldier, born in Devonshire, England, in 1718; died near Fort Niagara, 19 July, 1759. He was the second son of Sir John Prideaux, bart., and early entered the army, serving in the battle of Dellingen in 1743. He became captain in the 3d foot-guards, 24 February, 1745, colonel of the 55th foot, 28 October, 1758, and brigadier-general, 5 May, 1759. In 1759 he was intrusted by William Pitt with the command of one of the four divisions of the army that was to conquer Canada, the others being given to Wolfe, Amherst, and Stanwix. He opened his campaign by a movement on Fort Niagara, which was then one of tile most formidable French posts. A landing was effected oil 7 July, notwithstanding a harassing fire, and after a summons to surrender had been refused by Pouchot, the French commander, who had sent secretly for re-enforcements, Prideaux opened fire with his artillery. He repelled a sortie on 11 , July, and on the 19th prevented a French schooner from landing re-enforcements that had been sent by Frontenac. On the evening of the same day, while he was busy in the trenches, he was killed by the bursting of a coehorn, owing to the carelessness of an artilleryman. He was succeeded in the command by Sir William Johnson. As the elder brother had been killed at Carthagena in 1741, Prideaux was his father's heir, and his son, John Wilmot, succeeded to the baronetcy in 1766.