Dictionary of National Biography, 1927 supplement/Prendergast, Harry North Dalrymple
PRENDERGAST, Sir HARRY NORTH DALRYMPLE (1834–1913), general, was born in India 15 October 1834. He was the second son of Thomas Prendergast [q.v.], of the Madras civil service, by his wife, Lucy Caroline, daughter of Marten Dalrymple, of Cleland, Lanarkshire, and Fordell, Fife. His father was a linguist of distinction, and his grandfather, Sir Jeffery Prendergast, a general in the service of the East India Company. The Prendergasts are an old Irish family. Harry Prendergast was educated at Cheam School and Brighton College, and entered Addiscombe Military College in 1852. He obtained a commission in the Madras Engineers in 1854, and after passing through the prescribed course at Chatham landed at Madras in October 1856.
Prendergast took part with his regiment in the Persian War, and in the Mutiny served first with the Deccan field force under General Woodburn. It was on 21 November 1857, while reconnoitring with a small cavalry force, that he saved the life of a brother officer, Lieutenant Dew, at the risk of his own, and was severely wounded. For this and other acts of bravery he received the Victoria cross. On recovering from his wound Prendergast acted as aide-de-camp to Sir Hugh Henry Rose (afterwards Baron Strathnairn) [q.v.], and was constantly in action, until, on being wounded a second time, he was invalided home in April 1858. For his services in the Mutiny he received a medal and clasp, as well as a brevet majority, to which he was gazetted on reaching the rank of captain in the spring of 1863. He was disappointed at not being accepted as a volunteer for the Chinese War of 1860, but in 1867 he accompanied, in command of the Madras Sappers, the expedition of Sir Robert (afterwards Lord) Napier [q.v.] to Abyssinia. He was present at the capture of Magdala, and was mentioned by the commander-in-chief as having rendered singularly valuable assistance. He was promoted brevet lieutenant-colonel and received a medal.
In April 1878 when Lord Beaconsfield's Cabinet contemplated the transfer of an Indian force to the Mediterranean, Prendergast, a brevet colonel in command of the Madras and Bombay Sappers, was ordered to Malta, where he had charge of the arrangements for landing the expected troops. On his return to India he became military secretary to the Madras government. He was appointed to the command of the British Burma division in 1883, and two years later led the expeditionary force against Mandalay. He arrived at Rangoon 7 November 1885, and although the resistance of the Burmese at various points was serious, the operations were carried out with promptness and success. King Thebaw surrendered on 28 November and Mandalay was occupied on the following day. Prendergast received many congratulations, was created K.C.B., and was visited at Mandalay by the viceroy, Lord Dufferin. He left Burma 23 February 1886, thus bringing to a close a military career of exceptional variety and activity. He afterwards did useful work as acting resident in different places, chiefly in Southern India, and in connexion with the Public Works department. He was promoted general in 1887 and created G.C.B. in June 1902. He died at Richmond, Surrey, 24 July 1913.
Prendergast married in 1864 Emilie Rachel, daughter of Frederick Simpson. He had two sons and three daughters, one of whom, Ella, married Sir Harry Aubrey de Vere Maclean [q.v.].
[The Times, 26 July 1913.]