Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Pritzler, Theophilus
PRITZLER, Sir THEOPHILUS (d. 1839), Indian commander, was in 1793 appointed ensign in an independent company in the British army, and on 18 March 1794 he became a lieutenant in the 85th foot. He thence exchanged, on 27 Aug. 1794, into the 5th dragoon guards, went out to Holland, and served through the two unsuccessful campaigns of 1794 and 1796, in Holland and Germany. Pritzler then took part in an expedition to San Domingo (1796-8). On 21 Sept. 1796 he removed to the 21st light dragoons. He remained in this regiment till 21 Sept. 1804, when he was appointed major in the royal fusiliers. He acted as major of brigade at Portsmouth from 1800 to 1804; and from 1807 to 1809 he held the post of assistant adjutant-general at the Horse Guards. He received the brevet of lieutenant-colonel on 16 April 1807, and on 4 June 1813 he was appointed lieutenant-colonel of the 22nd light dragoons. He had the brevet of colonel in the army on 4 June 1814.
Pritzler now proceeded to India with his regiment. On the outbreak of the third Mahratta war in 1817, he was given the rank of brigadier-general, and entrusted with the duty of pursuing the Peishwa on the latter's flight from Poona on 16 Nov. 1817. On 8 Jan. 1818, with a force partly European and partly native, he came upon a large body of the enemy, close to Satura, where they had been left to cover the Peishwa's retreat. He attacked and dispersed them, and continued his pursuit, marching rapidly south-wards in co-operation with Brigadier-general Smith. On 17 Jan. he came up with the Peishwa's rearguard near Meritch and inflicted a severe defeat upon them.
Pritzler was now for a time employed in the movement against the smaller fortresses in the southern Mahratta districts. He was told off to press the siege of Singhur, which capitulated, after a short resistance, on 2 March 1818. He was then ordered to reduce to obedience the country in the vicinity of Satura. His chief achievement in this district was the capture of Wasota, a fort situated in an almost impregnable position of the Western Ghauts. The siege began on 11 March, and ended in the unconditional surrender of the garrison on 5 April. Pritzler then marched south and joined Colonel (afterwards Sir Thomas) Munro [q. v.] on 22 April at Nagar-Manawali. The united English force now moved across the Sena river to the siege of Sholapur, the Peishwa's last great stronghold in the southern districts. On 10 May two columns, under Colonel Hewitt, advanced to the assault. Pritzler, with a reserve force, stood by to offer support. The Mahratta commander, Ganpat Rao, moved round to the east side of the town with the object of taking the assailants in flank. The Mahrattas were at once checked and driven back in disorder by Pritzler, a success which materially contributed to the speedy capture of the town that same day. The Mahratta garrison, about seven thousand strong, tried to escape. Pritzler, however, went in pursuit, came up with them on the banks of the Sena, and inflicted upon them so crushing a defeat that they ceased to exist as an organised force.
On 3 Dec. 1822 Pritzler was made a K.C.B. He died suddenly at Boulogne-sur-Mer on 12 April 1839.
[Philippart's Royal Military Calendar; Gent. Mag. 1818. passim; Annual Register for 1839; Army Lists, passim; Grant Duff's Hist. of the Mahrattas; Wilson's Hist. of India; Gleig's Life of Sir Thomas Munro; Haydn's Book of Dignities.]