AMHERST, Jeffery, BARON, British soldier remembered for his American services : b. Kw. England, 29 Jan. 1717; d. 3 Aug. 1797. He was a duke's page, by his favor entering the army ensign at 14, and became General Lord Ligo nier's aide; served through the war of the Am trian Succession, 1741-48, and was at Dettingen (1743). Fontenoy (1745) and Roncoux (1746) ; in the Seven Years' War beginning 1756 he was at the French victory of Hastenbeck, 1757. He had become noted as a brilliant soldier and ranked as lieutenant-colonel ; in 1758 Pitt selected him to co-operate with Prideaux in con quering Canada from the French, made him and gave him command of the expedition against Louisburg, which he speed ily reduced, 27 July. In the following Septem ber he superseded Abercromby as commander, in-chief of the English forces in America and captured Crown Point and Ticonderoga the fol lowing year. On 8 Sept. 1760 he captured Mon treal and ended the French dominion in Canada. For this he was made governor-general of the British possessions in America, thanked by Par liament, and made a Knight of the Bath. But
in face of Pontiac's conspiracy (1762) he failed, as other English commanders had so often be fore, from insisting on conducting Indian like European warfare, and despising the Ameri can militia and American experience. But as American trivialities like Pontiac's war were un known or unregarded in England, Amherst on his return in 1763 was received with immense enthusiasm as the conqueror of Canada; and as he was also a favorite of George III, and ac tively supported the policy of coercing the colo nies through the years before the Revolution, his honors did not cease. He was titular gov ernor of Virginia 1763-68, without going there, governor of Guernsey from 1770 on, privy coun cilor, 1772 on, 1772-82 and 1783-93 commander in-chief of the British army and was made a field marshal on resigning his command. In 1776 he was raised to the peerage. In 1780 he took an active and most humane part in sup pressing the London popery" riots.