AMHERST, JEFFREY, BARON (1717-79). An English soldier. He was born at Riverhead, Kent, and for some time was a page in the house hold of the Duke of Dorset. He entered the army as ensign in 1731, soon became an aide-de camp of General Ligonier, and in the War of the Austrian Snecession served at Dettingen, Fonte not', and Poncoux, and in the Seven Years' War at Hastenbeck. In 1758 Pitt raised him from the rank of lieutenant-colonel to that of major-general, and put him in command of the expedition against Louisburg, which, after a short siege, surrendered on July 27. In Septem ber Inc replaced Abereromby as commander-in chief of the English forces in America; and in 1759 led the expedition against Tieonderoga and Crown Point, gaining possession of the former July 23, and of the latter August 1. In the fol lowing year he commanded in person the forces before Montreal, and on September 8 compelled the French to capitulate and surrender Canada with all its dependencies to the British crown.
For his services be was appointed Governor-Gen eral of British North America, was formally thanked by Parliament, and was made a Knight of the Bath. Having no knowledge of Indian warfare, and scorning to avail himself of the undisciplined colonial militia, he proved unfit for the task of suppressing the conspiracy of Pontiac (q.v.), and returned to England in 1763, where, as the conqueror of Canada, he was received with the greatest enthusiasm. He was absentee Gov ernor of Virginia from 1763 to 1768, was ap pointed Governor of Guernsey in 1770, and be came a Privy Councillor in 1772. From 1772 to 1782. and from 1783 to 1793 he was acting Com niander-in-ehief of the British Army. He became a general in 1778, was Commander-in-Chief 1793 to 1795, and was made a Field-Marshal in 1796. For his record as an officer in America, consult: Parkman, Montealm and Wolfe (Boston, 1884); and The Conspiracy of Pontiac (Boston, 1851).