Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst

Jeffrey Amherst, 1st Baron Amherst (sometimes spelled Geoffrey, he himself spelled his name as Jeffery) (January 29, 1717 – August 3, 1797) served as an officer in the British Army.

Related Topics:
January 29 - 1717 - August 3 - 1797 - British Army

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Born in Sevenoaks, England, he became a soldier at the approximate age of 14. He gained fame during the Seven Years' War, particularly in the North American campaign known in the United States as the French and Indian War.

Related Topics:
Sevenoaks, England - Seven Years' War - French and Indian War

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Amherst led the British attack in 1758 on Louisbourg (the Siege of Louisbourg), and as leader of the British army in North America, helped the British seize most French territory in Canada. In 1759 he led an advance up Lake Champlain assisting in Wolfe's capture of Quebec City and on September 8, 1760, he captured Montreal ending French rule in North America, where he infuriated the French commanders by refusing them the "honours of war" (the ceremonial right to retain their flags); the Duke of Lévis burned the colours rather than surrendering them.

Related Topics:
Louisbourg - Siege of Louisbourg - French - Canada - Lake Champlain - Wolfe - Quebec City - 1760 - Montreal - The Duke of Lévis

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He held the position of military governor of Canada from 1760 to 1763.

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The hostility between the British and Native Americans ("Indians") after the French and Indian War led to the first documented attempt at biological warfare in North American history. In response to the 1763 uprising known as Pontiac's Rebellion, Amherst suggested using smallpox as a weapon for ending the rebellion. In a series of letters to his subordinate Colonel Henry Bouquet, the two men discussed the possibility of infecting the attacking Indians with smallpox through gifts of blankets that had been exposed to the disease. Apparently unbeknownst to both Amherst and Bouquet, the commander at Fort Pitt had already attempted this very tactic. Although Amherst's name is usually connected with this incident because he was the overall commander and because of his correspondence with Bouquet, from the evidence it appears that the attempt was made without Amherst's prior knowledge. (See Pontiac's Rebellion for more details.)

Related Topics:
Native American - Pontiac's Rebellion - Smallpox - Henry Bouquet - Fort Pitt

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The towns of Amherst, Massachusetts, location of Amherst College, Amherst, Nova Scotia, Amherst, New York and Amherst Island Ontario were named for him.

Related Topics:
Amherst, Massachusetts - Amherst College - Amherst, Nova Scotia - Amherst, New York - Amherst Island

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See also: List of Canadian Governors General

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