Sir Jeffrey Amherst (1717 - 1797)

RA Collection: People and Organisations

Amherst was a British Army officer who became Governor of both Virginia and Quebec and later Commander-in-Chief of the Forces.

RA Collections decolonial research: Reynolds’ sitters Joining the British army while still in his teens, Amherst served in the Seven Year’s War in Germany and later in North America where he was put in charge of British forces in 1758. He became infamous for promoting the use of biological warfare during Pontiac’s War (1763-64). In order to end the siege of Fort Pitt by Indigenous Americans in 1763, Amherst suggested the use of smallpox-infested blankets as a weapon. Correspondence between Amherst and Colonel Henry Bouquet, the commander of Fort Pitt, reveals the two men discussing the violent treatment of indigenous people, seemingly with amusement. Amherst faced criticism for his conduct on return to England but this did not seriously affect his career and he was subsequently promoted, eventually reaching the rank of Commander in Chief of the Forces in 1772.

Due to Sir Jeffrey Amherst’s controversial legacy, the city of Montreal changed the name of a street named after him. However, there are still several locations across Canada and the United States named after him, as well as Amherst College, which holds the original painting for this print in its collection.

Sir Joshua Reynolds painted Sir Jeffrey Amherst several times during the years following the Pontiac’s War (see RA 06/4857). His name appears in Reynolds’ sitters book for 1768 (see https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/art-artists/archive/pocket-books ).

Profile

Born: 1717

Died: 1797

Gender: Male

Works associated with Sir Jeffrey Amherst in the RA Collection

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Associated archives

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