William Amherst

Lieutenant General William Amherst (5 February 1732 – 13 May 1781) was a British military commander. In 1762 during the Seven Years' War he led British forces that defeated a French expedition which had occurred earlier that year in St. John's, Newfoundland at the Battle of Signal Hill. Early life William Amherst was born, in Sevenoaks, Kent, into a family of lawyers. He married Elizabeth Amherst (Patterson). Their children included: William Pitt Amherst, 1st Earl Amherst of Arracan, GCH, PC, a future Governor-General of India Elizabeth Frances Amherst Seven Years' War