Jeffery Amherst autographed signed letter (ASL) to Lord Sydney by AMHERST, Jeffery, 1st Baron Amherst [1717-1797] - 1789

Very good condition.

Amherst held the office of Governor of Guernsey between 1770 and 1797.

This letter likely a reference to Geo III's problems with porphyria, from which he suffered. George III had a particularly severe form of porphyria. His first attack occurred in 1765, four years after his marriage to Queen Charlotte. Further signs of the disease showed up in 1788-1789. From 1811 to the time of his death in 1820 the royal patient became progressively insane and blind. He was nursed in isolation, and kept in straight jackets and behind bars in his private apartments at Windsor Castle

Amherst served as the nominal Crown Governor of Virginia from 1759-1768, though Francis Fauquier continued his role as acting governor from the previous term. During this period he also served as the first Governor General of British North America from 1760-1763. This office still exists as the Canadian monarch's representative in Canada. Amherst was raised to the peerage in 1776, as Baron Amherst of Holmesdale. During the American Revolutionary War he rejected a field command, since he had close relations with numerous personalities of the opposite side. He was promoted to Brigadier General in 1778, and became Commander-in-Chief of the Forces. He was replaced as Commander-in-Chief in February, 1782 by Henry Seymour Conway. Amherst again became Commander-in-Chief in 1793. He retired from that post in 1795, and was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal the following year. Amherst died on 3 August 1797.