Map of encampment at Buckland Down and Plymouth, 1778 (Egg Buckland, Devon, UK) 50°24'00"N 04°07'00"W; (Plymouth, Devon, UK) 50°22'17"N 04°08'35"W

A map of the encampment on Buckland Down near Plymouth, 14 July-22 October 1778. American War of Independence (1775-83). Oriented with north to top (cardinal points).

The colour of the uniform of the 13th Regiment of Foot [from 1782 the 13th (1st Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot], whose red coat had yellow facings, is reflected in the colouring of the regimental rectangle on this map. The facings of the Cornish Militia changed in 1778 from black to the deep blue shown here; the green facings shown for the S. Devon troops are consistent with the uniform of the 3rd (South) Devonshire Militia at this time, while the uniform of both the 1st and 2nd Somersetshire Militia had black facings, as coloured on this plan. (C. Lawson, A history of the Uniforms of the British Army, London, 1961, pp.155-8.)

This is one of 31 maps of encampments which are likely to have been drawn up as a set from original field surveys and draft maps between about 1782 (the last encampment ended on 13 November 1782) and sometime in or after 1784 (the date of Bowles's plan of London, RCIN 734032.am). The original field surveys and draft maps from which they will have been compiled would have been made between 1778 and 1782, according to the actual dates of the encampments. The execution date for the fair drawings of the maps of 1783 or later has, however, been assigned to all the encampment maps, consistent with the date of Paterson's commission as Captain in the 36th Foot, with which rank he styles himself on the title page of the volume.

In: 'Plans of Encampments and Dispositions of the Army in Great Britain from 1778 to 1782. Presented to King George III by George Morrison, Quarter Master General. Drawn by Captain Dan. Paterson, 36.^th Reg.^t Assistant to the Quart. Mast. General.' See main entry under RCIN 734032.

BL Add MS 15533: p.41 PLAN / OF / THE ENCAMPMENT / ON BUCKLAND DOWN / NEAR / PLYMOUTH / from 14^th July to 22^d Oct:^r / 1778. Notes: Oriented with west to top (cardinal points with magnetic north). Scale: Scale bar: [216 mm =] 1700 yards. Watermark: J WHATMAN.

Condition: flat; no fold lines; discolouration and dirt marks on the area falling outside the size of the folded map opposite.