Map of encampment on Danbury Common and Chelmsford, 1780 (Danbury Common, Essex, UK) 51°42'52"N 00°34'39"E; (Chelmsford, Essex, UK) 51°44'08"N 00°28'10"E

A map of the encampment on Danbury Common, 8 June-24 October 1780. American War of Independence (1775-83). Oriented with east-south-east to top (cardinal points).

The area covered extends from Coleham End in the north to Rycknacre Common in the south, and from Danbury Place in the west to Runfells in the east. The encamped regiments, with colours of facings in parentheses, are: West Essex Militia (green); East Kent (Kentish grey). Space was clearly marked out and allocated for the South Hampshire Militia and the 2nd Battalion the 1st or Royal Regiment of Foot, but they appear not to have arrived at the time that this survey was made.

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.91 PLAN / OF THE / ENCAMPMENT / ON / DANBURY COMMON / under the Command of / THE HON:^BLE / MAJ:^R GEN:^L S:^T JOHN / from 8.^th June to 24.^th Oct.^r / 1780. [Any mention of the surveyor/author may have been cropped from the bottom margin.] Watermark: none visible.

Condition: one fold.