The Seven Years War (1756-63)
Manuscript and printed maps and views, correspondence and journals from the first global war
Chignecto, 1755
A PLAN OF CHIGNECTOU / INCLUDING THE PASS OF PONT BUOT AND / THE ENCAMPMENT BEFORE THE FORT OF / BEAU SEIOUR / MDCCLV
c.1755Pencil, pen, ink and grey wash on paper | Scale: 1:12,000. | RCIN 731059
A map of Chignecto and the encampment at Fort Cumberland, 1755. French and Indian War (1754-63). Oriented with north north east to top (compass rose).
The British arrived at Fort Lawrence (shown on this map, bottom left) on 3 June 1755 and attacked and captured Fort Beauséjour on the 4th. The fort was renamed Fort Cumberland, also shown on this map which was received in England with a letter from John Brewse dated 18 October 1755. John Brewse was stationed at Halifax in 1749, and was serving as second engineer in Newfoundland when ordered on the Fort Beauséjour expedition. As captain lieutenant, he was one of ten engineers at Louisbourg in 1758. He became captain and engineer in ordinary in 1759, major in 1772, and as lieutenant colonel was chief engineer of Minorca after Mackellar’s death in 1781 (Pargellis p. 146). His letter is preserved in the Cumberland Papers in the Royal Archives. The fact that there are no fold lines in this map suggests that it was transported as a roll in a metal tube.
? John Brewse (surveyor and draughtsman)
Watermark: Fleur-de-lys in crowned shield, a '4' suspending the letters L V G below
Mark, stamped: 771
Condition: no fold lines. Verso, top left: water-stained patch, fragments and shadow from Cumberland's cipher label
Scale: 1:12,000. Scale bar: [102 mm =] 4000 Feet.
34.9 x 50.7 cm (neatline)
35.7 x 51.5 cm (image)
37.7 x 53.7 cm (sheet)
Manuscript title:
A PLAN OF CHIGNECTOU / INCLUDING THE PASS OF PONT BUOT AND / THE ENCAMPMENT BEFORE THE FORT OF / BEAU SEIOUR / MDCCLV. [top centre, in rectangular panel]
Annotations:
George III heading: Encampment at Fort Cumberland 1755.
Other annotations: (Recto) [ink, below scale bar:] Rec.d with M.r Engineer Brewses Letter dated Halifax 18 Oct.r 1755. (Verso) [bottom left, black pencil, crossed out in black pencil, in Mason’s hand]: 68; [bottom left, black pencil:] 67; [centre, red pencil, crossed out in red pencil:] 67; [centre, red pencil:] 68 [the 8 is crossed out in red pencil and 1 substituted.]; [top right, black pencil, erased:] Fort Cumberland [?].
George III catalogue entry:
Encampment A drawn Plan of Chignectou including the Pass of Pont Buot and the Encampment before the Fort of Beau Sejour (Fort Cumberland) 1755: by J. Brewse Eng.r. [The same entry occurs under the heading Cumberland, Fort.]
Subject(s)
Chignecto, Nova Scotia, Canada (45°44'00"N 64°11'55"E)
Page revisions
14 March 2024
Current version
