Havana, 1762

A collection of ten out of twelve prints of the British expedition to Havana in 1762. Seven Years War (1756-63). Each plate is catalogued individually.

The set lacks: Frontispiece; Plate 10, the Grand Attack of that City and Punto Castle (BM Registration No. 1917, 1208.3291); Plate 11: Perspective View of His Majesty’s Land Forces …[taking] The North Gate of the City and Punto Castle ... which was dedicated to Maj.-General George Augustus Elliot, Colonel of Light Horse (British Museum Registration No. 1849, 1003.20 and 1917, 1208.3294).

These plates, which were painted by Serres after a series of sketches by Philip Orsbridge who was a Lieutenant on board the Orford, depict different stages of the British siege of Havana which took place between 6 June and 13 August 1762. The British combined operations force of 200 transports with 12,000 troops and twenty ships of the line with 17,000 sailors was commanded by Lieutenant-General George Keppel, 3rd Earl of Albemarle (1724-72), Vice-Admiral Sir George Pocock (1706-92), and Major-General George Augustus Eliott (1717-90).

The set of prints was published under the title Britannia's Triumph and advertised as ‘Twelve True Historical VIEWS, representing the Whole Process of the Glorious Conquest of the HAVANAH, taken by an Officer on the Spot’ (The Public Advertiser, 21 May 1765). According to Sarah Monks, who quotes from a three-page pamphlet - A CONTINUATION OF THE EXPLANATIONS OF THE VIEWS OF The Situation and different Attacks of His Majesty's Ships and Squadrons at the Siege of The HAVANNAH - issued by Orsbridge to accompany plates 7 and 8 sometime before May 1765, the prints were published in the following order:

a) Frontispiece and prints 1, 2, and 4, advertised in the Public Advertiser, 11 April 1764 and sold with Orsbridge's undated pamphlet entitled ‘EXPLANATION OF THE Twelve Capital Plates, EXHIBITING The Situation of His Majesty's Ships and Squadrons, ON THE Expedition to the HAVANNAH, By Way of JOURNAL’.

b) Plates 3, 5, and 6, sold with the pamphlet ‘A CONTINUATION OF THE EXPLANATIONS OF THE Third, Fifth and Sixth Views ... ’.

c) Plates 7 and 8, sold with Orsbridge's pre-May 1765 pamphlet.

d) Plates 9 and 10.

e) Plates 11 and 12, sold with the pamphlet ‘AN EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES IX, X, XI, XII’ which were intended to be published in July 1765.

Dummy sheet: Title [ink:] 12 [in black pencil above the 12: 10 only] Historical Views of the last glorious Expedition of His Majesty's Ships and Forces against / the Havana; under the command of Sir George Pocock, Lord Albemarle, and Rear Admiral / Keppel: by Phi. Orsbridge:- painted by Serres and engraved by Canot and Mason. - with an Explanation [black pencil, crossed out in black pencil:] UL Naval Topog. / [ink:] Port-folio N.o [black pencil:] 2 ... 2 Table / [old heading, red ink:] Expedition to the Havana 2 June - 16 Aug. 1762; [above and next to old heading, black pencil annotations, illegible].
Watermark: fleur-de-lys in crowned shield, the scrolled letter W below.
Size: 48.3 x 33.3 cm (sheet).