The Seven Years War (1756-63)
Manuscript and printed maps and views, correspondence and journals from the first global war
Map of Point Levi, 1759 (Lévis, Quebec, Canada) 46°38'11"N 71°10'40"W
c.1759Pencil, pen, ink and watercolour on paper; laid down on linen | Scale: 1:7,200 | RCIN 732102
A map of the south side of the St Lawrence River from Point Levi to Point Peres, 30 June 1759. French and Indian War (1754-63). Oriented with south-south-east to top (compass rose).
The old catalogue entry has identified the draughtsman as Patrick Mackellar, possibly based on the latter's signature on the map. This signature may have been an endorsement of the accuracy of the content of the map but, in this instance, the cartographic style does resemble that of Mackellar, who was Chief Engineer at Quebec. The identification of the surveyor, Captain Williamson, with Adam Williamson, is made on the basis that it is known that he was on the staff at Quebec and that he was wounded at Montmorency in August 1759. He had also been present in 1755 on Braddock's expedition to Fort Duquesne, where he was wounded in the battle on 9 July. Since Mackellar, too, was present on Braddock's expedition, the two men must have known each other for at least four years. Williamson, who became Lieutenant-General Sir Adam Williamson, Governor of Jamaica and St Domingo, was the son of Major-General George Williamson (1704-81) who commanded the artillery at the Siege of Louisbourg (1758) and at Quebec in 1759. Father and son were thus on active service together in this operation. George Williamson's ‘Disposition of Artillery at Visé’ in 1747 is at RCIN 730176.
There is no overt indication, on the face of the map, that the date of the content relates to 30 June 1759; a faint note to this effect appears on the verso in what appears to be a contemporary hand.
? Patrick Mackellar (1717-78) (draughtsman) [signed, draughtsman:] Pat M[ackella]r Major [& Chief] Eng.r.
Samuel Holland (1728-1801) (surveyor)
? Sir Adam Williamson (1736-98) (surveyor) [bottom right, outside border, surveyors:] Surveyed by Capt Holland & [Captain] Williamson
Subject(s)
Army-GB-Infantry-43rd Regiment of Foot (1741-1783)Army-GB-Infantry-78th Regiment of Foot (1760-1763)Army-GB-Infantry-15th Regiment of Foot (1685-1783)Army-GB-Infantry-48th Regiment of Foot (1755-1783)Watermark: Strasburg bend and lily; no countermark visible
Mark, stamped: 877
Condition: two fold lines; creased; repaired with paper along bottom edge before being laid down on linen; surface dirt on both sides
Scale: 1:7,200. Scale bar: Scale 600 Feet to an Inch [126 mm =] 3000.
42.9 x 55.6 cm (neatline)
45.2 x 56.6 cm (image)
46.2 x 59.1 cm (sheet)
Manuscript title:
PLAN of the south side of the River St Laurence / from Point Levi to Point des Peres &c. [top left]
Additional text:
[top left, below title, a key to the numbered detail on the map, 1-6.]
Annotations:
George III heading: Encampment on Point Levi 30 June 1759.
Other annotations: (Recto) [bottom left, black pencil:] XVI/38-5. (Verso) [bottom right, faint black pencil:] [Enct] / taken possession of 30th June 1759. [bottom right, under the white paper strip on which the old heading is written, an earlier old heading, probably the same.]
George III catalogue entry:
Encampment A drawn Plan of the South side of the River S.t Laurence from Point Levi to Point des Peres; with Brigadier General Monckton’s Encampment on Point Levi, taken possession of on the 30.th of June 1759: by Major Pat. Mackellar, chief Eng.r from surveys made by Captains Holland and Williamson. [The same entry appears under the heading Levi, Point.]
Subject(s)
Lévis, Quebec, Canada (46°38'11"N 71°10'40"W)
Page revisions
3 November 2024
Current version
