The Seven Years War (1756-63)
Manuscript and printed maps and views, correspondence and journals from the first global war
Monongahela River, 1755
A Plan of the disposition of the Advanced Party, / consisting of 400 Men. / To defend the Workers, in making the Road. [1755.]
1755 or laterEtching and engraving; printed on paper; hand-coloured | Scale: 1:2,400. | RCIN 731061.c
A plan of the disposition of the advance guard, Monongahela River, 1755. French and Indian War (1754-63). No orientation.
This shows the progress of the workers, cutting the road through thick forest; a clear way lies behind them; they are shown working in a semi-cleared area, while uncharted and dense woodland lies ahead. This foreshadows the cutting of a twenty-foot wide clearing through the forests of North America along the 49th parallel by the British Royal Engineers just a hundred years later between 1858 and 1862.
One of six plans of Braddock's marches, camps, and campaign in 1755 (see RCINs 731061.a-f). These maps are closely based on the manuscript maps of the same titles in 'A Journal of the Expedition to North America in 1755, under General Braddock'; BL King's MS 212. The Fort Cumberland referred to in this set of plans was in Maryland (39°39'03"N 78°45'55"W). It was the westernmost outpost of British territory in North America and was the point of departure for General Edward Braddock's (bap.2 February 1695-13 July 1755) march to Fort Duquesne (40°26'29"N 80°00'39"W).
? Thomas Jefferys (c. 1719-71) (publisher)
? Robert Orme (1725-90) (cartographer)
Watermark: IV
Condition: no fold lines; bottom left corner trimmed diagonally; induced discolouration on verso; pin holes in each corner. Formerly kept in a rough buff/grey paper folder with old heading on front
Scale: 1:2,400. Scale bar: [79 mm = 200 unnamed units, probably yards].
30.4 x 20.4 cm (neatline)
33.3 x 20.5 cm (image)
33.9 x 21.9 cm (platemark)
36.8 x 24.7 cm (sheet)
Printed title:
A Plan of the disposition of the Advanced Party, / consisting of 400 Men. / To defend the Workers, in making the Road. [1755.] [bottom right corner, outside neatline:] II [top, above neatline]
Annotations:
George III heading: Encampments and March from Fort Cumberland to the Monongahela River in 1755.
Other annotations: (Recto) [top, black pencil, erased and partly legible:] Monongahela [March Route]; [bottom, black pencil, erased:] XV/1. (Verso) none.
George III catalogue entry:
Encampment A Map of the Country between Fort Cumberland on Will’s Creek and the Monongahela River shewing the Rout and Encampments of the English Army in 1755; with five particular Plans of the Disposition of the Army on its March, the Encampments &c. [The same entry appears under the headings Cumberland, Fort, March, and Monongahela.]
Subject(s)
Monongahela River, Pennsylvania, USA
Page revisions
14 March 2024
Current version
