Battle of Fontenoy, 1745

BATAILLE de FONTENOY le 11th May 1745

An unfinished map of the Battle of Fontenoy, 11 May 1745, fought between the French, commanded by Louis XV (1710-74) and Marshal Maurice of Saxony (1696-1750), and the Allied army, commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland (1721-65), resulting in a French victory. War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48). Oriented with west-north-west to top (compass rose).

This is based on Hancko's plan of the battle (RCINs 729093-6) with slight variations of detail such as one, instead of two, groups of reserve corps along the edge of the Bois de Barry. The map lacks annotations to the military features, and the only named features are the Bois de Barry, River L'Escaut, Fontenoy and Pieronne (Péronnes 50°33'05"N 03°27'13"E). Two bodies of water are shown south-east of Vezon which are not on Hancko's other maps.

Another copy of this map, perhaps in the same hand, but in a less finished state is at RCIN 729099. The Bois de Leuse, Bois de Barry, Antoing, Pieronne, River L'Escaut and Fontenoy are the only names to appear on the map. The regimental rectangles are all uncoloured and only the casing for the battery symbols is drawn. The unfinished colouring of the woodland demonstrates how the ink symbol was drawn in first, followed by a general wash, finishing with the dark green for the foliage of the trees, with the colouring of the troop rectangles being supplied last.

Condition: no fold lines; some foxing; double pinholes at the corners in the same place as RCIN 729099. Verso, bottom left: water-stained patch, shadow and fragments from the removal of Cumberland's cipher label.