War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14)
Sieges, marches, encampments and famous battles from 1701 to 1712 in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands
Lauterbourg, Wissembourg and the Rhine, 1710
1710 or laterPencil, pen, ink and watercolour; drawn on three sheets of paper, joined; laid down on linen | Scale: not stated. 1:28,000 approx. | RCIN 726040
This map shows the alignment of the fortified lines on the west of the Rhine, stretching from a point between St Germain (Sankt Germannshof 49°02'50"N 07°53'57"E) and Roth (Rott 49°01'22"N 07°54'31"E) in the north-west to Berg (48°59'02"N 08°12'08"E) in the south-east. Several comments on the practicability of the terrain have been written on the face of the map, for example, south-east (top left) of Lauterbach (Niederlauterbach 48°58'15"N 08°05'53"E): ‘Montagne dont les Ravines sont / profondes les ponte roides / Couverte de bois et peu pratiquable / du coste du Rhin’. Near Wissembourg: ‘Hauteur qui voit dans les Lignes’ and, of a valley floor: ‘fond un peu maricageux’.
The line of fire is shown from a number of batteries facing the lines and positioned between Lang Schleithal (Schleithal 48°59'20"N 08°02'29"E), Salenbach (Salmbach 48°58'37"N 08°04'34"E), Lauterbach (Niederlauterbach 48°58'15"N 08°05'53"E) and Scheibenhart (Scheibenhard 48°58'37"N 08°08'07"E). The straight lines which are drawn across the Lauter at intervals may represent potential or actual crossing points.
The River Lauter forms the present-day boundary between France and Germany and this area, in World War II, saw the construction of the Siegfried Line and Maginot Line to the north and south, respectively, of the Lauter.
Additional text: [top left, a remnant of text describing the situation of the lines.]
Condition: a considerable portion of the left of the map has been torn off and is missing; this appears to have occurred in the 18th or early 19th century, the original length of the sheet is reconstructed with paper pasted to the three sheets of the map; the whole was then laid down on linen; two small repairs to face of map; top right corner diagonally cut off; brown discolouration. Verso: induced discolouration; brown discolouration; black ink marks; bottom right, water-stained patch, fragment and shadow from the removal of Cumberland's cipher label.
Anonymous (cartographer)
Watermark: Indistinct, grapes with a name or letters below
Mark, stamped: 129
Condition: a considerable portion of the left of the map has been torn off and is missing; this appears to have occurred in the 18th or early 19th century, the original length of the sheet is reconstructed with paper pasted to the three sheets of the map; the whole was then laid down on linen; two small repairs to face of map; top right corner diagonally cut off; brown discolouration. Verso: induced discolouration; brown discolouration; black ink marks; bottom right, water-stained patch, fragment and shadow from the removal of Cumberland's cipher label
Scale: not stated. 1:28,000 approx.
30.4 x 104.5 cm (image)
29.4 cm x [left neatline not present]
31.5 x 123.6 cm (sheet)
Printed title:
No title
Additional text:
[top left, a remnant of text describing the situation of the lines.]
Annotations:
George III heading: Lines on the Rhine 1710.
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [top, right of centre, black pencil, in Schultz's or Mason's hand?:] 2/114 [the 114 is crosed out in black pencil] 1710; [bottom right, black pencil:] XII [and an underlined word beginning with W, perhaps ‘Weissembourg’ crossed out in black pencil and illegible]; [right centre, red pencil, in Schultz's or Mason's hand?:] 20; [bottom, left of paper strip, black pencil:] 3; [underneath white paper strip:] Lines on the Rhine Lauterbourg.
George III catalogue entry:
Rhine Carte dessinée des Lignes le long de la Riviere Lauter dans la Basse Alsace depuis le Rhin jusqu'au dessus de Weissembourg, 1710. 3 petites feuilles.
Subject(s)
Lauterbourg, Alsace, France (48°58'30"N 08°10'42"E)
Wissembourg, Alsace, France (49°02'13"N 07°56'43"E)
