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War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14)

Sieges, marches, encampments and famous battles from 1701 to 1712 in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands

    ANONYMOUS

    Plan of the siege of Bouchain, 1711 (Bouchain, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France) 50°17'06"N 03°18'53"E

    1711 or later

    Pencil, pen, ink and watercolour on paper; laid down on two pieces of coarse linen stitched together | Scale: not stated. 1:4,000 approx. | RCIN 726074

    A plan of the siege of Bouchain, 6 August-13 September 1711, by the Allied army, commanded by John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (1650-1722), resulting in the surrender of the French, commanded by Marshal Claude Louis Hector de Villars (1643-1734). War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14). Oriented with north-north-west to top.

    The date of 6 August-13 September for the beginning of the siege and surrender of the fortress is taken from Ostwald (2007), p.343.

    This large-scale plan shows the detail of the fortifications and approach trenches and the lines of fire from the Allied batteries from the two attacks made by Lieutenant-General François Nicolaas, Baron von Fagel (1645-1718), and the third attack commanded by Lieutenant-General Schwartzel.

    Condition: no fold lines; trimmed after having been laid down on linen; some foxing. Verso: bottom left, shadow from the removal of Cumberland's cipher label.

    • Anonymous (cartographer)

      Subject(s)

      Army-Allied army (War of the Spanish Succession, 1701-1714)

    • Watermark: Fleur-de-lys in crowned shield, a ‘4’ suspending the letters WR below

      Mark, stamped: 145

      Condition: no fold lines; trimmed after having been laid down on linen; some foxing. Verso: bottom left, shadow from the removal of Cumberland's cipher label

    • Scale: not stated. 1:4,000 approx.

      37.5 x 23.4 cm (image and neatline)

      38.1 x 23.9 cm (sheet)

    • Manuscript title:

      PLAN: / von / BOUCHAIN: / mit / Dehnen Attaques / so den 22ten Aug: / 1711 geöffnet, und / biß d 12ten 7br / gedauert hat [bottom right, in rectangular panel]

      Annotations:

      George III heading: Bouchain 7 August - 14 Sept.r 1711.

      Other annotations: (Recto) [top right, black pencil, crossed out in black pencil:] 36.; [top right, black pencil:] 116.. (Verso) [bottom right, black pencil:] 107; [centre, red pencil:] 107.

      George III catalogue entry:

      Bouchain Plan dessiné de la Ville de Bouchain avec les attaques des Alliés en 1711.

    • Subject(s)

      Bouchain, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France (50°17'06"N 03°18'53"E)

    • Bibliographic reference(s)

      J. Ostwald, Vauban under siege: engineering efficiency and martial vigor in the War of the Spanish Succession, Leiden 2007

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