War of the Spanish Succession (1701-14)
Sieges, marches, encampments and famous battles from 1701 to 1712 in Germany, Italy and the Netherlands
Siege of Bouchain, 1711
PLAN / du Siege de BOUCHAIN / et de la Situation de l'Armée des / ALLIEZ / Commandée par Son Altesse / Le Prince et Duc de MARLBOROUGH. / & Celle de FRANCE / Commandée par le Marechal / Duc de VILLARS. / 1711
1711 or laterPencil, pen, ink and watercolour on four shees of paper, joined; laid down on on coarse linen; edged with pink cerise silk; a brass ring for hanging missing from top left and top right corners; two ink linen ties to top edge | Scale: 1:32,000 approx. | RCIN 726067
The date of 6 August-13 September for the beginning of the siege and the surrender of the fortress is taken from Ostwald (2007), p.343.
This finely executed map shows the detail of the countryside surrounding Bouchain in 1711. Tree-lined roads, villages, windmills, enclosed agricultural areas, marshes and woodland and the road network underlie the detailed depiction of the encampments of both armies, and the lines of circumvallation.
The area covered extends from Flers (Flers-en-Escrebieux 50°23'52"N 03°03'37"E) in the north-west to Brillon (50°26'06"N 03°19'44"E) in the south-east, and from Iuvy (Iwuy 50°13'58"N 03°19'14"E) in the south-west to Saulsoy (Saulzoir 50°14'26"N 03°26'39"E) in the south-east. Marlborough's headquarters are marked at Avesnes-le-Sec (50°15'03"N 03°22'39"E), while those of Villar are at Palliencourt (Paillencourt 50°14'48"N 03°16'26"E), about 10 km (6.2 miles) away.
Additional text: [bottom left, in rectangular panel, a key, A-I, K-M, to the lines of both sides, the disposition of various troops, batteries, bridges, etc:] Explication
Condition: at least eight fold lines; creased and worn along folds; brown discolouration. Verso: brown discolouration; foxing; induced discolouration; substantial surface dirt along top edge, the pattern of which is consistent with the map having been stored tied up as a roll.
Anonymous (cartographer)
Watermark: Fleur-de-lys in crowned shield, suspending a ‘4’, the letters WR below.
Condition: at least eight fold lines; creased and worn along folds; brown discolouration. Verso: brown discolouration; foxing; induced discolouration; substantial surface dirt along top edge, the pattern of which is consistent with the map having been stored tied up as a roll
Title [ink:] Plan dessiné du Siege de Bouchain, et de la Situation de l'Armée des Alliées, commandée / par le Duc de Marlborough; et de celle de France, commandée par le Marechal Duc de Villars, 1711 / 4 feuilles / A Roll .... [pencil:] 5 Table 2.d / [old heading at foot of sheet]. Old heading: Bouchain 7 August - 14 Sept.r 1711.
Watermark: BUDGEN & WILMOTT / 1810.
Size: 47.0 x 32.7 cm.Scale: 1:32,000 approx. Scale: [No scale bar] Echelle 2000 Pieds dans un Pouce
108.4 x 101.7 cm (neatline)
110.7 x 102.7 cm (image)
112.4 x 104.0 cm (sheet)
Manuscript title:
PLAN / du Siege de BOUCHAIN / et de la Situation de l'Armée des / ALLIEZ / Commandée par Son Altesse / Le Prince et Duc de MARLBOROUGH. / & Celle de FRANCE / Commandée par le Marechal / Duc de VILLARS. / 1711 [top right, in rectangular panel]
Additional text:
[bottom left, in rectangular panel, a key, A-I, K-M, to the lines of both sides, the disposition of various troops, batteries, bridges, etc:] Explication
Annotations:
George III heading [top left, black pencil:] Military [bottom right, black pencil:] Bouchain.
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [left, below bottom fold, black pencil:] VI/67 [and] white label with ‘ROYAL LIBRARY’ and a crown printed in red, with blue ball point pen annotation: ‘VI/67’; [top right, black pencil, in Schultz's or Mason's hand:] Siege de Bouchain 1711; [top right, old discoloured label with, in ink in Schultz's or Mason's hand:] II/100; [right, centre, obscured by linen backing, ink:] 2-B / 5-84; [left, centre, obscured by linen backing, ink:] 69..
K. Mil. dummy sheet:
Title [ink:] Plan dessiné du Siege de Bouchain, et de la Situation de l'Armée des Alliées, commandée / par le Duc de Marlborough; et de celle de France, commandée par le Marechal Duc de Villars, 1711 / 4 feuilles / A Roll .... [pencil:] 5 Table 2.d / [old heading at foot of sheet]. George III heading: Bouchain 7 August - 14 Sept.r 1711.
Watermark: BUDGEN & WILMOTT / 1810.
Size: 47.0 x 32.7 cm.George III catalogue entry:
Bouchain Plan dessiné du Siege de Bouchain et de la Situation de l'Armée des Alliés commandée par le Duc de Marlborough; et de celle de France commandée par le Marechal Duc de Villars 1711. 4 feuilles.
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
