Description: 1781 Pouchot Map of New York and Canada: French and Indian War WE SELL ONLY ORIGINAL ANTIQUE MAPS - NOT REPRODUCTIONS Title: Carte des Frontieres Francoises, et Angloises dens le Canada depuis Montreal jusques au Fort du Quesne. Description: A rare and remarkable 1758/1781 idiosyncratically engraved map offering the engineer Pierre Pouchot de Maupas’ firsthand perspective on the French position in the French and Indian War (1754 - 1763). The map covers the primary American theater of the French and Indian War, extending from just west of Fort Duquesne (Pittsburgh) in western Pennsylvania to New York City and New Jersey, and from the Delaware Bay to Montreal, illustrating the full course of the Hudson and St. Lawrence Rivers.Pouchot Describes the MapIn a letter to Marshal de Belle-Isle, dated Montreal, April 14, 1758, Pouchot describes this very map, I have handed to the Marquis de Vaudreuil, a map and memoir, on the subject of the French and English frontiers which I have drawn up on the best informations I have been able to procure, during my sojourn at Niagara. I have laid down in my voyages, the course of the river from Montreal, Lake Ontario as far as Lake Eire; therefore it has an appearance of truth which correctly represents the country and is not contained in any other maps. As I have not been on the English frontier, I laid that down according to their best maps, which I again corrected on such reliable information as I have obtained. It is in sufficient detail however, to show the interest we ought to take to prevent the English interposing obstacles in the way of the Iroquois and Loups, who from a barrier. That country, my Lord, would be well worth being seen by experienced eyes, which has not yet been the case; the well known carrying place of Niagara is an evident proof. The most recent accounts thereof, describe it as the most rugged of Alps, whilst 'tis only a rise of ground, a little more elevated that that of Bellvue. Blow and above are very fine plains, as can be seen on my map.Pouchot's letter defines the map as having been drawn in America prior to 1758, during the French and Indian War. It is unclear if it was engraved or printed in America, but the style overall is idiosyncratic, as will be discussed later.The Theater of War through French EyesPouchot was a military engineer whose specialization in fortifications was critical to the French war effort. During the course of the French and Indian War, he was dispatched throughout the region to shore up defenses and manage siege works. Not only was he present during many of the war’s most significant battles, but was also captured twice and sent to New York as prisoner of war – where he earned the respect of his British captors and was treated as a gentleman. As such this map offers a remarkable contemporaneous (1755-1759) overview of the theater of war as it was understood by the well-educated and well-traveled French engineer. Emphasis throughout is given to inland transportation networks, including roads and navigable riverways, as well as to fortifications, all of which would have been essential to the French war effort. Among the forts noted are Fort Duquesne (Pittsburgh), near which the location where the French clashed with George Washington in 1754 is identified by crossed swords. Other forts identified include Fort Chougen (Oswego), Fort Niagara, Fort Presque Isle, Fort Cumberland, Ft. La Presentation, Ft. Levis, Fort Chambly, Ft. St. Jean, Fort Carillon, Fort St. Frederic, Ft. William Henry, Fort George, Ft. Hunter, and others.Curious Manuscript AnnotationsSeveral finely executed red inked manuscript annotations are evident on all surviving examples of this admittedly rare map. These refer to Pouchot’s travels along the Saint Lawrence River. Starting near Montreal, numbered indicators illustrate Pouchot’s journey up the St. Lawrence. En route, he visits the Mississauga Indian island village of Toniata (Grenadier Island), as well as the small river islands identified here as I. au Citron and I. au Cochis. The voyage is recorded in Pouchot’s narrative, where he writes of Toniata, At five leagues from Point au Baril is the Island of Toniata. The main channel of the river is between this island and the south shore. The north part of the river is filled with rushes, and in summer, it is famous for a thriving eel fishery. M. de Frontenac gave this island to an Iroquois, and the latter sold it for four pots of Brandy to a Canadian, who would have in turn sold it back for a beaver skin.The numbered manuscript references are as follows: Channel around waterfall.Unidentified.Point above Rapid Le Trou.Le Buisson.Coteau du Lac Portage.An island above Pointe du Diable.An Island.Pointe MouilleéPointe àla Morandiere.Pointe Maligne.Mille Roches.Le Moulinet.Pointe Ste. Marie.Isle au Chat.Pointe au Cardinal.Rapide Plat.Pointe aux Iroquois.Isle aus Galots.Isle Piquet.Isle àla Cuisse.Isle Magdelaine.Pointe a L’Ivrogne.Pointe àla Corne.L’ance àla Construction.An island above Pointe au Baril.Pouchot’s Memoirs Pouchot’s 3-volume history, Mémoires sur la dernière Guerre de l'Amérique Septentrionale entre la France et l'Angleterre, within which this map was contained, was written shortly after the events described therein, but was not published until 1781, well after his death. While his Mémoires were hastily composed with motives of self-vindication and doubtless exaggerate his own achievements, they are a valuable record of the war, particularly the sieges of Forts Niagara and Fort Lévis. Pouchot discusses low morale among the French troops, the corrupt French colonial administration, particularly the transgressions of Bigot, Cadet, Le Mercier, and Péan, and provides detailed accounts of the topography of Canada, and native warfare, mannerism, and customs. Streeter refers to it as a 'contemporary authority of the first importance from the French point of view.' The historian Justin Winsor praises it as ‘foremost among the special histories of the war . . . ,' emphasizing its value to ‘the study of topography, so far as it was known and of the geographical nomenclature of the frontier just previous to the outbreak of the Revolutionary War . . .'Date of the Map, Known States, and MoreIn the aforementioned letter dated 'Montreal, April 14, 1758,' probably just before departing on the journey illustrated here in manuscript, Pouchot mentions this map and his memoire, suggesting that they must have been prepared in America around that time. This may explain both the red manuscript annotations postdating the creation of the map, and the unusual engraving style, betraying an unpracticed yet elegant hand, possibly Pouchot’s own. For political reasons, neither the narrative nor the map were published immediately following the war. Instead they languished for some 14 years after the author's death, before being published din Yverden, Switzerland in 1781. Franklin B. Hough, who translated the narrative into English in 1866, from the Harvard example, suggests this delay and the subsequent Swiss imprint may relate to censure by the French regime over Pouchot's harsh critique of the colonial administration. A lithograph variant of the map was also published in the Hough translation, but with various updates and revisions. Size: Printed area measures 13.5 inches high by 18 inches wide. Condition: Very good. Original fold lines. Minor transferrence. Shipping: Shipping rates are not negotiable. Items are shipped within three business days of receiving payment. We are happy to consolidate shipping where possible. The following shipping options are available: 1. FedEx Overnight (45 USD). USA Only. Signature Required. 2. FedEx Ground or Home Delivery (15 USD). USA Only. 1 - 10 days. If your address is a P.O. Box and cannot ship FedEx we will ship USPS Priority and, while we ship promptly, recent postal personnel cutbacks mean that delivery may take time. Signature Required. 3. FedEx International or DHL International EXPRESS (45 USD). 4. We can use your FedEx Account. Customs: International buyers are responsible for paying duty and taxes on delivery. DHL or FedEx will contact the buyer by telephone to arrange tax payment if it is levied. Duty varies by country and we cannot predict the amount you will be charged. Some countries are duty free, others are not. Typically, a customs duty and/or VAT tax will be assessed on all parcels to continental Europe. Sometimes duty or tax is due in China, but is seems very random. Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, and Taiwan have never assessed duty on a map we shipped. Maps shipped to the UK should be duty free as educational materials, but from time to time duty of 5% is assessed incorrectly by the UK customs agents. Insurance: All shipments are insured privately against loss and damage. All of our shipments require a signature for insurance purposes. If you have any questions please feel free to email us through eBay. Other ServicesConservation Framing: Geographicus recommends basic conservation framing services for any antique paper. We do not offer this service. Antique Map Restoration: Geographicus can repair and restore your antique map. Services include deacidification cleaning flattening and backing. BEWARE anyone attempting to contact you, from a different eBay account, claiming to represent Geographicus Antique Maps. My eBay handle is GeographicusMaps. If you are contacted by email by someone offering you my items, please call me directly to be certain you are not dealing with a con artist. "
Price: 3850 USD
Location: Brooklyn, New York
End Time: 2024-11-22T21:36:26.000Z
Shipping Cost: 15 USD
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