"A Plan of Port Royal in South Carolina" 1776 Map John Gascoigne & William Faden

Description: JOHN GASCOIGNE & WILLIAM FADEN. Beautiful copper-engraved map of A Plan of Port Royal in South Carolina surveyed by John Gascoigne and engraved by William Faden and Thomas Jefferys in London in [1776]. First state, printed on a full untrimmed sheet, measures 32.75 by 25.75 inches, and in very fine condition with only light soiling, staining, and creasing. BEAUTIFUL COPPER-ENGRAVED MAP OF A PLAN OF PORT ROYAL IN SOUTH CAROLINA SURVEYED BY JOHN GASCOIGNE AND ENGRAVED BY WILLIAM FADEN IN LONDON IN [1776] The finest and most detailed sea chart of the most important map of South Carolina’s Port Royal Sound and Hilton Head made in the early days of the Revolutionary War. The map shows today’s Beaufort County, with the Sound’s excellent natural harbor, formed by the numerous Sea Islands, which are separated from each other by an elaborate web of tidal channels. The Broad River enters from the north and the sound is bordered by Port Royal, Parris, and Trench’s Island (Hilton Head) and Lady’s and Saint Helena Islands. In the upper center of the image is the town of Beaufort and numerous plantations are individually labeled. THE FINEST AND MOST DETAILED SEA CHART OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MAP OF SOUTH CAROLINA’S PORT ROYAL SOUND AND HILTON HEAD MADE IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR This sea chart was one of the most detailed and accurate of any such map of the American coastline. The immense detail of the hydrography was the result of surveys conducted by Captain John Gascoigne, assisted by his brother James. In 1728, aboard the H.M.S. Alborough, he employed the most sophisticated and modern techniques with exacting attention to detail to produce a manuscript chart. The next year, this chart was altered by Francis Swaine and it would appear that Swaine’s manuscript found its way to the London workshop of William Faden. Faden, the successor to Thomas Jefferys, was already one of Britain’s leading cartographers. DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, THIS MAP WAS USED BY COMMANDERS IN FORMULATING THEIR BATTLE PLANS During the American Revolution, this map was used by commanders in formulating their battle plans. Port Royal Sound was one of the South’s finest harbors and both sides in the conflict believed that possession of the area was of great strategic importance. Early in the war, the region was under the control of the American patriots; however, in December 1778, the British seized control of nearby Savannah, Georgia. In the new year of 1779, the British commander, General Augustin Prevost, was determined to further his gains and dispatched the H.M.S. George Germaine with two hundred marines aboard and commanded by Major Valentine Gardiner. On February 1, they engaged American forces at Hilton Head who then decided to strategically withdraw up the Broad River with the British in close pursuit. A fierce battle occurred at Bull’s Plantation forcing the Americans to retreat to the shelter of the surrounding forested swamps. Emboldened by his success, on February 2, Gardiner decided to attack Beaufort, which was defended by General William Moultrie. A pitched battle ensued, in which Moultrie managed to disable some of the British guns, which neutralized the British advantage. The next day, Gardiner was forced to retreat with heavy losses. On September 24, in what was to become known as the Battle of Hilton Head, three British ships were set upon by a trio of French ships, allied to the American cause. After a dramatic chase and intense exchange of cannon fire, the principal British ship, the H.M.S. Experiment, was forced to surrender. The area remained an important base for the American cause, and although the British conducted isolated raids along the coast, it remained in the possession of the American forces until the end of the war. Christie’s, Gascoigne, John, and William Faden. A Plan of Port Royal in South Carolina. Survey’d by Capn. John Gascoigne. London: Jefferys & Faden, [1776]. Cumming, British Maps Of Colonial America, pp.47-49 Cumming, The Southeast In Early Maps 204 (refs) Sellers & Van Ee, Maps & Charts of North America & The West Indies 1529 Steven & Tree, “Comparative Cartography” in Tooley, The Mapping Of America 71(a).

Price: 4687.5 USD

Location: Spartanburg, South Carolina

End Time: 2024-11-11T15:49:32.000Z

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