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An Authentic Plan of the River St.Laurence from Sillery, to the Fall of Montmorenci, with the Operations of the Siege of Quebec under the Command of Vice-Adml. Saunders & Major General James Wolfe down to the 5. Sepr. 1759

An Authentic Plan of the River St.Laurence from Sillery, to the Fall of Montmorenci, with the Operations of the Siege of Quebec under the Command of Vice-Adml. Saunders & Major General James Wolfe down to the 5. Sepr. 1759

$5,200.00

Thomas Jefferys

Published 1759, London


Image Size: 12 7/8" x 18 5/8"

Condition: Good Condition.  Black and White.

Description:

Beautiful rare map and first state of the depiction of the battle of the Plains of Abraham, 1759.  It has been said that it is “widely considered to be the most important single printed military map in Canadian history.”
The battle plan was published in The natural and civil history of the French dominions in North and South America. .. Engraved by T. Jefferys, Geographer to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales. Part I. Containing a description of Canada and Louisiana. London.
Jefferys’ battle plan is one of the first depictions to be printed in London after the successful siege of Québec. All of the main scenes of action surrounding the British siege are shown, including the abortive attack on Beauport, the British Headquarters at Levis and the site of the decisive Battle of the Plains of Abraham. Interestingly, each vessel of the British fleet, under the overall command of Admiral Saunders, appears in pictographic form, with the names of each ship labeled.  The map was considered to be by far the most authoritative geographical depiction of this momentous series of events and was used as the source map for many other publications printed in London.
Thomas Jefferys (1719-1771) was the leading British cartographer of his era, and is credited with spearheading London’s ascendency as the world’s premier map center during the second half of the 18th-century.  
(Sources: Kershaw, 1016, BLR item 35949)