Braddock's Expedition | The Orme Maps; a rare series of maps and battle plans from the Braddock Expedition

Braddock's Expedition — Captain Robert Orme

[Six Plans of the Different Dispositions of the English Army Under the Command of the late General Braddock in North America. London: Thomas Jefferys, circa 1758]

Overall 5 engravings and 1 photozincographic facsimile (sheet size: 460 x 346 mm; plate mark: 336 x 218 mm, with minor variations); very occasional faint marginal toning or dustsoiling. Each matted and housed together in a folding cloth clamshell case.

Comprising: A Map of the Country between Will's Creek & Monongahela River shewing the rout and Encampments of the English Army in 1755. Hand-colored engraving, plate unnumbered, containing 19 numbered references to the encampments, "place where the Battle was fought," indicated with a small illustration of crossed swords. — A Plan of the Line of March with the whole Baggage. Engraved plan with hand-colored troop positions, plate number I, containing 12 numbered references to Brigades of the Column. — A Plan of the disposition of the Advanced Party consisting of 400 Men to defend the Workers in making the Road. Engraved plan with hand-colored troop positions, plate number II. — A Plan of the Encampment of the Detachment from the little Meadows. Engraved plan with hand-colored troop positions, plate number IV, containing 10 lettered references. — A Plan of the Field of Battle and disposition of the Troops, as they were on the March at the time of the Attack on the 9th of July 1755. Engraved plan with hand-colored troop positions, plate number V, containing 1 numbered and 21 lettered reference. — [With] A Plan of the Field of Battle and disposition of the Troops, as the were on the March at the time of the Attack on the 9th of July 1755. Photozincographic facsimile on laid paper, with hand-colored troop positions, plate number III.

An "extremely rare" (Sabin) series of maps and battle plans from the disastrous Braddock expedition, where the young George Washington distinguished himself as Braddock's aide-de-camp

The encroachments of France into Ohio Valley in 1752 prompted Virginia governor Robert Dinwiddie to dispatch George Washington and a force of Virginia militia to construct a fort at the confluence of the Ohio, Allegheny, and Monongahela Rivers (present-day Pittsburgh). In February 1754, a superior French force overtook the partially constructed fort, with Washington and his troops retreating some sixty-five miles to Great Meadows. The French completed construction and renamed the stronghold Fort Duquesne, after the Marquis Duquesne, the governor-general of New France. Fearing that a French force would attack his position, Washington launched an assault on a small French force in the region. Surprising the French encampment with a larger force of Virginia soldiers and Seneca Indian warriors led by Tanacharison, the French surrendered after a short battle. Following the battle, Washington met with the French party’s commander Joseph Coulon de Jumonville to discuss terms; but at the meeting an Indian warrior, who some say was Tanacharison himself, attacked and killed the French commander.

On hearing of Jumonville's death, a large French force attached Washington’s position at Great Meadows, forcing his surrender of Fort Necessity. Among the terms of surrender was the imprisonment of Captain Robert Stobo, a British officer under Washington, until Jumonville’s captured soldiers were released: they had been moved from Great Meadows prior to the battle. During his confinement at Fort Duquesne, Stobo studied the layout of the stronghold and was able to smuggle out to Washington a plan of the fort, along with a plan of attack.

By that time, Major General Edward Braddock had arrived in Virginia and used Stobo’s manuscript plan as the basis for his expedition to take the fort. In the late spring of 1755, Braddock assembled his troops at Fort Cumberland. The considerable force of 2200 soldiers, principally Virginia militia, included George Washington, who served on Braddock’s staff. The expedition proceeded slowly across the difficult terrain of western Pennsylvania, and on 9 July 1755, Braddock’s force finally crossed the Monongahela, only to be ambushed by a detachment of French and Indian forces less than ten miles from Fort Duquesne. Although the British and Virginia soldiers outnumbered their opponents, they were quickly overwhelmed. Washington would later write that Braddock’s forces, “by the usual Halooing and whooping of the enemy, whom they could not see, were so disconcerted and confused as soon to fall into irretrievable disorder. A general panic took place among the Troops from which no exertions of the Officers could recover them.” During the battle, Braddock would be mortally wounded and would be carried from the field by Washington. Seventy percent of the British force would be killed or wounded. During the battle, Washington would have two horses shot from under him and four bullets through his coat.

This series of maps and battle plans, which depict the dispositions of the English Army under Braddock during the disastrous expedition, were drawn by Braddock’s aide-de-camp Captain Robert Orme, and was published by Jefferys in 1758 as a separate publication. Sabin writes: “This series of plans is extremely rare. I know of but two perfect copies.” Jefferys would reissue the plates a decade later in his General Topography of North America (where they appeared as plates 46-52). Orme’s original journal, with the original manuscripts of the maps, is located in the British Museum. 

Of the utmost rarity: this is the first set — in any degree of completion — to appear at auction since the 1967 Streeter Sale.

REFERENCE:

Phillips, A List of Maps of America, p. 269; Phillips, Geographical Atlases, 1196; Schwartz, French and Indian War, Figures 30-30F (citing the plans as extracted from Jeffery's 1768 General Topography of North America); Thomson 107 (as a separate publication by Jefferys in 1758); Sabin 7212; Streeter Sale 1021