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The rich lands which lay between and to the west of the French settlements of Canada and the British colonies along the east coast of North America were inevitably destined to become a battleground between the forces of these two European rivals. From 1754 to 1763, the British and French fought for this wilderness of huge potential in a conflict which, though part of the wider Seven Years War, has come to be known as the French & Indian War.
Begun in what is now western Pennsylvania with a battle involving a young Virginia officer named George Washington, this conflict waxed and waned in an arc running from that western wilderness, through the Great Lakes, over to Lakes George and Champlain, and as far north as the River and Gulf of St. Lawrence. When the fighting was finished and the Treaty of Paris signed, France had lost all her possessions in North America and Britain was mistress of the entire region extending from the entire Atlantic coast to the Mississippi River.
Go to short history of the French & Indian War
This very rare German map shows Fort Oswego during the French & Indian War. It is from a series of four maps showing important events in the war that were issued in Frankfort about 1792. Taken from first hand drawings, and with captions in French, these detailed maps provide wonderful documentation. Their exact source and reason of publication is not known, but their accuracy and strong engraving makes them some of the finest maps available of the events of the French & Indian war.
At the beginning of March, 1756, Lt. General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm-Gozon was appointed supreme command of the French forces in America, arriving in Canada in May. Shortly after he arrived, war was declared between Great Britain and France. Montcalm's first order of business in the America was to try to establish control of the Great Lakes. The French had strong forts at the eastern end of Lake Ontario, Fort Frontenac, and at the western end, Fort Niagara. The British, however, had built a series of forts on the portage from Albany, up the Mohawk River, at the portage of Fort Stanwix, across Lake Oneida, and down the Oswego River to its mouth on Lake Ontario. In the latter location they built a fort on either side of the river, Fort Ontario on the east and Fort Oswego on the west. It was this fort that was the aim of Montcalm's plans in the late spring of 1756.
In anticipation of a French thrust at Oswego, Lt. Colonel John Bradstreet was put in charge of resupplying the troops there. The first attempt was a failure, when the French captured the supplies and slaughtered the troops carrying them. Bradstreet sent a second supply train, which was able to get through. However, this effort was to no effect for Montcalm gathered thirteen hundred regulars, seventeen hundred militia, and a large Indian force at Fort Frontenac and by the middle of August this vast army was established around the British position at Oswego. The British abandoned Fort Ontario and on August 14th a bombardment on Fort Oswego began. The British commander there, Colonel Hugh Mercer, was killed and soon his successor, Lt. Colonel John Littlehales, surrendered. This map shows this great French victory that, at least for a while, established their control of Lake Ontario. CWL On Approval
Thomas Hutchins. "Plan of the Battle near Bushy-Run, Gained by Colonel Bouquet, over the Delawares, Shawnese, Mingoes, Wyandoes, Mohikons, Miamies & Ottawas; on the 5th and 6th. of August 1763." Along with diagram of British line of march and dispositions during attack. From A General Topography of North America and the West Indies. London: R. Sayer & T. Jefferys, 1768. Two plans on folio sheet: map 8 7/8 x 6 1/4 (platemark); diagram 8 1/2 x 6 3/8. Engraving by Thomas Jefferys. Very good condition. Phillips: Maps of America, p. 182.
A very rare map and diagram of the Battle of Bushy Run from Jeffery's important General Topography. The Battle of Bushy Run was a very important event in the early development of the country, today unfortunately mostly forgotten. During the French and Indian War, the British had tried to win over from the French the tribes-Delaware, Shawnees and Iroquois-located in what is today western Pennsylvania and in the upper Ohio River basin. These tribes remained mostly neutral believing that this would lead to an end to British encroachments west of the Allegheny Mountains. This belief was shattered when, following the conclusion of the French and Indian War, European colonists began to move into western Pennsylvania and beyond in a steady stream, and the British continued construction of Fort Pitt, a large brick and stone fortification.
Meanwhile, Pontiac--an Ottawa war chief--was gaining a following in the mid-west for his campaign to drive the British out of the region. On May 8, 1763, Pontiac and his Ottawas lay siege to Fort Detroit, beginning what has been called Pontiac's Rebellion. Because of the British intrusions and broken promises, the eastern tribes decided to join the rebellion, destroying Forts LeBoeuf, Venango, and Presqu' Isle and attacking Fort Pitt in June 1763. Colonel Henry Bouquet was sent, with three regiments, to march west to relieve and resupply the hard-pressed defenders of Fort Pitt. After leaving Fort Ligonier, and about 25 miles east of Fort Pitt near Bushy Run, Bouquet was attacked on August 5 by a large force of Indians, who, once they learned of Bouquet's march, had left the siege of Fort Pitt to lay an ambush. Over the two days of the battle, about 50 British died and 60 were wounded, while the Indian force-described by Bouquet as numbering about 400 but by the Indians as about a quarter of that-lost between 30 and 50. The Indians were driven from the field and Bouquet marched on to rescue Fort Pitt. This battle off in the wilds of western Pennsylvania had an important impact on the course of American history, for it ended any hope the Indians, in western Pennsylvania, had of preserving their lands; it also opened up the entire region to more and more British settlement. This was, in effect, the beginning of the flood of colonists from their original settlements on the East Coast across the Allegheny Mountains and into the mid-west. $2,800
This map, issued in the Gentleman's Magazine in mid-1755, was published just before the war was declared. It shows "French Incroachments" and includes detailed text explaining the British claims. Also indicated are the numerous French and British forts in North America. For its excellent and timely detail of the region where the coming conflict centered, this map would undoubtedly have been studied avidly by its readers in the months that followed. It is certainly worthy of our similar avid examination, for it gives us a wonderful look back at the beginnings of the war. $650
The publication of this map (which was first issued in 1740) was prompted by the beginning of the Seven Years War, of which the French & Indian War was the name of the American portion of the conflict. This war pitted the European powers against each other on the continent, in the Atlantic, in the West Indies and on the North American continent. This map depicts all these areas and so would have been an excellent general map to use to follow the events as the war progressed. $350
Based on a drawing by General Edward Braddock's aide-de-camp, Capt. William Orme, showing the region between Fort Cumberland and Fort Duquesne through which Braddock traveled during his unsuccessful campaign of 1755. The map includes a dotted line showing the march and stops of Braddock's expedition. In July 1758, the British sent another expedition against the French at Fort Duquesne, this led by Brigadier General John Forbes. Forbes had some initial setbacks, but persevered and proved much more successful than Braddock. Forbes held a council at Fort Bedford with the Indian tribes of western Pennsylvania, establishing peace between them and the British. When the French realized they would no longer have Indian allies, they quickly abandoned Fort Duquesne, destroying the fort as much as possible. On November 25, 1758, Forbes occupied the site, which he soon had rebuilt and renamed Fort Pitt, establishing British control of the upper Ohio Valley for the first time. This map, issued shortly after Forbes victorious campaign, shows the southeastern part of Pennsylvania into western Maryland, indicating the route taken to get to Fort Duquesne. This example includes the text on "Some Account of the first Establishment and Improtance of Fort du Quesne." Together the map and text form a fascinating, contemporary picture of this crucial aspect of the French & Indian War. $850
A detailed map of the Lesser Antilles, one of the theaters of the Seven Years War, the broader war of which the French & Indian war was part. It shows the islands running from Puerto Rico in the north to Trinidad in the south. This map indicates by which country each island is claimed and also shows the major forts. $185
Another map of Quebec, this one issued within a month of the surrender of Quebec. It shows city and its environs including the Island of Orleans. As news of the great British triumph arrived in London, this map would have been studied with great interest by the readers of Gentleman's Magazine. $225
Another map issued shortly after the British capture of the city, showing the region immediately around Quebec. This comes from one of the rarer magazines of the period and it was issued along with an account of Wolfe's victory. In the top right corner is an inset showing the arrangement of the troops. $275
This fine map, issued shortly after the capture of Quebec, shows the positions of all the British and French troops during these events. The map shows the rivers, roads, towns around Quebec, and the lines of the armies, defensive works, encampments, and many ships in the river are all indicated and named. $275
This map illustrates the expedition led by General Lord Jeffrey Amherst against the French at Montreal in 1760, which led to the surrender of the city in September of that year. It shows the region along and south of the St. Lawrence River extending from Quebec to the Thousand Islands, and then around Lake Ontario and to the Niagara River. Forts, Indian tribes, rivers, portages, and other such information is clearly presented. Also included are insets of Montreal Island and of the city itself, indicating its major streets, buildings, and the surrounding fortifications. $275
A detailed plan of Montreal, including an inset bird's-eye view of the town from the river. It would have given eighteenth century magazine readers a feel for the spaces and structures of Montreal captured by General Amherst's troops. Less than one month after the French capitulation that officially surrendered Canada, this map appeared to illustrate the last major theater of the French and Indian War. Based on an earlier magazine printed in Universal Magazine (November 1759), it significantly adds the British flag, flying in giant size over the conquered fortifications. $275
The British initially invaded Martinique in January 1759, but the island was not captured for three more years. This map shows Fort Royal, finally taken by the British on February 13, 1762. This map was issued shortly thereafter. $225
A reissue of Schwartz's very good history of the French & Indian war. This book uses many contemporary prints and maps. This is a highly recommended volume for anyone interested in the French & Indian war. $30.00
Prints of the French & Indian War
Maps of the American Revolution
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