Thomas Jefferys was one of the most important English map publishers of the 18th century. His work included prints and maps of locations around the world, but his most notable maps are of North America and the West Indies. He began his career in the map trade in the early 1730s, working as an engraver for a variety of London publishers, and eventually setting up his own shop. In 1746, he was appointed Geographer to the Prince of Wales, and in 1760 he became Geographer to the King. These titles granted access to manuscripts and cartographic information held by the government. In the early 1760s he embarked on an ambitious project to produce a series of English county maps based on new surveys, but ran out of money and filed for bankruptcy in 1766. He then partnered with London publisher Robert Sayer, who reissued many of Jefferys plates and continued to issue new editions after Jefferys' death in 1771. Jefferys' American Atlas and the accompanying West-India Atlas, published post posthumously, are considered his most important cartographic works.

This scarce map depicts the Battle of Carillon, also known as the 1758 Battle of Ticonderoga, during the French and Indian War. Fort Carillon was strategically located at the mouth of the river connecting Lake George with Lake Champlain, a point of conflict between the French moving south from Canada and the British moving north from Albany up the Hudson River. Led by General James Abercrombie, the British forces engaged in a direct frontal assault on the fort, which was commanded by General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm. Although the French were heavily outnumbered, they successfully defeated the British, in large part due to tactical errors on the part of Abercrombie. This plan of the attack shows the positions of the British and French troops and the fortifications built by the French. A note indicates that the breastwork surrounding the hill where the battle took place was "10 feet high" and was "made in 10 hours" by the French. The location of the fort is labeled Tyeonderoga corruptly called Ticonderoga. A compass rose orients north to the top right. The price is listed below the map: Price 2 s. We were not able to find any previous listings or sales of this map in the last 35 years.

References: Phillips (Maps) #1196-36; Sellers & Van Ee #1120.

Condition: B

Nice impression and color on watermarked paper with light soiling. Backed in tissue to repair a number of chips and tears along the edges of the sheet, including four tears that enter between 1/2" and 2" into image at top. A 1" by 2.5" chip at top in the river has been replaced with old paper, with neatline and a minor amount of image replaced in facsimile.