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Used By The French Military During The American Revolution
Anthony Smith's chart of the Chesapeake Bay, first published in London in 1776, is a seminal cartographic artifact from the Revolutionary War period.
This segmented, uncolored example of the chart's second state is particularly noteworthy for its use by the French military during the American Revolution, as evidenced by the ex-libris stamps of the French Dépôt de la Guerre. Smith's chart was the most comprehensive and detailed map of the Chesapeake Bay during and just after the war, playing a vital role in navigation and military strategy.
The 18th century saw significant maritime activity along the American coastlines, necessitating accurate maps and charts for navigation and trade, especially in strategically important areas like the Chesapeake Bay. The Revolutionary War intensified the demand for detailed nautical charts to support military operations and logistics. While little is known about Anthony Smith, the pilot from St. Mary's credited with the chart's creation, his work reflects a deep understanding of the Bay's subaqueous and littoral characteristics. The chart draws from Walter Hoxton's 1735 chart, with improved soundings, bottom conditions, and expanded coverage of the rivers, along with the addition of a longitudinal scale and sailing directions.
Smith's chart, composed of four large sheets, measures 36 by 54 inches when assembled, with a scale of approximately three miles to an inch. The map's title emphasizes its detailed coverage of Chesapeake Bay, including shoals, channels, islands, entrances, soundings, and navigational marks, extending to the navigable parts of the Potomac, Patapsco, and North East rivers. It meticulously marks prominent houses visible from the water, representing their shape, size, and relative positions, and includes sailing directions and navigational aids, mentioning buildings on headlands. The chart shows courses to be followed, bearings of prominent landmarks, and depth soundings along the streams and bay.
The chart's significance extends beyond its British origins, as the present example demonstrates its use by the French military. The chart's international relevance is further highlighted by a French edition published in 1778, reflecting Chesapeake Bay's strategic importance during the Revolutionary War. English editions continued to appear in Norman's American Pilot in 1798 and the North American Pilot, Part Two in 1800.
Rarity
The map is very rare on the market. This is the second example we have offered in over 30 years (1992-2024).
Provenance: French Depot De La Guerre, with the stamp "REBUT" in red, noting that the map was de-accessioned. Includes several stamps on the front of the map for various French military map archives.
Robert Sayer (ca. 1724-1794) was a prominent London map publisher. Robert’s father was a lawyer, but his older brother married Mary Overton, the widow of prominent mapmaker Philip Overton and the proprietor of his shop after his death. Mary continued the business for roughly a year after her marriage and then, in early 1748, it passed to Robert. Robert became a freeman of the Stationers’ Company later that year; his first advertisement as an independent publisher was released in December.
Sayer benefited from Overton’s considerable stock, which included the plates of John Senex. In the 1750s, Sayer specialized in design books and topographical prints, as well as comic mezzotints. In 1753, he, along with John Roque, published a new edition of Thomas Read’s Small British Atlas, the first of several county atlases that Sayer would publish.
Sayer’s business continued to grow. In 1760 he moved further down Fleet Street to larger premises at 53 Fleet Street. In 1766, he acquired Thomas Jefferys’ stock when the latter went bankrupt. In 1774, he entered into a partnership with John Bennett, his former apprentice. The pair specialized in American atlases, based on the work of Jefferys. They also began publishing navigational charts in the 1780s and quickly became the largest supplier of British charts in the trade.
Bennett’s mental health declined, and the partnership ended in 1784. As Sayer aged, he relied on his employees Robert Laurie and James Whittle, who eventually succeeded him. He spent more and more time at his house in Richmond. In 1794, he died in Bath.
John Bennett (fl. 1760-d. 1787) was a London printer best known for his role in the successful partnership of Sayer & Bennett. In 1760, Bennett became a servant of Robert Sayer (ca. 1724-1794), the prominent print and map seller, and was apprenticed to him in 1765. In 1774, Bennett became a free journeyman and entered into a partnership with Sayer. They issued joint advertisements and publications. In 1777, Bennett owned 1/3 share in the business. The partnership was likely to continue fruitfully, but in 1781 Bennett began to show signs of mental illness. In 1783, he was admitted to an asylum for nine months and, in 1784, Sayer filed papers to dissolve their business partnership. Bennett died in 1787.
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