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Rare Revolutional War View of Charleston
This view of Charleston, South Carolina, published during the American Revolution, depicts the city and its surrounding areas during the failed British assault of 1776. At the beginning of the war, Charleston, as the primary port in the southern colonies, was a vital target for British forces. They believed its capture would sway the southern colonies in their favor. However, the American defenders successfully repelled the attack, marking a significant early victory in the war.
The British effort was led by Vice Admiral Sir Peter Parker and Lieutenant Colonel Thomas James. Parker, commanding the British naval forces, directed an assault on the city, but his flagship, HMS Bristol, was heavily damaged during the battle. The fortifications on Sullivan’s Island, constructed primarily of palmetto logs, withstood the bombardment and played a key role in the American victory. The view is dedicated to Lieutenant Colonel Thomas James, who led the British land forces, which were unable to provide effective support due to the natural barriers of Charleston Harbor and the strong American defensive positions.
The view prominently features landmarks critical to the battle. Charleston Harbor, the focal point of the conflict, is shown as the gateway to the city and its trade routes. Fort Sullivan (later renamed Fort Moultrie) is depicted as the primary defensive structure, situated strategically on Sullivan's Island. Its palmetto log construction proved instrumental in absorbing the impact of British cannon fire. The city of Charleston itself is portrayed with its dense streets and key buildings, reflecting its status as an important colonial port. Surrounding waterways and islands highlight the geographic challenges the British faced during the campaign.
The British failure to capture Charleston in 1776 was a pivotal moment in the early stages of the American Revolution. It bolstered American morale and demonstrated the resilience of southern defenses. Although the British would later return to successfully seize the city in 1780, this early engagement symbolized the determination of the colonies to resist British control. This view of Charleston stands as a historical document of the battle and a testament to the city’s significance during the Revolution.
Rarity
The view is very rare on the market.
This is the second example we have offered for sale in over 30 years (1992-2025).
William Faden (1749-1836) was the most prominent London mapmaker and publisher of the late-eighteenth and early-nineteenth centuries. His father, William Mackfaden, was a printer who dropped the first part of his last name due to the Jacobite rising of 1745.
Apprenticed to an engraver in the Clothworkers' Company, he was made free of the Company in August of 1771. He entered into a partnership with the family of Thomas Jeffreys, a prolific and well-respected mapmaker who had recently died in 1771. This partnership lasted until 1776.
Also in 1776, Faden joined the Society of Civil Engineers, which later changed its name to the Smeatonian Society of Civil Engineers. The Smeatonians operated as an elite, yet practical, dining club and his membership led Faden to several engineering publications, including canal plans and plans of other new engineering projects.
Faden's star rose during the American Revolution, when he produced popular maps and atlases focused on the American colonies and the battles that raged within them. In 1783, just as the war ended, Faden inherited his father's estate, allowing him to fully control his business and expand it; in the same year he gained the title "Geographer in Ordinary to his Majesty."
Faden also commanded a large stock of British county maps, which made him attractive as a partner to the Ordnance Survey; he published the first Ordnance map in 1801, a map of Kent. The Admiralty also admired his work and acquired some of his plates which were re-issued as official naval charts.
Faden was renowned for his ingenuity as well as his business acumen. In 1796 he was awarded a gold medal by the Society of Arts. With his brother-in-law, the astronomer and painter John Russell, he created the first extant lunar globe.
After retiring in 1823 the lucrative business passed to James Wyld, a former apprentice. He died in Shepperton in 1826, leaving a large estate.
![[ South Carolina ] Geographical, Statistical and Historical Map of South Carolina](https://storage.googleapis.com/raremaps/img/small/103123.jpg)
