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Rare Civil War Field Map of Georgia and South Carolina

Rare large format Civil War map of Georgia and part of South Carolina, published by the United States Coast Survey (Chas G. Krebs Lith), as part of its service during the Civil War.

An exceptionally detailed map, prepared for the Union Army for field use, although offered here in a rarely seen uncut, unbacked format (most examples were dissected and laid on linen, for portable transportation in saddle bags). The map would have been the primary map utilized by field officers in 1865.

At the commencement of the American Civil War, it became apparent to the senior military staff that there was a lack of reliable maps available. At the time, the finest government mapmakers and surveyors were employed by the United States Coast Survey. As a result, the job of compiling the best available information and creating up to date maps of the Southeastern United States fell to the United States Coast Survey. The Lindenkohl brothers were among the most prolific of the USCS mapmakers in this period and many of the best original compilation works were drawn by one or both of the Lindenkohls.

The map reflects a compilation of the best available geographical and topographical information available at the time and incorporates the maps of the US Coast Survey, Butts Map of Georgia, the Mills Atlas of South Carolina, Walker & Johnston's map of South Carolina, a "Map of Charleston & Savannah Rail Road", "Mail Routes and Ms. Map of Florida from the General Land Office," and Latourettes Map of Alabama.

The map identifies the various military installations and operating railroads in service at the time. The map also notes a number of other roads, towns, post offices, mills, swamps, lakes, rivers, bluffs, etc. Without question, this is the finest map of the region published to date in terms of its content and accuracy.

Rarity

Because these maps were created as field maps, they are very rare on the market.

No copies are listed in AMPR and there are no auction records for the map in the past 60 years. The last recorded offering of the map which we could locate was in a Goodspeed's Catalogue in 1946. We offered a different example of the map in 2012.