Map showing ‘A plan of the town and harbour of Boston’, John De Costa, Charles Hall, 1775. Credit: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C.
The American Revolution was fought across many different terrains. In the early battles, guerrilla warfare was used, with the colonists taking advantage of the fact that they knew their way around the hilly, rough terrain of the countryside. This took the British by surprise, making it far more difficult to suppress the rebellion than initially expected.
Image description
The map shows the Atlantic coastline featuring the town and harbour of Boston. The harbour contains various small islands The coastal land has rivers, and hills. The road from Boston to Concord is shown. The British troops and the colonists are drawn in position holding muskets and there are also encampments of both armies with cannons in and about Boston. There is a key with all the locations shown on the map which is entitled: ‘A plan of the town and harbour of Boston and the country adjacent with the road from Boston to Concord, shewing the place of the late engagement between the King’s troops & the provincials, together with the several encampments of both armies in & about Boston. Taken from an actual survey. Humbly inscribed to Richard Wentworth Esquire, Member of Parliament for Stafford by his most Obedient Servant J. De Costa.’
Transcript
A plan of the town and harbour of Boston and the country adjacent with the road from Boston to Concord, shewing the place of the late engagement between the King’s troops & the provincials, together with the several encampments of both armies in & about Boston. Taken from an actual survey. Humbly inscribed to Richard Wentworth Esquire, Member of Parliament for Stafford by his most Obedient Servant J. De Costa.
REFERENCES
| 1.The Nautilus Man of War lying above Charles Town Ferry 400 yards to Boston. | |
| 2. The Lively Man of War [powerful warship] | 13. Bunkers Hill at Charles Town |
| 3. Men of War before Boston | 14. School Hill at Charles Town |
| 4.General Gage’s Camp on the Common | 15. Stores & cannon destroyed by Kings troops |
| 5. Bacon Hill | 16. The Schooner [sailboat] burnt at Noddles Island by
General Putman |
| 6. Fort Hill | |
| 7. Copps Hill | |
| 8. General Gages’ Line on Boston Neck | 17. Watch Boat from the Men of War |
| 9. The Fortification
10. South Battery [unit of artillery] |
18. General Thomas’ lines on Boston Neck |
| 11. North Battery | 19. Mill Pond |
| 12. Provincial Battery gained by Kings Troops in the Battle 17 of June 1775 | |
London Published as the Act directs July 29, 1775, by J. De Costa Red Cross Street, Southwark.
- What does the map suggest about the physical environment in which the Revolution was fought?
- How could this environment help colonial resistance to the British?
- What does this reveal about British attitudes towards the battles at Lexington and Concord?
- What use did maps serve in the British military effort do you think?