Description:
Samuel Blodget of New Hampshire, a civilian who provisioned colonial militia during the Lake George campaign, depicted two of the three engagements that occurred on September 8, 1755. The first, seen on the left, shows militia under the command of Colonel Ephraim Williams (1715-1755) marching north to oppose the advance of French and their Native allies from Crown Point. Williams led his men into an ambush, known as “the bloody morning scout,” that cost him his life. Pursued by the victorious French, the militia fled back to camp where William Johnson rallied his forces and repulsed the French assault. Blodget witnessed this part of the battle from within the camp, represented on the right half of the plan. Above the two battle scenes, Blodget added a compressed map of the Hudson River and diagrams of English forts on the river and on Lake George. Numbers on the map, keyed to the pamphlet Explanation of the Prospective Plan, provide additional details. For example, number 29 (lower right) identifies the log hut were prisoners were kept. Engraved and printed in Boston by Thomas Johnston, Blodget’s Prospective Plan found a market in England where Thomas Jefferys, a skilled engraver and cartographic publisher, issued the map with a somewhat altered design. Hand-colored engraving titled across the top: "A Prospective View of the BATTLE fought near Lake George, on the 8th. of Sept. 1755, between 2000 English with 350 Mohawks, under the command of Gen. JOHNSON:& 2500 French & Indians under the command of Genl. DIESKAU in which the English were victorious captivating the French Genl. with a Number of his Men killing 700 & putting the rest to flight." The bottom left corner is marked, "Samuel Blodget delin"; the center bottom has: "Published according to Act of Parliament February the 2d. 1756"; the bottom left corner has: "T Jefferys sculp."; and there is a faint watermark (fluer-de-lis and crown) at the lower corner. Samuel Blodget was a sutler (followed an army to sell provisions, liquors, etc.) who saw the battle (his version was printed a 1775 "Boston-Gazette") and drew the plan, which was originally engraved by Thomas Johnston (c.1708-1767) and printed in Boston on December 22, 1755, as the first American historical event drawn and engraving in America, and the first portrayal of the Indian method of fighting from ambush. This London version, engraved by Thomas Jefferys of London, is different from the American with the map of the Hudson River shown along the left side instead of across the top as in the American; the title is in two lines across the top outside the border. The Plan is divided into three unequal panels: the map of the Husdon River from New York to Lake George over a small inset with "A Plan of Lymans now called Fort Edwards"; the "First Engagement" over a small inset with "A Plan of Fort William Henry"; and the "Second Engagement." Hundreds of men are drawn in various positions, some marching in close order, some kneeling and firing, some lying prone and firing from cover; and the Indians are shown with tomahawks moving forward towards the fort or firing from behind trees. The artillery, tents, British flags, wagons, and boats moored along the shore of Lake George are shown in various positions.
Label Text:
Samuel Blodget of New Hampshire, a civilian who provisioned colonial militia during the Lake George campaign, depicted two of the three engagements that occurred on September 8, 1755. The first, seen on the left, shows militia under the command of Colonel Ephraim Williams (1715-1755) marching north to oppose the advance of French and their Native allies from Crown Point. Williams led his men into an ambush, known as “the bloody morning scout,” that cost him his life. Pursued by the victorious French, the militia fled back to camp where William Johnson rallied his forces and repulsed the French assault. Blodget witnessed this part of the battle from within the camp, represented on the right half of the plan. Above the two battle scenes, Blodget added a compressed map of the Hudson River and diagrams of English forts on the river and on Lake George. Numbers on the map, keyed to the pamphlet Explanation of the Prospective Plan, provide additional details. For example, number 29 (lower right) identifies the log hut were prisoners were kept. Engraved and printed in Boston by Thomas Johnston, Blodget’s Prospective Plan found a market in England where Thomas Jefferys, a skilled engraver and cartographic publisher, issued the map with a somewhat altered design.
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