• Title : Attacks of Fort Washington by His Majesty's Forces under The Command of General. Sir William Howe KB...Lith for D T Valentines Manual for 1861 by Geo. Hayward 171 Pearl St New York
• Date : 1861 (1776)
  
• Size: 25in x 18 1/2in (585mm x 470mm)
• Condition: (B) Good Condition
• Ref:  93166

Description:

Description:
This original hand coloured lithograph antique map, a reproduction of the famous Revolutionary map of 1776, was bound into David T. Valentine's 1861 edition of Manual of the Common Council of the City of New York

The map is oriented with north to the right. Hachures show relief, and military units are depicted in red and blue. The map was said to have been copied from an original map kindly loaned to the compiler by Mr. A. Suart.

General Definitions:
Paper thickness and quality: - Heavy and stable
Paper color : - off white
Age of map color: - Original
Colors used: - Yellow, green, blue, pink
General color appearance: - Authentic
Paper size: - 25in x 18 1/2in (585mm x 470mm)
Plate size: - 25in x 18 1/2in (585mm x 470mm)
Margins: - Min 1/2in (10mm)

Imperfections:
Margins: - Age toning, folds as issued
Plate area: - Folds as issued, old tape mark and some loss to the top middle fold
Verso: - Folds as issued

Background:
On 16 November 1776, the Hessian General Wilhelm von Knyphausen and his army of of 8,000 German mercenaries and British regulars attacked Fort Washington (now the location of Bennet Park at the intersection of Fort Washington Avenue and 183rd Street) making use of information provided by the first American traitor, William Demont, the fort's adjutant. Although the fort's defenders were initially able to provide stiff resistance, they were eventually outflanked, and the the 3,000 man garrison was captured. The Americans were then imprisoned within British prison ships anchored in New York Harbor where a great many died of starvation and disease. John and Margaret Corbin were both casualties of the battle. John was an artilleryman who was killed in the midst of the fight. When he fell, his wife Margaret (Molly), who had accompanied him as a camp follower, took his place at the cannon and continued to clean, load, and fire the gun until she was severely wounded in the left arm. Three years later, Captain Molly, who had lost the use of her arm, became the first woman to receive a military penison from the United States.

Valentine, David Thomas 1801 - 1869
As the Clerk of the Common Council of New York City, Valentine edited and published a series of books on the history and contemporary facts of New York City entitled Manual of the Corporation Of The City of New York. They became know as Valentines Manuals with updates published annually, between 1841 & 1870. Valentine used his manuals to produce some of the rarest and most important maps & views of the city of New York, some of which occasionally appear on the market. His contribution to the historical record of New York city cannot be over stated.