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History
In the spring of 1756 Patrick MacKellar was appointed chief engineer
of the British forts of Ontario and Oswego.
During August he was engaged in repairing and strengthening the
frontier forts (formally Pepperell or Chouagen) on the Oswego River,
when, on the night of the 10th. they were surprised and attacked
by a French force of 3,000 men.
In spite of a heroic defence, the forts eventually surrendered
during the afternoon of August 14. Sixteen hundred prisoners, including
MacKellar and 79 other officers, were captured. MacKellar was taken
to Quebec City as a prisoner of war where he was kept in fairly
close restraint. He was able, however to make detailed notes on
the city's defences, until some time in September when he was transferred
to Montreal. In December of 1757, following a meeting with his
fellow prisoner-of-war, Moss, it would appear that MacKellar had
time to draw upon his notes in order to compile the above report
and arrange the production of the map.
On a salary of a pound a day, the now Major and Chief Engineer,
MacKellar accompanied General James General Wolfe, Supreme Commander
of the British Land Forces in America, to attack Quebec.
In May 1759 the army of 8,535 men assembled at Louisbourg, renamed
Pittburg in honour of the Prime Minister, (the fortress of Louisbourg,
having been reduced by Amherst the previous year, during which
siege MacKellar distinguished himself.)
During the siege of Quebec the intelligence contained in this
report proved to be invaluable.
Despite being wounded in the attack from Montmorency, MacKellar
scaled the heights of Abraham with Wolfe, and took over the command
from Wolfe when he fell. Quebec capitulated on September 17.
Upon occupation by the British, Mackellar strengthened the defences,
thus enabling it to withstand the 1760 French attempt to retake
the city. Although MacKellar was severely wounded during the attack
at Sillery, he later took part in the capture of Montreal and other
engagements, thus completing the fall of France in Canada.
Mackellar also contributed much to the survey and defences of
Halifax, and various engagements in the West Indies during the
expulsion of the French, eventually being promoted Colonel and
Director of engineers on Minorca.
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THE REPORT AND
MAP
This very legible 13 page folio report bearing MacKellar's initials
was considered of the utmost importance by his commanding officer
General James Wolfe and, SHOULD NOW BE CONSIDERED AS A
DOCUMENT OF NATIONAL IMPORTANCE TO THE PEOPLE OF CANADA. Using
the intelligence contained therein, Wolfe landed his men at Quebec
and scaled the heights of Abraham.
BACKGROUND OF THE MAP: it is known that more
than one manuscript copy was made at the time ( as would be expected
as the report was under discussion by Wolfe's General Staff and
the Board of Ordnance). Although differing from the copies held
in the Public Archives of Canada (P.A.C.), the significant intelligence
amendments contained in our accompanying report were not transferred
to the reconnaissance map.
THE REPORT & MAP (of which we know of four
contemporary copies; P.A.C. & B.M.) is compiled from MacKellar's
notes, is written in a similar hand, which in view of MacKellar's
rank, was probably scribal, but is remarkably akin to known examples
of MacKellar's handwriting held in the Public Archives of Canada.
Our copy has a lengthy and highly significant postscript not included
in the other copies.
The report is dated September 1756. It contains information drawn
from Mackellar's experiences whilst a prisoner-of-war in Quebec,
from August 1756 and prior to his transfer to Montreal and eventual
release in the exchange of prisoners in the spring of the following
year, and bears the initials "PM"
THE POSTSCRIPT (dated and initialed 23 December
1757) details six extra points containing important new intelligence.
The contents cover significant modifications and reinforcements
to the town's defences subsequent to MacKellar's departure which
updates the information in the main body of the report, and includes
additional topographical information, modifications to the fortifications
and a substantial increase in the number of opposing troops, the
postscript is clearly dated 23 December 1757.
This important intelligence is not contained in any other copy
of the report of which we are aware, and follows on from the main
body of the report (dated and initialed September 1756).
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In all, both the map and
the following extracts from the report hint
at an illuminating account of:
The Topography of the town and Heights
of Abraham:
"The greatest heights of the cliffs is a little above and
below the redoubt of Cape Diamond, where it must be at least 200
feet high, it falls from thence in several easy breaks..."
"The Low Town on the east side is a fair object for both
shot and shells from shipping, the buildings are in general high
and pretty close."
The Means of Communication Between the Two Parts of the
Town:
"There is a break in the cliff westward of the 8 gun battery
marked '4' where four or five people may pass abreast, it is pretty
steep and may be easily secured."
Its Land and River Defences:
"Battery '4' consists of 57 guns but to the anchoring ground
points only 36."
"...To the hangman's redoubt 'W' is a small wall of masonry
three or four feet thick and seems to have been designed only against
small arms..."
"I am persuaded from all the circumstances I could learn
that the place must be weak towards the land and the difficulty
they made of our seeing it seems to confirm it..."
Suggested Plan of Attack:
"...In the passage down the river we met only with two difficulties
worth mentioning and they were observed by Charlesvoix and in the
chart lately published by Mr. Jefferys."
Secret Weapons of the French:
"...An invention the French had discovered for infallibly
destroying ships going up the river."
Landing of the Troops:
"...It will be an advantage to land the troops on the townside
of the River which is the North but I am very doubtful whether
their landing within proper distance of the place can be cover'd
by the shipping..."
"...For these reasons I should think it most advisable to
land upon the island itself and make it a rendezvous..."
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Recto
Anonymous Dutch, first half of 15th Century.
Among the most frequently produced manuscripts of the 15th. century
were the Book of Hours . Though based primarily on the offices
chanted by monks and nuns, the Book of Hours served the spiritual
needs of pious lay men & women who frequently commissioned
scribes and artists to prepare such prayer and devotional books
to their individual tastes, and purse.
Highly skilled scribes, themselves mainly monks or nuns, often
took painstaking care in producing these, usually small or miniature,
books (in order that they might easily be held) in a wide range
of style and elegance from the quite plain to the richly illuminated
and adorned as in the example of the Hours of Jean, Duc de Berry.
Today scholars, book lovers and collectors alike appreciate these
examples from Books of Hours not only for their beauty and rarity
but also for the fact that we can learn much about medieval life
by studying the illuminations that decorate their pages, indeed
as many of the passages concerned tasks to be completed at certain
times of the year Book of Hours became the precursors to modern
almanacs . While illustrations drew from Biblical passages for
their inspiration, others drew from the elements of ordinary life
in the middle ages . Thus these artists decorated their pages with
domestic scenes taken from their knowledge of familiar towns. farms
and castles that surrounded them with a profusion of flowers fruits,
animals, and insects
UNIQUE. Leaf on vellum, from a manuscript Book of Hours. Scripted & illuminated
in original colours on each side of leaf. Double museum quality
matted. In excellent condition a most attractive leaf, glinting
with the burnish of real gold.
RECTO: 20 lines of manuscript text, 1 five-line capital "G" God
in burnished gold and original hand painted colours, 1 two-line
initial in painted colour and 6 one-line initials in same. 20 manuscript
lines of Dutch text written in black and red ink in Gothic textura
quadurata script. Three-sided illuminated border of gold flowers & styalized
leaves sprouting from a single bar border (left) of burnished gold & painted
colour.
VERSO: 20 lines of manuscript text, I two-line capital "H" Heve.
in original hand painted colour, 1 one-line initial in same.
Size of leaf 51/2 x 41/4" (140 x 108 mm)
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Interestingly, the hour difference between time of sending & receipt of this outgoing signal is unexplained, unless by events of the moment. Initially the Dorsetshire having acknowledged the execution of its order, proceeded to pick up survivors, until the presence of a U-Boat necessitated departure from the area. Further, the inclusion of the phrase “her colours were still flying” showed that even in time of heavy fighting it was deemed necessary to observe the British protocol of naval warfare. One didn’t fire upon an enemy ship once she had struck her colours. The ‘Pocket’ battle ship Bismarck (Kapitän zur See Ernst Lindemann) with Fleet Commander Admiral Lütjens on board, was the newest warship and the pride of German naval architecture, following the sinking of the pride of the British Royal Navy the Battle cruiser HMS. Hood, the chase to sink the Bismarck covering a million square nautical miles, and the number and strength of the ships deployed against her, is perhaps unique in naval history. Some 64 vessels and 2,878 shells were fired at her, pulverized, she still refused to die. Dorsetshire fired the last 2 projectiles from close range 3000 (3300 yards) starboard side with a hit below the bridge, and another astern, and at 1036 from the closer range 2200 meters (2400 yards) port side, the final torpedo. Bismarck sank three minutes later, whilst also being scuttled. There were 110 survivors and 2090 lost.
Provenance: by Descent from Paul Johnson
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