Carte De La Floride Occidentale et Louisiane…[with] La Peninnsule Et Golfe De La Floride ou Canal De Bahama Avec Les Isles De Bahama Traduit de Gefferys…1777.

Description

This detailed French edition of Thomas Jefferys’s map of Florida and the Gulf Coast was prepared by Georges Louis Le Rouge for his Pilote Américain Septentrionale, an atlas specifically created for the French Navy during the American Revolution. The map is notable for its large format and intricate detail; this example has rich full-color. It draws from Jefferys’s first edition and the significantly revised second edition published in 1775. The chart includes details of Florida and the Bahamas, showcasing the region’s strategic importance.

A Key Resource for French Navigators and Merchants

Le Rouge’s chart was a critical source of information for French navigators and merchants supporting the American colonists in their fight against Great Britain. As tensions escalated into the American Revolution, France initially adopted a passive support role, providing supplies and allowing prominent officers such as Lafayette and Pierre L’Enfant to volunteer their services. However, years of diplomatic negotiations by figures like Benjamin Franklin culminated in France formally recognizing the United States on February 6, 1778. Shortly after, Britain declared war on France on March 17, 1778, officially bringing France into the conflict.

France’s Early Role in the American Revolution

France’s military involvement began with an unsuccessful attempt to capture Newport, Rhode Island, then under British control. In response to these new military priorities, Georges Louis Le Rouge, serving as mapmaker to King Louis XVI, created the Pilote Américain Septentrionale to aid French naval operations. This atlas drew heavily on maps from William Faden and Thomas Jefferys’s North American Pilot, first published in 1775. The original English maps, which covered Canadian waters and the future 13 Colonies, were revised with French nomenclature, updated sailing directions, and improved data where available.

Scarcity and Legacy of the Pilote Américain Septentrionale

The Pilote Américain Septentrionale was primarily a military resource designed for practical use at sea, which explains its rarity today. Few copies have survived, and even fewer remain in good condition. Individual maps from the atlas, such as this remarkable chart of Florida and the Gulf Coast, rarely appear on the market, making them highly sought after by collectors and historians alike.