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War of the Austrian Succession (1740-8)

Includes much of the mapping collected by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, as Captain General of the British army

      JOHN DOYLE (ACTIVE 1748)

      Pondicherry, 1748 (Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, India) 11°55'48"N 79°49'48"E

      c.1748

      Ink on three sheets of paper, each folded in half to give four pages; plain paper cover; gilt edges to top, right and bottom of pages and cover; stitched together at the top | 23.0 x 18.7 cm (sheet) | RCIN 731043.1.b

      A journal of the siege of Pondicherry, 1748. First Carnatic War (1746-8)

      The British combined operations to besiege French-held Pondicherry were commanded by Admiral Boscawen. The siege lasted from 6 September to 11 October when, having achieved nothing, Boscawen decided to raise the siege.

      This journal runs from 8 August to 6 October 1748 and includes a 'List of Troops' (the numbers of men in the Marine Battalion, seamen, independent battalions, East India Company battalion and one Dutch company), and a list of the names of the ships that were involved in the siege.

      • John Doyle (active 1748) (author) [following on from title:] by John Doyle Leiut: [sic] in Col:nl Frasers / Marines.

        Subject(s)

        Army-GB
      • Watermark: Horn in crowned shield suspending a reverse figure ‘4’ and the name L V GERREVINK

        Mark, stamped: 756

        Condition: three fold lines

      • 23.0 x 18.7 cm (sheet)

      • Manuscript title:

        A short journall, of the siege of Pondicherry, from / the time of our march, till our return to Fort St Davids.

        Additional text:

        [begins:] Aug.st 8:th At Four this morning the Generall was beat, tents / struck, and the whole march'd to the new camp, at / about two miles distance; Encamped, Mounted the / Quarter Guards, Picquets, and Generall's Guard …

        Annotations:

        George III heading: Pondicherry Augt - Octr 1748.

        Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [on back cover, ink:] Journal of the Siege of / Pondicherry. / by Lieut. Doyle of Frazer's Marines / with references to the Plan presented / to H.R.H. The Duke. / 1749.

        George III catalogue entry:

        Pondicherry A drawn Plan of the Attack of Pondicherry by His Majesty’s Forces under the command of Admiral Boscawen in Aug.t Sept.r and Oct.r 1748. with a MS. Journal of the Siege by Lieut. John Boyle.

      • Subject(s)

        Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, India (11°55'48"N 79°49'48"E)

      Page revisions

      • 5 June 2024

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