Map of the Valley of Mexico
Philadelphia: P.S. Duval, 1847.
Map. Hand colored engraving. Image measures 12 x 16.5".
This map of Mexico depicts the area of highlands in the central region of the country. Published circa 1847, it dates to the period of the Mexican-American War, and in particular the Invasion of Vera Cruz, in which Edmund Lafayette Hardcastle, the mapmaker, participated. Hardcastle then prepared the map for the U.S. War Department, Corps of Engineers in the wake of the fall of Mexico City in September 1847. He remained in the region to prepare battle plans for reports of the campaign.
Officers Martin Smith and Edmund Hardcastle were assigned to the valley of Mexico, which they reconnoitered following Scott's victory. The relevance of this map to that invasion is clear, as it depicts the region from Mexico City, which is clearly marked, east toward present-day Puebla. Furthermore, in the upper right of the map is a profile of the route between between Mexico and Vera Cruz. Cities, rivers, and lakes are labeled, and elevations are indicated by hachure. The volcano Iztaccíhuatl is marked with its height of 15,704 feet. The map is in very good condition and has been cleaned and lined. Exhibits minor foxing and toning.
Edmund Lafayette Hardcastle (1824-1899) was an officer in the Army who was instrumental in the Mexican-American war. In addition to participating in the war's military campaigns, he also served on the commission to determine the boundary line between Mexico and the U.S. upon the war's conclusion. This map is a fascinating relic of this significant period of history.
Binding: Unbound
Language: English
Price: $450.00
Item #268018