"An Accurate Map of North and South Carolina with Their Indian Frontiers," created by Henry Mouzon
1775
Map Collection #MC0016- Creator(s)
- Physical description
- 144 Cubic Feet
- Preferred Citation
- "An Accurate Map of North and South Carolina with Their Indian Frontiers," created by Henry Mouzon (#MC0016), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA.
- Repository
- ECU Manuscript Collection
- Access
- Researchers are encouraged to consult the digitized version of Henry Mouzon's An Accurate Map of North and South Carolina with Their Indian Frontiers in the library's Digital Collections. A framed copy is also available for viewing in the North Carolina Collection reading room. To access the original maps, contact Special Collections.
"An Accurate Map of North and South Carolina with Their Indian Frontiers" by Henry Mouzon, first published in 1775. Created from detailed surveys conducted by Mouzon and others, the map offers a comprehensive depiction of the geographical and political landscape of the Carolinas prior to the American Revolution. It includes natural features such as mountains, rivers, swamps, and coastal soundings, along with manmade elements like roads, Indian paths, townships, and provincial boundaries. Widely regarded as one of the most authoritative maps of the region during the period, it was used extensively by both British and American forces during the Revolutionary War.
Biographical/historical information
Henry Mouzon (circa 1741–1777) was a civil engineer, surveyor, and cartographer of Huguenot descent based in South Carolina. He was commissioned to produce an updated and detailed map of the Carolinas during a time when accurate geographic knowledge was essential for colonial administration, land speculation, and military strategy. Drawing upon original surveys and collaborating with other regional surveyors, Mouzon published "An Accurate Map of North and South Carolina" in 1775 through Sayer and Bennett in London. The map quickly gained prominence for its precision and comprehensiveness and was widely reproduced and referenced during the Revolutionary War. George Washington and British generals alike are known to have used the map for strategic planning. Mouzon's work remains a landmark in early American cartography, offering a valuable record of the geography, infrastructure, and settlement of the Carolinas in the late 18th century.
Scope and arrangement
This collection contains "An Accurate Map of North and South Carolina with Their Indian Frontiers," created by Henry Mouzon and first published in 1775. The map is split into two parts, each depicting a portion of North and South Carolina. The map represents one of the most detailed and authoritative cartographic records of the Carolinas during the late colonial period. It includes extensive geographic features—such as rivers, mountains, swamps, marshes, and coastal soundings—alongside human-made elements like roads, Indian paths, townships, parish boundaries, and provincial lines. The map also documents Indigenous territories and frontier regions, offering valuable insight into colonial perceptions of geography and settlement patterns on the eve of the American Revolution. Due to its accuracy and clarity, the map was used by both American and British military leaders during the Revolutionary War. This item is particularly significant for researchers interested in colonial cartography, the American South, Indigenous history, and Revolutionary War-era geography. Conservation work was completed by Etherington Conservation Center in October, 2000.
Administrative information
Custodial History
Source of acquisition
Purchased with funds contributed by the Friends of Joyner Library, Summer 2000.
Processing information
Encoded by Apex Data Services
Copyright notice
Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.