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Other 18th-/19th-century conflicts

Maps, views and documents from 19 wars

JOHN CLEEVE PLEYDELL (1736-1816)

Permacoil, 1760

Permacoil, Surrender’d March 6.th 1760

1760 or later

Pencil, pen, black and red ink, watercolour and grey wash on paper | Scale: 1:1,618 approx. | RCIN 733005

A plan of the fortified settlement of Permacoil, taken by the British, commanded by Colonel (later Sir), Eyre Coote (1726-83) on 6 March 1760. Seven Years War (1756-63): Third Carnatic War (1757-63). Oriented with north to top.

The identification of the location of Permacoil has been taken from Hamilton, (1820), vol. 2, p.439. Hamilton also refers to the place as Parama Covel. It is about 30 miles north of Pondicherry and is marked as 'Pernacoil' on Faden's map of 'The Southern Countries of India' (1788), which is at RCIN 734073.

The attribution to Pleydell is made on stylistic grounds. This is one of fourteen manuscript plans in the collection by Pleydell of fortifications and/or actions during the Third Carnatic War (1757-63), which was part of the Seven Years War. They were all placed, in Cumberland's original collection, in Volume IV/70/1-14. Their current RCIN numbers are 732125, 732126, 733001-4, 733006-8, 733016.a, 733020, 733027, 733028. It is not known when they were drawn but it must have been sometime before Cumberland's death in 1765. The source material for this set of plans is unknown. There is no evidence to suggest that Pleydell ever went to India and, in 1760, he was serving in Germany.

Additional text: [left, down left side of map in rectangular panel, a key, A-F, and short account of the action:] …after taking Arcott, Col: Coote march’d to within 5 miles of this place, & went to Reconnoiter it himself, when perceiving a lucky moment he attack’d it & took the pellah with his escort of seapoys ....

Condition: one vertical central crease; small tear to left edge; brown discolouration at edges. Verso: induced discolouration.
  • John Cleeve Pleydell (1736-1816) (draughtsman)

  • Watermark: Fleur-de-lys in crowned shield, a ‘4’ suspending the letters L V G below; countermark: IV

    Mark, stamped: 901

    Condition: one vertical central crease; small tear to left edge; brown discolouration at edges. Verso: induced discolouration

  • Scale: 1:1,618 approx. Scale bar: [113 mm =] 200 y.s.

    27.6 x 32.3 cm (neatline)

    27.6 x 45.2 cm (image)

    33.3 x 49.3 cm (sheet)

  • Manuscript title:

    Permacoil, Surrender’d March 6.th 1760. [bottom centre, outside border]

    Additional text:

    [left, down left side of map in rectangular panel, a key, A-F, and short account of the action:] …after taking Arcott, Col: Coote march’d to within 5 miles of this place, & went to Reconnoiter it himself, when perceiving a lucky moment he attack’d it & took the pellah with his escort of seapoys ....

    Annotations:

    George III heading: Permacoil 6 March 1760.

    Other annotations: (Recto) [bottom right, ink:] IV/70/N:o 7. (Verso) [top left, black pencil:] XVI/32-g; [along right edge, black pencil, place-names?:] Arcott [rest illegible].

    George III catalogue entry:

    Permacoil A drawn Plan of Permacoil taken by the English under the command of Col.l Coote on the 6.th of March 1760.

  • Subject(s)
    Modern name not known, Tamil Nādu, India (12°12'00"N 79°49'00"E)

Page revisions

  • 14 March 2024