Interesting map of Long Island and surrounding area by William Fadden 1779.

[Captain Larry-DH]

Long Island Sound was The Devil’s Belt! If you’re from this area it’s pretty fascinating. (Found it on a FB post, and assuming it’s a public domain image.)

 

[rgranger]

Cool.... not much has changed... and yet it has....

 

[Stu Jackson]

Thanks, Larry. many of us just adore charts and maps because of our sailing, and others just do for the art or the history. My life started out in that blank spot in the middle of Queens, and as my folks tell the tale, there wasn't much there when they moved in around 1934!

 

[David in Sandusky]

Thank you, Larry. I have been learning about Long Island and the Sound in 1779, the time of this map. New York City, Staten Island, and Long Island were the only lands consistently held by British troops throughout the Revolutionary War. At that time, my 5th great-grandmother, Elizabeth Havens was maintaining the family farm on Shelter Island. Her husband, James Havens was one of thousands of sailors attacking British shipping in the Long Island Sound as privateers. A smaller number of inhabitants operated in the same way against American shipping. And British Fleets often anchored in Gardiner Bay before going to New York City, or south. While there, they would send troops ashore to take supplies from Elizabeth and the other farmers who remained.

So this map is an extremely relevant update about a focal point of naval attention at the time.

 

[Captain Larry-DH]

Thank you, Larry. I have been learning about Long Island and the Sound in 1779, the time of this map. New York City, Staten Island, and Long Island were the only lands consistently held by British troops throughout the Revolutionary War. At that time, my 5th great-grandmother, Elizabeth Havens was maintaining the family farm on Shelter Island. Her husband, James Havens was one of thousands of sailors attacking British shipping in the Long Island Sound as privateers. A smaller number of inhabitants operated in the same way against American shipping. And British Fleets often anchored in Gardiner Bay before going to New York City, or south. While there, they would send troops ashore to take supplies from Elizabeth and the other farmers who remained.

So this map is an extremely relevant update about a focal point of naval attention at the time.

Thanks for your comments. Your comment about attacking British ships in LIS might explain why an English chart would nickname it The Devils Belt.