Beschreibung:

Disturnell, John. Mapa de los Estados Unidos de Mejico. Segun lo organizado y definido por las varias actas del Congreso de dicha Republica y construido por las mejores autoridades. [Map of the United States of Mexico, Organized and Defined According to Various Acts of Congress of the Republic and Based on the Best Authorities.] Nueva York (New York): 1846. 30.5 x 42 in., on two sheets, joined, hand-colored, some in outline (U.S.A.), some regions filled in (United States of Mexico). Inset "Carta de los Caminos etc. desde Vera Cruz y Alvarado a Mejico." Also tables of distances and statistics, all lower left. No longer in its cloth case, as most of these were issued, but one panel with more toning than others and missing much of the margin outside of the neat line where it was likely originally pasted in the pocket folder. While not a government map, this one is generally referred to as the "Treaty Map" because Nicolas P. Trist took a copy of this map with him when he was sent as peace commissioner to Mexico in 1847. It was errors in this map - placement of El Paso and the Rio Grande especially - that caused controversy about the boundaries negotiated with Mexico after the war. The Disturnell map was engraved from the plate of White, Gallaher & White's 1828 map, which was based on Tanner's map. Although some say it was plagiarized from Tanner, his map was in English and the other in Spanish. It is possible that there was an agreement with Tanner for the White firm to publish a Spanish language map, since there had been some demand for it in Latin America. Disturnell then purchased the White firm's plate, which is visible in all early copies of the map. (The publisher of the White map, Balch & Stiles, is barely visible just outside the lower right neat line.) The controversy became especially tense since the boundary impacted the route of the railroad to California after the discovery of gold there. This particular copy was found at "Woodside," Louisa County, VA. Two women, Julia Baker Mansfield and cousin Kate Holladay have their names written in pencil on the back of the map, although the significance of this is not clear. Another Holladay nephew, Robert Hart did venture to California when gold was discovered, although we cannot definitely tie this map to him. His father started an iron furnace (Rough and Ready) in 1848, and when he returned from California, the younger Hart joined the business. After his father's death, he moved his family to Kentucky. Condition: Some toning of folds. Split along one lower fold for about 6 inches. Minor holes at intersections of folds. Toning along center join, as is usually the case. Overall colors are good and no important paper is missing.