Des Barres 'Sketch' was not the only plan or map produced around this time depicting the extraordinary events which saw George Washington out-numbered and increasingly desperate to keep the resistance alive.  Amongst those who contributed to feed the thirst of both governments and the news-hungry British public for news and accounts depicting events in this theatre or war, were: Samuel Holland, George Sproule, J. F. W. Des Barres, John Bowles, William Faden, Charles Blascowitz & Claude Joseph Sauthier (see Heritage Charts A204) and Montresor. 

The Des Barres map which derived directly from this 'rough', likewise covers the area from Sandy Hook to Haverstraw, and Jamaica Bay to the western New Jersey.  The Des Barres 'Sketch', in typical style, goes beyond the core information provided by this succinct plan.  Des Barres depicts in detail the geographical setting for the war as it took place in this region in great topographical detail.  He shows troop positions and strengths, fortifications and battle sites, topography of roads, towns, houses; shoals, sand-banks, soundings in the bay and on the rivers and land relief.  On Des Barres edition Captain "Larry" Sneden house is marked at Snedens Landing on the western bank of the Hudson River. Note that this 'rough' only indicates 'Sneedings Bluff'.

As with this plan, the published Des Barres 'Sketch' includes an inset of References, which tells the story of all of the major places and events from the initial invasion up to and including the battle at Fort Washington.  A comparison of the two 'References'; that of this plan and that of Des Barres confirms, for the first time, the link between the two documents and the historic significance of this 'rough' plan.  For a full list of the References, and other comparative material please visit the Heritage Charts 'Logbook'.

A close examination of this 'rough' plan raises one question above all others:  Who is responsible for the work?  Whoever it was, if Des Barres had exclusive access to such a contemporary document, was likely to be one of Samuel Holland's trusted and talented team of surveyors working in the area at the time. That would include: Sproule, Blascowitz, Wheeler, Holland himself and possibly even Ratzer.  Whoever it was, it was someone with training as there are tantalizing clues included in the plan which uses (by then) standardized symbols for sand-banks and even land relief, despite the rather rushed nature of the work.  The bold lettering on the chart such as  'HUDSON OR NORTH RIVER', along with a few other examples follows a recognizable format.  Other script on the page varies greatly in style but that is not, especially in  the case of Blascowitz, unusual.  The pen flourishes which start or tail letters, the mixed use of letter styles in the same word such as  'a' and 'A', the incorrect and corrected spelling - was English his first tongue?  There many examples on other original 'roughs' or manuscripts in the Heritage Charts collection to compare the actual hand of ome of these remarkable men.  Finally, it worth noting that the chart was transmitted back to England for dissemination, and the eyes of Des Barres, by Captain (later Admiral) Hyde Parker, commander of HMS Phoenix.  Once again a Naval connection to be considered.