The papers consist of Crublier d'Opterre's manuscript journal of the Yorktown siege bound with related papers, and his collection of fourteen manuscript and two printed Revolutionary War maps. Two of the maps are signed by Crublier d'Opterre. The journal, bound in marbled paper wrappers, covers the siege operations at Yorktown. Following the journal in the folio are French translations of letters by Washington to de Grasse before the battle of Yorktown, and to Congress announcing his victory; also letters from the French minister of War Ségur to Rochambeau and the head of the Corps of Engineers at Yorktown. The back of the folio contains Crublier d'Opterre's "Observations sur la lettre du general Cornwallis au general Clinton a New York," a narrative of the siege, with Crublier d'Opterre's detailed critique of the British defenses. The journal is accompanied by two manuscript maps, one of the mouth of Chesapeake Bay, with the positions of ships and troops, another of the town of Yorktown and environs, with positions of the armies.

The manuscript maps, rendered in pen-and-ink, watercolor, or wash,depict the battles of Brandywine and Trenton; the siege of Savannah; plans of Manhattan (two maps: one map carrying the note that it was made in the presence of Generals Washington and Rochambeau); Newport; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Portsmouth, Virginia; and West Point. The largest manuscript map, a copy of Peter Jefferson and Joshua Fry's Map of the most Inhabited part of Virginia, containing the whole province of Maryland, with part of Pensilvania New Jersey and North Carolina, contains manuscript annotations showing the route of the French army to and from Yorktown, and the march of Cornwallis' army. The printed maps are John Montrésor's Plan of the City of New York & Its Environs, London, [1776] and William Faden's The Province of New Jersey, [London], 1777. The New Jersey map is annotated with lines showing the route of the army during the reconnaisance of New York, the positions of the armies at the battle of Monmouth, Trenton, Princeton, Germantown, and Brandywine, and the encampment of Washington's army at Valley Forge.

Brandywine, Battle of, Pa., 1777 > Maps > Early works to 1800.

Trenton, Battle of, Trenton, N.J., 1776 > Maps > Early works to 1800.

United States > History > Revolution, 1775-1783 > Maps > Early works to 1800.

Yorktown (Va.) > History > Siege, 1781.

Newport (R.I.) > Maps > Early works to 1800.

New Jersey > Maps > Early works to 1800.

New York (N.Y.) > Maps > Early works to 1800.

Portsmouth (N.H.) > Maps > Early works to 1800.

Portsmouth (Va.) > Maps > Early works to 1800.

Savannah (Ga.) > History > Siege, 1779 > Maps > Early works to 1800.

West Point > Maps > Early works to 1800.

America > Maps > Early works to 1800.