Sketch of the Skirmish at Petersburg

This map, with the full title “Sketch of the Skirmish at Petersburg, between the Royal Army under the Command of Major Genl. Phillips, and the American Army commanded by Major Genl. Stewben; in which the latter were defeated, April 25th, 1781. Copied from a sketch of Lt. Spencers. By I. Hills, Lieut. 23d. Regt. & Asst. Engr.” was published around 1787. The map mistakenly indicates north as oriented to the left of the map, when in fact north is oriented to the top. The skirmish took place after British general Henry Clinton instructed Major General William Phillips to destroy the American magazines at Petersburg, Appomattox, and along the James River. Continental army commander general Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben attempted to stop Phillips at Petersburg, but withdrew quickly, leaving the town under British control. General Charles Cornwallis later met with Phillips in Petersburg on May 20, there assuming command of 7,200 troops. British commander John Graves Simcoe published this copy of the skirmish map in his Journal of the Operations of the Queen's Rangers. The map also shows the adjacent town of Blandford.