AN ANTEBELLUM MAP, "J. De Cordova's Map of the State of Texas," NEW YORK, 1856, hand colored lithograph on paper, with hand inscribed pencil inscriptions, the campaign notes beginning near Brownsville, followed by raspberry red dots on important cities/locations/forts following a route traveling north to Cooke, Bosque and Denton Counties, which have triangular and square outlined areas, one reads, "Camp Cooper," a final dot within Indian Territory at Fort Washita; "Compiled from the records of the General Land Office of the State by Robert Creuzbaur, Revised and Corrected by Charles W. Pressler," J.H. Colton & Co, Publishers, J.M. Atwood, Engraver, "Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1856 by J. De Cordova in the Clerk's Office of the United States District Court for the District of Texas," within a Gothic revival lozenge and quatrefoil chain border, all signatures in plate, with seal of The State of Texas and General Land Office, framed with the original gilt tooled brown leather book front and back cover boards. 36" x 33 1/2" Note: "The First Map of Texas Made by a Houstonian. Few can match the efforts of Jacob de Cordova in promoting land development in Texas...the de Cordova Map of Texas was one of the first examples of a map which relied on the records of the General Land Office. De Cordova was a land promoter from New Orleans, had been a printer in Philadelphia, settled in Houston and following a term in the State Legislature, remained there and established the Texas Herald." Furthermore, The Texas Handbook Online writes about Camp Cooper, "It was established by the Texas legislature in January 1856 and named for United States Army Adjutant General Samuel Cooper. Its mission was to protect the frontier and to monitor the nearby Comanche Indian reservation. The area had been a campsite for three companies of the Fifth Infantry in 1851... The post was founded by Col. Albert Sidney Johnston in January 1856 and became headquarters for four companies of the Second United States Cavalry under the command of Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee. This was Lee's first command of a fort. He remained in charge for fifteen months, from April 9, 1856, until July 22, 1857...Although the camp initially had adequate military stores, it was plagued by severe weather, insects, dust, and irregular supply trains. Rattlesnakes were constant visitors, and Lee kept one as a pet. When he left the camp in 1857 for San Antonio, Maj. George H. Thomas took over." Further research into the three areas drawn in pencil on this map is required to accurately identify what exactly these areas are and if they are any of the military encampments mentioned herein. The hand drawings and specific fort notation show a much needed organized supply route from the coast to these Texas frontier outposts. Provenance: Property from a Corporate Collection, Houston, Texas.