Batteau Design (Historical Marker)

Here follows the inscription written on this trailside historical marker:

Batteau Design
"A batteau…is the most proper Vessel for water fencing by being flat bottom'd and will go in Shawl water.."
Anthony Whitting to George Washington, January 16, 1793

Although we do not have a complete inventory or detailed description of the boats in Washington's fleet, his writings often reference such a vessel. This batteau, constructed in 2016, was inspired by the schematics shown below, which were found in the archive of the Smithsonian Institution.