Sitting on a Seat of War

'Masterly inactivity,' or six months on the Potomac caricature of inactivity of Confederate and Union soldiers on both sides of the Potomac River (Illus. in: Frank Leslie's illustrated newspaper, vol. 13 (1862 Feb. 1), p. 176;LOC: LC-USZ62-82807)

A spyin' in the sun

Not exactly President George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin but here George McClellan and P.G.T. Beauregard appear to be gazing into each others’ eye.

This cartoon was published on February 1, 1862 and it is already out of date. By February 18th P.G.T. Beauregard, the rebel commander in the cartoon, was in Jackson, Tennessee on his way to taking command of the Confederate left in the western theater. Also, shortly after this came out in Frank Leslie’s Weekly, Union successes at Forts Henry and Donelson cheered the North. Nevertheless, I think this shows the importance of Northern Virginia to northern perceptions of how the war was progressing (or not). “On to Richmond”

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An Execution

150 years ago today Nathaniel Gordon, a convicted slave trader, was hanged in New York City for violating the Piracy law of 1820. He was the only person executed under the law for engaging in the slave trade. You can read Harper’s Weekly’s account at Son of the South. The same issue has a cartoon lauding General Grant’s success at Fort Donelson. On this page you can also see ads for the soldiers’ bullet proof vest and Kentucky bourbon.

Execution of Gordon the slave-trader, New York, February 21, 1862 (Illus. in: Harper's weekly, v. VI, no. 271 (1862 March 8), p. 157 (bottom); LOC: LC-DIG-ds-00692)

Slave-trader executed

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