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1862 - Comical Blockade Political Cartoon

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Comical "Blockade" Political Cartoon

1862, "BLOCKADE ON THE 'CONNECTICUT" Print, Published by Currier & Ives, New York, Choice Extremely Fine.
This 10.5" x 15.25" political cartoon print ridicules the government's early efforts to overhaul and augment a somewhat outdated Union fleet to blockade Southern ports and effectively defend against Confederate privateers and blockade-runners. In the scene, Navy Secretary Gideon Welles of Connecticut is disparaged as two Union vessels, essentially wooden washtubs armed with small cannons, are trying to block the path of a sleek Confederate steamer, the "Nashville." The first Union vessel, the "Cambridge" (left), has a stove on which a large kettle boils. Its captain addresses the "Nashville's" crew, "Ship ahoy! Heave to, and surrender!! Don't you see that the 'Department' have bought and fitted up this magnificent vessel, on purpose to catch you?" One Confederate crewman responds, "I don't see it! Nary a catch!!" Another thumbs his nose. A Union sailor laments, "The only way to capture that Ship, is to get Morgan to buy her." The sailor is most likely talking about Junius Spencer Morgan, a wealthy banker and supporter of the Union effort. The captain of the second Union vessel, the "Gemsbok," also calls out to the "Nashville." He warns, "If you don't stop, we have instructions to come to anchor, and write the Secretary for further orders." To which comes the response, "Give our compliments to the Secretary, and tell him, he shall certainly hear from us by every Northern vessel that we meet." An exchange occurs between two of the "Gemsbok's "dispirited crewmen: "Well Shipmate we've done our duty; We were put in this old tub to Watch and we have Watched." "Shiver my timbers my hearty! but it would have been a darned sight better to have put us in a decent Ship and sent us here to "catch." Both ships fire their miniature cannon at the "Nashville. In addition to the printed bubbles, there are two "easily erasable" period bubbles and one notation. The conversation is an exchange between two sailors on the Cambridge. The first sailor says, "Jack don't you think Wells is an Ass?" to which "Jack" replies "You never owned and loved a donkey Bill or you wouldn't say so. Have some sort of respect for a dumb brute." Written on the Gemsbok's sail is the phrase, " 'Chase' of the Navy Department." A wonderful political cartoon with significant period comments added!

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