Item #34136 THE BLACK CONSCRIPTION. "WHEN BLACK MEETS BLACK THEN COMES THE END (?) OF WAR". [Heading: PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. - SEPTEMBER 26, 1863.]. Thomas W. Strong.

THE BLACK CONSCRIPTION. "WHEN BLACK MEETS BLACK THEN COMES THE END (?) OF WAR". [Heading: PUNCH, OR THE LONDON CHARIVARI. - SEPTEMBER 26, 1863.].

[London: 1863]. 8" x 10-1/2". Lightly toned, one very short margin tear. This engraving was removed from the September 26, 1863, issue of "Punch, Or the London Charivari". Bound Volume 45 of this publication for 1863 prints this engraving precisely as ours does. Very Good.

The engraving depicts two black soldiers greeting each other on the battlefield like long lost friends. One, in Union uniform, says, "Dat you Sambo? yeah! yeah!" Sambo, in Confederate uniform, responds, "Bress my heart | how am you, Jim?" In the background are jovial black soldiers and several flags.
This is Sir John Tenniel's cartoon which originally appeared in 'Punch', the English periodical, on September 26, 1863. Tenniel dresses Sambo with belt and suspenders which bear an 'S'. For the South, the notion of arming the slaves naturally stimulated soul-searching controversy. But severe manpower and resource deficits, especially during the last year of the War, resulted in several proposals to convert slaves into soldiers. Robert E. Lee wanted to free them in exchange for their service. When the Confederate Congress finally acted-- without authorizing their freedom-- in March 1865, it was of course way too late. Item #34136

Price: $75.00