Columbia Teaching John Bull
His New Lesson
• A War of 1812 satire on Anglo-American and Franco-American
relations. England's "lesson" is about the seriousness of American
determination to maintain freedom on the high seas, while France
is warned of Yankee firmness on matters of "Retribution" and
"Respect." On the left, Columbia, as a maiden with staff and liberty
cap, a shield with stars and stripes, and an eagle, gestures toward
John Bull, saying, "I tell you Johnny, you must learn to read Respect
--Free trade & Seamans rights -•
As for you Mounseer Beau Napperty, when John gets his lesson by heart I'll teach you Respect -Retribution &c. &c." Bonaparte, standing on a hillock in the center: "Ha-ha -- Begar me be glad to see
Madam Columbia angry with dat dere Bull -- But me no learn respect -- me no learn retribution -- Me be
de grand Emperor." John Bull, in knee breeches, standing at right: "I don't like that lesson -- I'll read this
pretty lesson." He points to the pages of a book that read, "Power constitutes Right." The date of circa
1813 is accepted by both Lanmon and Weitenkampf. The partnership of Samuel Kennedy and William
Charles was first announced in 1813, and lasted at least until December 1814.
Johnny Bull and the Alexandrians
• The citizens of Alexandria, Virginia, are ridiculed in this scene for
their lack of serious resistance against the British seizure of the city
in 1814. At left two frightened gentlemen kneel with hands folded,
pleading, "Pray Mr. Bull don't be too hard with us -- You know we
were always friendly, even in the time of our Embargo!" In the
center stands a bull in English seaman's clothes, holding out a long
list of "Terms of Capitulation" to the Alexandrians.
•
He says, "I must have all your Flour -- All your Tobacco -- All your Provisions -- All
your Ships -- All your Merchandize -- every thing except your Porter and Perry -keep them out of my sight, I've had enough of them already." His allusion is to
American Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry and Captain David Porter. At right, a
soldier and sailor carry off spirits, saying: "Push on Jack, the yankeys are not all so
Cowardly as these Fellows here -- let's make the best of our time." and "Huzza
boys!!! More Rum more Tobacco!"
A scene on the frontiers as practiced by the
"humane" British and their "worthy" allies
• Charles denounces British and Indian atrocities on the American frontier
during the War of 1812, alluding specifically to the practice of offering
bounties for American scalps. The cartoon may have been prompted by
the August 1812 massacre at Chicago and the purchase of American scalps
there by British Colonel Proctor. On the left a British officer receives a
bloody scalp from an Indian, who has a purse with "Reward for Sixteen
Scalps" hanging from his flintlock. The Indian's knife and tomahawk bear
the initials "GR" (for Georgius Rex, i.e., King George). The officer says,
"Bring me the Scalps and the King our master will reward you." From a
button on the officer's coat hangs a tag or sack labeled "Secret Service
Money." At right, another Indian is in the process of scalping a fallen
soldier; another dead, scalped soldier lies nearby.
•
In the background two Indians and two soldiers dance about a campfire. Below are eight
lines of verse: "Arise Columbia's Sons and forward press, / Your Country's wrongs call loudly
for redress; / The Savage Indian with his Scalping knife, / Or Tomahawk may seek to take your
life; / By bravery aw'd they'll in a dreadful Fright, / Shrink back for Refuge to the Woods in
Flight; / Their British leaders then will quickly shake, / And for those wrongs shall restitution
make."
Washington D.C. under attack
• shows a view from the Potomac River, of
Washington, D.C. under attack by British
forces under Major General Ross, August 24,
1814.
The Fall of Washington…
Or, Maddy in Full Flight
• Cartoon showing President James Madison
and probably John Armstrong, his secretary of
war, both with bundles of papers, fleeing from
Washington, with burning buildings behind
them.
John Bull & the Baltimoreans
• In marked contrast to the Alexandrians print, the Baltimoreans offered the
British invaders stiff resistance. Here Charles portrays the repulsion of the
Royal Army at Fort McHenry and the gallant performance of the American
militia there. In a landscape before Fort McHenry, members of the
American Fifth Regiment (at left) pursue a disorderly troop of British and
Highland soldiers toward the right. The first of them prods the rump of
John Bull (again, a bull in seaman's outfit) saying, "Oh! hoh! -- Johnny you
thought you had Alexandrians to deal with did you -- But we'll teach you to
know what a flogging is!!!" John Bull: "Mercy! mercy on me -- What
fellows those Baltimoreans are -- After the example of the Alexandrians I
thought I had nothing to do but enter the Town and carry off the Booty -And here is nothing but Defeat and Disgrace!!!“
•
On the right a mounted officer (Admiral Cockburn?) urges the British back, saying, "What's the Matter!
you Cowardly rascals! Back back and execute the orders of your Government --We must attack every point
that's assailable!" A Highlander responds, "In gude troth Admiral I think ye are as mad as our government
Dinna ye ken the General's kilt -- ye must only attack sie places as Hampton, Havre de Grace, or
Alexandria." In the background an American rifleman in the brush fires at mounted Scottish General
Robert Ross. Sniper: "Now for this Chap on Horseback with the plaid Bonnet on -- There -- there's a Rifle
pill for you -- Thats a quietus." Ross: "Deil [sic] tak that Republican rascal wi his Rifle gun for he's blawn my
brains out."
John Bull making a new Batch of Ships
to send to the Lakes
• A satire on British efforts to recover after major naval
losses on the Great Lakes in 1813 and 1814." In the
center, King George III feeds a tray of small ships into a
bread-oven, as two other men stand by with additional
trays of ships and cannon.
•
A Frenchman stands to the left, holding a trough of "French Dough." King George: "Ay!
What . . . Brother Jonathan taken another whole fleet on the Lakes -- Must work away -Work away & send some more or He'll have Canada next." Frenchman: "Begar Mounseer
Bull. Me no like dis new Alliance -- Dere be one Yankey Man da call "Mac Do-enough" Take
your Ships by de whole Fleet -- You better try get him for I never get Do-enough made at
dis rate!!!" Englishman: "Here are more Guns for the Lake service. If ever they do but get
there -- I hear the last you sent were waylaid by a sly Yankey "Fox" and the ship being a
"Stranger," he has taken her in."
• Second Englishman: "I tell you what Master Bull -- You had better
keep both your Ships and Guns at home --If you send all you've
got to the Lakes, it will only make fun for the Yankeys to take
them."
The Hartford Convention, or
Leap or No Leap
• attacks the Hartford Convention, a series of secret meetings
of New England Federalists held in December 1814. The artist
caricatures radical secessionist leader Timothy Pickering and
lampoons the inclinations toward secession by convention
members Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut,
alleging encouragement from English King George III.
•
In the center, on a shore kneels Timothy Pickering, with hands clasped praying, "I, Strongly
and most fervently pray for the success of this great leap which will change my vulgar name
into that of my Lord of Essex. God save the King." On a precipice above him, a man,
representing Massachusetts, pulls two others (Rhode Island and Connecticut) toward the
edge. Rhode Island: "Poor little I, what will become of me? this leap is of a frightful size -- I
sink into despondency." Connecticut: "I cannot Brother Mass; let me pray and fast some time
longer -- little Rhode will jump the first." Massachusetts: "What a dangerous leap!!! but we
must jump Brother Conn." Across the water, on the right, sits George III with arms stretched
out toward the men on the cliff. He calls, "O'tis my Yankey boys! jump in my fine fellows;
plenty molasses and Codfish; plenty of goods to Smuggle; Honours, titles and Nobility into
the bargain." On the left, below the cliff, is a medallion inscribed with the names of Perry,
McDonough, Hull, and other heroes of the War of 1812 and decorated with a ribbon which
reads, "This is the produce of the land they wish to abandon."
A Boxing Match or
Another Bloody Nose for John Bull
• The artist gloats over naval losses suffered by England early
in the War of 1812, in particular the defeat of the warship
"Boxer" by the American frigate "Enterprise" in September
1813. King George III stands at left, his nose bleeding and
eye blackened, saying, "Stop...Brother Jonathan, or I shall
fall with the loss of blood -- I thought to have been too
heavy for you -- But I must acknowledge your superior skill -- Two
blows to my one! -- And so well directed too! Mercy, mercy on me, how
does this happen!!!" On the right, his opponent James Madison
says, "Ha-Ah Johnny! you thought yourself a "Boxer" did you! -- I'll let you
know we are an "Enterprize"ing Nation. and ready to meet you with equal
force any day."
• In the background, on the ocean, two ships are
engaged in battle.
Peace of Ghent 1814
and Triumph of America
• Print is allegorical reference to the Treaty of
Ghent which ended the War of 1812, showing
Minerva dictating the terms of peace, which
Mercury delivers to Britannia and Hercules
compells her to accept.