Thomas Nast's "April Fools Pranks," 1864

[John Hartwell]

Harper's Weekly, April 2, 1864​

Some of the pranks illustrated include women paying a visit to an older man, with the women wearing beards and moustaches. Another image a soldier is seen holding his hand on in front of the binoculars of a friend, and in another case, a sailor is seen holding his hat over the telescope of a friend. In one of the lower images, a young boy can be seen tying a string on the dress of a little girl, and in another image a school teacher is seen with a sign on his back that says "Old Fool". The small circles in the middle of each side show a phony newspaper headline announcing that the Union has captured the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. On the center-left, "Mr. Shoddy" is upset because he will no longer be able to supply his inferior goods to the Union military at inflated prices. On the center-right, New York Tribune editor Horace Greeley ("Mr. Fogey") is surprised (and fooled) to see that his headlines continually urging "On to Richmond!" have come true.

"Imposture was a frequent part of April fooling in the nineteenth century, and is represented in the lower circles. On the left, a man wears his wife's hoop skirt and veiled bonnet, while the woman has donned her husband's top hat and coat, and added a false mustache and side-whiskers. On the right, a soldier tries to convince the night sentry that he is confronting a talking mule. In Scotland, April Fool's is celebrated over two days, with the second, called "Taily Day," featuring tricks behind or on a person's backside. This tradition is seen in the center cartoons, where signs or strings with objects are attached to April fools.

"In the top-center cartoon, Nast incorporates political commentary into an April Fool's scene. The setting is an outdoor meeting of the Peace Democrats ("Copperheads"), The Peace Democrats are presented as geese and a*ses, animals associated with silliness and symbols which Nast used for the party at this time."
[ill. and quotes from: http://www.harpweek.com/09cartoon/BrowseByDateCartoon.asp?Month=April&Date=1 ]

 

[Rebel_Giratina]

Possible origins of the Democratic Party donkey in this cartoon?

Funny thing is, this time, "On to Richmond" would soon be no April Fool this time around....

 

[John Hartwell]

Possible origins of the Democratic Party donkey in this cartoon?

"The now-famous Democratic donkey was first associated with Democrat Andrew Jackson's 1828 presidential campaign. His opponents called him a jackass (a donkey), and Jackson decided to use the image of the strong-willed animal on his campaign posters. Later, cartoonist Thomas Nast used the Democratic donkey in newspaper cartoons and made the symbol famous.

"Nast invented another famous symbol—the Republican elephant. In a cartoon that appeared in Harper's Weekly in 1874, Nast drew a donkey clothed in lion's skin, scaring away all the animals at the zoo. One of those animals, the elephant, was labeled "The Republican Vote." That's all it took for the elephant to become associated with the Republican Party."

[http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0881985.html]​

 

[RebelHeart]

The top left image looks likt the two guys are doing a mid-battle selfie Maybe they used the iDaguerreotype?

 

[photoman475]

The top left image looks likt the two guys are doing a mid-battle selfie Maybe they used the iDaguerreotype?

Wow! Where can I get one of those?!

 

[RebelHeart]

Wow! Where can I get one of those?!

They're on sale this week at Braxton Bragg's House of Incompetent Leadership, Non-Stick Bivouac Crockery, and other As Seen In Harper's Weekly Items! Just $1399.99!

But wait! There's more!

Order today and ol' Brax will throw in a Selfie-Limber!

 

[Northern Light]

They're on sale this week at Braxton Bragg's House of Incompetent Leadership, Non-Stick Bivouac Crockery, and other As Seen In Harper's Weekly Items! Just $1399.99!

But wait! There's more!

Order today and ol' Brax will throw in a Selfie-Limber!

Hilarious!

 

[photoman475]

Gee, RebelHeart, for a deal like that, I'll take two, but ol' Gen. Bragg needs to autograph at least one of them! Do you know if he takes MiseryCard?

And why didn't I read the fine print? I missed the part about his paying for shipping if I also ordered a box of Genuine Confederate hardtack!

 

[RebelHeart]

Gee, RebelHeart, for a deal like that, I'll take two, but ol' Gen. Bragg needs to autograph at least one of them! Do you know if he takes MiseryCard?

And why didn't I read the fine print? I missed the part about his paying for shipping if I also ordered a box of Genuine Confederate hardtack!

Ol' Braxton will be happy to sign one for you! He does take MiseryCard, as well Vista and Confederate Express.

It is true that ordering a package of 'Harder Than A Stone Wall' Hard Tack (Gluten-Free) will get you free shipping to anywhere in the Continental Confederate States. Shipping to northern states will come at a small tariff of just $4,321,700.99. Additional fees may apply (by 'may' we mean 'will.')

 

[photoman475]

Gee RebelHeart, you're a wonderful promoter of CSA made products. But I was hoping to get the other, non-gluten free hardtack I noticed on your website, Not Quite As Hard As A Mud Wall. Is this product still available? And can I get that delivered by Porter Alexander's well known delivery company, Cannonball Express? After all, I hate to have to wait.

 

[RebelHeart]

Gee RebelHeart, you're a wonderful promoter of CSA made products. But I was hoping to get the other, non-gluten free hardtack I noticed on your website, Not Quite As Hard As A Mud Wall. Is this product still available? And can I get that delivered by Porter Alexander's well known delivery company, Cannonball Express? After all, I hate to have to wait.

Hello photoman475,
Thank you for your inquiry about "Not Quite As Hard As A Mud Wall" Tack. We apologize (not really) but that product is currently out of stock. We are uncertain as to when it will be replenished as a Union blockade is impeding some of our suppliers.

As a substitute we'd like to offer you, at a discounted price (not really), our very unpopular Gideon Pillow Extra Soft Tack, which turns completely to mush as soon as a little heat is applied.

Of course you are free to utilize the P. Alexander Cannonball Express service, or you may also choose our JEB Stuart Delivery option, which takes a scenic route and may arrive a day or two late, especially to locations in southern Pennsylvania.

If you are unhappy with the product (we don't blame you - it's horrible), feel free to make use of our Joseph Johnston Strategic Retreat and Return Service.

 

[Banjo Pete]

Wonder if this merry prankster Nast is the reason why we have the word "nasty" to describe such behavior; -)

 

[Patrick H]

Wonder if this merry prankster Nast is the reason why we have the word "nasty" to describe such behavior; -)

What a question! What a concept! I wonder if our friend, Banjo Pete, is onto something here?

 

[John Hartwell]

While Nast was fully capable of some nasty commentary on contemporary politics and politicians, the word itself (nasty) goes back at least to the 14th century. Interestingly, Americans tend to use nasty in the original sense of "dirty, filthy, or repelant" (eew, that's nasty!); but the Brits use the term more often in the sense of "awkward, dangerous, or difficult" (as in a nasty accident, injury or problem). Though Ada Doom famously "saw something nasty in the woodshed" in Cold Comfort Farm; and we laugh through the whole story (or movie) without ever really learning what it was.

 

[photoman475]

RebelHeart, I have to apologize for the rather unfortunate blockade that is preventing some of your suppliers from making deliveries. It seems my compatriots in the Navy have this nasty desire to capture a beverage your organization is trying to import, Admiral David's Porter Beer. It seems to have been recommended by the Royal Navy as particularly effective for choking off deliveries.

I have heard of the JEB Stuart Delivery Option, but am afraid to try it. You see, up here in Dakota Territory, it would take so long for the JEB Stuart Delivery Option to go the scenic route I do believe any product I order would spoil before it got here. Those extra months do add up to higher spoilage, particularly since I live on a Longstreet. And it will take them a very long time to go the scenic route in Dakota Territory, as I haven't seen any yet!

I have been told that the caliber of Col. Alexander's Cannonball Express can be rather large. Is that true? I've heard some stories that some of his employees have rather short fuses, too.

Would you have access to Professor Lowe's Up We Go Balloon Delivery Service? This lighter than air option may be a feasible one for you to try. He has a telegraph notification service available from the balloon to let us know when delivery can be anticipated. It may also avoid the extra tariff problem we both seem to suffer from.

I would like to propose a trade with you. I have access to General Bill Sherman's personal stock of Burning Hot Hardtack, and I hear the diet in your army may need some extra flavor. This is good stuff, and the sauce that comes with it is stirred by a spoon that is personally signed by Gen. Ben Butler himself! The spoon is normally silver, but we're not always sure-he may have pocketed one or two of them along the way. It's quite the opposite of the Gideon Pillow Extra Soft Tack you so highly can't recommend.

 

[kholland]

View attachment 96385
Harper's Weekly, April 2, 1864​

Some of the pranks illustrated include women paying a visit to an older man, with the women wearing beards and moustaches. Another image a soldier is seen holding his hand on in front of the binoculars of a friend, and in another case, a sailor is seen holding his hat over the telescope of a friend. In one of the lower images, a young boy can be seen tying a string on the dress of a little girl, and in another image a school teacher is seen with a sign on his back that says "Old Fool". The small circles in the middle of each side show a phony newspaper headline announcing that the Union has captured the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. On the center-left, "Mr. Shoddy" is upset because he will no longer be able to supply his inferior goods to the Union military at inflated prices. On the center-right, New York Tribune editor Horace Greeley ("Mr. Fogey") is surprised (and fooled) to see that his headlines continually urging "On to Richmond!" have come true.

"Imposture was a frequent part of April fooling in the nineteenth century, and is represented in the lower circles. On the left, a man wears his wife's hoop skirt and veiled bonnet, while the woman has donned her husband's top hat and coat, and added a false mustache and side-whiskers. On the right, a soldier tries to convince the night sentry that he is confronting a talking mule. In Scotland, April Fool's is celebrated over two days, with the second, called "Taily Day," featuring tricks behind or on a person's backside. This tradition is seen in the center cartoons, where signs or strings with objects are attached to April fools.

"In the top-center cartoon, Nast incorporates political commentary into an April Fool's scene. The setting is an outdoor meeting of the Peace Democrats ("Copperheads"), The Peace Democrats are presented as geese and a*ses, animals associated with silliness and symbols which Nast used for the party at this time."
[ill. and quotes from: http://www.harpweek.com/09cartoon/BrowseByDateCartoon.asp?Month=April&Date=1 ]

And bumped! Good post.