Judge — January 17, 1885 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This political cartoon depicts a mounted military officer being thrown from his horse during what appears to be a cavalry charge. Soldiers with rifles and flags are visible in the background. The artist is signed "Frank Beard." The 1861 date and "Repulsed" caption suggest this satirizes an early Civil War military engagement—likely a Union defeat. The cartoon appears to mock a specific failed Union cavalry or officer action from that year, when Northern forces experienced several setbacks. The exaggerated, comedic style of the figure being unseated suggests ridicule of either the officer's incompetence or the broader Union military failure. Without more context, the specific officer or battle cannot be identified with certainty, but the cartoon clearly uses humor to criticize an early Civil War Union defeat.