Judge — July 30, 1898 — page 8: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This 1898 Judge magazine cartoon commemorates the USS Maine, the American battleship that exploded in Havana Harbor in February 1898, killing over 260 sailors. The explosion became a catalyst for the Spanish-American War. The caped figure appears to be Uncle Sam or a personified America, gazing at a starry memorial vault containing the USS Maine model. Two portrait busts above (likely political figures of the era) observe the scene. A "Roll of" document (partially visible) lists names, presumably of the Maine's victims. The phrase "We have remember[ed]" suggests this is a solemn tribute to those lost and a statement about American resolve following the disaster—imagery that would have resonated powerfully with readers during the war period.