Judge — August 17, 1907 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This cartoon depicts a military figure in Napoleonic-era uniform retreating on horseback, with his shadow looming large behind him. The caption reads "SON'S RETREAT FROM MOSCOW," referencing Napoleon Bonaparte's catastrophic 1812 retreat from Moscow—one of history's most devastating military defeats. The cartoon likely uses this historical analogy to comment on a contemporary political or military figure's failure or humiliating withdrawal from a campaign or position. By invoking Napoleon's iconic downfall, the satire suggests the subject has suffered a similarly ignominious defeat. The exaggerated shadow emphasizes the gap between the figure's former grandeur and present diminishment. Without knowing Judge magazine's publication date, the specific identity of "Son" remains unclear, though the Napoleon parallel suggests a significant historical or political failure is being mocked.