Life — November 13, 1884 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "The Battle" - Life Magazine Cartoon This illustration depicts a dramatic confrontation between Native Americans and what appears to be a European settler or soldier. The scene shows a large figure (likely representing a settler or military officer) confronting Native Americans near teepees in a landscape setting. The caption reads "THE BATTLE" with a partial credit visible as "BURY THE HATCHET." This appears to be satirical commentary on American frontier conflicts and the phrase "bury the hatchet"—an idiom ironically invoking Native American peace-making traditions while depicting actual violent conflict. The cartoon likely critiques either American expansionism, broken peace treaties, or the contradiction between rhetoric of peace and actual military confrontation during the Indian Wars era. The specific historical reference remains unclear without additional context.