Life — May 5, 1927 — page 24: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical cartoon about the American Revolutionary War, likely from an early 20th-century Life magazine. It depicts British military figures and supplies in a comedic, derogatory manner. The cartoon mocks Lord Howe (British commander) as indulgent and addicted, while showing British soldiers charging with alcohol ("brandies and soda") rather than proper ammunition. References include "The Old Mass" and "The Old Homestead" buildings, and a mahogany table supposedly used at Bunker Hill. The satire ridicules the British military's perceived incompetence, dandyism, and reliance on luxury items during wartime. Characters labeled include "Mad Anthony Wayne's Division," "Moll Pitcher," and "Israel Putnam, Catcher," emphasizing American Revolutionary heroes against caricatured British buffoonery. The humor relies on period stereotypes about British affectation and military ineptitude during the Revolution.