Puck — July 3, 1878 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This July 1878 *Puck* cartoon satirizes a Potter Committee proceeding—likely investigating Republican corruption during Reconstruction. The caption describes General Sherman being "stung quite sore from the rear" by a female figure (the "Louisiana Wasp"), depicted as an aggressive insect-woman attacking a man before the committee. The cartoon suggests Sherman faced embarrassing revelations or accusations from a Louisiana source during testimony. The "Potter Committee" reference (visible on the left) indicates this relates to formal congressional investigations of the era. The imagery implies Sherman was caught off-guard by unexpected testimony or evidence, portrayed humorously as an undignified physical attack rather than formal political critique.