The Wasp — 1877 — page 347: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page satirizes the ongoing Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878). The cartoons mock various parties involved: **Left side** attacks "The Pious Howard" (likely referring to a politician opposing military involvement), showing him refusing to let the army forage, depicted as hypocritical moralizing. **Center and right** contain multiple sketches mocking Russian and Turkish military operations, with captions reporting battles at Rustchuk and the capture of Turk villages. One sketch shows a Turkish figure being hanged—dark humor about war casualties. The page's tone is irreverent war reporting mixed with political commentary about American non-involvement. The cartoons use grotesque exaggeration typical of 1870s satirical journalism to ridicule military incompetence and political posturing during this distant European conflict.