The Wasp — 1879 — page 107: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical comic series parodies the famous American legend of Paul Revere's midnight ride warning of British forces. The five panels show increasingly absurd chaos: 1-4 depict a man named Brown attempting to ride a horse to warn of approaching forces, but the horse becomes spooked and refuses to cooperate, throwing him repeatedly. Panel 4 notably adds that the horse is "animated by an *esprit de corps*" (military spirit). Panel 5 shows the actual warning reaching a group of young women at a seminary instead of soldiers—suggesting the message reached the wrong audience entirely. The satire likely mocks either ineffective communication, confusion during emergencies, or the romanticization of historical events, presenting this ride as a comedic failure rather than heroic success.