The Wasp — 1879 — page 301: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

The cartoon shows a wasp (The Wasp magazine's mascot) carrying what appears to be a military rifle. The accompanying text is a lengthy tribute to Colonel Howard Carroll, praising his three-column article about General Zachary Chandler in the *New York Times*. The satire celebrates Carroll's detailed account of Chandler's Civil War service, particularly his acquisition of Confederate general's equipment and artifacts. The piece humorously exaggerates Chandler's martial accomplishments—he supposedly captured items from multiple generals and filled graves rapidly. The satire's point appears to be mocking both Carroll's grandiose writing style and Chandler's inflated war reputation. By calling it "the very freshest American humor," *The Wasp* suggests Carroll's account is absurdly over-the-top, treating a politician's wartime boasting as comedic material rather than serious history.