Overview of the Collection
The Ohio State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum
West, Richard Samuel (Bookseller)
Civil War Patriotic Envelopes Collection
0.2 linear feet (1 box)
A collection of thirty-seven Civil War- era (ca. 1861) patriotic envelopes featuring caricatures of political figures and political issues of the day. Most of the envelopes have a pro-Union stance.
SPEC.CGA.PUR
The records are in English
CGAca. 1861
History of Civil War Patriotic EnvelopesCivil War patriotic envelopes features symbolic imagery of the causes motivating the war. They acted as artistic promotions of patriotic sentiments. These envelopes were non-government printing, created by print shops. The envelopes were an element of popular culture during the Civil War and were collected and saved as souvenirs.
For further information on the history of Civil War patriotic envelopes, please see the book review of Patriotic Envelopes of the Civil War: The Iconography of Union and Confederate Covers by Steven R. Boyd.
Hubert, Matthew C. Rev. of Patriotic Envelopes of the Civil War: The Iconography of Union and Confederate Covers by Steven R. Boyd. "Civil War History" 58 (March 2012): 125-127. Accessed on September 24, 2012: http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/civil_war_history/v058/58.1.hulbert.html
Scope and ContentThis collection includes thirty-seven Civil War Patriotic Envelopes featuring caricatures of famous political figures such as Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. The envelopes are also of a pro-Union stance and depict the various issues of the Civil War era.
Statement of ArrangementThe envelopes in the collection are arranged into four series. Within each series, the envelopes are arranged
- Series I. Abraham Lincoln
- Series II. Pro-Union
- Series III. Southern Secession
- Series IV. Southern Treason
Restrictions on AccessThere are no access restrictions for materials in this collection.
Restrictions on UseAll copyright laws pertain to any use or reproduction of published materials in the collection.
Preferred CitationCivil War Patriotic Envelopes Collection, The Ohio State University, Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum
Acquisition InformationThis collection was purchased from Richard Samuel West, Bookseller- Periodyssey, Easthampton, Massachusetts, 2012
Custodial HistoryThe collection was assembled by Richard Samuel West, bookseller- Periodyssey.
Indexing TermsThe following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Subjects:Caricatures and cartoons-United StatesEnvelopes (Stationery)Political cartoons-United StatesPersons:Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865United States. President (1861-1865 : Lincoln)Davis, Jefferson, 1808-1889Sherman, William T. (William Tecumseh), 1820-1891Bragg, Braxton, 1817-1876Seward, William Henry, 1801-1872Scott, Winfield, 1786-1866Places:United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Caricatures and cartoonsUnited States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865-Participation, African AmericanUnited States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865-PropagandaMaterial Types:EnvelopesCaricaturesEphemeraPolitical CartoonsStationeryDetailed Description of The CollectionThis collection of thirty-seven envelopes from the Civil War- era depicts political and social issues of the time. The subjects of the envelopes are varied, ranging from depictions of famous individuals such as Abraham Lincoln, to the issues of slavery, secession, and treason.
Series I. Abraham Lincolnca. 1861PUR 11Championship prize envelope Lincoln & Davis in 5 rounds: 1st Round1861Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis fighting in a ring, with crowd. CaptionPUR 12A.L.- His Mark, J.D.undatedFlag with leg labledPUR 13Championship prize envelope Lincoln & Davis in 5 rounds: 2nd Round1861Lincoln and Davis fighting in a ring, with crowd. Caption readsPUR 14Championship prize envelope Lincoln & Davis in 5 rounds: 3rd Round1861Lincoln and Davis fighting in a ring, with crowd. Caption readsPUR 15Championship prize envelope Lincoln & Davis in 5 rounds: 4th roundca. 1861Winfield Scott and William H. Seward, Jr, standing in fight circile, pointing at ground. Caption reads:PUR 16Championship prize envelope Lincoln & Davis in 5 rounds: 5th round1861Abraham Lincoln standing in front of pyramid with bald eagle, cannon, and an American flag. Caption reads:Series II. Pro-Unionca. 1861PUR 17The cause of all our troublesundatedAn African American man, background is a cotton field.PUR 18"Come back here, you black rascal." "Can't come back nohow, massa; Dis chile's contraban"undatedShow a white man holding a whip facing a group of African Americans running towards Fort Monroe.PUR 19Commissioners of C.S.A. at the foreign courtsundatedBarefooted children with feather hats and sashes with man with cloak and cane.PUR 110The Country's in danger!- That's what's the matterundatedUncle Sam with American flag as a cloak and bayonet.PUR 111General Boar-A-Guard, on dutyundatedBoar dressed in a Confederate uniform with bayonetPUR 112"Let Me Alone. " Jeff. Davis & Co. "seeing the elephant"undatedElephant labled asPUR 113It has shone before on a United States, and it shall again by the EternalundatedDepicts a sun breaking through clouds to shine on the United States.PUR 114Man pulling a string on a trap, baiting a lion with cottonundatedPUR 115Longing for the White HouseundatedMan with beard smoking pipe and looking into the distance.PUR 116North- Wide AwakeundatedDepicts a dog laying down with one eye wide openPUR 117Oh! " Let Me Alone."Jeff. Davis Coat of ALMSundatedSkull with crown, bottle of whiskey, and a rattlesnake to form a crestPUR 118One of the "Flowers" of the Rebel Army, provided with a pair of seven-league bootsundatedConfederate soldier with dunce cap and sword, with a pair of boots attached to posterior.PUR 119Sherman's flying artillery. Virginians retreatingundatedGeneral Sherman on a winged cannon chasing Virginians fleeing by horse and carriagePUR 120A Southern gorilla, (Guerilla)undatedBearded creature with paws, in a Confederate Soldier uniform. Envelope has poem on it.PUR 121Southern menagerie is coming1861On the road with a circus caravan of animal cages with the names of Confederate politicians and generals.PUR 122Virginia in 1776/ Virginia in 18611861Depicts five young boys gathered around a woman with book in 1776. In 1861, five young boys gambling, smoking, and boy with a bag labeledPUR 123What if a hungry rat should cross the path of an elephant, squelch it, by Heaven, squelch itundatedElephant with American flag about to step on a rat.Series III. Southern Secessionca. 1861PUR 124A convention of secessionists after the warundatedDepicts five men at table with urn labledPUR 125Jeff Davis' Passport- Mr. Jeff Davis and friends are permitted to leave the state of Virginia- Winfield Scottca. 1861Hand holding signPUR 126This modern Blondin leaves but one impression upon the mind of every clam spectator: How easily we circumvent SECESSION/ Must now be clearly seen by this arch-traitorundatedMan labled asPUR 127SecessionundatedHot air balloon labeledPUR 128The Union locomotive clearing the secession track. "Clear the Track"undatedGoblins and other creatures on track as train with American flag approaches.PUR 129'Walk into my parlor,' says the Spider to the Fly." Secession WebundatedDepicts Jefferson Davis as spider in web. The wings of the flies have Southern states names.Series IV. Southern Treasonca. 1861PUR 130The BRAGG fruit of Palmetto Tree-sonundatedConfederate General Braxton Bragg hanging from plametto tree.PUR 131Death to traitorsundatedAmerican flags and Union soldiers forming the letters in traitors.PUR 132Fate of traitors!undatedDepicts Jefferson Davis hanging from gallows. Soliders with bayonets watch from under an American flag.PUR 133J.D. His MarqueundatedSkull and cross bones and on a black flag with the lettersPUR 134On the road to WashingtonundatedConfederate generals hang from gallows on a road with in sight of the United States Capitol building.PUR 135"Scott's Tactics." Stopping up the rat holes! "When I want to catch a rat, I first stop up all the holes -W. Scott"1861Union soliders with dogs driving rats from bags.PUR 136You fain would steal, my national (veal) weal. / But Jeff, you better mizzle, / For when you're in "my trap of steel," / Pop goes your weasel1861Depicts two weasels, one has hat labeledPUR 137"When I wish to catch rats, I first stop their holes." Gen'l ScottundatedDepicts seven ships with names of Southern cities around a circle labled