Price
$32.00
Condition
used
Product Condition
Very fine
Size
5.5" x 3"
Civil War Satirical Cover – “Bring My Prizes” Cotton & Contraband Scene – Jeff Davis & John Bull Theme. An engaging and lesser-seen Civil War patriotic cover featuring a satirical exchange between figures representing Jefferson Davis (J.D.), John Bull (J.B.), and a Union “Yankee Doodle.” The scene humorously depicts Confederate frustration over being unable to move cotton (“prizes”) past Union blockades, while the British figure (John Bull) declines entry. A Union soldier interjects, suggesting the goods be sent North—an unmistakable nod to Union seizure of Confederate contraband. Published by the New York Union Envelope Depot, this cover blends sharp political commentary with period humor. Unopened and original.
This illustration reflects the Union’s naval blockade of the Confederacy, a key component of the Anaconda Plan, which severely restricted Southern cotton exports. Cotton was the Confederacy’s primary economic leverage, particularly with Great Britain, symbolized here by John Bull. The term “prizes” refers to seized goods, while the Union soldier’s remark highlights the North’s policy of confiscating contraband.
$32.00
used
Very fine
5.5" x 3"