"Cobbett, a burly and youthful corporal, stands with raised cane and clenched fist, having chastised two officers, older and much smaller than himself. One clutches his posterior, and runs off to the left, the other, losing his hat, throws up his arms, and a copy of a small book: 'Cobbetts Cards or new Military Tacticks'. Five others stand behind Cobbett, waiting for instruction, all studying his cards with perplexed and anxious intentness. Three are inscribed respectively: 'Cobbett's Military Cards'; 'How to Run away'; 'Eyes left'. One of them holds a furled Union flag inscribed 'Victoria'. In the foreground is an open dispatch-box, inscribed 'Wm Cobbett' and 'Cobbetts Military Movements'. Papers overflow on to the ground, inscribed: 'Cobbetts new Cards of Discipline', 'How to turn out Toes', 'How to Fart to ye Right', 'Eyes Right', 'To the Right', 'To the Le[ft]', 'How to march Forward', 'How to Run away', 'shoulder Musquet[s]'; 'How to shoulder Musquets', 'Left Right, how to hold up Heads', In the middle distance is a parade-ground: an officer is drilling his men with raised sword, while studying one of Cobbett's cards. They have a tricolour flag inscribed Loyal 51stt Regt L E Fi[tzgerald]. In the background are tents with tricolour flags, and tiny men marching. Behind again are mountains with pine-trees, and tiny Indians round a camp-fire."--British Museum online catalogue.
Description:
Below image is printed a second plate etched with text only: 3d Plate. Arrived in safety (according to the proverb), being a scholard (for all the world knows that I can read and write) I was promoted to the rank of a corporal ... Vide, my own memoir's in the Political Register of 1809., Series number etched above image, in upper left., Third print of eight in a series entitled: The life of William-Cobbett, written by himself., and Title etched below image.
Subject (Name):
Auchincloss, Hugh Dudley--Ownership., Cobbett, William,--1763-1835--Caricatures and cartoons., Dundas, David,--Sir,--1735-1820., Fitzgerald, Edward,--Lord,--1763-1798., Gillray, James, 1756-1815, artist., Harvey, Francis--Ownership., and Humphrey, Hannah, active 1774-1817, publisher.
