A Union soldier looks into the firing end of a cannon, and a cannonball lies at his feet. Seeking "the bubble reputation at the cannon's mouth" means to search for military glory and is a reference to Shakespeare's "As You Like It." "Hog in armor" is a term for awkward, clumsy people., Text: Seeking, of course, "the bubble reputation / At the cannon's mouth," / To fight the righteous battles of the nation, / You go South. / Now, prithee, don't mistake your piece's muzzle / Madly, for its breech, / If the two ends should ever prove a puzzle, / Ask which is which! / You look at present like a "hog in armor;" / May you "live and learn," / And having done so, I'll be yours, my charmer, / When you return., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector., Provenance: Shakespeare, William (1564-1616), As you like it.
The artillery soldier sits on a large bird with a cannon for its head. He holds his swab in his hand and wears a Union uniform. The sender criticizes the recipient for having killed many people and compares his interest in the cannon to his interest in his pipe., Text: Mister Artillery, how quickly you fly, / How many poor mortals this day have to die; / With your swab in your fist, and your cannon well rammed, / And your pipe with tobacco profusedly crammed. / Just fly from my presence, and that very quickly, / The sight of your face makes a person feel sickly., "526", Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
