Much ado about nothing or a militia court-martial!!

A satire on the pretensions and general decadence of the American local militia during the Jacksonian era. A man on a witness stand (far left) is questioned by a court-martial. Several officers sit around a table, some talking, others dozing. On the wall behind the table is a large clock, and a shelf holding gigantic military hats and a large sword inscribed with the motto "Ducit Amor Patriae" ("Guided by patriotism"). At the far right two black men converse: "Cuff who dat fat ossifer?" "I don't know percicely--but I guess it mus be Col Pluck or some sich great man." The fat officer to whom they refer sits in a chair at left with a list of witnesses. In his back pocket is a pamphlet "Trial of Col. Pluck." Two of his fellow officers question the defendant: "Colonel you will please to tell this honourable Court what you know of this business." "In the first place then I would tell this Honourable court that I'm no Col.--I was a Col. but when the Militia got so low as to injure me in my profession I resigned." "What is your profession?" "A self-taught "gentleman--"When I was quite a boy I showed considerable genius for this profession & have followed nothing else for six or seven years past." A dozing officer at the table remarks, "He had ought to be rammed into a six pounder & picked out at the touch hole." Another, sitting directly below the inscribed sword, says, "Two dollar a day besides the honour isn't so bad! but the plage of it is, it wont last more than six months." Another complains, ""I've got such a cold in my head that my nose seems inclined to run away. If it is not at hand when I want to blow it I'll have it tried by a "court martial." On the far right a man comments, "Poor young man! so much has been said in his favour that they may do nothing more than shoot him. But I fear the worst & hope he is prepared to hear the awful--the overwhelming sentence "Deserving the Censure of This Honourable Court" with a soldier-like fortitude."
Drawn by David Claypoole Johnston.
Published by Kimball, 72 Washington St. Boston.
Title appears as it is written on the item.
Weitenkampf and Malcolm Johnson date the print tentatively 1835. Its similarity to "Antimasonic Convention in Valdimor" (no. 1832-1), however, and the reference to Colonel Pluck (see no. 1825-2) suggest an earlier date.
Johnson, no. 148.
Weitenkampf, p. 39.
Purchase (Caroline and Erwin Swann Memorial Fund); John Carbonell; 1986 (DLC/PP-1986:R01).
Forms part of: American cartoon print filing series (Library of Congress)
Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1832-3.