Christmas in the American Civil War: Difference between revisions

[[Thomas Nast]], who used his editorial cartoons to issue Union propaganda,<ref>Lively, James. '''Propaganda Techniques of Civil War Cartoonists''' ''The Public Opinion Quarterly'', Vol. 6, No. 1 (Spring, 1942)</ref> made several illustrations reflecting the war.

The one for Christmas Eve 1862, which ran in the January 1863 issue of [[Harper's Weekly]] shows a wife on one side praying though a window in one circle, and in another circle shows her husband on the battlefield, also in prayer.<ref>[http://www.sonofthesouth.net/Civil_War_Christmas.htm Thomas Nast's Original "Civil War Christmas" Print] Sonofthesouth.net</ref> The same issue's cover started how Santa Claus would be perceived by future Americans, as a white-bearded Santa hands such gifts as socks to Union soldiers, while also holding a [[Jefferson Davis]] dancing puppet with a rope tied around its neck to imply his execution.<ref>[http://www.sonofthesouth.net/Original_Santa_Claus_.htm Thomas Nast's Original Civil War "Santa Claus In Camp" Print] Sonofthesouth.net</ref> The Christmas 1863 issue showed the couple back together.<ref>[http://www.historynet.com/christmas-in-the-civil-war-december-1998-civil-war-times-feature.htm/2 Christmas in the Civil War] Historynet.com</ref>

[[File:Thomas Nast illustration of Abraham Lincoln welcoming Confederates to Christmas dinner, Christmas 1864.jpg|thumb|left|Lincoln welcomes Confederate soldiers (Nast, 1864)]]

The Nast Christmas cartoon for 1864 was a more conciliatory piece, showing Lincoln inviting Confederate soldiers into a warm lodge hall full of merriment.<ref>[http://www.sonofthesouth.net/nast_Union_Christmas.htm Thomas Nast's Original "The Union Christmas" Civil War Print] Sonofthesouth.net</ref> Lincoln called Nast's use of Santa Claus "the best recruiting sergeant the North ever had".<ref name="oha.alexandriava.gov"/>

Nast was not the only one to use Christmas as a propaganda tool. On the Union side, ''[[The New York Herald]]'' also engaged in propaganda. One illustration published in the paper included [[Santa Claus]] fuming that he could not reach southern children, due to the northern blockade.<ref name="Marten p.120"/> On the Confederate side, ''The Richmond Examiner'' described Santa to its young readers as "a [[Dutch (ethnic group)|Dutch]] toy monger" who was a New York/New England "scrub" and Hottentot that had nothing to do with traditional [[Virginia]]n celebrations of Christmas.<ref name="Marten p.120"/>

Even through the war was over, Nast had a drawing in the Christmas 1865 issue of Harper's Weekly depicting the heads of several Confederate generals at [[Ulysses S. Grant]]'s feet in an image that centered on Santa.<ref>[http://www.historynet.com/christmas-in-the-civil-war-december-1998-civil-war-times-feature.htm/5 Christmas in the Civil War] Historynet.com</ref> After the war Nast purposely made the [[North Pole]] the home of Saint Nick so that no one else could use him for nationalistic propaganda like Nast himself did.<ref>[http://www.historynet.com/christmas-in-the-civil-war-december-1998-civil-war-times-feature.htm Christmas in the Civil War] Historynet.com</ref>