"Give Me Your Hand, Comrade," April 22, 1865

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Courtesy of Library of Congress, "A man knows a man 'Give me your hand, comrade! We have each lost a leg for a good cause; but, thank God, we never lost heart'," 22 April 1865

Description

Appearing April 22, 1865, only two weeks after Robert E. Lee's surrender at Appomattox, this illustration shows two Union veterans, one white and one African American, shaking hands. Both soldiers have had a leg amputated. Below the illustration, the caption reads, "A Man Knows a Man." One veteran is saying to the other, "Give me your hand, comrade! We have each lost a leg for the good cause; but, thank God, we never lost heart."

Printable Excerpt of "Give Me Your Hand, Comrade"

Source-Dependent Questions

• Explain the author’s purpose in creating this image. How did he attempt to achieve it?
• What was the significance of the illustrator’s choice to use the words "MAN" and "Comrade?"
• What might the equal sacrifice on the part of the African-American soldier depicted have revealed about the illustrator’s preferred treatment for all African Americans after the war?

Citation Information 

"A man knows a man 'Give me your hand, comrade! We have each lost a leg for a good cause; but, thank God, we never lost heart'," 22 April 1865. Courtesy of Library of Congress