An enormous snake, so coiled as to make three circles; from its mouth protrudes a forked fang and a label inscribed:
"two british armies i have thus burgoyn'd,
and room for more i've got behind. "
inside two of the circles are solid squares of british soldiers, while british flags lie on the ground. They represent the armies of burgoyne and cornwallis which had been forced to surrender. The last coil, nearest the tail, is empty; on the top of the tail which rears in the air a placard is hung, inscribed "an apartment to lett for military gentlemen". Beneath the design is engraved:
"britons within the yankean plains,
[mind?] [multilated] how ye march & trench,
the serpent in the congress reigns,
as well as in the french. "
in the foreground are stones and foliage, the background is a mountainous landscape. The snake emblem [a disjointed snake had been designed by franklin in 1754 for the 'pennsylvania gazette', and was frequently used in other colonial newspapers from ten to twenty years later, with the legend "unite or die". After the first congress in 1774 this was superseded by a living snake encircling a tree or staff of liberty which is supported by the arms of the twelve colonies represented at philadelphia with the legend "united now alive and free. . " this headed the 'new york journal or the 'general advertiser' of 15 dec. 1774. Reproduction, halsey, 'the boston port bill', p. 125; see also pp. 3, 270. ] had been chosen by the americans and used as a device on their flag before the adoption of the stars and stripes, see bmsat 5330, 5401, 6004, 6039, &c. Reproduced, drepperd, 'early american prints', p. 209. 12 april 1782
etching. Date: 1782. Dimensions: Height: 240 mm; Width: 324 mm. Medium: paper. Depicted People: John Burgoyne. Collection: British Museum. The American rattle snake. (BM 1868,0808.4824)
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