VOL. VI/NO. 300. 16pp.  This fascinating issue appeared ten days after the Battle of Antietam—soon enough to include details of the prelude of the battle, but not its conclusion. In lieu of definitive news from Sharpsburg, the cover page lithographs feature the city of Cincinnati and of volunteers crossing the Ohio River to Covington, KY, which had been threatened in early September by approach of a rebel force under Gen. Kirby Smith. Pages 612-614, however, provide a map of the Maryland campaign area, as well as two striking lithos of rebel infantry crossing the Potomac and the First Virginia Cavalry on the  march north, Drawn by artist A.R. Waud while detained among the rebels. Pages 620 and 621 offer two more full pages showing the rebels passing through Frederick, MD, and occupying Hagerstown, MD. 

More striking is a double page center-piece depicting  of “A Rebel Guerrilla Raid In A Western Town” by famed graphic artist Thomas Nast. This gruesome litho draws attention to the guerrilla raids of John Morgan—“the highwayman of Kentucky”—and William C. Quantrill in Kansas and Missouri. 

Editorially, the newspaper addresses address the question of the abolition of slavery---[very probably because the Emancipation Proclamation [effective  Jan. 1, 1863] had been publicly announced on Sept. 22]. While doing so, strikes a stance  by and large supportive of Lincoln’s Proclamation. To wit:  

“But this is not a war for the abolition of slavery is it?” No; and the assertion that any considerable party urges it for that purpose is false…The object of the war is to restore the union… to maintain the government.”  Therefore, “the only question for a man who looks solely at the salvation of the Government is, Does slavery help the rebellion? If not,  he will not urge emancipation. If it does he will insist that to help save the Union the slaves shall be freed. Then, if some foolish fellow says, “you can’t do it,” we shall tell him we will.’ 

This paper exhibits  very slight yellowing and a chipped lower left corner. Else VG plus, and attractive. Great content w/superb lithographs.