Top of page

Notice
Wednesday, January 28, 2026: Due to inclement weather, The Library will open the reading rooms to researchers at 9:30 AM following the one (1) hour delayed arrival for staff.

Photo, Print, Drawing Storming the castle. "Old Abe" on guard

More Resources

[ b&w film copy neg. ]

About this Item

Title

  • Storming the castle. "Old Abe" on guard

Summary

  • During the 1860 election campaign the "Wide Awakes," a marching club composed of young Republican men, appeared in cities throughout the North. (See no. 1860-14.) They often wore uniforms consisting of visored caps and short capes, and carried lanterns. Here Republican presidential candidate Abraham Lincoln (left) is dressed as a "Wide-Awake," and carries a lantern and a spear-like wooden rail. He rounds the corner of the White House foiling the attempts of three other candidates to enter surreptitiously. At far right incumbent James Buchanan tries to haul John C. Breckinridge in through the window. Buchanan complains, "I'll do what I can to help you Breck, but my strength is failing and I'm afraid you'll pull me out before I can pull you in." Breckinridge despairs, ". . . I'm too weak to get up--and we shall be compelled to dissolve the Union.'" His words reflect his and Buchanan's supposed alliance with secessionist interests of the South. In the center Democrat Stephen A. Douglas tries to unlock the White House door, as Constitutional Union party candidate John Bell frets, "Hurry up Douglas! and get the door open, so that I can get in, for the watchman [i.e., Lincoln] is coming." Douglas complains that none of the three keys he holds (labeled "Regular Nomination," "Non Intervention," and "Nebraska Bill") will open the door, ". . . so I'd better be off, for old Abe is after me with a sharp stick."

Names

  • Currier & Ives.
  • Maurer, Louis, 1832-1932, artist

Created / Published

  • [New York : Currier & Ives], c1860.

Headings

  • -  Bell, John, as presidential candidate
  • -  Breckenridge, John C
  • -  Buchanan, James, his presidency criticized
  • -  Douglas, Stephen Arnold
  • -  Lincoln, Abraham, presidential candidate
  • -  Wide-Awake Club
  • -  White House (pictured)

Format Headings

  • Lithographs--1860-1870.
  • Political cartoons--1860-1870.

Genre

  • Political cartoons--1860-1870
  • Lithographs--1860-1870

Notes

  • -  Title from item.
  • -  Probably drawn by Louis Maurer.
  • -  Currier & Ives : a catalogue raisonné / compiled by Gale Research. Detroit, MI : Gale Research, c1983, no. 6282
  • -  Weitenkampf, p. 124
  • -  Wilson, p. 10-11
  • -  Lorant, p. 242
  • -  Published in: American political prints, 1766-1876 / Bernard F. Reilly. Boston : G.K. Hall, 1991, entry 1860-40.

Medium

  • 1 print on wove paper : lithograph ; image 30 x 42 cm.

Call Number/Physical Location

  • PGA - Currier & Ives--Storming the castle (B size) [P&P]

Repository

  • Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington, D.C. 20540 USA

Digital Id

  • pga 05033 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pga.05033
  • cph 3a14785 //hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3a14785

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2003674583

Reproduction Number

  • LC-DIG-pga-05033 (digital file from original item) LC-USZ62-12420 (b&w film copy neg.)

Rights Advisory

  • No known restrictions on publication.

Online Format

  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress does not own rights to material in its collections. Therefore, it does not license or charge permission fees for use of such material and cannot grant or deny permission to publish or otherwise distribute the material.

Ultimately, it is the researcher's obligation to assess copyright or other use restrictions and obtain permission from third parties when necessary before publishing or otherwise distributing materials found in the Library's collections.

For information about reproducing, publishing, and citing material from this collection, as well as access to the original items, see: American Cartoon Print Filing Series - Rights and Restrictions Information

  • Rights Advisory: No known restrictions on publication.
  • Reproduction Number: LC-DIG-pga-05033 (digital file from original item) LC-USZ62-12420 (b&w film copy neg.)
  • Call Number: PGA - Currier & Ives--Storming the castle (B size) [P&P]
  • Access Advisory: ---

Obtaining Copies

If an image is displaying, you can download it yourself. (Some images display only as thumbnails outside the Library of Congress because of rights considerations, but you have access to larger size images on site.)

Alternatively, you can purchase copies of various types through Library of Congress Duplication Services.

  1. If a digital image is displaying: The qualities of the digital image partially depend on whether it was made from the original or an intermediate such as a copy negative or transparency. If the Reproduction Number field above includes a reproduction number that starts with LC-DIG..., then there is a digital image that was made directly from the original and is of sufficient resolution for most publication purposes.
  2. If there is information listed in the Reproduction Number field above: You can use the reproduction number to purchase a copy from Duplication Services. It will be made from the source listed in the parentheses after the number.

    If only black-and-white ("b&w") sources are listed and you desire a copy showing color or tint (assuming the original has any), you can generally purchase a quality copy of the original in color by citing the Call Number listed above and including the catalog record ("About This Item") with your request.

  3. If there is no information listed in the Reproduction Number field above: You can generally purchase a quality copy through Duplication Services. Cite the Call Number listed above and include the catalog record ("About This Item") with your request.

Price lists, contact information, and order forms are available on the Duplication Services Web site.

Access to Originals

Please use the following steps to determine whether you need to fill out a call slip in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room to view the original item(s). In some cases, a surrogate (substitute image) is available, often in the form of a digital image, a copy print, or microfilm.

  1. Is the item digitized? (A thumbnail (small) image will be visible on the left.)

    • Yes, the item is digitized. Please use the digital image in preference to requesting the original. All images can be viewed at a large size when you are in any reading room at the Library of Congress. In some cases, only thumbnail (small) images are available when you are outside the Library of Congress because the item is rights restricted or has not been evaluated for rights restrictions.
      As a preservation measure, we generally do not serve an original item when a digital image is available. If you have a compelling reason to see the original, consult with a reference librarian. (Sometimes, the original is simply too fragile to serve. For example, glass and film photographic negatives are particularly subject to damage. They are also easier to see online where they are presented as positive images.)
    • No, the item is not digitized. Please go to #2.
  2. Do the Access Advisory or Call Number fields above indicate that a non-digital surrogate exists, such as microfilm or copy prints?

    • Yes, another surrogate exists. Reference staff can direct you to this surrogate.
    • No, another surrogate does not exist. Please go to #3.
  3. If you do not see a thumbnail image or a reference to another surrogate, please fill out a call slip in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room. In many cases, the originals can be served in a few minutes. Other materials require appointments for later the same day or in the future. Reference staff can advise you in both how to fill out a call slip and when the item can be served.

To contact Reference staff in the Prints and Photographs Reading Room, please use our Ask A Librarian service or call the reading room between 8:30 and 5:00 at 202-707-6394, and Press 3.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Currier & Ives, and Louis Maurer. Storming the castle. "Old Abe" on guard. , ca. 1860. [New York: Currier & Ives] Photograph. https://aj.sunback.homes/item/2003674583/.

APA citation style:

Currier & Ives & Maurer, L. (ca. 1860) Storming the castle. "Old Abe" on guard. , ca. 1860. [New York: Currier & Ives] [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://aj.sunback.homes/item/2003674583/.

MLA citation style:

Currier & Ives, and Louis Maurer. Storming the castle. "Old Abe" on guard. [New York: Currier & Ives] Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <aj.sunback.homes/item/2003674583/>.