Remember the Fourth of July 1865

The picture above appeared in Harper's Weekly July 8,1865 and bears closer examination. Entitled "PEACE-FOURTH OF JULY, 1865", the image contrasts the dark and ominous skies on the left (over what appear to be the soldiers of the Confederacy) with the brighter right side from whose skies angels cast laurel wreaths down upon the heads of what we presume are the victorious Union troops. Notice in the skies of the left side of the image, the shadowy hooded figure carrying a torch. Could this be the angel of death? Or, is this an ominous prophetic vision of the K.K.K.? If you look closely at the smoke coming from the torch, you see that the smoke cloud has two projections that look suspiciously like devil's horns. Returning to the right hand side portraying what I believe represent the Union soldiers, look at the man in the foreground grasping the horns of the steer. This man appears to be stealing cattle, so the artist is displaying some historical accuracy in this small respect. After Union troops had passed through the South, and victory was lost, the people of the South were left with precious little livestock for food or for plowing because of such thievery. And what about the other soldier holding the thresher in one hand and the woman in the other? I get this uncomfortable feeling that more things were being taken than cattle and sheaves. Perhaps the artist was making comments that could not be said out loud. Perhaps the artist had Southern sympathies and he might be represented by the lone Confederate soldier leaving the scene in the lower left.

After seeing this picture, I think I shall never hear this song without thinking of "Peace-Fourth of July, 1865.",

Sowing in the morning, sowing seeds of kindness,
Sowing in the noontide and the dewy eve;
Waiting for the harvest, and the time of reaping,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Refrain:
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves,

Sowing in the sunshine, sowing in the shadows,
Fearing neither clouds nor winter’s chilling breeze;
By and by the harvest, and the labor ended,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Refrain

Going forth with weeping, sowing for the Master,
Though the loss sustained our spirit often grieves;
When our weeping’s over, He will bid us welcome,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.

Refrain

1874 by Knowles Shaw, from Psalm 126:

1 When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.

3 The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

4 Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.

5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Verses 4-5 might have given comfort to the vicitms of Reconstruction, or am I off course?