Supplementary -militia, turning out for twenty-days amusement; "The French invade us, hay?-- damme who'se afraid?"

Led by a hefty butcher carrying a flag, the British Supplementary Militia marches under the sign of St. George defeating the dragon. An old campaigner, missing an eye and without legs, cheerfully beats a drum and urges the group onwards. Among the members of the ragged troops, Gillray has included a barber, a tailor, a painter in the Royal Academy of Arts, a brick layer and a cobbler in the front row. Margaret George has identified the depicted artist as Hoppner, who in life was attractive and successful at his trade. Led by a hefty butcher carrying a flag, the British Supplementary Militia marches under the sign of St. George defeating the dragon. An old campaigner, missing an eye and without legs, cheerfully beats a drum and urges the group onwards. Among the members of the ragged troops, Gillray has included a barber, a tailor, a painter in the Royal Academy of Arts, a brick layer and a cobbler in the front row. Margaret George has identified the depicted artist as Hoppner, who in life was attractive and successful at his trade. Published by Hannah Humphrey, 1796-11-25. British Museum, BM 8840. This image is not listed in Broadley. According to George, the print refers to William Pitt's proposal of October, 18, 1796. Pitt proposed that provisions be made for a supplementary militia of 60,000 men, one sixth of which to be in training in successive twenty day periods. Caption: Pubd Novr 25, 1796. by H. Humphrey New Bond Street