Anti-Copperhead Pro-Soldier Brass Stencil
S. C. Sumner, Likely Boston
Circa 1864 - 19 x 4½ inches
 
A rare brass stencil bearing the patriotic slogan, "God bless the Soldiers and confound the Copperheads," produced during the American Civil War. Intended for repeatedly marking banners, placards, or other campaign materials, the stencil reflects the fierce political divisions of the wartime North, where "Copperhead" became the widely used pejorative for Northern Democrats who opposed Lincoln's administration and advocated a negotiated peace with the Confederacy. The maker's stamp, "S. C. Sumner, 13 Water St.," appears along the upper edge.
 
Condition: Fine, with several bends, rippling, and three vertical fold lines consistent with use and storage. A scarce survival of Civil War political campaign material.