New London Encampment of the War of 1812

This scene, identified as a “New London Encampment of the War of 1812,” was painted in oil on a mirror by an unknown artist in 1815. It depicts militiamen in their tidy uniforms relaxing, lounging, and smoking, suggesting a summer outing rather than a military encampment. In actuality, Connecticut militiamen stationed in Groton and New London commonly endured miserable food, leaky tents, and inadequate arms and equipment. (Lyman Allyn Art Museum, 1971.312)