6th Regiment, Inf. Massachusetts, V.M., from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This chromolithograph, part of a series of cards issued by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes, depicts a member of the 6th Regiment, Infantry, Massachusetts Volunteer Militia. The card, printed in 1888, showcases the soldier in full uniform, including a kepi hat, a double-breasted frock coat, and trousers with a distinctive stripe down the outside seams. The detail of the uniform and the soldier’s proud stance are evocative of the era's military pride and patriotism. The card, now part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a valuable artifact for understanding the social and cultural history of 19th-century America.