8th Regiment, Inf., Massachusetts, V.M., from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This is a trade card for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes, made by Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company sometime between 1869 and 2011. Part of a series of military figures, the card depicts a man in uniform identified as belonging to the 8th Regiment, Infantry, Massachusetts. These cards existed in a time of reconstruction, national division, and colonial expansion. Tobacco cards were tools used by the tobacco industry to market to a wide consumer base, appealing to both patriotic sentiments, and imperialist desires. The image presents a romanticized version of military service, obscuring the complex realities of war, and its impact on diverse communities. Consider the legacy of conflict and conquest embedded in this seemingly benign image. What kind of social narratives are sold through this medium, and what kind of people are buying it? The card is small, but it reflects big societal issues and the emotional connections people form with ideas of nationhood and military strength.