George Brinton McClellan, from the Great Generals series (N15) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes Brands 1888

This small card featuring George Brinton McClellan comes from the "Great Generals" series, created by Allen & Ginter Cigarettes. It’s a window into the late 19th century, a time grappling with the aftermath of the Civil War and the construction of national identity. McClellan, a Union general, is depicted here with a composed demeanor, embodying an ideal of leadership that was both celebrated and contested. The commercial context of this image is telling. Cigarette cards like these were hugely popular, reflecting and shaping public opinion. What does it mean to elevate military figures to the status of collectible icons? These cards circulated in a society still deeply divided by the legacies of slavery and war. Consider how such images contributed to the mythology of the "Lost Cause" in the South, or reinforced narratives of Northern heroism. It is worth remembering that the images omit the perspectives and experiences of enslaved people. Such absences speak volumes about whose stories were deemed worthy of representation, and whose were not.