Officer, Vicksburg, Southrons, Mississippi Militia, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This small chromolithograph was produced by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company as a promotional card for Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. The card depicts a Confederate officer, his dress uniform complete with a tall fur hat and a saber, referencing the Mississippi Militia. Made in the decades after the American Civil War, the card romanticizes the Confederacy through its representation of a distinguished southern officer. This imagery speaks to the rise of the ‘Lost Cause’ mythology in the late 19th century, which sought to sanitize the history of the Confederacy and downplay the role of slavery in the Civil War. Tobacco companies played a significant role in shaping cultural memory through these kinds of collectible cards. Sold alongside products like cigarettes, cards depicting military figures or historical scenes helped construct a vision of national identity deeply rooted in historical interpretation. Understanding this card requires a deep dive into the social and economic conditions of the post-Civil War South. By researching the archives of tobacco companies, the history of advertising, and the cultural history of the ‘Lost Cause,’ we can better understand the production and reception of such imagery.