Officer, Gatling Battery, New York State Militia, from the Military Series (N224) issued by Kinney Tobacco Company to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes 1888

This is a promotional trading card from the Military Series, created by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company to advertise Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. These cards were enormously popular at the end of the 19th century. At first glance, this card might seem like a simple celebration of military prowess. But it's important to remember that this image emerged in a very specific historical and cultural context. It was a time of growing American imperialism, as well as increased industrialization and urbanization. The figure depicted is an officer of the New York State Militia, complete with a Gatling Battery, one of the first machine guns. There’s a tension here, isn’t there, between the promise of technological advancement and the realities of military force? The card participates in a visual culture that both glorifies and perhaps obscures the human cost of war and, in turn, the unequal distribution of its burdens. As you look at this image, consider the ways in which it reflects the complex relationship between commerce, militarism, and American identity at the time.