The Duke Tobacco Company published collectable cards of Union and Confederate generals and admirals during the late 1880s that it included in its cigarette packs. In 1889 it published the cards in an Album of Heroes of the Civil War. Yesterday I posted the Union Heroes collection. This is the Confederate Collection. These trading cards were accompanied by a fold-out short biography of each man.
While the series does not delve into the causes of the Civil War, it does acknowledge a racial aspect. In the biography of Nathan Bedford Forrest he is described as a man who entered the respectable classes as a “trader in slaves.” It also mentions the Fort Pillow Massacre saying that “no quarter” was given to “colored troops,” although the Confederates involved in the massacre are described as having fought with “daring bravery” and “ardor.”
You can find the Union “Heroes” here.
Here is a link to the full album including the text of the short biographies that were part of the trading cards. Please note: The order of the cards does not indicate that one general was considered better than the generals whose cards appear later. I have arranged the cards in an order most convenient for them to appear in the blogging format.
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