Description
Seldom seen carte view of Martin Van Buren Bates. Known as the “Kentucky Giant”. Martin measured an astounding seven foot, nine inches and weighed in at a whopping 500 pounds! A Kentucky native, when the Civil War began, Bates sided with the Confederacy and mustered as a private with the 5th Kentucky Infantry. Martin would serve with distinction as an infantryman, earning Bates several promotions, including a promotion to lieutenant with “A” Company of the Virginia State Line Troops in 1863. Eventually, this command merged into the Seventh Confederate Cavalry with Bates receiving a promotion to the rank of captain, which he held until the war’s end. A man of Martin’s size makes for a very large target and he would be severely wounded in the Cumberland Gap area, effectively leading to his capture and later imprisonment at Camp Chase in Ohio. Bates remained a captive until the war’s end. Following the end of the war, many found his immense proportions to be an object of wonder. Seeking to capitalize om his size, Bates joined P. T. Barnum’s Circus in July of 1865 enrolling himself as one of Barnum’s “curiosities”. He would travel with the circus all over the United States and Canada for the next five years. This view dates to his time working for Barnum’s. He is shown here dressed in his military costume and showcasing his immense size as he dwarfs to average size individuals who stare up at the giant in amazement. I have seen a couple different poses from this sitting, all of which have been signed on the reverse by Martin as is this example.
