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Horatio Gates
Horatio Lloyd Gates (July 26, 1727 – April 10, 1806) was a British-born army officer, who served in the British Army and as a general in the Continental Army during the early years of the American War for Independence. He took credit for the American victory in the Battles of Saratoga (1777), matters of contemporary and historical controversy, and was blamed for the disastrous defeat by the British at the Battle of Camden, South Carolina in 1780. Gates has been described as "one of the Revolution's most controversial military figures"[citation needed] because of his role in the Conway Cabal, which attempted to discredit and replace General George Washington as commander in chief; the battle at Saratoga; and his actions before, during, and after his defeat at Camden.
Born in the town of Maldon in Essex, England, Gates served in the British Army during the War of the Austrian Succession and the French and Indian War. Frustrated by his inability to advance in the army, Gates sold his commission and established a small plantation in Virginia. On Washington's recommendation, the Continental Congress made Gates the Adjutant General of the Continental Army in 1775. He was assigned command of Fort Ticonderoga in 1776 and command of the Northern Department in 1777. Shortly after Gates took charge of the Northern Department, the Continental Army defeated the British at the crucial Battles of Saratoga. After the battles, some members of Congress considered replacing Washington with Gates, but Washington ultimately retained his position as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.
Gates took command of the Southern Department in 1780, but was removed from command later that year after the disastrous American defeat at Camden. Gates's military reputation was destroyed by the battle, and he did not hold another command for the remainder of the war. Gates retired to his Virginia estate after the war, but eventually decided to free his slaves and move to New York. He was elected to a single term in the New York State Legislature and died in 1806.
Horatio Gates was born on July 26, 1727, in Maldon, in the English county of Essex. His parents (of record) were Robert and Dorothea Gates. Evidence suggests that Dorothea was the granddaughter of John Hubbock Sr. (died 1692), postmaster at Fulham, and the daughter of John Hubbock Jr., listed in 1687 sources as a vintner. She had a prior marriage, to Thomas Reeve, whose family was well situated in the royal Customs service. Dorothea Reeve was housekeeper for the second Duke of Leeds, Peregrine Osborne (died June 25, 1729), which in the social context of England at the time was a patronage plum. Marriage into the Reeve family opened the way for Robert Gates to get into and then up through the Customs service. So too, Dorothea Gates's appointment circa 1729 to housekeeper for the third Duke of Bolton provided Horatio Gates with otherwise off-bounds opportunities for education and social advancement. Through Dorothea Gates's associations and energetic networking, young Horace Walpole was enlisted as Horatio's godfather and namesake.
In 1745, Horatio Gates obtained a military commission with financial help from his parents and political support from the Duke of Bolton. Gates served with the 20th Foot in Germany during the War of the Austrian Succession. He arrived in the newly founded port town of Halifax, Nova Scotia under Edward Cornwallis and was later promoted to captain in the 45th Foot, under the command of Hugh Warburton the following year. He participated in several engagements against the Mi'kmaq and Acadians, particularly the Battle at Chignecto in September 1750. He married the daughter of Erasmus James Philipps, Elizabeth, at St. Paul's Church (Halifax) in 1754. Leaving Nova Scotia, he sold his commission in 1754 and purchased a captaincy in one of the New York Independent Companies. One of his mentors in his early years was Edward Cornwallis, the uncle of Charles Cornwallis, against whom the Americans would later fight and defeated, effectively ending the War for Independence. Gates served under Cornwallis when the latter was governor of Nova Scotia, and also developed a friendship with the lieutenant governor, Robert Monckton.
During the French and Indian War, the North American theater of the Seven Years' War, Gates served General Edward Braddock in America. In 1755, he accompanied the ill-fated Braddock Expedition in its attempt to control access to the Ohio Valley. This force included other future Revolutionary War leaders such as Thomas Gage, Charles Lee, Daniel Morgan, and George Washington. Gates did not see significant combat, since he was severely injured early in the action. His experience in the early years of the war was limited to commanding small companies, but he apparently became quite good at military administration. In 1759, he was made brigade major to Brigadier General John Stanwix, a position he continued when General Robert Monckton took over Stanwix's command in 1760. Gates served under Monckton in the capture of Martinique in 1762, although he saw little combat. Monckton bestowed on him the honor of bringing news of the success to England, which brought him a promotion to major. The end of the war, however, also brought an end to Gates's prospects for advancement, since much of the army was demobilized and he did not have the financial wherewithal to purchase commissions for higher ranks.
In November 1755, Gates married Elizabeth Phillips and had a son, Robert, in 1758. Gates's military career stalled, as advancement in the British army required money or influence. Frustrated by the British class hierarchy, he sold his major's commission in 1769 and came to North America. In 1772, he re-established contact with prominent Virginian George Washington and purchased a modest plantation and enslaved workers in Virginia the following year.[citation needed]
In late May 1775 when the word reached Gates of the April outbreak of war, he rushed to Mount Vernon and offered his services to Washington. In June, the Continental Congress began organizing the Continental Army. In accepting command, Washington urged the appointment of Gates as adjutant of the army. On June 17, 1775, Congress commissioned Gates as a brigadier general and adjutant general of the Continental Army. He is considered to be the first Adjutant General of the United States Army.
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Horatio Gates
Horatio Lloyd Gates (July 26, 1727 – April 10, 1806) was a British-born army officer, who served in the British Army and as a general in the Continental Army during the early years of the American War for Independence. He took credit for the American victory in the Battles of Saratoga (1777), matters of contemporary and historical controversy, and was blamed for the disastrous defeat by the British at the Battle of Camden, South Carolina in 1780. Gates has been described as "one of the Revolution's most controversial military figures"[citation needed] because of his role in the Conway Cabal, which attempted to discredit and replace General George Washington as commander in chief; the battle at Saratoga; and his actions before, during, and after his defeat at Camden.
Born in the town of Maldon in Essex, England, Gates served in the British Army during the War of the Austrian Succession and the French and Indian War. Frustrated by his inability to advance in the army, Gates sold his commission and established a small plantation in Virginia. On Washington's recommendation, the Continental Congress made Gates the Adjutant General of the Continental Army in 1775. He was assigned command of Fort Ticonderoga in 1776 and command of the Northern Department in 1777. Shortly after Gates took charge of the Northern Department, the Continental Army defeated the British at the crucial Battles of Saratoga. After the battles, some members of Congress considered replacing Washington with Gates, but Washington ultimately retained his position as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.
Gates took command of the Southern Department in 1780, but was removed from command later that year after the disastrous American defeat at Camden. Gates's military reputation was destroyed by the battle, and he did not hold another command for the remainder of the war. Gates retired to his Virginia estate after the war, but eventually decided to free his slaves and move to New York. He was elected to a single term in the New York State Legislature and died in 1806.
Horatio Gates was born on July 26, 1727, in Maldon, in the English county of Essex. His parents (of record) were Robert and Dorothea Gates. Evidence suggests that Dorothea was the granddaughter of John Hubbock Sr. (died 1692), postmaster at Fulham, and the daughter of John Hubbock Jr., listed in 1687 sources as a vintner. She had a prior marriage, to Thomas Reeve, whose family was well situated in the royal Customs service. Dorothea Reeve was housekeeper for the second Duke of Leeds, Peregrine Osborne (died June 25, 1729), which in the social context of England at the time was a patronage plum. Marriage into the Reeve family opened the way for Robert Gates to get into and then up through the Customs service. So too, Dorothea Gates's appointment circa 1729 to housekeeper for the third Duke of Bolton provided Horatio Gates with otherwise off-bounds opportunities for education and social advancement. Through Dorothea Gates's associations and energetic networking, young Horace Walpole was enlisted as Horatio's godfather and namesake.
In 1745, Horatio Gates obtained a military commission with financial help from his parents and political support from the Duke of Bolton. Gates served with the 20th Foot in Germany during the War of the Austrian Succession. He arrived in the newly founded port town of Halifax, Nova Scotia under Edward Cornwallis and was later promoted to captain in the 45th Foot, under the command of Hugh Warburton the following year. He participated in several engagements against the Mi'kmaq and Acadians, particularly the Battle at Chignecto in September 1750. He married the daughter of Erasmus James Philipps, Elizabeth, at St. Paul's Church (Halifax) in 1754. Leaving Nova Scotia, he sold his commission in 1754 and purchased a captaincy in one of the New York Independent Companies. One of his mentors in his early years was Edward Cornwallis, the uncle of Charles Cornwallis, against whom the Americans would later fight and defeated, effectively ending the War for Independence. Gates served under Cornwallis when the latter was governor of Nova Scotia, and also developed a friendship with the lieutenant governor, Robert Monckton.
During the French and Indian War, the North American theater of the Seven Years' War, Gates served General Edward Braddock in America. In 1755, he accompanied the ill-fated Braddock Expedition in its attempt to control access to the Ohio Valley. This force included other future Revolutionary War leaders such as Thomas Gage, Charles Lee, Daniel Morgan, and George Washington. Gates did not see significant combat, since he was severely injured early in the action. His experience in the early years of the war was limited to commanding small companies, but he apparently became quite good at military administration. In 1759, he was made brigade major to Brigadier General John Stanwix, a position he continued when General Robert Monckton took over Stanwix's command in 1760. Gates served under Monckton in the capture of Martinique in 1762, although he saw little combat. Monckton bestowed on him the honor of bringing news of the success to England, which brought him a promotion to major. The end of the war, however, also brought an end to Gates's prospects for advancement, since much of the army was demobilized and he did not have the financial wherewithal to purchase commissions for higher ranks.
In November 1755, Gates married Elizabeth Phillips and had a son, Robert, in 1758. Gates's military career stalled, as advancement in the British army required money or influence. Frustrated by the British class hierarchy, he sold his major's commission in 1769 and came to North America. In 1772, he re-established contact with prominent Virginian George Washington and purchased a modest plantation and enslaved workers in Virginia the following year.[citation needed]
In late May 1775 when the word reached Gates of the April outbreak of war, he rushed to Mount Vernon and offered his services to Washington. In June, the Continental Congress began organizing the Continental Army. In accepting command, Washington urged the appointment of Gates as adjutant of the army. On June 17, 1775, Congress commissioned Gates as a brigadier general and adjutant general of the Continental Army. He is considered to be the first Adjutant General of the United States Army.
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