Horatio Gates
Encyclopedia
Horatio Lloyd Gates was a retired British
soldier who served as an American
general
during the Revolutionary War
. He took credit for the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga
– Benedict Arnold
, who led the attack, was finally forced from the field when he was shot in the leg – and was blamed for the defeat at the Battle of Camden
. Historian George Bilias describes Gates as one of "the Revolution's most controversial military figures" due to his role in the Conway Cabal
which attempted to discredit and replace George Washington
through a whispering campaign, the ongoing historical debate over who should receive credit for the victory at Saratoga, and Gates' actions after the defeat at Camden.
, and later was promoted to captain in the 45th Foot in 1750. He sold his commission in 1754 and purchased a captaincy in the New York
provincial troops. One of his mentors in his early years was Edward Cornwallis
, the uncle of Charles Cornwallis
, against whom the Americans would later fight. Gates served under Cornwallis when the latter was governor of Nova Scotia
, and also developed a relationship with the lieutenant governor, Robert Monckton
.
, 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 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 honour of bringing news of the success to England, which brought him a promotion to major. The end of the war also brought an end to Gates' prospects for advancement, as the army was demobilised and he did not have the financial wherewithal to purchase commissions for higher ranks.
In October 1754, Gates married Elizabeth Phillips and had a son, Robert, in 1758. Gates' 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 reestablished contact with George Washington, and purchased a modest plantation
in Virginia
the following year.
in late May 1775, 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
.
Gates' previous wartime service in administrative posts was invaluable to the fledgling army, since he and Charles Lee
were the only men with significant experience in the British regular army. As adjutant Horatio Gates created the army's system of records and orders, and helped with the standardization of regiments from the various colonies. During the siege of Boston
he was a voice of caution, speaking in war councils against what he saw as overly risky actions.
Although his administrative skills were valuable, Gates longed for a field command. By June 1776, he had been promoted to Major General
and given command of the Canadian Department
to replace John Sullivan
. This unit of the army was then in a disorganized retreat from Quebec following the arrival of British reinforcements at Quebec City
. Furthermore, disease, especially smallpox
, had taken a significant toll on the ranks, which also suffered from poor morale and dissension over pay and conditions. The retreat from Quebec to Fort Ticonderoga
also brought him into a power struggle with Major General Philip Schuyler
, commander of the army's Northern Department, which had jurisdiction over Ticonderoga. During the summer of 1776 this struggle was resolved with Schuyler being given command of the department as a whole, while Gates had command of Ticonderoga and the defense of Lake Champlain
.
Gates spent the summer of 1776 overseeing the enlargement of the American fleet that would be needed to prevent the British from taking control of Lake Champlain. Much of this work eventually fell to Benedict Arnold
, who had been with the army during its retreat, and was also an experienced seaman. Gates rewarded the alacrity with which Arnold attacked the problem by giving him command of the fleet when it sailed to meet the British. The American fleet was defeated in the October 1776 Battle of Valcour Island
, although the defense of the lake was sufficient to delay a British advance against Ticonderoga until 1777.
, where it had retreated after the fall of New York City
. Though his troops were with Washington at the Battle of Trenton
, Gates was not. Always an advocate of defensive action, Gates argued to Washington that, rather than attack, Washington should retreat further. When Washington dismissed this advice, Gates claimed illness as an excuse not to join the nighttime attack, instead traveling on to Baltimore where the Continental Congress was meeting. Gates had always been of the opinion that he, not Washington, should command the Continental Army, an opinion supported by several rich and prominent New England delegates to the Continental Congress. Gates actively lobbied Congress for the appointment, but Washington's stunning successes at Trenton and Princeton
left no doubt who should be commander-in-chief. Gates was sent back north with orders to assist Schuyler in the Northern Department.
But in 1777, Congress blamed Schuyler and St. Clair
for the loss of Fort Ticonderoga, though Gates had exercised a lengthy command in the region. Congress finally gave Gates command of the Northern Department on August 4.
Gates assumed command of the Northern Department on August 19, and led the army during the defeat of British General Burgoyne's
invasion at the Battle of Saratoga
. While Gates and his supporters sought to place the credit for the victory and Burgoyne's surrender with Gates, the actual military actions were directed by field commanders such as Benedict Arnold
, Enoch Poor
, Benjamin Lincoln
, and Daniel Morgan
. Because of his reluctance to attack the British army directly, Gates was known derisively by Arnold as "Granny Gates." John Stark
's defeat of a sizable British raiding force at the Battle of Bennington
– Stark's forces killed or captured over 900 British soldiers – was also a substantial factor in the victory.
Gates is prominently depicted in the center of the painting of the Surrender of General Burgoyne
at Saratoga by John Trumbull
, which hangs in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. By Congressional resolution a gold medal was presented to Gates to commemorate his victories over the British in the Battles of Bennington
, Fort Stanwix and Saratoga. Gold and bronze replicas of that medal are still awarded by the Adjutant General
's Corps Regimental Association in recognition of outstanding service.
Gates proposed following up Saratoga with an invasion of Canada but the proposal was rejected by Washington.
, a post he took while keeping his field command — an unprecedented conflict of interest. The post technically made Gates Washington's civilian superior, conflicting with his lower military rank. Some members of Congress, supported by military officers who did not like Washington's leadership, at this time briefly considered replacing Washington as commander-in-chief with Gates.
The political maneuverings of Washington's opponents were unintentionally exposed to him by Gates' adjutant, James Wilkinson
. Wilkinson forwarded critical written comments made by General Thomas Conway
in a letter to Gates, to General William Alexander, who passed them on to Washington. Gates (then unaware of Wilkinson's involvement) accused persons unknown of copying his mail, and forwarded Conway's letter to the president of Congress, Henry Laurens
. Washington's supporters in Congress and the army rallied to his side, ending the "Conway Cabal
". Gates apologized to Washington for his role in the affair, resigned from the Board of War, and took an assignment as commander of the Eastern Department in November of 1778.
of Charleston, South Carolina
, and the capture of General Benjamin Lincoln
's southern army reached Congress. They voted to place Gates in command of the Southern Department. He learned of his new command at his home near Shepherdstown, Virginia (now West Virginia
), and headed south to assume command of the remaining Continental forces near the Deep River
in North Carolina
on July 25, 1780.
He led continental forces and militia south, and prepared to face the British forces of Charles Cornwallis
who had advanced to Camden, South Carolina
. In the Battle of Camden
on August 16, Gates' army was routed, with nearly 1,000 men captured, along with the army's baggage train and artillery. Analysis of the debacle suggests that Gates significantly overestimated the capabilities of the inexperienced militia, an error magnified when he lined those forces up against the British right, the traditional position of the strongest troops. He also failed to make proper arrangements for an organized retreat. Gates' only notable accomplishment in the unsuccessful campaign was to cover 170 miles (273.6 km) in three days on horseback, headed north in retreat. His bitter disappointment was compounded by the news of his son Robert's death in combat in October. Nathanael Greene
replaced Gates as commander on December 3, and he returned home to Virginia.
of 1783. Gates may have agreed to involve himself, though this remains unclear.
, Jefferson County, West Virginia
). Gates served as vice president of the Society of the Cincinnati
, the organization of former Continental Army officers, and president of its Virginia chapter, and worked to rebuild his life. He proposed marriage to Janet Montgomery, the widow of General Richard Montgomery
, but she refused. In 1786 he married Mary Valens, a wealthy woman from Liverpool
who had come to the colonies in 1773 with her sister and Rev. Bartholomew Booth
, to operate a boy's boarding school in Maryland
. Booth had been the curate for the "Chapel in the Woods," later to become Saint John's Church
at Hagerstown, Maryland. Gates sold Traveller's Rest in 1790 and freed his slaves at the urging of his friend John Adams
. The aging couple retired to an estate on northern Manhattan Island. His later support for Jefferson's
presidential
candidacy ended his friendship with Adams. Gates and his wife remained active in New York City
society, and he was elected to a single term in the New York State Legislature in 1800. He died on April 10, 1806, and was buried in the Trinity Church graveyard on Wall Street
, though the exact location of his grave is unknown.
, in Manhattan
, New York City
is named in Gates's honor, as is Gates Avenue in Brooklyn, and Gates County, North Carolina
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
soldier who served as an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
during the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. He took credit for the American victory at the Battle of Saratoga
Battle of Saratoga
The Battles of Saratoga conclusively decided the fate of British General John Burgoyne's army in the American War of Independence and are generally regarded as a turning point in the war. The battles were fought eighteen days apart on the same ground, south of Saratoga, New York...
– Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
, who led the attack, was finally forced from the field when he was shot in the leg – and was blamed for the defeat at the Battle of Camden
Battle of Camden
The Battle of Camden was a major victory for the British in the Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War...
. Historian George Bilias describes Gates as one of "the Revolution's most controversial military figures" due to his role in the Conway Cabal
Conway Cabal
The Conway Cabal refers to a series of events in late 1777 and early 1778 suggesting that George Washington be replaced as commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. It was named after Brigadier General Thomas Conway, whose letters criticizing Washington were forwarded...
which attempted to discredit and replace George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
through a whispering campaign, the ongoing historical debate over who should receive credit for the victory at Saratoga, and Gates' actions after the defeat at Camden.
Early career
Horatio Gates was christened on April 30, 1728, in the Parish of St Nicholas, Deptford, Greenwich borough, Kent county. His parents of record were Robert and Dorothea Gates. Evidence suggests that Dorothea was the granddaughter of John Hubbock, Sr. (d. 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 (d. 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 SuccessionWar of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession – including King George's War in North America, the Anglo-Spanish War of Jenkins' Ear, and two of the three Silesian wars – involved most of the powers of Europe over the question of Maria Theresa's succession to the realms of the House of Habsburg.The...
, and later was promoted to captain in the 45th Foot in 1750. He sold his commission in 1754 and purchased a captaincy in the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
provincial troops. One of his mentors in his early years was Edward Cornwallis
Edward Cornwallis
Lieutenant General Edward Cornwallis was a British military officer who founded Halifax, Nova Scotia with 2500 settlers and later served as the Governor of Gibraltar.-Early life:...
, the uncle of Charles Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...
, against whom the Americans would later fight. Gates served under Cornwallis when the latter was governor of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, and also developed a relationship with the lieutenant governor, Robert Monckton
Robert Monckton
Robert Monckton was an officer of the British army and a colonial administrator in British North America. He had a distinguished military and political career, being second in command to General Wolfe at the battle of Quebec and subsequently being the Governor of New York State...
.
Seven Years War
During the French and Indian WarFrench and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, Gates served General Edward Braddock
Edward Braddock
General Edward Braddock was a British soldier and commander-in-chief for the 13 colonies during the actions at the start of the French and Indian War...
in America. In 1755 he accompanied the ill-fated Braddock Expedition
Braddock expedition
The Braddock expedition, also called Braddock's campaign or, more commonly, Braddock's Defeat, was a failed British military expedition which attempted to capture the French Fort Duquesne in the summer of 1755 during the French and Indian War. It was defeated at the Battle of the Monongahela on...
in its attempt to control access to the Ohio Valley
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
. This force included other future Revolutionary War leaders such as Thomas Gage
Thomas Gage
Thomas Gage was a British general, best known for his many years of service in North America, including his role as military commander in the early days of the American War of Independence....
, Charles Lee
Charles Lee (general)
Charles Lee was a British soldier who later served as a General of the Continental Army during the American War of Independence. Lee served in the British army during the Seven Years War. After the war he sold his commission and served for a time in the Polish army of King Stanislaus II...
, Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan was an American pioneer, soldier, and United States Representative from Virginia. One of the most gifted battlefield tacticians of the American Revolutionary War, he later commanded troops during the suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion.-Early years:Most authorities believe that...
, and George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. 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
John Stanwix
John Stanwix was a British soldier and politician.Stanwix entered the army in 1706, rose to a captain of the grenadiers in 1739, major of marines in 1741, and lieutenant-colonel in 1745, and was appointed equerry to Frederick, Prince of Wales, in 1749...
, a position he continued when General Monckton took over Stanwix's command in 1760. Gates served under Monckton in the capture of Martinique
British expedition against Martinique
The British expedition against Martinique was a military action from January to February 1762, as part of the Seven Years' War.- Prelude :...
in 1762, although he saw little combat. Monckton bestowed on him the honour of bringing news of the success to England, which brought him a promotion to major. The end of the war also brought an end to Gates' prospects for advancement, as the army was demobilised and he did not have the financial wherewithal to purchase commissions for higher ranks.
In October 1754, Gates married Elizabeth Phillips and had a son, Robert, in 1758. Gates' 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 reestablished contact with George Washington, and purchased a modest plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
the following year.
American Revolutionary War
When the word reached Gates of the outbreak of warAmerican Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
in late May 1775, he rushed to Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon (plantation)
Mount Vernon, located near Alexandria, Virginia, was the plantation home of the first President of the United States, George Washington. The mansion is built of wood in neoclassical Georgian architectural style, and the estate is located on the banks of the Potomac River.Mount Vernon was designated...
and offered his services to Washington. In June, the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
began organizing the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
. 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
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
and Adjutant General
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
of the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
. He is considered to be the first Adjutant General of the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
.
Gates' previous wartime service in administrative posts was invaluable to the fledgling army, since he and Charles Lee
Charles Lee (general)
Charles Lee was a British soldier who later served as a General of the Continental Army during the American War of Independence. Lee served in the British army during the Seven Years War. After the war he sold his commission and served for a time in the Polish army of King Stanislaus II...
were the only men with significant experience in the British regular army. As adjutant Horatio Gates created the army's system of records and orders, and helped with the standardization of regiments from the various colonies. During the siege of Boston
Siege of Boston
The Siege of Boston was the opening phase of the American Revolutionary War, in which New England militiamen—who later became part of the Continental Army—surrounded the town of Boston, Massachusetts, to prevent movement by the British Army garrisoned within...
he was a voice of caution, speaking in war councils against what he saw as overly risky actions.
Although his administrative skills were valuable, Gates longed for a field command. By June 1776, he had been promoted to Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
and given command of the Canadian Department
Departments of the Continental Army
In the American Revolutionary War units of the Continental Army were assigned to any one of seven regional or territorial departments to decentralize their command and administration. This was necessary because the regiment was the largest permanent unit in the Continental Army...
to replace John Sullivan
John Sullivan
John Sullivan was the third son of Irish immigrants, a United States general in the Revolutionary War, a delegate in the Continental Congress and a United States federal judge....
. This unit of the army was then in a disorganized retreat from Quebec following the arrival of British reinforcements at Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
. Furthermore, disease, especially smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
, had taken a significant toll on the ranks, which also suffered from poor morale and dissension over pay and conditions. The retreat from Quebec to Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga, formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century fort built by the Canadians and the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in upstate New York in the United States...
also brought him into a power struggle with Major General Philip Schuyler
Philip Schuyler
Philip John Schuyler was a general in the American Revolution and a United States Senator from New York. He is usually known as Philip Schuyler, while his son is usually known as Philip J. Schuyler.-Early life:...
, commander of the army's Northern Department, which had jurisdiction over Ticonderoga. During the summer of 1776 this struggle was resolved with Schuyler being given command of the department as a whole, while Gates had command of Ticonderoga and the defense of Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
.
Gates spent the summer of 1776 overseeing the enlargement of the American fleet that would be needed to prevent the British from taking control of Lake Champlain. Much of this work eventually fell to Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
, who had been with the army during its retreat, and was also an experienced seaman. Gates rewarded the alacrity with which Arnold attacked the problem by giving him command of the fleet when it sailed to meet the British. The American fleet was defeated in the October 1776 Battle of Valcour Island
Battle of Valcour Island
The naval Battle of Valcour Island, also known as the Battle of Valcour Bay, took place on October 11, 1776, on Lake Champlain. The main action took place in Valcour Bay, a narrow strait between the New York mainland and Valcour Island...
, although the defense of the lake was sufficient to delay a British advance against Ticonderoga until 1777.
Saratoga
When it was clear that the British were not going to make an attempt on Ticonderoga in 1776, Gates marched some of the army south to join Washington's army in PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, where it had retreated after the fall of New York City
New York and New Jersey campaign
The New York and New Jersey campaign was a series of battles for control of New York City and the state of New Jersey in the American Revolutionary War between British forces under General Sir William Howe and the Continental Army under General George Washington in 1776 and the winter months of 1777...
. Though his troops were with Washington at the Battle of Trenton
Battle of Trenton
The Battle of Trenton took place on December 26, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, after General George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River north of Trenton, New Jersey. The hazardous crossing in adverse weather made it possible for Washington to lead the main body of the...
, Gates was not. Always an advocate of defensive action, Gates argued to Washington that, rather than attack, Washington should retreat further. When Washington dismissed this advice, Gates claimed illness as an excuse not to join the nighttime attack, instead traveling on to Baltimore where the Continental Congress was meeting. Gates had always been of the opinion that he, not Washington, should command the Continental Army, an opinion supported by several rich and prominent New England delegates to the Continental Congress. Gates actively lobbied Congress for the appointment, but Washington's stunning successes at Trenton and Princeton
Battle of Princeton
The Battle of Princeton was a battle in which General George Washington's revolutionary forces defeated British forces near Princeton, New Jersey....
left no doubt who should be commander-in-chief. Gates was sent back north with orders to assist Schuyler in the Northern Department.
But in 1777, Congress blamed Schuyler and St. Clair
Arthur St. Clair
Arthur St. Clair was an American soldier and politician. Born in Scotland, he served in the British Army during the French and Indian War before settling in Pennsylvania, where he held local office...
for the loss of Fort Ticonderoga, though Gates had exercised a lengthy command in the region. Congress finally gave Gates command of the Northern Department on August 4.
John Burgoyne
General John Burgoyne was a British army officer, politician and dramatist. He first saw action during the Seven Years' War when he participated in several battles, mostly notably during the Portugal Campaign of 1762....
invasion at the Battle of Saratoga
Battle of Saratoga
The Battles of Saratoga conclusively decided the fate of British General John Burgoyne's army in the American War of Independence and are generally regarded as a turning point in the war. The battles were fought eighteen days apart on the same ground, south of Saratoga, New York...
. While Gates and his supporters sought to place the credit for the victory and Burgoyne's surrender with Gates, the actual military actions were directed by field commanders such as Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
, Enoch Poor
Enoch Poor
Enoch Poor was a brigadier general in the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. He was a ship builder and merchant from Exeter, New Hampshire.-Biography:...
, Benjamin Lincoln
Benjamin Lincoln
Benjamin Lincoln was an American army officer. He served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
, and Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan
Daniel Morgan was an American pioneer, soldier, and United States Representative from Virginia. One of the most gifted battlefield tacticians of the American Revolutionary War, he later commanded troops during the suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion.-Early years:Most authorities believe that...
. Because of his reluctance to attack the British army directly, Gates was known derisively by Arnold as "Granny Gates." John Stark
John Stark
John Stark was a New Hampshire native who served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolution. He became widely known as the "Hero of Bennington" for his exemplary service at the Battle of Bennington in 1777.-Early life:John Stark was born in Londonderry, New...
's defeat of a sizable British raiding force at the Battle of Bennington
Battle of Bennington
The Battle of Bennington was a battle of the American Revolutionary War that took place on August 16, 1777, in Walloomsac, New York, about from its namesake Bennington, Vermont...
– Stark's forces killed or captured over 900 British soldiers – was also a substantial factor in the victory.
Gates is prominently depicted in the center of the painting of the Surrender of General Burgoyne
Surrender of General Burgoyne
The Surrender of General Burgoyne is an oil painting by John Trumbull. The painting was completed in 1821, and hangs in the rotunda of the United States Capitol in Washington, D. C....
at Saratoga by John Trumbull
John Trumbull
John Trumbull was an American artist during the period of the American Revolutionary War and was notable for his historical paintings...
, which hangs in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda. By Congressional resolution a gold medal was presented to Gates to commemorate his victories over the British in the Battles of Bennington
Battle of Bennington
The Battle of Bennington was a battle of the American Revolutionary War that took place on August 16, 1777, in Walloomsac, New York, about from its namesake Bennington, Vermont...
, Fort Stanwix and Saratoga. Gold and bronze replicas of that medal are still awarded by the Adjutant General
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
's Corps Regimental Association in recognition of outstanding service.
Gates proposed following up Saratoga with an invasion of Canada but the proposal was rejected by Washington.
Conway Cabal
Gates attempted to maximize the political return on the victory, particularly since George Washington was having no present successes with the main army. In fact, Gates insulted Washington by sending reports directly to Congress instead of to Washington, his superior officer. At the behest of Gates' friends and delegates from New England, Congress named Gates to head the Board of WarBoard of War
The Board of War was created by the Second Continental Congress as a special standing committee to oversee the American Continental Army's administration and to make recommendations regarding the army to Congress. On January 24, 1776, Congressional delegate Edward Rutledge, echoing Gen. George...
, a post he took while keeping his field command — an unprecedented conflict of interest. The post technically made Gates Washington's civilian superior, conflicting with his lower military rank. Some members of Congress, supported by military officers who did not like Washington's leadership, at this time briefly considered replacing Washington as commander-in-chief with Gates.
The political maneuverings of Washington's opponents were unintentionally exposed to him by Gates' adjutant, James Wilkinson
James Wilkinson
James Wilkinson was an American soldier and statesman, who was associated with several scandals and controversies. He served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, but was twice compelled to resign...
. Wilkinson forwarded critical written comments made by General Thomas Conway
Thomas Conway
Thomas Conway was a French soldier from Ireland who served as a major general in the American Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He became involved with the alleged Conway Cabal. He later served with Émigré forces during the French Revolutionary War.-Early life:Conway was born...
in a letter to Gates, to General William Alexander, who passed them on to Washington. Gates (then unaware of Wilkinson's involvement) accused persons unknown of copying his mail, and forwarded Conway's letter to the president of Congress, Henry Laurens
Henry Laurens
Henry Laurens was an American merchant and rice planter from South Carolina who became a political leader during the Revolutionary War. A delegate to the Second Continental Congress, Laurens succeeded John Hancock as President of the Congress...
. Washington's supporters in Congress and the army rallied to his side, ending the "Conway Cabal
Conway Cabal
The Conway Cabal refers to a series of events in late 1777 and early 1778 suggesting that George Washington be replaced as commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. It was named after Brigadier General Thomas Conway, whose letters criticizing Washington were forwarded...
". Gates apologized to Washington for his role in the affair, resigned from the Board of War, and took an assignment as commander of the Eastern Department in November of 1778.
Camden
In May of 1780, news of the fallSiege of Charleston
The Siege of Charleston was one of the major battles which took place towards the end of the American Revolutionary War, after the British began to shift their strategic focus towards the American Southern Colonies. After about six weeks of siege, Continental Army Major General Benjamin Lincoln...
of Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, and the capture of General Benjamin Lincoln
Benjamin Lincoln
Benjamin Lincoln was an American army officer. He served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
's southern army reached Congress. They voted to place Gates in command of the Southern Department. He learned of his new command at his home near Shepherdstown, Virginia (now West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
), and headed south to assume command of the remaining Continental forces near the Deep River
Deep River (North Carolina)
The Deep River is a tributary of the Cape Fear River, approximately 125 miles long, in north central North Carolina in the United States.- Course :...
in North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
on July 25, 1780.
He led continental forces and militia south, and prepared to face the British forces of Charles Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...
who had advanced to Camden, South Carolina
Camden, South Carolina
Camden is the fourth oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and is also the county seat of Kershaw County, South Carolina, United States. The population was an estimated 7,103 in 2009...
. In the Battle of Camden
Battle of Camden
The Battle of Camden was a major victory for the British in the Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War...
on August 16, Gates' army was routed, with nearly 1,000 men captured, along with the army's baggage train and artillery. Analysis of the debacle suggests that Gates significantly overestimated the capabilities of the inexperienced militia, an error magnified when he lined those forces up against the British right, the traditional position of the strongest troops. He also failed to make proper arrangements for an organized retreat. Gates' only notable accomplishment in the unsuccessful campaign was to cover 170 miles (273.6 km) in three days on horseback, headed north in retreat. His bitter disappointment was compounded by the news of his son Robert's death in combat in October. Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. When the war began, Greene was a militia private, the lowest rank possible; he emerged from the war with a reputation as George Washington's most gifted and dependable officer. Many places in the United...
replaced Gates as commander on December 3, and he returned home to Virginia.
Board of Inquiry
Because of the debacle at Camden, Congress passed a resolution requiring a board of inquiry, the prelude to a court martial, to look into Gates' conduct in that affair. Always one to support a court martial of other officers, particularly those with whom he was in competition for advancement, notably Benedict Arnold, Gates vehemently opposed the court of inquiry into his conduct at Camden. While he was never placed in field command again, Gates' New England supporters in Congress again came to his aid in 1782, when Congress repealed its resolution requiring a board of inquiry into the Camden disaster. Gates then rejoined Washington's staff at Newburgh, New York. Rumors implicated some of his aides in the Newburgh conspiracyNewburgh conspiracy
The Newburgh Conspiracy was unrest in 1783 among officers of the American Continental Army due to many officers and men of the Army not receiving pay for many years. Commander-in-Chief George Washington stopped any serious talk by appealing successfully to his officers to support the supremacy of...
of 1783. Gates may have agreed to involve himself, though this remains unclear.
After the war
Gates' wife Elizabeth died in the summer of 1783. Gates retired in 1784 and again returned to his estate, Traveller's Rest, in Virginia (near present day KearneysvilleKearneysville, West Virginia
Kearneysville is an unincorporated community in Jefferson County in the U.S. state of West Virginia's Eastern Panhandle. According to the 2000 census, Kearneysville and its surrounding community has a population of 6,716...
, Jefferson County, West Virginia
Jefferson County, West Virginia
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 53,498. Its county seat is Charles Town...
). Gates served as vice president of the Society of the Cincinnati
Society of the Cincinnati
The Society of the Cincinnati is a historical organization with branches in the United States and France founded in 1783 to preserve the ideals and fellowship of the American Revolutionary War officers and to pressure the government to honor pledges it had made to officers who fought for American...
, the organization of former Continental Army officers, and president of its Virginia chapter, and worked to rebuild his life. He proposed marriage to Janet Montgomery, the widow of General Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery
Richard Montgomery was an Irish-born soldier who first served in the British Army. He later became a brigadier-general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War and he is most famous for leading the failed 1775 invasion of Canada.Montgomery was born and raised in Ireland...
, but she refused. In 1786 he married Mary Valens, a wealthy woman from Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
who had come to the colonies in 1773 with her sister and Rev. Bartholomew Booth
Bartholomew Booth
Bartholomew Booth was a pioneer in American education. Oxford-educated, Booth was consecrated as a priest in the Church of England before becoming a headmaster. Booth opened academies in Liverpool then in Lancashire and Essex...
, to operate a boy's boarding school in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
. Booth had been the curate for the "Chapel in the Woods," later to become Saint John's Church
Saint John's Church (Hagerstown, Maryland)
St. John's Church, or St. John's Episcopal Church, founded in 1786, is an historic Episcopal church located at 101 South Prospect Street in the South Prospect Street Historic District of Hagerstown, Maryland...
at Hagerstown, Maryland. Gates sold Traveller's Rest in 1790 and freed his slaves at the urging of his friend John Adams
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
. The aging couple retired to an estate on northern Manhattan Island. His later support for Jefferson's
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
presidential
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
candidacy ended his friendship with Adams. Gates and his wife remained active in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
society, and he was elected to a single term in the New York State Legislature in 1800. He died on April 10, 1806, and was buried in the Trinity Church graveyard on Wall Street
Wall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
, though the exact location of his grave is unknown.
Legacy
Horatio Street in Greenwich VillageGreenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
, in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
is named in Gates's honor, as is Gates Avenue in Brooklyn, and Gates County, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.