Joshua Hall Bates
Encyclopedia
Joshua Hall Bates was a lawyer, politician, and general in the Union Army
during the early part of the American Civil War
. He was a leading recruiter and organizer of many of the first regiment
s of Ohio troops who volunteered after President Abraham Lincoln
's call to arms in the spring of 1861.
, and mother was Eliza Hall.
He graduated from the United States Military Academy
on July 1, 1837, and was breveted
as a second lieutenant in the artillery
. He subsequently served five years in the Regular army, including spending time in Florida
in 1837-38 during the Seminole Wars
. He was assigned to Cleveland, Ohio
, during the Canada border disturbances
from 1839 to 1841. After resigning his commission on July 20, 1842, he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio
, where he studied law and was admitted to the bar.
On May 8, 1844 he married Elizabeth Dwight Hoadley of the New England Dwight family
. Her father was Ohio politician George Hoadley (1781–1857) and brother was George Hoadly
who later became Governor of Ohio. Their children were:
and became a brigadier general
. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he was assigned to Department of the Sanitary Commission and served as the commander of Camp Harrison
near Cincinnati. Along with two other militia generals, he helped establish Camp Dennison
, a sprawling military complex north of Cincinnati. He helped organize fifteen regiments of infantry
for service in the field. Believing that he was too old at age forty-four to go into combat, Bates resigned his commission as brigadier general of U.S. Volunteers on August 27, 1861, but remained active in the militia.
As president of the Cincinnati Committee of Public Safety, Bates commanded a division
when Cincinnati was threatened
by Confederates forces in the summer of 1863. One of the earthwork fortifications in northern Kentucky
which defended Cincinnati was named Bates Battery in his honor.
Again returning to civilian life, Bates resumed his law practice in Cincinnati. He became a member of the Ohio State Senate in 1864 and served until 1866. He was again a state senator from 1876 to 1878. He was the president of the Cincinnati Bar Association from 1881 to 1882.
Bates died on July 26, 1908 in Cincinnati at the age of 91. He is among several former Union Army generals who were buried in the city's Spring Grove Cemetery
.
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
during the early part of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. He was a leading recruiter and organizer of many of the first regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
s of Ohio troops who volunteered after President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
's call to arms in the spring of 1861.
Birth and early years
Bates was born on March 5, 1817 in Boston, Massachusetts. His father was physician George Bates who was a friend of Andrew JacksonAndrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
, and mother was Eliza Hall.
He graduated from the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
on July 1, 1837, and was breveted
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
as a second lieutenant in the artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
. He subsequently served five years in the Regular army, including spending time in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
in 1837-38 during the Seminole Wars
Seminole Wars
The Seminole Wars, also known as the Florida Wars, were three conflicts in Florida between the Seminole — the collective name given to the amalgamation of various groups of native Americans and Black people who settled in Florida in the early 18th century — and the United States Army...
. He was assigned to Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, during the Canada border disturbances
Aroostook War
The Aroostook War was an undeclared nonviolent confrontation in 1838/1839 between the United States and Great Britain over the international boundary between British North America and Maine. The compromise resolution win a mutually accepted border between the state of Maine and the provinces of...
from 1839 to 1841. After resigning his commission on July 20, 1842, he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, where he studied law and was admitted to the bar.
On May 8, 1844 he married Elizabeth Dwight Hoadley of the New England Dwight family
New England Dwight family
The New England Dwight family had many members who were military leaders, educators, jurists, authors, businessmen and clergymen.Around 1634 John Dwight came with his wife Hannah, daughter Hannah, and sons Timothy Dwight and John Dwight, from Dedham, Essex, England to North America where the town...
. Her father was Ohio politician George Hoadley (1781–1857) and brother was George Hoadly
George Hoadly
George Hoadly was a Democratic politician. He served as the 36th Governor of Ohio.Hoadly was born in New Haven, Connecticut, on July 31, 1826...
who later became Governor of Ohio. Their children were:
- Clement Bates born April 1, 1845
- Charles Jarvis Bates born November 5, 1847
- William Scarborough Bates born February 7, 1852
- Merrick Linley Bates born June 14, 1855
- James Harvey Simpson Bates born August 28, 1863
Civil War service
Bates joined the Ohio state militiaMilitia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
and became a brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
. At the outbreak of the Civil War, he was assigned to Department of the Sanitary Commission and served as the commander of Camp Harrison
Camp Harrison
Camp Harrison was one of several Union Army training posts in Hamilton County, Ohio, established during the American Civil War.In early 1861, Governor William Dennison ordered the creation of a new military camp six miles north of Cincinnati, Ohio, on the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad,...
near Cincinnati. Along with two other militia generals, he helped establish Camp Dennison
Camp Dennison
Camp Dennison was a military recruiting, training, and medical post for the United States Army during the American Civil War. It was located near Cincinnati, Ohio, not far from the Ohio River. The camp was named for Cincinnati native William Dennison, Ohio's governor at the start of the war.With...
, a sprawling military complex north of Cincinnati. He helped organize fifteen regiments of infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
for service in the field. Believing that he was too old at age forty-four to go into combat, Bates resigned his commission as brigadier general of U.S. Volunteers on August 27, 1861, but remained active in the militia.
As president of the Cincinnati Committee of Public Safety, Bates commanded a division
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
when Cincinnati was threatened
Defense of Cincinnati
The Defense of Cincinnati occurred during what is now referred to as the Confederate Heartland Offensive of American Civil War from September 1 through September 13, 1862, when Cincinnati, Ohio, was threatened by Confederate forces....
by Confederates forces in the summer of 1863. One of the earthwork fortifications in northern Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
which defended Cincinnati was named Bates Battery in his honor.
Again returning to civilian life, Bates resumed his law practice in Cincinnati. He became a member of the Ohio State Senate in 1864 and served until 1866. He was again a state senator from 1876 to 1878. He was the president of the Cincinnati Bar Association from 1881 to 1882.
Bates died on July 26, 1908 in Cincinnati at the age of 91. He is among several former Union Army generals who were buried in the city's Spring Grove Cemetery
Spring Grove Cemetery
Spring Grove Cemetery and Arboretum is a nonprofit garden cemetery and arboretum located at 4521 Spring Grove Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. It is the second largest cemetery in the United States and is recognized as a U.S. National Historic Landmark....
.