Summary

Horatio Gates was low born in England. Somehow he earned the patronage of nobles which gave him a commission in the British Army in 1745. He served in Germany before moving to Canada where he married in 1754. He was part of the doomed expedition of Braddock where he served with Thomas Gage, Charles Lee, and George Washington. He then served in various posts during the French and Indian War. Following the war, he struggled to find a suitable commission until he finally resigned and settled in Virginia in 1772. He soon became involved in the Rebel cause with old friend Charles Lee.

As soon as the war started, Gates volunteered for service. He first served as Adjutant General, but longed for the glories of field command. Soon, he wanted independent command and played politics to replace Maj. General Philip Schuyler as Commander of the Northern Department in August 1777. He immediately began maneuvering against Maj. General John Burgoyne, eventually accepting his surrender on October 17, 1777, shortly after defeating him at the Battle of Saratoga, New York. Using his newfound popularity, his supporters in the Continental Congress created a War Board and installed him as its President in an indirect effort to undermine General George Washington's authority.

When the power struggle was won by General Washington, Gates returned to field command first as Northern Department Commander and then as Eastern Department Commander. While on a leave of absence, he again played politics in an effort to become Southern Department Commander. Even before the imminent defeat of Maj. General Benjamin Lincoln at Charleston, South Carolina, the Continental Congress chose Gates as his replacement over Washington's recommendations.

Gates arrived in North Carolina on July 25, 1780, and immediately attempted to duplicate his successes in the Saratoga Campaign. Over the recommendations of his officers who were more familiar with the local country, Gates set out on a direct march to Camden, which resulted in a sickened and weak army. He also hadn't anticipated an engagement with Lt. General Charles Cornwallis' main army, but on August 16, he was routed at the Battle of Camden, South Carolina, His force's poor performance and his own personal speedy retreat of 180 miles to Hillsborough, North Carolina by August 19, 1780, raised many questions about his conduct.

Gates was replaced by General Washington's choice, Maj. General Nathanael Greene in December 1780. He returned to his home at Traveler's Rest, Virginia to await a formal inquiry. Once there, he learned that his son had died some months earlier. Although he was acquitted of questionable conduct, he never held command again. He was reinstated in 1782 and served out the remainder of the war at Washington's headquarters, where his aides were involved in the Newburgh Conspiracy concerning pay. There was no evidence that Gates himself was involved. Shortly after the war ended, Gates' first wife died. He remarried in 1784 and retired to New York. He and his wife enjoyed high society in New York City on her inheritance until his death in 1806.

 

Early Life: 1727-1754

Horatio Gates was born of a servant couple in England. His mother worked as a housekeeper to the mistress of the Duke of Bolton and he was the godson of Horace Walpole. In 1745, Gates became a lieutenant in a new regiment raised by the Duke. The regiment was raised to fight the Highland Scots, who were rebelling again, but instead it was sent to Germany and the War of the Austrian Succession. Gates proved himself to be an able staff officer, when he became the regiment's adjutant.

Following the end of the war in Germany, the regiment was disbanded and Gates was discharged. He next went to Halifax, Nova Scotia in June 1749 and served as aide-de-camp to Colonel Edward Cornwallis, uncle of Charles Cornwallis. He then was appointed as the acting captain of the 45^th regiment. However, he was unable to afford purchasing a permanent captaincy. In 1752, Colonel Cornwallis returned to England, but Gates served as aide-de-camp to two successors. During this time, he met Elizabeth Phillips, but in order to marry her, he had to improve his own prospects, so in January 1754, he returned to London. There, he found that his connections were no help in the present political climate. By June, he had given up and was about to return to Nova Scotia.


French and Indian War: 1754-1762

Then a position came available in a company stationed in Maryland. A captain was ill and wanted to sell his commission. Edward Cornwallis recommended Horatio Gates and Gates was able to purchase the commission on credit. In October 1754, Horatio Gates returned to Halifax and married Elizabeth Phillips. In March 1755, Gates joined his new company in Maryland. The company was part of an army that Maj. General Edward Braddock would lead into the wilderness against the French and Indians. Also in this army were George Washington, Charles Lee, Thomas Gage and Daniel Morgan, the latter of whom he probably did not meet. Gates' first battle was brief. He was shot in the chest, but Private Francis Penfold picked him up and carried him off. It is likely that had the private not done so, then Gates would have been abandoned in the panic and been scalped.

Following his recovery, Gates served in the British forts in the Mohawk Valley, while Elizabeth lived in New York City. In 1758, a son, Robert, was born. Soon after Edward Cornwallis secured him an appointment as a brigade major at Fort Pitt under Brigadier General John Stanwix. Not long after, Stanwix was succeeded by Brigadier General Robert Monckton, who was a good friend of Gates' from their days in Halifax. After the end of action in America, Brig. General Monckton was given command of an expedition to the West Indies. Gates served as a staff officer, gaining valuable administrative experience. Following the expedition's success, Gates was chosen by Monckton to bring the news to England, where by tradition as the messenger, he would receive a promotion.

After a month in England, in April 1762, Horatio Gates was appointed a major and given 1,000 pounds to help him purchase a lieutenant colonelcy. He sent for his wife and son. However, the new commission was a cut a pay and no lieutenant colonelcies were vacant. After his connections had resulted in letters from Secretary of War Charles Townshend and Commander in Chief of the Army Lord Ligonier to America calling for a post for a lieutenant colonel's rank, Gates and his family returned to New York in August 1762.

Between the Wars: 1762-1775

Once Horatio Gates returned to America, he found that the post had already been filled and he now had lost his commission as a major. His friend Robert Monckton was now Royal Governor of New York and took Gates in as a political aide, but by 1763, Monckton returned to England and Gates was out of work. As a result a year after they had returned to New York, Gates and his family sailed back to England. On this stay, Gates experienced nothing but frustration. He had a falling out with Edward Cornwallis. Majors' commissions came available, but he now desired a colonelcy.

In 1769, Gates resigned from the army in hopes of joining his friend in India. Robert Monckton was now lobbying for command of the East India Company and promised Gates that he would be his deputy, but after four years Parliament selected another for the post. Even before this, Gates and Monckton had had a falling out. In August 1772, Gates and his family sailed for Virginia. Near Shepherdstown, in what is now West Virginia, Gates bought 659 acres on the Potomac River. He built a limestone house and called it Traveller's Rest. He became a slave owner, a local justice and a lieutenant colonel in the militia. Gates was in contact with patriots, including Charles Lee.


Revolutionary War: 1775-1777

On May 29, 1775, Horatio Gates heard of the skirmishing at Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts. By June 2, he was at Mount Vernon offering his services to George Washington. After Washington became Commander-in-Chief, he recommended that both Gates and Charles Lee be commissioned because of their military experience. On June 17, Horatio Gates was commissioned by the Continental Congress as a Brigadier General and Adjutant General.

On his way to Boston, General Gates stopped along the way to raise his profile in the political realm. On May 16, 1776, he was promoted to Major General. On June 17, he was selected to take command of the Canadian Department, replacing Brig. General John Sullivan. He never took command because Sullivan had been forced to withdraw from Canada and the Department was abandoned. Gates was instead placed under the command of Maj. General John Schuyler, who was Commander of the Northern Department. Gates almost immediately worked to supplant Schuyler.

In December 1776, Gates left the Northern Department and headed south leading New Jersey and Pennsylvania regiments that had been ordered to aid General Washington in his New Jersey campaign. He reached Peekskill, New York on December 6, 1776 and joined Washington at Trenton, New Jersey on December 20. However, he complained of illness and only days before Washington crossed the Delaware River in his famous attack on Trenton, he allowed Gates to go to Baltimore where the Continental Congress was in session.

On March 25, 1777, General Gates was named Commander of the Northern Army at Fort Ticonderoga, New York with separate authority from General Schuyler. He immediately lobbied his New England allies and other to become General Schuyler's replacement. However, in May, the Continental Congress restored Fort Ticonderoga to General Schuyler's command. Gates was instructed to either become Schuyler's second in command or resume his position as General Washington's Adjutant General. Gates reacted by going to before Congress on June 18, 1777, but they passed the problem on to General Washington.

Revolutionary War: 1777-1779

Before General George Washington made a decision concerning command of the Northern Department and Generals Gates and Schuyler, the British retook Fort Ticonderoga. With lobbying by Horatio Gates' supporters in Congress, the militia's refusal to serve under the arrogant Maj. General John Schuyler and Schuyler's pessimism regarding the status of the war led to the Continental Congress naming Gates his replacement as Commander of the Northern Department on August 4, 1777. Gates assumed command on August 19, 1777.

General Gates almost immediately began the Saratoga Campaign to counter Maj. General John Burgoyne's offensive into New York from Canada. He moved to block Burgoyne's attempted retreat back to Canada. Burgoyne, whose supplies were running low. The First Battle of Saratoga, also known as the Battle of Freeman's Farm, took place on September 19, 1777. What began as merely a harassing force led by Colonel Daniel Morgan's rifle company nearly broke through the British lines, but low ammunition and a rally by Hessian soldiers saved the day.

Following his near victory, General Gates was content to hold his position and virtually besiege General Burgoyne, who he knew was low on supplies. Burgoyne held out for several days awaiting word from Maj. General Henry Clinton concerning reinforcements, but by the first week of October, he could wait no longer. The Second Battle of Saratoga, also known as the Battle of Bemis Heights, took place on October 7, 1777, when Burgoyne sent out a 1,500 man force to test the American line. The British were driven back to their fortifications at Freeman's Farm. Under the cover of darkness he retreated to Saratoga, New York where his 6,000 troops were surrounded by nearly 20,000 American forces. On October 9, he formally surrendered to Gates, who became known as the 'Hero of Saratoga'. Although historians often credit the field command of Benedict Arnold and Daniel Morgan as much as Gates.

Gates' victory at Saratoga was a sharp contrast to General Washington's lack of success in New Jersey and Gates' supporters started some talk of him replacing Washington as Commander-in-Chief. In November 1777, Maj. General Horatio Gates was recommended to become President of the Board of War, which had been formed on October 17, 1777. Gates assumed his new role in January 1778, while maintaining his field command. He attempted to turn the Board into a field agency. But when his ally, Maj. General Thomas Conway, was forced to resign in what has become known as the Conway Cabal, Gates realized that he did not have the support of George Washington, nor could he replace him.

With his power play ending in failure, Gates resigned as President of the Board of War in May 1778 and returned to field command as the Commander of the Northern Department. He then again avoided confrontation with Indians. In March 1779, General Washington gave him choice between launching a campaign against the Iroquois Indians or taking the Command of the Eastern Department. Gates chose the Eastern Department and headed for Providence, Rhode Island. In November 1779, he was granted permission to winter at his home Traveller's Rest in Virginia.

Revolutionary War: 1780

While at his home Traveller's Rest in Virginia, Maj. General Horatio Gates continued to watch Canada, in hopes of finally leading an offensive there, but he also began lobbying southern congressmen for command of the Southern Department as Maj. General Benjamin Lincoln lost Georgia. On May 7, 1780, the Continental Congress chose Gates to replace Lincoln when word of Charleston's plight arrived. General Washington had recommended Maj. General Nathanael Greene over Gates. Gates learned of the appointment on June 13, 1780 and almost immediately departed for the South.

On July 25, 1780, Gates arrived at the Continental camp at Coxe's Mill, North Carolina along the Deep River and assumed command from Maj. General Baron de Kalb. De Kalb had been leading about 2,000 Continental regulars sent by General Washington to aid Charleston, when word of the city's surrender prompted him to retreat back to North Carolina. When Gates arrived, the force was down to 1,200 troops who were in poor shape. In spite of their condition, Gates ordered them to be ready to march immediately, calling them "the grand army." When Colonels William Washington and Anthony White asked Gates for assistance as they put together cavalry units, he stated that the Southern Theatre was not good cavalry country and refused assistance.

Thomas Sumter had delivered a report to General de Kalb, which showed a tenuous British situation at Camden, South Carolina and its outposts. When Gates studied the report, he decided to attack Camden. His officers who were more experienced in the geography and politics of the Carolinas advised that he make a more circuitous route through Salisbury, Charlotte and the Catawba area. Gates ignored the advice and chose a route fifty miles shorter, but swampy and full of Loyalists, who would be of no aid to the Continentals.

Gates and his 'grand army' set out on July 27, 1780. They would take two weeks to cover the 120 miles to Camden. Along the way, they had to eat green corn, while some men used hair powder to try and thicken stews made from the green corn and tough woods cattle that they came across. Gates had apparently chosen his route in hopes of attracting greater numbers of militia. Around August 5, about 2,100 North Carolina militia under Maj. General Richard Caswell joined Gates' force as it camped near Lynches Creek.

After more than a week of maneuvering in the woods with half-starved men, Gates ran into a British force led by Lt. General Charles Cornwallis himself about ten miles northeast of Camden at about 2:30 A.M. on the morning of August 16, 1780. Cornwallis had left Charleston as soon as he had been warned of Gates' approach by Lord Rawdon who was in command at Camden.. After some blind skirmishing by the two armies' advance screens, they both withdrew to wait for daylight. Gates chose to stand his ground and fight Cornwallis with a sick army still not recovered from a diet of green corn and molasses from the night before as well as the mosquito-filled swamps.

Shortly before dawn, Gates arrayed his men. He chose to place his inexperienced militia on his left wing, which would face General Cornwallis' right wing where the British traditionally placed their most experienced troops. Gates placed his own Continental regulars under General de Kalb on his right wing. Cornwallis opened the battle by attacking the American left wing. The militia had never experienced open field tactics and immediately fled the field in the face of the disciplined British bayonet charge.

Revolutionary War: 1780-1783

As the militia fled the field at Camden, General de Kalb, who would be mortally wounded on the day, and his Continental regulars fought valiantly, but were eventually surrounded. Although it is unknown when Maj. General Horatio Gates himself gave up the field, he was not present when fighting ended. He retreated with the militia to Rugeley's Mill. He then rode the sixty miles to Charlotte, North Carolina on the same day of the battle. By August 19, 1780, Gates had covered another 120 miles to Hillsborough, North Carolina. Gates explained that he wanted to gather troops and resources from Virginia, although his opponents viewed it as extreme cowardice.

On December 3, 1780, Gates' replacement as Commander of the Southern Department, Maj. General Nathanael Greene arrived and on the next day, Gates turned command over to him. Five days later Gates set out for home. He waited at his home Traveller's Rest in Virginia for a formal inquiry by the Continental Congress into his actions at Camden. Gates' son, Robert, had died on October 4, 1780, so it was not a happy homecoming. His long friendship with Charles Lee soon ended when Gates' wife and Lee argued. In 1782, Congress repealed its resolution calling for the court of inquiry and Gates served under General George Washington at Army Headquarters in Newburgh, Virginia. His aides were part of the Newburgh Conspiracy in March 1783 that threatened revolt if the soldiers did not receive pay. It is unknown what role, if any, Gates had in the conspiracy.


After the Revolutionary War: 1783-1806

In the summer of 1783, Horatio Gates' wife Elizabeth died. He retied to his home in Virginia and was made president of the Virginia society of the Cincinnati. In 1784, Janet Livingston Montgomery, widow of Maj. General Richard Montgomery, turned down his marriage offer. In July 1786, he married wealthy forty-six year old Mary Vallance. Gates was able to live the lifestyle he had longed for. In 1790, he sold Traveller's Rest, freed his slaves and moved to New York City.

Living on an estate in northern Manhattan, Gates and his wife enjoyed New York society, while spending or giving away her fortune to war veterans. He also served one term in the New York State Legislature from 1800 to 1801. Gates' support of Thomas Jefferson for the Presidency over his friend John Adams ended that friendship. On April 10, 1806, Gates died, buried in the Trinity Church Graveyard on Wall Street, in a lost grave. His wife died in 1810 with only one-fifth of her fortune remaining.

On Tuesday November 4, 1777 Major General Horatio Gates was honored by Congress for his heroism with the Congressional Gold Medal, only the 2nd ever awarded, the first was George Washington. 

1727
- Horatio Gates is born in Maldon, Essex County, England.

1745
- Horatio Gates is commissioned a Lieutenant in the British Army.

1749
June - Horatio Gates begins serving as aide-de-camp to Colonel Edward Cornwallis in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

1754
January - Horatio Gates returns to London.
October - Horatio Gates marries Elizabeth Phillips.

1755
March - Horatio Gates joins his new regiment in Maryland.
July 9 - Horatio Gates is present at Braddock's Defeat near Fort Dusquesne, where he is wounded.

1758
- Horatio Gates' son, Robert, is born.

1762
March - Horatio Gates returns to England.
August - Horatio Gates sails back to New York.
- Horatio Gates serves as an aide to Robert Monckton, Royal Governor of New York until 1763.

1763
- Horatio Gates returns to England.

1769
- Horatio Gates resigns from the British Army.

1772
August - Horatio Gates sails for Virginia, where he buys a farm.

1775
May 29 - Horatio Gates hears news of Lexington and Concord.
June 2 - Horatio Gates is at George Washington's home Mount Vernon offering his services.
June 17 - Horatio Gates is commissioned into the Continental Army as a Brigadier General and named Adjunct General, in which capacity he serves until June 5, 1776.

1776
May 16 - Horatio Gates is promoted to Major General.
June 17 - Horatio Gates is named Commander of the Canadian Department, but never serves.
December - Horatio Gates leads Pennsylvania and New Jersey regiments south to reinforce General George Washington in New Jersey.
December 20 - Horatio Gates joins General George Washington at Trenton, New Jersey.

1777
March 25 - Horatio Gates is named Commander of the Northern Army at Fort Ticonderoga.
May - Horatio Gates' independent command is taken away and he placed under the command of Maj. General John Schuyler.
June 18 - Horatio Gates argues his case before the Continental Congress.
August 19 - Horatio Gates assumes command of the Northern Department.
September 19 - Horatio Gates is defeated by Maj. General John Burgoyne at the Battle of Freeman's Farm (1st Battle of Saratoga), New York.
October 7 - Horatio Gates defeats Maj. General John Burgoyne at the Battle of Bemis Heights (2nd Battle of Saratoga), New York.
October 17 - Horatio Gates accepts Maj. General Burgoyne's surrender at Saratoga, New York.

1778
January - Horatio Gates starts serving as President of the Board of War.
May - Horatio Gates resigns as President of the Board of War.
May 20 - Horatio Gates is named Commander of the Highlands Department.
November 7 - Horatio Gates is named Commander of the Eastern Department.

1779
March - Horatio Gates declines to lead a campaign against the Iroquois Indians.
November - Horatio Gates is given permission to vacate command of the Eastern Department and winter at his home in Virginia.

1780
May 7 - Horatio Gates is named Commander of the Southern Department.
June 13 - Horatio Gates learns of his new command and leaves for the Carolinas.
July 25 - Horatio Gates arrives at Coxe's Mill, North Carolina and takes command.
July 27 - Horatio Gates leads his army south toward Camden, South Carolina
August 16 - Horatio Gates is routed by Lt. General Charles Cornwallis at Camden, South Carolina and retreats to Charlotte, North Carolina.
August 19 - Horatio Gates arrives at Hillsborough, North Carolina, 180 miles from Camden.
October 4 - Horatio Gates' son, Robert, dies.
December 3 - Horatio Gates turns over command of the Southern Department to Maj. General Nathanael Greene.
December 8 - Horatio Gates leaves Charlotte, North Carolina to return home to Virginia.

 

1782
- Horatio Gates is cleared of misconduct.
- Horatio Gates serves the remainder of the war at General George Washington's headquarters at Newburgh, Virginia.

1783
- Horatio Gates' aids are implicated in the Newburgh Conspiracy of mutiny.
- Horatio Gates' wife dies.
- Horatio Gates is made president of the Virginia society of the Cincinnati.

1784
- Horatio Gates' marriage proposal is declined by Janet Livingston Montgomery

1786
July - Horatio Gates marries Mary Vallance.

1790
- Horatio Gates moves to New York City.

1800
- Horatio Gates begins serving his lone term in the New York State Legislature.

1806
April 10 - Horatio Gates dies in New York City.