American general in the American Revolutionary War
For the Canadian businessman, see Horatio Gates (businessman).
Horatio Gates
Gates in a c. 1794 portrait by Gilbert Stuart, on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Born
(1727-07-26)July 26, 1727 Maldon, Essex, Great Britain
Died
April 10, 1806(1806-04-10) (aged 78) New York City, U.S.
Buried
Trinity Church graveyard in New York City
Allegiance
Kingdom of Great Britain United States
Service/branch
British Army Continental Army
Years of service
1745–1769 1775–1783
Rank
Major (Great Britain) Major general (United States)
Commands held
Continental Army
Adjutant General
Canadian Department
Northern Department
Eastern Department
Southern Department
Battles/wars
War of the Austrian Succession Seven Years' War American Revolutionary War
Battles of Saratoga
Battle of Camden
Relations
Thomas Gates (great grandfather)
Signature
Horatio Lloyd Gates (July 26, 1727 – April 10, 1806) was a British-born American army officer who served as a general in the Continental Army during the early years of the Revolutionary War. He took credit for the American victory in the Battles of Saratoga (1777) – a matter of contemporary and historical controversy – and was blamed for the defeat at the Battle of Camden in 1780. Gates has been described as "one of the Revolution's most controversial military figures" because of his role in the Conway Cabal, which attempted to discredit and replace General George Washington; the battle at Saratoga; and his actions during and after his defeat at Camden.[1][2]
Born in the town of Maldon in Essex, 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 Battle of 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.
^Billias, p. 80
^Tuchman, Barbara W. The First Salute: A View of the American Revolution. New York: Ballantine Books, 1988. p.192
Horatio Lloyd Gates (July 26, 1727 – April 10, 1806) was a British-born American army officer who served as a general in the Continental Army during the...
HoratioGates Spafford (October 20, 1828, Troy, New York – September 25, 1888, Jerusalem) was an American lawyer and Presbyterian church elder. He is...
HoratioGates Armstrong (June 1, 1790 – April 6, 1858) was an American soldier who fought in the War of 1812. Armstrong was born on June 1, 1790, and...
General HoratioGates assumed command from Schuyler, whose political fortunes had fallen over the loss of Ticonderoga and the ensuing retreat. Gates and Schuyler...
of the 1st baron Walpole HoratioGates (c. 1727–1806), American general Horatio Mann (1744–1814), English politician Horatio Walpole, 2nd Earl of Orford...
The Gen. HoratioGates House and Golden Plough Tavern are two connecting historic buildings which are located in downtown York, York County, Pennsylvania...
of Greensboro, in July. HoratioGates, the "Hero of Saratoga" arrived in camp on 25 July, to take command. Two days later, Gates ordered his army to take...
defense of the 1777 Saratoga campaign, but was replaced by Major General HoratioGates as the commander of Continental forces in the theater. Schuyler resigned...
HoratioGates Gibson (May 22, 1827 – April 18, 1924) was a career artillery officer in the United States Army, and colonel in the American Civil War....
different matter. General HoratioGates was in Philadelphia when Congress discussed its shock at the fall of Ticonderoga, and Gates was more than willing...
The HoratioGates Onderdonk House is a historic home located in the hamlet of Strathmore, within the Census-designated place (CDP) of Manhasset, in Nassau...
him politically. Conway ended up resigning from the army, and General HoratioGates, a leading candidate to replace Washington, issued an apology for his...
Learned Societies, vol. 3, pp. 365–366. Adams, Randolph G. (1931). "Gates, Horatio." In: Dictionary of American Biography. American Council of Learned...
Cornwallis. Congress replaced Lincoln with HoratioGates; after his defeat in the Battle of Camden, Gates was replaced by Nathanael Greene, Washington's...
officer HoratioGates, complaining about the American treatment of prisoners of war captured at the Battle of Bennington on August 17. Gates' response...
his replacement as commander-in-chief. This included Major General HoratioGates, whose political alliance with the “Conway Cabal” threatened General...
relationship with George Washington, as well as Philip Schuyler and HoratioGates, both of whom had command of the army's Northern Department during 1775...
said to have been written by Major John Armstrong, aide to General HoratioGates, although the authorship and underlying ideas are subjects of historical...
Boston in July 1775, bringing with him generals such as Charles Lee, HoratioGates, and Thomas Mifflin. Washington organized the Continental Army into...
Revolutionary War. He became involved with the alleged Conway Cabal with HoratioGates. He later served with Émigré forces during the French Revolutionary...
War as a soldier, serving as an aide to both George Washington and HoratioGates. After resigning from the army in 1777, he pursued a career as an artist...
Global Information
Kingdom of Great Britain
United States
Continental Army