Horatio Gates, born in Malden, Essex County, England, in 1728, was the godson of Horace Walpole. Entering the military service of Great Britain at an early age, he soon rose to the rank of major. After the treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle he was stationed with his regiment at Halifax. At the breaking out of the French and Indian War, he joined General Braddock’s army in the expedition against Fort Duquesne, and received in that battle a severe wound that prevented his taking an active part again until near the close of the war, when he acted in 1762 as aid to General Monckton in the expedition against the island of Martinique. After the peace of Paris in 1763, Major Gates, like many other English officers, settled in America. He purchased a fine tract of land in Berkeley County, Virginia, and devoted himself successfully to agriculture. He had married Mary, the only child of James Valence of Liverpool, and at her father’s death, just before the Revolution, she joined her husband in this country, bringing with her $450,000, which she freely expended. Thaddeus Kosciusko was tenderly nursed by her six months. As his wound was a severe one, he owed his life to her generous care.

When war became inevitable, Gates offered his services to Congress, receiving the appointment of adjutant-general, with the rank of brigadier-general, June1 17, 1775. From the first, however, he coveted the position of commander-in-chief, and on more than one occasion showed his jealousy of Washington. Having many powerful friends in Congress, he was advanced to the rank of major-general May 16, 1776, and in June was appointed to the command of the army in Canada with his headquarters at Ticonderoga. Not finding any army in Canada, it having been compelled to retreat to New York, he claimed command of the whole Northern army, then under Schuyler, with his headquarters at Albany. Congress sustained the latter general, but this period marks the beginning of a series of intrigues which culminated in the “Conway cabal” to supplant Washington. Gates’ complicity in this conspiracy will forever tarnish his fame, as it no doubt saddened his life. Demoralized by hard service, insufficient food and clothing, with their pay in arrears, and consequently no money to send to their starving families, the Northern army could accomplish little except to gain in discipline and knowledge of military tactics. At length Schuyler’s prudent measures and wise strategy were beginning to tell in northern New York, and his sacrifices and heroism were about to be rewarded, when at this critical moment General Gates was given command of the Northern army, and arriving on the 21st of August, 1777, assumed the direction of affairs, already in train for a splendid victory. The battles of Stillwater and Saratoga forced Burgoyne to surrender his entire army with all their arms and ammunition on the 17th of the following October. The conduct of Gates during the latter battle has led to the charge of lack of personal courage, as throughout the engagement he remained in a position of safety two miles away, ready to flee with the teamsters and baggage-wagons should the action result in a defeat for the Americans. Burgoyne, on the contrary, was in the thick of the battle, receiving three bullets in his clothing.

In 1780, Gates was given command of the Southern army, and prepared to attack Cornwallis at Camden, South Carolina. By a serious error in judgment, Gates suffered a most humiliating defeat, which ended his military career. On the 5th of October, 1780, he was suspended from service until his conduct could be investigated. Deeply mortified, he retired to his farm in Berkeley County, but as he passed through Richmond, the State Legislature passed a resolution expressive of their sympathy in his misfortune and their unabated confidence in his patriotism and military skill; he received, too, a letter from Washington containing assurances of sincere sympathy and promises of a command when the court of inquiry should have acquitted him. Restored to his command on the 14th of August, 1782, he did not serve, as the war was then practically over. The battle of Camden virtually ended his career. In 1790, he removed to New York City, generously freeing all his Virginia slaves, and amply providing for the aged and infirm. In 1800, he was elected to the New York State Legislature, and died on the 10th of April, 1806.