John C. Bates

Summary

John Coalter Bates (August 26, 1842 – February 4, 1919) was a United States Army officer who served as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from January to April 1906. Along with Arthur MacArthur Jr., Bates was one of the last American Civil War veterans still on active duty in the United States military at the time of his retirement.

John Coalter Bates
General John C. Bates, official portrait by Cedric Baldwin Egeli
Born(1842-08-26)August 26, 1842
St. Charles County, Missouri
DiedFebruary 4, 1919(1919-02-04) (aged 76)
San Diego County, California
Buried
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branchUnited States Army
Years of service1861–1906
RankLieutenant General
Commands heldChief of Staff of the United States Army
1st Division, Eighth Army Corps
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War Indian Wars
Spanish–American War
Philippine–American War
RelationsEdward Bates (father)
Signature

Early life and education edit

Bates was born in St. Charles County, Missouri, to congressman and future Attorney General Edward Bates and Julia Davenport Coalter.[1] He was educated at Washington University in St. Louis. He was commissioned a first lieutenant with the 11th Infantry Regiment in May 1861. He later became an aide to General George G. Meade, reaching the brevet rank of lieutenant colonel for gallant and meritorious service in operations, resulting in the capture of Richmond and surrender of General Robert E. Lee's army in April 1865.

Military career edit

Bates later served on the Indian Frontier for many years (being promoted to major in 1882 and to lieutenant colonel in 1886), was made a colonel of the 2nd Infantry Regiment in 1892, and in May 1898 was promoted to brigadier general of an Independent Brigade consisting of the 3rd Infantry Regiment and 20th Infantry Regiment in the Spanish–American War and commanded a division of volunteers in the Philippines in the early stages of the Philippine–American War. He was military governor of Cienfuegos in 1899 and went that year to the Philippines, where he conducted negotiations with the Sultan of Sulu. From 1900 to 1901, he commanded the 1st Division, Eighth Army Corps, conducted operations against insurgents in southern Luzon, and then commanded that department.

Bates commanded a provisional division in maneuvers at Fort Riley and commanded the Departments of the Missouri and the Lakes from 1901 to 1904 and later the Northern Division for a year before serving as Chief of Staff of the United States Army from January 15 to April 13, 1906. During this time, he was promoted to Lieutenant general. He retired from active service in April 1906 at his request, shortly before reaching the mandatory retirement age of 64. He was the last Army Chief of Staff to have served in the American Civil War.

Later life and death edit

Bates was a member of the Military Order of the United States Loyal Legion and the Republic's Grand Army. He died in San Diego, California, on February 4, 1919.[2]

Dates of rank edit

Insignia Rank Component Date
  First lieutenant Regular Army 1 May 1861
  Captain Regular Army 1 May 1863
  Brevet major Regular Army 1 August 1864
  Brevet lieutenant colonel Regular Army 9 April 1865
  Major Regular Army 6 May 1882
  Lieutenant colonel Regular Army 19 October 1886
  Colonel Regular Army 25 April 1892
  Brigadier general Volunteers 4 May 1898
  Major general Volunteers 8 July 1898
  Brigadier general Regular Army 2 February 1901
  Major general Regular Army 15 July 1902
  Lieutenant general Regular Army 1 January 1906

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ The National Cyclopaedia of American Biography. Vol. XIV. James T. White & Company. 1910. p. 34. Retrieved December 13, 2020 – via Google Books.
  2. ^ "Lieut. Gen. Bates Dies at San Diego". Washington Evening Star. February 5, 1919. p. 7. Retrieved December 13, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
Military offices
Preceded by Chief of Staff of the United States Army
January – April 1906
Succeeded by