French, from whom he escaped, and, returning to England, died in Gloucester place, London, June 14, 1801.
HORATIO GATES.
Horatio Gates was born in England, in 1728. He early embraced the
career of arms, and rose to the rank of major by the force of merit alone.
At the capture of Martinico, he was to aid general Monkton, and, after
the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, was stationed at Halifax in Nova Scotia
Seven years afterwards, he was again called into active life, by the breaking
out of a new war, and was with Braddock when that unfortunate commander
was defeated, in 1755. In consequence of a severe wound which
he received in the battle, he was for some time debarred from active service;
and, at the conclusion of the peace, he repaired to his native country.
He soon, however, returned, and purchased an estate in Virginia, on which
he resided until the commencement of the revolutionary war in 1775, when
he was appointed adjutant-general by congress, with the rank of brigadier.
In July, 1775, he accompanied the commander-in-chief to Massachusetts,
where he continued until June in the following year, when he received the
chief command of the army which had just retreated from Canada. This
gave great umbrage to general Schuyler, who had hitherto superintended
the forts and garrisons of New York, and now expressed his determination
to resign, unless the injury were redressed. Congress, in consequence,
endeavored to reconcile the pretensions of the two generals, by assigning
to them authorities in some measure independent of each other. Schuyler
was directed to provide and equip a naval armament, in order to obtain
and preserve the command of the lakes and rivers which maintained the
communications between Canada and the maritime and Hudson country,
and Gates was enjoined to coöperate in this service as far as laid in his
power. But they were only able to equip about 15 vessels, half of which
were little better than boats, which were placed under the command of
Arnold, who was opposed by a much superior force under Carleton. The
first step of Gates occasioned some surprise and much clamor. The American
forces had retreated to Crown Point, where such ravages were made
among them by the small-pox, that Gates abandoned that fortress, and concentrated
his army at Ticonderoga. This movement, which opened to the
enemy the whole navigation of lake Champlain, was greatly condemned by
Washington and all the field-officers. The unexpected retreat of general
Carleton relieved them from the necessity of defending Ticonderoga. After
this retreat, Gates marched with a considerable detachment to the assistance
of general Washington, and continued with him, during his operations
in the middle colonies, until the spring of 1777, when he resumed his
command on the northern frontier. Here he was shortly afterwards
superseded by Schuyler. But in August following, when Burgoyne had
obtained possession of Ticonderoga, defeated St. Clair, occupied fort Ann
and Skeensborough, and had arrived at fort St. Edward, on the upper
branches of the Hudson, Gates was reinstated in the command. At fort
St. Edward, Burgoyne remained for some time, in order to collect necessaries,
and then, passing the Hudson, encamped at Saratoga. Gates
immediately put himself in motion with an equal force, and, Sep. 19, an
almost general engagement took place without any decisive result. Oct. 8,
