United States Army General. The son of US Attorney General Edward Bates, he was educated at Washington University in St. Louis and joined the Army, first as a First Lieutenant in the 11th United States Infantry Regiment then as an aide to General George G. Meade, serving throughout the Civil War and attaining the temporary rank of Lieutenant Colonel for his bravery and meritorious service at Gettysburg and other battles. He remained in the Army after the war, serving in the western United States during the Indian Wars and achieving the rank of Colonel as commander of 2nd United States Infantry in 1892. During the Spanish-American War Bates commanded a division in Cuba as a Brigadier General and served as Military Governor of Cienfuegos, later traveling to the Philippines, where he negotiated a treaty with the Sultan of Sulu that established Moro neutrality and enabled the US to establish outposts in the southern Philippine Islands. Bates then commanded 1st Division, VIII Corps in Luzon, Philippines, afterward advancing to corps commander. From 1901 to 1904 he commanded the Department of the Missouri at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas and then the Department of the Lakes in Detroit with the rank of Major General, and in 1905 he became commander of the Army's Northern Division in St. Louis. In January 1906 Bates was appointed Army Chief of Staff, receiving promotion to Lieutenant General and serving until he reached mandatory retirement age in April 1906. From 1909 to 1911 he served as commander of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.
United States Army General. The son of US Attorney General Edward Bates, he was educated at Washington University in St. Louis and joined the Army, first as a First Lieutenant in the 11th United States Infantry Regiment then as an aide to General George G. Meade, serving throughout the Civil War and attaining the temporary rank of Lieutenant Colonel for his bravery and meritorious service at Gettysburg and other battles. He remained in the Army after the war, serving in the western United States during the Indian Wars and achieving the rank of Colonel as commander of 2nd United States Infantry in 1892. During the Spanish-American War Bates commanded a division in Cuba as a Brigadier General and served as Military Governor of Cienfuegos, later traveling to the Philippines, where he negotiated a treaty with the Sultan of Sulu that established Moro neutrality and enabled the US to establish outposts in the southern Philippine Islands. Bates then commanded 1st Division, VIII Corps in Luzon, Philippines, afterward advancing to corps commander. From 1901 to 1904 he commanded the Department of the Missouri at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas and then the Department of the Lakes in Detroit with the rank of Major General, and in 1905 he became commander of the Army's Northern Division in St. Louis. In January 1906 Bates was appointed Army Chief of Staff, receiving promotion to Lieutenant General and serving until he reached mandatory retirement age in April 1906. From 1909 to 1911 he served as commander of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.
Bio by: Bill McKern
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