Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1885-09-30
One by one the Ranl.s are Les SEEMING

Henry Dustin Bates, the citize
soldier, whose death occurred at Yves
Fairiee, Aug. 22d, '85, was born
Hartland, VI. A few years later hi
father, the late Dustin Bates, Esq,
removed with his family to Windsor
VT 1t was in the Frightening heyda
OF young Bates youth, that the dark
ening war cloud gathered over tn
whole land. On his seventeenth birth
day, himself and eldest brother wer
enrolled for service in the Vernon
4th for three years. In the opening O
the writer of CLIP, measles prevaile,
in camp and young Bates was sub
Ject,-wasting typhoid and pneumoni'
succeeding. When the 18th regimen
was preparing to join the forward
movement Of the army of the Potomac
young Bates had scarcely vitality
enough to survive the removal from
the hospital quarters of Camp Griffin
to the U. S. Army Hospital in Phia-
delphia, The spring of 'G2 found him
unable to take his place in the field,
and he acted in the capacity of nurse,
until the late autumn, when he became
DESTROYS to take the field. At that
time the cavalry was found inadequate
for the demand Of the army movements
and transfers became allowable from
the infantry under stated conditions.
Young Bates was transferred thence to
fill his term of enlistment, and sent to
Carlisle barracks, Pa, to BE- prepared
for cavalry service. The early spring
of '63 found him trained and strength
ened for active movement. He par
tlcipated in the varied engagements of
the first |. S. regiment of the regular
army, to which he was now attached.
1t was largely in dcploy and skirmish
that his first campaign opened. The
first great battle Of the year, and it
may be added of the war, was that of
Gettysburg. Here the cavalry arm,
which had been interposcd between
Lee and his supplies, tending thus to
the engagement, rendered
immense service in guarding the APP
proaches and defending the lines of the
army of the Potomac. In constantly
changing positions aud unremitting
service, February II, 1864, arrived,
and the first term Of Sergeant Bates
service expired. He now enlisted into
the regiment to which he had been
transferred, first L. S., Co. NJ.
Capt. Jas. c. Hunt. The service of
ga following the enlistment, appears
even more unremitting, from the num-
Der of actions that are recalled on his
discharge. "Custar's raid" followed,
in seventeen days after enlistment.
Spottsylvania succeeded. The dark |
and bloody Wilderness came third in
he enumeration. Winchester, "when
Sheridan was twenty miles away" is
he seventeenth action recorded of the
of ga. Cedar Greek, the
attest, Oct. 10. Co. NJ was transferred
oon after, to the service of the army
If the Mississippi. and New Orleans
Bates company for the time. The
mighty struggle for unity and law ter
minated at Appomattox. But TIE
sergeant, instead of returning home
With the few of his first comrades who
emained. was moved to the north
vest with his company, to check an
prising of the red man. Their route
vas by the way of San Francisco, Cal.
When there, thousand miles lay be-
ween this point in their march and
heir destination. One hundred and
fifty miles were accomplished on foot,
nd the remainder on the Mexican
nustang. Two weary months were
equlred for the journey to reach Fort
.yon, Idaho, their ultimate destina-
ion. Here and in circuit Of one
undrcd miles or more, terminated the
lodged military service of Sergeant
Bates. One characteristic act of dar-
ng might be related here. A messen-
er was to be sent to communicate
With Gen. Crook, hundred miles
way. The mission was too hazard
us for attempt to be made, except by
volunteer. That volunteer was Ser
cant Bates. The first thirty miles he
'as guided by road, and the first
light offered a safe lodging. Thence
orward it was by trail through desc
,te region where, only the hostile In
ian roamed. But his unfailng mus
aug bore him to the presence Of Gen.
rock, who, with establishment, in
uired how he dared to come unattend-
d. His business dispatched, he re-
lrned without molestation or delay to
ne post from whence he started. 1t
'as remarkable, but through the en-
re service of the field he never re.
eived wound although two horses in
lie time were killed under him. His
Ill term, each of three years service,
osed at Fort Lyon, Idaho Territory,
eb, -, 1867, He was offered n