Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-05-18

49, ~; %t,ss7.--S->1*2s-:s:!.
MAJOR GENERAL J. C. RATES.
estates in Cuba. Already from the camp
of the American troops, looking north
and east, can be seen the tall chimncys
of the sugar "ingenios' pouring forth
the smoke that testilies to renewed
activity and the regeneration of a great
industry. The harbOr is one of the most
beautiful in the world, landlocked even
more effectually than that of Santiago.
1t is capable of handling an immense
marine trade after a little deepening of
its channel and the Improvement of its
wharfage. The city is also connected
by rail with Santa Clara, Cardenas,
! Mantanzas and Havana. 1t is by all
odds the handsomest city in Cuba.
The population of Cienfuegos and
environs is about 80, 000. The people
are simple in habits and hospitable in
temper. They are given to various COM
mercial pursuits and in the country to
the simpler forms Of agriculture. The
houses are comfortable, and those of the
better class are sumFtuously furnished
after European fashions. The country Is
rich in resources, and this province with
capital and enterprise supplied, will be-
come sugar bowl Of wealth and pros
perity. Peace, education and industry
will transform it into veritable gar
den of Eden
General Bates is a man well adapted
to the bcneficent work which has been
committed to his wisdom and abilities.
He is the son of Hon. Edwin Bates OF
Missouri, who was the attorney genera
chosen by President Lincoln, when he
entered the presidency, to give legal di-
rection to the affairs of the government
in that critical period. Attorney Gen
eral Bates was a man of great power,
and his distinguished son inherits much
of the prudence, judicial instincts and
executive abilities Of the father These
he has exhibited on many occasions and
is now exercising with marked success.
He was born in Missouri in 1S42 anG
entered the army as first lieutenant Of
the Eleventh regular infantry on the
14th of May, 1861. He served in the
terrible activities Of his regiment in the
battles of Gaines Mill, Seven Days and
Malvern Hill; also in the second Bull
Run fight. at Antietam and at Freder-
icksburg He was aid-de-canp ON the
staff of General Joe Hooker at Chancel-
louisville and served in like capacity
with Major General Meade at Gettys-
burg. the Wilderness, Spottsylvania,
Petersburg and at Lee $ surrender so
that his record in the civil war was one
of marked activity and danger As a
, consequence he was brevetted major and
then lieutenant colonel for gallant ana
meritorious service. In May, 1863, he
was promoted to IA captaincy of the reg
uar army, made major III 1882, lieu
tenant colonel in 1856 and colonel OF
the Second infantry in 1892 During the
interim from the civil war to the Amer
: ican-Spanish war he was stationed at
; various posts in Dakota, Texas, Indian
Territory. Montana. New Mexico, Ne
braska and Kansas.
. His authoritative familiarity with
every detail of army equipment, drill
and field operations is testified to Off
: cially by the fact that General Bate
was president of the board of officer,
which framed the existing drill reeu
y lations of the United States army an(
his work in that behalf has stood the
:, supreme test of war service and ap
I prevail SO that as tactical expert hi
=. name is entitled to rank with those o
. Hardee and Upton. He was also presi
dent of the board on the "revision O
y United States army firing regulations
and q member of the board which
T adopted the magazine rifle (caliber 80
:, now used by the United States armies
>, Few men in the history of the servic,
have enjoyed the absolute confidence o
the war department authorities to th
extent that is manifested by the abov
4 mentioned assignments.
Il VIXEN the American Spanish wa
came on, General Bates was serving
" with his regiment at Fort Keogh, Mon
. tana. lie was one of the very first officer
ordered, April, | 1913, to transfer his com
, mand to Chickanauga park, where h
4 was one of the first of the colonies of reg
ulars to be promoted to be brigadicr gen
~ eral of volunteers. He was assigned t
command a brigade of regular infantr
~ and then to command the Third diVislo
III OF the First army corps. On the 24t
, OF May he was transferred to the com
'' mand Of the First division Of the Fourt
:, army corps, at Mobile, and on June
~ he sailed thence, with the Third an
~ Twentieth regular infantry regiment
~ and one squadron of the Second regula
=. cavalry, to Tampa to join Genera
!. Shatter S expedition to Santiago,
~ In General Skaters army this fore
=, was known as Bates lndependei
y. Brigade, 1t was command, and pei
~ haps the only one in the famous exp'
- dition that went into the field abs'
~ lutely complete in every respect--wal
= ons mules, ambulances, medicine
tentage arms, ammunition ration