The National tribune., 1900-02-08

AT Salem Church, where his regimen
lost 276 out Of 453 present, Lieut. Bate.
was taken prisoner, confined in Libby II
days, and exchanged in time for Gettys
burg. where he was promoted 10 FRS
Lieutenant.
In the desperat- charge of Upton's Bri
| gade at Rappahannock Station. Nov. Z
1868. as the line went over the rebel works
Lieut.. Bates grasped from the hand of Con
| federate officer his uplifted sword which
he vet keeps as a highly-priZed mementc
of his army service.
In the early part of the year 1864 officers
We're needed for the colored regiments
which We're being, rapidly recruited
and, very wisely, selections We're mostly
made from the army in the field.
Lieut.. Bates received the appointment of
Colonel, and March 81 assumed command
of the Both L. S. c. T. at Baltimore Nd.
| 1t took nerve in those days for white officers
to serve with colored troops, for all such had
been declared outlaws by the Confederate
Congress; but the youthful Colonel had
many other able and fearless officers to
assist him, among them the boy Lieu
tenant" who later on became Capt. Free S.
Bowley.
The history of the regiment is one of
which any officer might well be proud.
On their first battlefield Remember Fort
Pillow" was the cry, and without fiinching
made a Brigadier-General by brevet, and
also given a medal of honor for distin-
guished services on that day, his regi-
ment having led the charge, and he having
been shot after carrying the first line of
rebel works, and preparing to make an
advance on the second line. One third of
his regimen. were killed or wounded.
Gen. Bates assumed command of the
First Brigade, Third Division, Ninth
Corps, Oct.11, 1864, and in December, when
the colored troops were consolidated in the
Twenty-fifth Corps, he was given the First
Brigade in the First Division. After the
capture of Fort Fisher the colored troops
sent on that expedition We're made part of
the Tenth Corps, Army of the Ohio. under
became the First Brigade, Third Division
of that corps. The Army of the Ohio
joined Sherman's army at Goldsboro, and
served until the close of the war under
that illustrious commander.
During reconstruction times of the year
1865 the General had command of the
Harbor of Beaufort, n. c., and later of the
District of Newberne. These were days
of experiment, but the conservative methods
of this commander won for him the conf
dence and respect of all with whom he
came in contact. The officers of his COM
mand also presented him with an elegant
sword and belt as a token of their esteem.
Inc cOiOTet troops were mustered out at
the close OF the year, but the hero of this
sketch remained in Salisbury, N c., until
the Ku Klux became SO numerous that
prudence dictated change of residence
to a more congenial latitude. Nebraska
was next selected as "A home, and on the
boundless prairies of that beautiful State
he has helped build the enterprising city
of Aurora, now containing about 2 500
inhabitants.
For 20 years he has assisted I'm the Vii
lage and City Government, holding all posi-
tions from Village Trustee to that of City
Mayor for many terms. He also helped
organize the First National Bank, the
Aurora Creamery, and the Aurora Building
Association. Last March he met with a
serious accident from the piercing of his
hand with a nail, by which he lost finger,
and Oct. 1 an arm was broken by fall