Born
in 1740, he was gazetted Ensign in the 19th Foot on Christmas Day,
1755. Two years later in September 1757 he was a Lieutenant in the
66th Foot. Promoted Captain in 1762 he was promoted Major on 3rd
October 1766. He became a Brevet Lieutenant Colonel, 11th September
1775 and Lieutenant Colonel of the 19th Foot on 26th October 1775.
A Brevet Colonelcy followed in May 1781. He was promoted Major General
on 28th April 1790 and was appointed Colonel, 2nd Queen’s
on 20th December, 1794. Three years later he was promoted Lieutenant
General and on 29th April 1802 he was promoted General.
He served in the American War in 1781 in command of the 19th Foot
and was present at the fighting at Monk’s Corner and the relief
of Fort Ninety Six. He served in the campaign in Holland 1794-95
in command of a brigade where he was slightly wounded. His term
of command of The Queen’s was long when compared with those
of some other holders of the office. He died in command on 22nd
July 1822 at Heslington, near York. General Coates was eighty-two
years of age, and at the time of his death, the fourth in seniority
on the list of Generals.
A rather curious paragraph in the History of The Queen’s refers
to Lieutenant General Sir G Lowry Cole who had been so long in command
of the Division in the Peninsula in which the four companies of
the Queen’s were posted, was appointed Colonel of the Queen’s
in the Gazette on the 1st June, but on the 8th June the Gazette
had the following curious memo, “The appointment of Lieutenant
General Sir G Lowry Cole to be Colonel of the 2nd Foot, as stated
in the Gazette of the 1st inst, has not taken place. General Coates,
on whose supposed decease the appointment had taken place, having
notified that he is alive”. He did not die till nine
years after this date!
Lieutenant General Sir Lowry Cole later became Colonel of the 70th
Regiment. |