General James Coates

1794-1822

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 3^rd October 1766. He became a Brevet Lieutenant Colonel, 11th September 1775 and Lieutenant Colonel of the 19^th Foot on 26^th October 1775. A Brevet Colonelcy followed in May 1781. He was promoted Major General on 28^th April 1790 and was appointed Colonel, 2^nd Queen’s on 20^th December, 1794. Three years later he was promoted Lieutenant General and on 29^th April 1802 he was promoted General.

He served in the American War in 1781 in command of the 19^th 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 22^nd 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 1^st June, but on the 8^th June the Gazette had the following curious memo, “The appointment of Lieutenant General Sir G Lowry Cole to be Colonel of the 2^nd Foot, as stated in the Gazette of the 1^st 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 70^th Regiment.

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