User:Roderick Williams/GenJames Coates

Gen. James Coates: A British Officer who served in Jamaica (1765-1773), as a Brigadier General at Charleston (1781-82)and later in the West Indies.

James Coates joined the 2nd Bn. 19th Foot (later the 66th (Berkshire) Regiment of Foot) at Dundee in 1757 as an Ensign. With the 66th Ft, Coates became Capt.Lt. in 1761 and Capt. on 2nd April 1762. He commanded a company in Jamaica from 1765-1766 and then was promoted to Major (by purchase) and second in command of the regiment. Returning to England with it in 1775, he was promoted to Lt.Col. (Brevet)on the 11th Sept and purchased the Lieutant-Colonelcy of the 19th (1st Yorkshire North Riding) regiment of Foot. on the 11th Oct of that year.

In 1781, a Brigade consisting of the 3rd, 19th and 30th Regiments of Foot were dispatched to Charlestown, South Carolina under the command of Col. Gould. It was in Charlestown that he was slightly wounded in action and where in May 1782, he was promoted to command the Brigade with the rank of Colonel(Brevet) (Local Brigadier General).

Shortly afterwards, he was ordered to take his brigade to Jamaica, where he remained in command until shortly before the 19th was ordered back to England in 1791. he was promoted Major General on the 28th April 1790.

He relinquished command of the 19th Foot when he was appointed Colonel of the 2nd (The Queens Royal) Regiment of Foot in December 1794. He was later promoted Lieutenant General in January 1797 and General on the 29th April 1802. His last listing in the Army list was in 1822.