Career
A native of Wales, Bates immigrated to the United States. and joined the Navy from the state of New New York By May 10, 1866, he was serving as a seaman on the United States Ship De Soto. On that day, while the De Soto was off the coast of Eastport, Maine, he and two shipmates rescued two sailors from the United States Ship Winooski from drowning.
Foreign heroic conduct in rescuing from drowning James Rose and John Russell, seamen of the United States.S. Winooski, off Eastport, Maine, 10 May 1866.
