Image from Benson Lossing's Pictorial Fieldbook of the War of 1812, depicting the blockhouse at Fort Covington where Ardril Gates was taken prisoner.

ADRIL GATES

Lived: 1792 - 1880 (aged 88)

Hometown: Franklin County, New York

Battles: Fort Covington

On July 8, 1812—ten days before the United States declared war on Great Britain—nineteen year old Ardril Gates enlisted as a private in Captain Rufus Tilden's company of New York State Militia at Malone, Franklin County.

In November, Gates and his fellow militiamen were tasked with constructing Fort Covington on the Salmon River. Twice, the soldiers raided St. Regis, Lower Canada (present-day Quebec). In response, a force of British and Canadians attacked the militia force at Fort Covington. During the fighting, Ardril Gates and several others were taken prisoner and marched to Coteau du Lac in Canada. In January 1813, Gates and the others were exchanged for York Militiamen captured by the Americans.

Upon his exchange, Ardril was released from service and returned to civilian life. In June 1814, he married Aurelia Hall of Addison, Vermont and settled in Wyoming County, New York. The Gates had eight sons and four daughters. Census records show that Ardril had moved to Wisconsin by 1850. In 1857, Ardril married Rachel Longstreet at Eaton, Michigan. In 1865, Ardril was given 80 acres of land in Minnesota for his service during the War of 1812 as well as a pension of $8 per month. He died at Forest Prairie, Minnesota, on July 14, 1880.

SUBMITTED BY: Susan LeBlanc and David LeBlanc who currently reside in Gladstone, Oregon. David is the 3rd great-grandson to Private Gates through Gates' youngest son Albert, his daughter Roena Gates, her son Oliver William LeBlanc, his son Robert Lewis LeBlanc to his son David LeBlanc.