He participated in virtually all the important

    battles of the Civil War, including Gettysburg, Chancellorsville
    and Fredericksburg (where he was taken prisoner), and was
    regularly promoted until he became a Brevet Brigadier General
    at the end of the war. Notably, Bates served as Colonel of the
    30th United States Colored Troops. In this capacity he was
    wounded in the head on July 30, 1864 while leading a charge at
    the famous "Battle of the Crater" near Petersburg, Virginia. His
    heroism on that day earned him a Congressional Medal of Honor.

http://files.usgwarchives.net/ne/state/military/cwletter.txt

http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/70/bates-delavan.php

The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Colonel Delavan Bates, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on 30 July 1864, while serving with 30th Colored Troops, in action at Petersburg (Cemetery Hill), Virginia. For gallantry in action where he fell, shot through the face, at the head of his regiment.

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http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6404102

Civil War Union Brevet Brigadier General, Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient, He served in the Civil War first as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 121st New York Volunteer Infantry, then as Colonel and commander of the 30th United States Colored Troops. He led his regiment in an assault on Confederate positions at Cemetery Hill, Virginia on July 30, 1864. His bravery in that action garnered him a brevet of Brigadier General, US Volunteers (citation reading "for distinguished services in the assault on Cemetery Hill, Va."), and the CMOH (citation reading "Gallantry in action where he fell, shot through the face, at the head of his regiment 30 July 1864"). His brevet was backdated to the date of his bravery; the Medal of Honor was awarded to him on June 22, 1891. (bio by: Russ Dodge)

http://files.usgwarchives.net/ne/state/military/cwletter.txt