Death
The attackers decided to storm the walls of the city, and Bate volunteered to lead a party. He was landed, but as he was determining the height of the wall to be scaled with his sextant, he was hit in the right breast by a ball fired from a jingal. He died half an hour later. Admiral Michael Seymour wrote to the Admiralty after the capture of Canton:
2. Our gratification at this quick success with trifling losses has been damped by a great calamity, in the death of Captain William Thornton Bate, of Her Majesty's ship Actaeon, who was killed by a gingall ball whilst reconnoitring a suitable spot for placing our scaling ladders. 3.This sad event had placed a gloom over the whole force, Captain Bate being no less beloved for his many virtues, than respected and admired for his professional ability. By the death of Captain Bate, Her Majesty has lost a most zealous, able and faithful servant.He was buried in Hong Kong Cemetery in Happy Valley of Hong Kong.
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