[4][5][2] Bathurst entered the army in May 1794 as a volunteer and was promoted to ensign that December,[6] to lieutenant in April 1795, and to captain in 1800.
[3] In 1807, he served with the Russian Army, and was present at the actions fought for the relief of Dantzig, as well as in those of Lomitten, Deppen, Gutstadt, Heilsberg, and Friedland.
[3] During the Peninsular War, he accompanied Sir Brent Spencer to the coast of Spain in 1808.
In 1808 and 1809, he served in Portugal as assistant quartermaster-general and as aide-to-camp to the Duke of Wellington.
[12] In 1816, he succeeded Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Napier as Lieutenant-Governor of the Virgin Islands.