The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-01-31
From the N. Y. Journal of Commerce.
LEES LEGION.

LEES LEGION.
Your correspondent "Jusiitia," well defend
his memory, in showing the distinction belwep
General Henry Lee, one of the most gallant, chiy
alrous and patriotic soldiers of the Revolutions and
Gen. Charles Lee, passionate and eccentric, al
though unquestionabiy military man able and
brave. General Chen 1t. Colonel Lee dislin-
gnshed himself especially in the Southern
paigns under General Greene, whose bosom friend
he was, and under whom he won the proud title
of being "the eye of the Southern army" TO
some of your readers perhaps the character and
service of Lees Legion may not be we'll
known. 1t was a partisan corps, which acted in
dependenly of, or CONFORMITY with, the other ar
mics, occasion might require, and consisted of
three troops of horse, and three companies of in
tanry. numbering rank and fle three hundred
and fifty men, who, under Lees incessant exer-
lions, in the highest state of discipline and
always ready for effective service.
The horses, selected with great care, were
powerful and kept in high condition ST. much 50.
that Lee charged with being careful OF
his horses than of his men, and from their superi-
0rity his troopers were, with their long, heavy
sabrcs, e" boot top to boot top considered match
Tor double their number of the enemy. In the
mastcrly retreat of Greene, which led To the sub
sequent surrender of CORVALLIS at Yorktown, the
Legion formed The rearguard of the army, and
almost always in sight of the van of the enc
volume of exciting daring and adventure. and
well furnish idea of what the soldiers of the
Revolution were made.
Under their gallant Colonel, who, though
stern disciplinaran, was beloved by his men, the
senior captain of the infantry Michael Ru
d0lph, man OF small statue but OF the most de-
termned and daring courage and of great phys
cal strength, who always led the 6 fol Torn hope,
In the LegIOns storm of posts, Ca service which
was neither rare nor far hetween,) and
pletey was he the idol OF the men, that it was
only necessary that he should be detailed on duty
of the most desperate character, that the Infantry
To man were anxious to be engaged in 1t. The
leading Captain of the cavalry, James Armstrong
almost the precise counterpart of Rudolph in
person, strength and heroic daring like beloved
of his men, ahead of whom he was always found
in the charge. If were writing history of the
" the Legion" and it not inyidious, wher,
all were equally brave, would mention the names
of O'Neill, who fought his way up from the ranks
and who would, had not the carblae flashed in the
pan, when a private trooper, have terminated
Tarleton's career in its bud and Darlington, and
Middleton, and Eggleson, and Manning, the lat
ter of whom, at the battle of Eulaw, rushed two
hundred yards ahead of his platoon, seized Brit
Ish officer, disarmed him, and nterp0sing him as
a shield between himself and the enemy's fire,
deliberately backed with him again to the Ameri-
can ranks, and Sergeant Orde, who, at the sur
prise Of Yorktown, laid six men dead at his feet
with successive strokes of his bayonet, and the
noble Sergeant Champc, who, (under Washing
toms nstructions,) had he been successful. would
have captured Arnold and hanged him on the same
gallows from which Andre might thereby have
been saved. But cannot refrain from mention
ing that of Skinner, one of the two Surgeons Of
the Cavalry, who was perfect original both in
character and appearance--a Falsaf in proper
lions and disposition.
He carried this so far that when Irvine, the
oil ypTy q \ nd b
at the charge at Quinby's Bridge, he would not
attend him until he had dressed the commonest
of the soldiers, saying that " he had no business
in the melee, and was we'll served" AT the
night alarm at Ninety Six" Colonel Lee has
tened forward to ascertain its cause. met the Doc
tor in full retreat. Where so fast, Doctor 2"
said the Colonel, Z" where so fast mot Tighten
ed ! hope % emo, Colonel" replied Skinner,
/" not frightened, but confess most con(oundedly
alarmed"
He had the same love Of good cheer and the
same belief in his being irresistible to the fair
sex and if you would believe his own story, was
quite as great a coward, (athough one or two
fatal duels proved the contrary, where the parties
had attempted to trfe with hm) He asserted
that The Surgeons place was in the rear, and that
although che had no greater indisPOsition 10
death than any other gentleman, he had an inter
aversion to the noise and confusion Of battle, that
il stunned and supplied him and that besides
the Surgeons Office to cure men, not to kill
them" and &" that it was none Of their business to
be aping tho demeanor and duty Of fighting off,
GERS"
But ! am uniniendonally spinning out this
communication too far. The history and adyen.
lures Of the Legion well and most modeslly de.
tailed can DO culled from Lees Southern Cam
pagns." 1t is only necessary to say that Colonel
Lee was esteemed by Washington, whose per.
ccp,iun Of character, whose estimate Of the gold
from the dross, the grain from the chaH, was al
most intuitive, and whose regard was sufficient
evidences Of objects nobility.
AsGER.-It is a passion filter for flies and in
sccls than for persons protesting nObleness and
IL n frnnhlnenrrn nrlr In ihl1an D,