Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-10-24
lNOrtester Daily Spp.
From the Barre Gazette.
Interesting IkemInIscence


by Mrs, Buleah Lee 10 her son, Samuel Lee
(then lad of sixteen, who afterwards became
general in the army, is among other Revo
lutIonary documents presented by General
Perkins OF Philadelphia TO the New England
historical and Genealogical Society, where it
is still preserved. Capt. D0nnels' company of
which young Lee was member, was then
posted near West Point.
BARRE, Feb 9th, 1888.
SIR: 1t is with the greatest pleasure imag
Unable that | have now taken up my pen to
return my most hearty thanks for the honor
conferred on me by your kind letter; but Sir
mud words too insignificant to express the
gratitude | feel rising in my breast Tor the
many tavors you are and have already bestow.
ed on my son | find he has greatly i'm
proved under your generous tuition Sir, the
dlSlnterested benevolence with which YOU
have loaded him with has filled my heart with
gratitude to you who have been SO geherous
a beneiactor to him, and hope, Sir, lie has a
grateful sense of it (; and pray 10 God to en-
large it still toward you He has ever been a
duttul son to me and | trust will continue SO
to be. His tenderness for his brother gives
Inc great satisfaction, and, Sir as far as nv
capabilities would admit, | have given him
counsel there is nothing, Sir, can give a ma
rent greater satisfaction than to see their chill
dren walk in the paths of virtue, so | commit
him to your care under God, for know not
who could feel more willing 10 submit him
10; we hope tor peace, but God only knows
when it will come; l hope | shall obtain
patience to wait his time in that and all other
matters. Sir, l beg leave to conclude bv.
wishing you the best of heavens BLESSINGS
that sweet, balmy peace may ever hover over
you, that health may wanton in your veins
ana prosperity may surround your person,
and after life long and prosperous You may
exchange this your earthly inheritance for a
possession i'll those bright, azure fields where
disquietude shall never fiud admittance. and
that each of our ends may be peace and sure
eternity, blessed is the sincere wish of yo =
friend and humble servant
BULEAH LEE.
10 Capt NATH'L DoNNELs, Comp'y Ar.
tillery. Forwarded by Capt Harris.
In this connection we have concluded to
re-pubhsh the following extract from an obit.
uary notice of Gen Lee, in the Gazette of
Nov. L, 1889, believing that it will be perus.
ed with interest by many of our readers.
General Samuel Lee was born in this
town on the 9Th day of March 1867. His
iather, whose name was also Samuel, was
deaf and dumb, and although naturally en-
dowed with bright mind, could not of course
be expected, While deprived of two so i'm.
portant senses, to be able to assist largely in
the early training of his family. Nor was the
SUBJECT OF this notice otherwise well situated
Tor the cultivation and refinement of the tai
entS with which he was endowed. The dis.
trlct schools were then short and far between.
and the war of the Revolution which soon
succeeded, rendered other and sterner ac.
c0mpllshments than even reading and writinU
IN greatest demand. Young Lee early learn.
ed from the conversation of the neighbors, the
situation OF his country, and stimulated by the
ieeing that was nowhere more prevalent than
III his native town, together, as he was wont
to say, with little hattery, he was induced to
enlist into the 'three months service" when
only thirteen years Of age. He was marched to
West Point and placed in the re. iment of Col
Rand, and IN the company commanded by
Capt afterwards Colonel) Ephrain Stevens of
fetersham. 1t was during his stay at this
important post that the trying time of Arnold's
treachery came. The affair." in every detail
WIS firmly impressed on the mind of the Young
soldier At the expiration of his term he was
discharged, and came home, beng yet in his
fourteenth year.
In January following lie enlisted in the three
years service, under the act of congress for
raising body of men for that term Of time
Provisions were made against the enlistment
OF any under the age of sixteen, but our Youth
ful patriot relied on his size and appearance to
sustain him III the very pardonable misrepre.
sehtatloh OF his true years. lie measured,
"hen examined at Springfield, where his
whole figure was minuted, five feet and ten
inches in height, and the more than two years
deficiency IN his age was not suspected In
March, 81, he joined the army at West Point.
with Others from this town. They were as
signed by lot to different regiments, young
Lee together with Jason Halves and Sias
Smith a int, q r.
jackson. They Were Immediately put into
the drill under an officer appointed to teach
the manual and other exercises, where they
remained till May
The old regiment of infantry having been
marched in February to Virginia under La
fayette, 1t was determined to raise a fvinp
regiment, as it was called, of infantry. 10 ef.
feet this, selection was made from the New
England troops Of the most athletic and hardy
persons, who should be best capable of per
forming and sustaining active and arduous du-
ues Young Lee came within the descriptions
Inc regiment was placed under the command
OF Col Alexander SCANNED a bold and tried
soldier from the New Ham, shire line. This
body was then marched down to the Ameri-
can lines in New Jersey, and placed upon &C.
tive duty 1t was its province to detect and
suppress the depl citations Of the British and
tories, and as their incursions were mostly
made IN the night, the duty was arduous and
1atSulng. Scammel's regiment became ter.
ror IN name and deed. In july, having re-
crossed the Hudson, under Gen. Lincoln. with
view to attack the enemy, this regiment was
engaged In skirmish with body Of wager
rihemen, in which Smith was MORALLY
wounded.
The next move was for the southern cam
pagn, the result of which was the capture of
CORVALLIS at Yorktown. The army OF French
and American troops moved south in August,
encamping few days near Philadelphia and
marching through that city, making line Of
two miles IN length, Tor the purpose, as Wash
lngton afterwards said, OF awing the diSaffected
and doubling by display of strength. Con
gress was at that time sitting in that city
Yorktown was at length reached and tile
British army invested. Scammels regi-
ment was engaged in stormng the first gun
battery which was attacked. After its surren-
der, Scammel was treacherously slain and the
command OF the regiment devolved on Col.
Hamilton. On the 18th of September the
regiment stormed and took a redoubt, com
manded by Major Campbell, whose life came
near being sacrificed by Captain Fry of the
New Hampshire liue, in retaliation of the
treacherous death OF Scammell Hamilton in.
terposed and saved the disgrace During the
whole Of this famous siege the regiment to
which young Lee belonged, sustained an ac-
tive and honorable part.
The surrender of CORVALLIS was a virtual
close OF the war. The New England troops
returned to the Hudson. The year 1882 was
comparatively quiet, and in 1888 peace was
IatlneG' The continental army was disbanded
WIN tIle exception of the three years men, of
winch l'ie SUBJECT OF the present memoir was
one, and remained. He was emnloved in camn
duties, and one of the detachment sent ont tp
bring III the prisoners concerned in the Penn
sylvania mutiuy.