Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-08-14
The Father of Gen. Lee.

some allus1on has lately been made IN
paragraph copied from the Petersburg Lnder,
to the father of Gen. Robert e. Lee, so la
nous as Light Horse Harry" of the Amer
lcan Revolution. A more extended sketch
may not be unacceptable.
This distinguished soldier, the father of
Gen. Lee, was born in Westmoreland county,
Virginia, a county which gave birth to Wash>
lngton, Richard Henry Lee, president of
Congress in 1784) and his three brothers,
Thomas, Francis and Arthur; to President
Monroe and Judge Bushrod Washngton.-
Henry Lee graduated ut Princeton College at
eighteen years of age, was appointed captain
of company in regiment of civalry COM
manded by TheodOrick Bland. He became
knownssat once as an excellent dsclplinarlan,
and by his activity attacking light parties of
the enemy, and procuring information
The achievement which first drew him into
general notice, and led to his pruniutiou, was
his remarkable success in toHng an attempt
OF the British in january, l77S, to cut off
both hun and his troop. lie was the time
quartered III stone house, not tar from the
British lines, aud had with him on y ten men,
besides four pa rolls. a British cavairy force,
TWO hundred strong, having made an xtreme
circuit, seized his PATROLS and attacked Capt.
Lee in his quarters. Yet he made such
desperate defence with his ten men. that the.
enemy were beaten off with loss, u successful
feat OF heroism which elected from Washing
ton complimentary letter, and led to his
promotion to the rank of Major, with the
command of au independent partlzan corps.
IN the 18th OF Juty, 1879, at the head of
about three hundred men, he completely sur
Prlsed the British garrison at Jersey city, and
succeeded III taking one hundred and sixty
prisoners, with the loss OF only two men killed
aud three wounded, for which brilliant achiev-
lnent Congress voted him gold medal.
In l7SU, being made afLeutenant Colonel,
he joined. with lis legion, the army of the
S"nth. and proved himself the most brilliant
cavalry leader of the war. His legion form
ed the rear guard OF Green's army, in the
celebrated rcueaI before CorDwullis, and so
hot was the pursuit, that Lee, on one ncca-
sion, charged 1arietun's corps, killing eigh-
teen, and making captain and several pri-
Yates PRISONERS. Not long after, the enter
prIslhg rebel attacked party of four hundred
"yatIst militia, killed ninety and wounded
many others. Previous to the battle of Gull
fora, Lees legion drove buck Tarletvn's dra-
goons with loss, and also distinguished itself
at, anu after the battle. 1t was in pursuance
OF Lees advice that Gen. Greene, instead of
waiting the movements of Corvallis deter
mined to advance at once into South Carolina
and endeavor TO recover that State and Geor-
ga DS SSlleS VI pOlu anu vigorous opera
tlons, Lee captured six of the enemy's forts
in the Southern States, and in the battle of
Eutuw SPRINGS his exertons contributed much
to the successful issue Of the day After the
surrender of Yorktown, Lee re- ired to private
lie, carrying with him the acknowled dament
OF General Green that his services had been
greater than those of any one man attached
to the Southern army.
In 1886 General Lee was deleSate to
Congress, and in 1888 a member ofthe Vir>
ginia Convention to ratify the Constitution.
He greatly distinguished himself by his ad
vocacy of that measure. He was afterwards
elected Governor of Virginia, which position
he held from 1892 to 1895. On the breaking
out If the whiskey insurrecton, he was placed
by ashington i'll command of the forces or
dered against the insurgents, and received
great credit for his conduct. In 1899 he was
again in Congress, and, upon the death of
Washington, was appointed to pronounce that
eulogium, OF which the sentence, {" first in
war, first in peace, aud first in the hearts of
his countrymen," has become familiar as a
household word.
General Lees first wife was daughter of
Philip Luderell Lee, by whom he had a son
and a daughter. His second wife was a
daughter of Charles Carter of Shirley nv
whom he had three sous Zone of whom was
Robert X. Lee,) and two daughters. In per
son he was about five feet nIne inches. we'll
proportloned, of an open, pleasant cOunte-
nance, and dark complexion. Its propnsed
to remove his remains to the Virginia Mill
tary Institute, at Lexington.