Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-01-25
GEN. CHARLES LEE.
REMARKABLE NARRATIVE IN THE
WRITING or ELIAS BouDINoT.
Valuable Unpublished Document tiius-
trating Lees Peculiar Mental
Organization.


Said Senator Faulkner. Of West Virginia,
recently 10 Globe Democrat correspond
ent: 1.-THE present generation has forgot
ten that between Harper's Ferry and Shep-
herdstown Is the plantation to which
| General Charles Lee retired after his
famous alteration with Washington at the
battle of Brandywine lMonmouthH The
house in which Lee lived was destroyed
by fire some years since. Lee lived on his
plantation solitary and alone, with the ex-
ception of few negro servants. Stunned
by all of his neighbors. Lee died, how
ever. in Philadelphia and the estate went
| into the hands of some of his English re-
latiyes. Lee was an Englishmsn and was
not related to Lighthouse Harry Lee. the
friend Of Washington and the father OF
| General X. Z. Lee"
BouDNoT's STORY.
Simultaneously with the publication OF
| the above the following appears IN the
Philadelphia Times
| There will be sold at auction in this city
| within O few weeks one of the most inter
| esting manuscripts that has lately been
| offered to the collectors of rare, curious,
and choice books. IL is now owned by
| John r.. Baker, and has for some years
| formed part Of his valuable library. The
great interest which the manuscript pos
| sesses to students of American history was
| apparently not appreciated by Mr.. Baker,
| however, who some months ago loaned the
volume TO Mr.. w. S. Baker. That expe-
rienced student of the life and times OF
Washington quickly discovered its great
historical value, and straightway set 10
| N tal HI hIaQt
which will be published in the next num-
Der of the Pennsylrdnid Magazine Of HIS
tory and Biography.
The narrative Is contained in volume
| entitled "A Magazine for Miscellaneous
Pieces and Publications Collected and
Preserved by Elias Boudinot:" 1t IL en-
tirely in the handwriting OF Boudinot,
| who was commissary- general of prisoners
| in 1877 and 1878. and is now for the first
time seen in type. The manuscript, as
will be seen, contains some new and start
| ling incidents of the Revolution, especial
| " illustrating the character OF Major
General Charles Lee.
EFFORTS TO EXCHANGE LEE.
From the time of his appointment as
| Major General, great reliance was placed
upon the military knowledge and capacity
| of Lee, which was constantly overrated.
and Washington himself was not behind
! Others in this delusion. During Lees de-
| tenton as prisoner, the commander-ln-
| chief was extremely deslrous of his ex-
| change, deeming his services OF the utmost
| importance TO the colonial cause, and his
| faith il his usefulness never seemed to
wayer. A striking evidence OF this was
! exhibited before the battle of Monmouth
| Courthouse, when, after having given the
| command Of the advance to Lafayette,
| Washington on the following day trans
| ferred it to Lee, who, being strongly OPP
posed to attacking the enemy, had at first
| refused TO lead it.
The first interesting paragraph in Mr..
| Boudlnot's journal reads as follows:
In December, 1776, General Lee having
| been taken prisoner at his quarters at
| Baskine Ridge, in the county of Somerset,
| New Jersey, about four miles to the left OF
| his troops, by his own extreme negligence
| and folly, was removed to New York and
! confined TO handsome house under the
care of four or five field officers, who lived
with him and kept genteel table. In this
| situation he sent to Congress requesting a
| committee of their body might be sent
over to him, rs he had something of con-
sequence TO communicate TO them, and for
| the purpose sent General Howe's safe con-
| duct for their security. This Congress
very Justly refused and treated the appli-
| cation with deserved contempt. In Janu-
ary, 177S, was sent by General Washing
| ton over 10 New York to examine into the
situation of our prisoners. and to accom-
plish Lees exchange If possible.
EVIL PREDICTIONS.
1.-THE morning after my arrival waited
on General Lee, who received me with
great pleasure indeed, and asked me to
breakfast with HIM the next day. This |
did. in company with the officers who had
| L. &C hin, ap1 xuo q frnat aH with uraaf
politeness and affability. When breakfast
was over, General Lee asked me. up into
his room. He soon began to complain very
heavily of the treatment he had received
from Congress in not complying with his
request l told him that / thought they
did perfectly right not to trust any
of their members within the British
lines on such an errand. He replied
that he had obtained a safe passport for
them from General Howe and they might
have come with the utmost safety: then
asked him what end would have been an
swered by their coming. Sir said he, i
had discovered the whole plan Of the sum-
mer's campaign on the part of the British
and would have disclosed the whole to
their measures, for, Mr.. Boudinot, it is in
vain for Congress to expect to Withstand
British troops in the field, l answered
that they had been withstood and that the
campaign had passed over and the enemy
had gained no great advantage, with
all their force and strength. But
Q continued), General. will you an
swer me explicitly. Did you inform
General Howe that this was your de-
sign?' He answered, BY no means! y
Then, General said /, do tell me what rea-
sons did you assign to General Howe for so
extraordinary measure as sending for
three members of Congress to be permitted
20 garriconaA tnWn IN confer with
their own General, a prisoner of WARP" To
this he would give me no answer, but I'M
mediately began to urge the improbability
of our troops. under such an ignorant COM
mander-in-chiet, ever outstanding British
grenadiers and light infantry, and immedi-
ately put his hand into his pocket and
pulled out a manuscript OF two or three
sheets, and said he charged 1t on me TO
hearken to what he would read to me, and
as soon as l returned to jersey that would
repair to Congress and not leave them till
! had prevailed upon them to adopt his
plan.
LEES ABSURD PLAN.
HE then read his manuscript, which
was labored argument to prove the i'm
possibility of making head against the
British army. and that therefore we should
set'it down as certain that in the next cam
paign we must be completely defeated. He
therefore urged that Congress would I'M
mediately have strong fortress built at
Pittsburgh and also several hundred boats;
that they would order all the riches of the
country TO be sent there. with the old men,
women, and children; and that when they
found themselves driven there that Con-
gress, &c, &C., might take boat and go
down the Ohio to the Spanish territory for
protection.
" The whole Of this plan struck me in 50
absurd a light added to the improperly
of reading such thing to me, who he
knew was on my parole of honor, (thatl
answered without hesitation that could
not take any such message to Congress"
wAsHIyGToN's PLAN.
Continuing his narratives Mr.. Boudinot
writes In the spring of ITS PROPOSE
ton was made for partial exchange
of prisoners. and l was ordered to Ger
mantown to meet the British commits