West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1904-12-29
A SOLDIER OF FORTUNE.
A Short Sketch OF the Remarkable
Career Of
MAJOR GENERAL CHARLES LEE
OF the Revolutionary war-Ho Was a
Traitor 70 Both Countries and
Died Like Benedict Ar
nold-An outeast.


furnished us by Major Stewart of
Morgantown, who copied it from
the original will during the Civil
War while stationed at Leetowp,
Jefferson county, the old home Of
Gen. Charles Lee and named after
him. The old Lee homestead was
still standing at that time and may
be yet so far as we know. The will
OF Gen. Lee is interesting because
of its peculiar character and because
of the man himself being historic
and peculiar character, and but lit
tie is known of his history by the
general public and at this late day
he has almost been forgotten. He
was born IN Dernhall, Cheshire,
England in 1881 and died in Phila.
delphia, Pa, October 2, 1882. He
was the youngest son Of Gen. John
Lee of Dernhall and Isabella, daugh-
ter of Sir Henry Burberry of Stanley.
1t is said that he received a com
mission in the army at eleven years
of age, as it was a custom 90 com
mission scions of royalty, when they
were very young. He received a
good education at Bury ST. Ed.
munds and in Switzerland. He also
travelled over Continental Europe
and learned Greek, Latin, French,
Spanish, Italian and German. But
the military art was his special
study and he was appointed Lieu
tenant in the 44th Regiment, lust
after the death of his father who
had been Colonel of the regiment.
This regiment was ordered to Amer
lea in 1854 and was one Of the two
unfortunate European regiments
under Gen. Edward Braddock in
his expedition to Fort Duquesne
and Lee was with Braddock in the
following year when he was so dis
astrously defeated by the French
and Indians at the Monongalia and
the General killed. In the fall of
that year the shattered remnants of
Braddocks army were taken north
to Albany and Schenectady where
they spent the winter. Lee partici-
pated with Sir William Johnson in
several conferences with the Chiefs
OF the Six Nations and took great
interest in the Indians so that he
was adopted into the Mohawk Tribe
of the Bear under the curiously pro.
phetic name of Ounewaterika which
meant Boiling Water" in English.
He purchased Captains commits
sion in the 44th for SA5oo under
date of June II, 1850 and was
wounded IN the disastrous assault
on Fort Ticonderoga July rst. He
was then stationed on Long Island
and quarreled with an army surgeon
who attempted to assasinate him
and nearly succeeded. Lee had a
very causuc tongue and was always
fault finding and abusing his super
Tor officers. Lee was in the cam
paign that captured Fort Niagara
and was with Gen. Amherst at the
capture of Monehal. He then re-
turned to England, was promoted to
by Major in the Io3rd regiment and
in I762 went to Portugal to help
drive out the invading Spaniards.
Gen. Burgoyne commanded divis
sion of this army and Lee served as
Lieut.. Colonel. In 1904 he went
Poland and served on the staff of
King Stanislaus Augustus. Two
years later while with the Polish
Embassy in Turkey Lee was lost on
Balkan Mountains and came near
freezing and STARVING fc de,h
When he got to Constanunople the
house he lived ii, ,y,s do.,,,,...1 -.
an earth .ouake and 10 conc moo.
being buried in the ruins f., 30
he returned to Poland and v,e made
Major General and served ,esins,
the Turks. After barely escanipo
with his life from a violent fover he