The record., 1912-08-29

mouth. News had &Sassxs SiT"';;{t 1
reached the COM hSsSSHN ~
mander in chief SSaSS$S'e:sH'yS. Il. y
that his trusted CHARLES LIT
leader, Gen. Chas. Lee. had disobered
orders and that as a result, the Amen
lean army was retrcatinG.
Washington took in tho situation at
n glance. The patriots were falling
back. The British were everywhere
successful. Ills blue eyes abla2e with
anger, tho chief galloped across to
Lee.
'Tn heavens name, General" he
shouted what means this iil-timed
prudence?"
81 know OF no one" sneered Lee,
"who has more Of that abomlnable
virtue than your excellency."
At this retort the last barriers OF
Washington's patience gave way. He
hurled AT Lee 4 public reprimand that
the latter never forgot nor forgave.
II was n case of a Just mans wrath
at a blackguards misdeeds.
Charles Lee was born in England in
1891. lie Joined the British army as
n mere child. At the age of eleven
he was 9 commissioned officer. He
fought in America during the french
and Indian war and rose fast in rank
to a lieutcnaut-colonelcy. But he had
a sarcastic tongue and an ungovern-
able temper. He criticised his supe-
rior officers and made fun of their
weaknesses. This sort of thing does
not help q man on IN any walk Of life.
II led at last 10 Lees practical dis
missal from the army lie drifted TO
Poland and Russia, where. serving as
n soldier of fortune, he received the
rank of maior-general. He also won
doubtful fame as q serorious d-1'ist.
Leaving -RusTE ~vay'
TO America a sh- ru. 'oro the
Revolution. He hated England and he
I loved intrigue. So he plunged into
| the stirring politics of the day, siding
with the patriots. The Revolutionary
| army was short OF experienced OH
GERS and was delighted TO accept the
services of so noted q soldier as Lee.
| He Was offered the rank of second
maior-general under General Wash
/ ington. lie bargained shrewdly with
congress before accepting this honor,
| declaring that King Georges gov
crnment would surely confiscate his
British estates, and demanding TO be
paid for them. Congress agreed to
give him $4,000 out of the impover
ished patriot treasury as recompense
for this possible loss.
Now began Lees American military
| career. From the first lie seems tC
have had two aims. One. to seize
Washington's position as commander
in-chief; the other, to sell the Amer
lean cause, at the best possible terms
to the British. After more than once
risking ihe army's welfare by diSobey
ing Washin%ton's orders. Lee was cap
tured at Basking Ridge. y. j., by tht
british. Whether or not he consented
to the capture in order to carry on
his treason plot cannot be known
But during his captivity (most o
which he spent in n suite OF rooms il
New York City HALL he came Il
terms of understanding with the Brit
ish general, Howe, and explained +
him bis ideas on how best to crusl
the Revolution. Thinking he woul
be OF more use 10 them in the Revolu
tionary army than in prison. the Brit
ish set him free in 1878 and he wen
back to his duties. (The complet
draft of Lees plan by which the co
onies might be overthrown, was foun
in 1857 among General Howe's pr
vate papers)
Then came the battle OF Monmouth
The English, under Clinton, in June
177s, evacuated Philadelphia and rt
treated across New Jersey to tn
Pritish headquarters at New yorl
, WASHINGTON resolved to smash par
of the British army at Monmouth.
p 7. on its march. zee begged him Nc
= TO make the attempt, but Washineto
= sent him with an advance guard {
G,000 men TO overtake the enem!
Lee caught up with the British &
r Monmouth on June 90, 1878, and b.
| gan the battle in so strange and il
? competent a way that Lafayette.
f alarm, sent a secret message begin
!. Washington to hurry to the frcn
. Washington arrived in time 60 me,
r Lee in full retreat He rebuked III
+ traitor, rallied the army and saved III
J. day.
g No one could understand Lees cd
behavior, for no one then knew /
was false. In rage at the rebuile, /
: wrote two insulting letters to Was
+ ington, who promptly ordered him q
I rested. A court-martial suspendC
p Him from active service for a yea
h In rage. he retired TO a mountain hu
where, for months, he lived like he
J, NIT.
$ As his year Of suspension drew
g an end, Lee wrote IN abusive letter
: congress, and was at once di5nisss
u from the army. He went TO live on 9
n estate he had bought in the Shena
l. doah Valley. In 1882 he visited Phil
Z delphia, where he fell i'll and die