Martinsburg statesman-democrat. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1906-1921, 1913-06-06
V|CT|MOF WAR MOB
Whose Name is Linked in Several
Ways With That of George
Washington.

Washington.
Light Horse Harry Lees body is
coming back to Virginia There is
nothing more interesting than that
in the news OF the day 1t is a
long and strange exile which this
great virginian has had from his
native state; and nothing could be
stranger, for that matter. than the
Chance which left his bones on lonely
cumberland Island, of the coast OF
Georgia 1t seems quite remarkable
that the Virginians should have left
the ashes of the father of their still
greater hero, Robert Z. Lee. so long
in exile.
When Light Horse Harry began
his brilliant service in the Revolu
tionary war as captain of Virginia
cavalry, he was but twenty years
cid 1t was In 1875, and he was born
IN Westmoreland county. on his
fathers estate. in 1856. For his dash
ing feats with the legion which soon
came under his command, Congress
voted him a gold medal He was the
only cavalry commander who was
too much for Tarleton's dragons,
4 heroic warrior. he became a states
man after the war. and it was he
Who. In delivering in behalf of Con
gress. a eulogy Of the dead Wash
ington. used the words First in war,
first in peace, and first in the hearts
of his countrymen.' It was at STRAIT
ford. his estate IN Virginia, that his
son. Robert Edward. the great
leader Of the Confederacy, was born
in 1907
But about that strange chance
which left Light Horse Harry's
bones on far Cumberland Island. Lee
had brother who lived in Balti-
more. and he happened to be in that
city in 1912. when mob, infiamed
by war feeling. made an attack on
The office of the Federalist paper, the
nFederal Republican" which had been
active in opposing the war. Gen
Lee. who was then in private life,
was a personal friend of the editor
OF the paper, and he stood forth in
the street facing the mob, in an en-
deavor to protect his friends prop
erty from destruction. He was struck
hy the mob and received injuries from
which he never recovered. He lived
for six years in i'll health and in
1878 went to the West Indies in the.
hope Of recovering his strength. TIE
attempt was vain Returning he
stopped at the house Of The daughter
III his old friend, Gen Nathaniel
Greene. of Cumberland Island, and
died there In those days it was prac-
) ideally impossible to transport the
bodies Of the dead for any consider
able distance Light Horse Harry was
buried, therefore, under the spreading
expresses and live oaks of Cumberland
Island. and there his ashes have re
NAMED ever since They are at last
TO be transferred to Virginia presum-
ably to lie by the side OF the remains
Of his famous son.
The name of Lee was linked in
more ways than one with that OF
Washington. As everybody knows.
Robert f. Lees wife was Mary Ran
dolph Curtis Lee the only daughter
OF George Washington Parke Curtis,
the adopted son of George Washing
ton and the grandson OF Washing
toms wife 1t was through her that
Robert E Lee came into possession OF
Arlington. But this was not the
only sentimental connection BETWEEN
the two families In his boyhood
George Washington was desperately
in love with "lowand Aaanty
figures in many dolefal passages in
hisr early journals and letters. The
sentiment survived in him until after
he had entered young manhood, and
he often bemoaned his wounded
hsart." for his affection was net re,