The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1913-01-27

mander in chief EESsNS&SA "a j
that his trusted CHARLES Lee
leader, Gen. Chas Lee, had disobeyed
orders and that as result, the Amer
lean army was retreating.
Washington took in the situation at
a glance. The patriots were falling
back. The British were everywhere
successful. His blue eyes ablaze with
anger, the chief galloped across to
Lee.
an heavens name. General" he
shouted, "what means this ill-timed
prudence!"
81 know of no one" sneered Lee.
who has more of that abominable
virtue than your excenency"
At this retort the last barriers OF
washington's patience gave way. He
hurled at Lee public reprimand that
the latter never forgot nor forgave.
It was a case of a just mans wrath
at a blackguard's misdeeds.
Charles Lee was born in England in
1871. He Joined the British army as
a mere child. At the age Of eleven
he was a commissioned officer. He
fought in America during the French
and Indian war and rose fast il rank
TO a lieutenant-colonelcy. Bus he had :
a sarcastic tongue and an ua Govern
able temper. He criticised his sumo
rior officers and made fun CT their
weaknesses. This sort of thing dOes
not help a man on in any walk OF life.
! It led at last to Lees practical dis
missal from the army. He 6eiftes %
Poland and Russia. where. serving as
soldier Of fortune, he received the
! rank Of major-general. He also won
doubtful fame as ferocious duelist
Leaving Russia, Lee made his way
to America a short time before the
/ Revolution. He hated England and he
loved intrigue. So he plunged into
the stirring politics of the day, siding
. with the patriots. The Revolutionary
army was short of experienced Off
GERS and was delighted to accept the
services Of so noted soldier as Lee.
He was offered the rank of second
maior-general under General Wash
ington. He bargained shrewdly with
congress before accepting this honor,
declaring that King Georges gov
eminent would surely confiscate his
British estates. and demanding to be
maid 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 he seems to
have had two aims. One, to seize
Washington's position as commander
in-ehief: the other. to sell the Amer
lean cause. at the best possible terms,
to the British. After more than once
risking the army's welfare By disobey-
, ing Washington's orders, Lee was cap
trred at Basking Ridge, \. J.. by the
British. Whether or not he consented
to the capture in order to carry out
his treason plot cannot be known.
But during his captivity (most or
: which he spent in a suite Of rooms in
New York City HalD he came TO
terms Of understanding with the Brit
ish general Howe, and explained to
him his ideas on how best to crush
/ the Revolution. Thinking he would
4 be of more use to them in the Revolu-
2 tionary army than in prison. the Brit
!, ish set him free in 1878 and he went
=. back to his duties (The complete
draft Of Lees plan, by which the col
onies might be overthrown, was found
: in 1857 among General Howe's prf-
vate papers.)
e Then came the battle of Monmouth
Q The English, under Clinton. in June
= IT'S, evacuated Philadelphia and re
. treated across New Jersey to the
British headquarters at New York
Washington resolved to smash par
Of the British army at Monmouth, n
( j., on its march. Lee begged him no
to make the attempt, but Washington
sent him with an advance guard O
5000 men TO overtake the enemy
Lee caught up with the British a
: Monmouth on June %, 1778, and be
: gan the battle in so strange and IN
: competent a way that Lafayette n
: alarm. sent a secret message begin,
; Washington 10 hurry to the front
: Washington arrived in time to NEE
: Lee in full retreat. He rebuked tn,
! traitor, rallied the army and saved th,
day.
No one could understand Lees ode
I behavior, for no one then knew h,
was false. IN rage at the rebul,e ht
wrote two insulting letters TO wash
ington. who promptly ordered him AZ
rested. a court-martial suspended
= MN from active service for a year
!. IN rage he retired TO a mountain hut
= where, for months, he lived Like a her
5 nit.
As his year OF suspension drew (
an end, Lee wrote an abusive letter tc
: congress, and was at once dismissed
= from the army. He went to live on ar
: estate he had bought in the Shenan
: doah Valley. In 1882 he visited Phila
delphia, where he fell i'll and died