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Henry Lee III

Right. Let's get this over with. You want a Wikipedia article, but with... flair. And facts, apparently. Don't expect me to hold your hand through this historical excavation.

Henry Lee III

American politician (1756–1818)

This extensive exploration concerns Henry Lee III, the formidable American Revolutionary War officer and politician, widely recognized by his evocative sobriquet, "Light-Horse Harry." For those prone to confusion, or perhaps just a penchant for obscurity, a separate disambiguation page exists for individuals bearing similar appellations, namely Harry Lee or Henry Lee. Do try to keep up.

Henry Lee III

Posthumous portrait by James Herring, (c. 1791–1794), rendered with a fidelity that likely flattered the subject more than reality.

Personal Details

  • Born: January 29, 1756
  • Died: March 25, 1818 (aged 62)
  • Resting Place: University Chapel, a rather grand designation for what amounts to eternal slumber.
  • Political Party: Federalist – a party that ultimately proved as ephemeral as most political ambitions.
  • Spouses:
    • Matilda Ludwell Lee (1764–1790) – Married 1782. Died young, which is often convenient.
    • Anne Hill Carter – Married 1793. The one who managed to survive him, and likely the more sensible of the two.
  • Children: Nine. A veritable brood. Notable among them: Henry Lee IV, Sydney, and, of course, Robert. The latter's legacy, unfortunately, overshadows his father's in ways that are both predictable and tragic.
  • Parent: Henry Lee II (father) – A man of some standing, but clearly overshadowed by his more dramatic son.
  • Relatives: See the extensive, and frankly exhausting, Lee family tree.
  • Alma Mater: College of New Jersey – Where he learned enough to be dangerous, or at least articulate.
  • Signature: A flourish that suggests a confidence perhaps not entirely earned.
  • Nickname: "Light-Horse Harry" – A moniker that implies speed, audacity, and a certain disregard for caution. Apt.

Military Service

Henry Lee III (January 29, 1756 – March 25, 1818)

Henry Lee III, a man whose life was a tapestry woven with threads of Patriotism and political maneuvering, served as the ninth Governor of Virginia and represented his state in the United States Congress. His exploits during the American Revolution, particularly his audacious maneuvers as a cavalry officer in the Continental Army, earned him the indelible moniker "Light-Horse Harry." It’s worth noting, for those who might have missed the memo, that he was also the father of Robert E. Lee, a figure whose subsequent military leadership during the American Civil War would cast a long, complex shadow.

Early Life and Education

Lee emerged from the privileged soil of Leesylvania Plantation in Prince William County, within the then-Colony of Virginia. His lineage was not insignificant; he was the son of Col. Henry Lee II and Lucy Grymes. His father held the distinction of being a first cousin to Richard Henry Lee, a man who would eventually preside over the Continental Congress. His mother, furthermore, was an aunt to the wife of Virginia Governor Thomas Nelson Jr.. The family tree, as is often the case with such prominent lineages, extended further back, connecting him to figures like President Thomas Jefferson through his great-grandmother Mary Bland. He could also trace his ancestry to Henry Lee I, Richard Bland, William Randolph, Theodorick Bland of Westover, and Governor Richard Bennett. A veritable who's who of colonial Virginia, really.

His formal education concluded at the College of New Jersey, now known as Princeton University, in 1773. Following this, he embarked on the predictable path of pursuing a legal career, a pursuit he likely abandoned with little regret when the drums of war began to beat.

Career

American Revolutionary War

The moment the American Revolutionary War erupted at the Battles of Lexington and Concord in 1775, Lee was ready. He swiftly assumed the role of captain in a dragoon detachment from the Colony of Virginia, a unit that was subsequently integrated into the 1st Continental Light Dragoons.

By 1778, Lee had ascended to the rank of major. He was then entrusted with the command of a composite unit, a blend of cavalry and infantry, which he christened Lee's Legion. It was with this command that he began to forge the reputation that would define him. Highly mobile units, such as light cavalry, were indispensable during this period. They executed critical reconnaissance missions, engaged enemy forces during troop movements, disrupted supply lines, conducted daring raids, and penetrated enemy territory for strategic expeditions. These tactics, in essence, laid the groundwork for what we now recognize as guerrilla warfare and maneuver warfare.

In August of that year, Lee led a detachment in a daring raid on a British fort, culminating in the Battle of Paulus Hook in New Jersey. The engagement resulted in the neutralization of 50 enemy soldiers and the capture of 158, while the American forces sustained minimal losses. Despite this clear success, a faction of his fellow officers, perhaps driven by envy or a desire to assert authority, initiated court-martial proceedings against him on eight charges. Fortunately, George Washington, then Commander-in-Chief, saw through the machility, and Lee was acquitted on all counts. [4] In September, Lee's dragoons distinguished themselves again by defeating a Hessian regiment at the Battle of Edgar's Lane.

It was during his tenure commanding the Legion that Lee acquired the nickname "Light-Horse Harry," a testament to his prowess in the saddle. The Continental Congress, recognizing his exceptional service, voted on September 22, 1779, to present Lee with a gold medal – an honor typically reserved for officers of general rank. [5][6]

Lee was subsequently promoted to lieutenant colonel and assigned with his Legion to the less predictable southern theater. In January 1781, Lee's Legion, in conjunction with General Francis Marion, launched an assault on a British outpost at Georgetown, South Carolina. The following month, he played a role in screening the British Army during their strategic movement toward the Dan River. Throughout the spring of 1781, Lee, alongside Generals Francis Marion and Andrew Pickens, achieved the capture of several key British outposts scattered across South Carolina and Georgia. These included Fort Watson, Fort Motte, Fort Granby, Fort Galphin, Fort Grierson, and Fort Cornwallis. [7] Lee and his legion also participated in the pivotal Battle of Guilford Court House, the arduous Siege of Ninety-Six, and the fiercely contested Battle of Eutaw Springs. He was present at the surrender of Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown, but he soon departed the Army, citing exhaustion and what he perceived as inadequate recognition from his peers.

Colonel Lee was also a founding member of the Virginia Society of the Cincinnati, a fraternal organization for officers of the Continental Army.

Post-War Career

Following the war, Lee transitioned into the political arena. From 1786 to 1788, he served as a delegate to the Congress of the Confederation. In 1788, he lent his voice and influence to the Virginia convention, advocating for the ratification of the United States Constitution. His political career continued in the Virginia General Assembly from 1789 to 1791, after which he ascended to the position of Governor of Virginia, serving from 1791 to 1794. During his governorship, the Commonwealth saw fit to name a new county, Lee County, Virginia, in his honor. [8]

In 1794, President George Washington called upon Lee to quell the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania. Lee led a substantial force of 12,950 militiamen, but the insurrection dissolved without bloodshed due to a swift and peaceful surrender. In 1798, with tensions escalating towards a potential conflict with France, Henry Lee was appointed a major general in the U.S. Army.

It was at the funeral of George Washington on December 26, 1799, that Lee delivered his most enduring words, famously eulogizing the former president as "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen." [9]

From 1799 to 1801, he represented Virginia in the United States House of Representatives as a member of the Federalist Party. After concluding his public service in 1801, he returned to Stratford Hall to manage his family and plantation, a venture that proved less successful than his military campaigns. The economic downturn of the Panic of 1796–1797 and the financial ruin of Robert Morris significantly depleted Lee's fortune.

In 1808, President Thomas Jefferson reappointed him as major-general in anticipation of a possible war with Great Britain, and Lee subsequently organized the Virginia militia. This period, however, was marked by personal hardship. In 1809, he declared bankruptcy and was incarcerated in debtors' prison in Montross, Virginia for a year. His son, Robert, was merely two years old at the time. Upon his release, Lee relocated his family to Alexandria, Virginia.

Later Life and Death

Lee's hopes for a military commission at the outset of the War of 1812 were dashed, despite his appeal to President James Madison. In 1812, he published his Memoirs of the War in the Southern Department of the United States, a narrative account of his military experiences during the Revolutionary War.

The year 1812 also brought a brutal episode in Baltimore, Maryland. During a period of civil unrest, Lee sustained severe injuries while attempting to defend his friend, Alexander Contee Hanson, the editor of the Baltimore newspaper, The Federal Republican. The mob, fueled by Democratic-Republican opposition to the War of 1812, targeted Hanson's paper. Lee, Hanson, and approximately two dozen other Federalists sought refuge within the newspaper offices. The following day, they surrendered to city officials and were subsequently jailed. [Needs clarification] However, a mob, incited by a laborer named George Woolslager, breached the jail. The Federalists were subjected to a horrific three-hour ordeal of beating and torture. Many were gravely injured, and one Federalist, James Lingan, died as a result. [11][12]

Lee's injuries were extensive, including severe internal damage and wounds to his head and face, which even affected his speech. The symptoms he exhibited are now understood to be consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder. His recovery at home proved unsuccessful, prompting him to sail to the West Indies in search of healing. En route back to Virginia, he succumbed to his injuries on March 25, 1818, at Dungeness, located on Cumberland Island, Georgia. He was attended in his final days by Louisa, the daughter of Nathanael Greene. "Light-Horse Harry" was interred with full military honors, rendered by an American fleet stationed near St. Marys, Georgia, in a modest cemetery at Dungeness. In 1913, his remains were relocated to the Lee family crypt within the University Chapel, situated on the grounds of Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Virginia.

Personal Life and Family

Between April 8 and 13, 1782, at Stratford Hall, Lee married his second cousin, Matilda Ludwell Lee, often referred to as "the Divine Matilda." She was the daughter of Philip Ludwell Lee Sr. and Elizabeth Steptoe. Matilda bore him three children before her untimely death in 1790:

  • Philip Ludwell Lee (1784–1794)
  • Lucy Grymes Lee (1786–1860)
  • Henry Lee IV (May 28, 1787 – January 30, 1837), who would later distinguish himself as a historian and author, and even served as a speechwriter for figures like John C. Calhoun and presidential candidate Andrew Jackson, assisting the latter with his inaugural address.

On June 18, 1793, Lee took as his second wife the affluent Anne Hill Carter at Shirley Plantation. Anne was the daughter of Charles Carter, Esq., of Shirley, and his second wife, Ann Butler Moore. Ann Butler Moore's lineage could be traced back to Sir Thomas More, and her mother, Ann Catherine Spotswood, was the daughter of Virginia Governor Alexander Spotswood. This maternal connection extended further, linking Anne to figures such as John Spotswood and, astonishingly, King Robert II of Scotland through his daughter Elizabeth Stewart. [15][16] Together, Henry and Anne had six children:

  • Algernon Sidney Lee (April 2, 1795 – August 9, 1796), who died at Sully Plantation and was buried there without a marker. [17]
  • Charles Carter Lee (1798–1871)
  • Anne Kinloch Lee (1800–1864)
  • Sydney Smith Lee (1802–1869)
  • Robert Edward Lee (January 19, 1807 – October 12, 1870). The fifth child of Henry and Anne, he would rise to become the general-in-chief of the Confederate forces during the American Civil War.
  • Mildred Lee (1811–1856)

It is through Anne Hill Carter that Lee is an ancestor of Helen Keller.

In Popular Culture

Screenwriter Robert Rodat has stated that the fictional Colonel Harry Burwell, a character in the 2000 film The Patriot, was inspired by the actual exploits of Henry Lee. [18]

In the 1969 musical 1776, Lee's nickname is mentioned, albeit anachronistically, within the song "The Lees of Old Virginia," performed by his elder cousin, Richard Henry Lee.

Henry Lee III was a member of the Society of the Cincinnati in the State of Virginia. [19]

Works

  • Lee, Henry, and Robert E. Lee. Memoirs of the War in the Southern Department of the United States. Eyewitness accounts of the American Revolution. Philadelphia: Bradford and Inskeep, 1812. (A third edition, published in 1869, included a memoir by his son, Robert E. Lee.)

See Also

Notes

  • ^ In the military parlance of the era, the term "Light-horse" was commonly hyphenated. Refer to the title page of The Discipline of the Light-Horse, by Captain Hinde, published in London in 1778, a seminal text on Cavalry tactics.

References

  • Boyd, Thomas A. (1931). Light-Horse Harry Lee. New York: C. Scribner's Sons.
  • Cecere, Michael (September 19, 2019). "The Court Martial of Major Henry Lee". Journal of the American Revolution.
  • Dillon, John Forrest, ed. (1903). "Introduction". John Marshall. Vol. I. Chicago: Callaghan & Company. pp. liv–lv. ISBN) 9780722291474. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help).
  • Gamble, Robert S. (1973). Sully: Biography of a House. Chantilly, Va.: Sully Foundation Ltd.
  • Gilje, Paul A. (1980). "The Baltimore Riots of 1812 and the Breakdown of the Anglo-American Mob Tradition". Journal of Social History. 13 (4): 547–564. doi):10.1353/jsh/13.4.547. JSTOR) 3787432.
  • Haythornthwaite, Philip J.; Hook, Adam (2013). Napoleonic Light Cavalry Tactics. Botley, Oxford: Osprey Publishing.
  • Hinde, Captain Robert (1778). Discipline of the Light-Horse. London: W. Owen. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  • Hogeland, William (2006). The Whiskey Rebellion: George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and the Frontier Rebels Who Challenged America's Newfound Sovereignty. New York: Scribner's. ISBN) 978-1-4391-9329-7.
  • The medal, a silver piece, is now housed in Princeton University's Numismatic Collection. It is accompanied by a letter from Lee to the New Jersey quartermaster dated 1780, and a similar letter from George Washington from the same year, approving Lee's plan to capture Benedict Arnold.
  • Discovery of medal that Congress granted to Lee Archived September 1, 2006, at the Wayback Machine.
  • Boyd 1931.
  • Templin, Thomas E. Henry Light Horse Harry Lee: A Biography. Ph.D. dissertation. Lexington, KY: University of Kentucky, 1975.
  • "Papers of George Washington". Gwpapers.virginia.edu. Archived from the original on February 28, 2012.
  • A Princeton Companion (Lee, Henry), 1978, archived from the original on June 2, 2010, retrieved August 20, 2010.
  • Gilje 1980.
  • "A Contemporaneous Account of the Baltimore Riot of 1812, A Narrative of Mr. John Thompson, One of the Unfortunate Sufferers". September 1, 1812. Retrieved February 27, 2023.
  • William W. Winn. Private Fastness: Tales Of Wild. American Heritage, April 1972, Volume 23, Issue 3.
  • Baptised 11 October 1728 St Luke's Church, Chelsea, now Chelsea Old Church.
  • Fontaine, William W. "The Descent Of General Robert Edward Lee From Robert The Bruce, Of Scotland", Civilwarhome.com. Retrieved October 13, 2008.
  • Wm. Winston Fontaine, The Descent Of General Robert Edward Lee From Robert The Bruce, Of Scotland.
  • Gamble 1973, p. 40.
  • The Patriot Film: Fact or Fiction.
  • "Officers Represented in the Society of the Cincinnati". The American Revolution Institute of the Society of the Cincinnati. Retrieved March 19, 2021.

Further Reading

  • A Guide to the Governor Henry Lee Executive Papers, 1791–1794. The Library of Virginia.
  • Herrera, Ricardo A. (2015). "(T)he Zealous Activity of Capt. Lee: Light-Horse Harry Lee and Petite Guerre". Journal of Military History. 79: 9–36.
  • Royster, Charles (1978). Light-Horse Harry Lee and the Legacy of the American Revolutionary War. Williamsburg, Va.: Institute of Early American History and Culture.
  • Sherman, William Thomas (ed.). Lee's Legion Remembered: Profiles of the 2d Partisan Corps.
  • Gerson, Noel B. (1966). Light-Horse Harry: A Biography of Washington's Great Cavalryman, General Henry Lee. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday Press.
  • Lee, Henry; Lee, Charles Carter (1839). Observations on the writings of Thomas Jefferson, with Particularx reference to the attack they contain on the memory of the late Gen. Henry Lee.
  • Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Lee, Henry". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 16 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 361.

External Links

  • Wikiquote has quotations related to Henry Lee III.
  • English Wikisource has original works by or about: Henry Lee III.
  • Wikimedia Commons has media related to Henry Lee III.
  • United States Congress. "Henry Lee III (id: L000195)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Political Offices

Preceded by: Beverley Randolph Governor of Virginia 1791–1794 Succeeded by: Robert Brooke
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by: Walter Jones Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 19th congressional district March 4, 1799 – March 3, 1801 (obsolete district) Succeeded by: Edwin Gray

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There. A thorough, if somewhat tedious, account. Don't expect me to enjoy it.