|
Biographical Notes
|
|
|
|
|
|
Henry Lee - Light Horse Harry Lee
|
|
|
As a mark of respect, Colonel Bland re-designated the Fifth Troop to be his regiment's First Troop and asked Washington to return it to be part of the regiment. Several senior rebel officers, including General's Henry Knox and Benjamin Lincoln together with Colonel Daniel Morgan, convinced Washington to keep Harry's unit operating on detached duty. A situation soon occurred during which General Lincoln and Colonel Bland gave Harry conflicting orders. General Cornwallis was advancing against General Lincoln and Harry's unit was heavily engaged in the fighting. Bland ordered his First Troop to return to his command and General Lincoln verbally ordered Harry to remain in the fight. Harry stayed with Lincoln and distinguished himself in the fighting. When the dust of battle subsided Washington officially commended the First Troop and continued using it as an independent command. During the Morristown winter encampment, Harry returned to his raids on British supply depots and General Howe responded with a vigorous cavalry screen for his outlying posts. Harry clashed frequently with the British horse and although casualties were light on both sides, he later said that he learned a lot about cavalry tactics from his more experienced British opponents. Rebel camp gossip began referring to him as "Light Horse Harry." That year Martha Washington joined her husband at Morristown and Captain Harry Lee was a not infrequent dinner guest at the Washington table.
|
|
|
In Paris, Silas Deane, who was attempting to negotiate an alliance with France, invited Philip Charles du Coudray, an experienced French army officer, to become Washington's Chief of Artillery in place of Henry Knox. When that fact became known in Morristown, it triggered an immediate spate of offers of resignation by Washington's senior commanders. This, in turn, created something of an international incident when the French Court learned of the American reaction. Harry was one of the officers that threatened in writing to resign if Knox was replaced. Washington, who was worried over the recent loss of Fort Ticonderoga and who understood the need for the French alliance, was furious with the actions of his officers including Harry. Understandably Knox and his allies within the senior circle of rebel commanders thought Harry's action admirable, particularly in one so young. It was at this time, and, in part at least, because of this incident, that Harry and General Nathaneal Greene were drawn closer together. Washington resolved the issue by assigning du Coudray as Inspector-General of Artillery while keeping Knox as its commander.
|
|
|
When General Howe landed forces in Delaware at the start of his campaign against Philadelphia, Harry's First Troop, then manned with sixty-one officers and men, initiated a surprise attack on a British cavalry battalion composed of several hundred officers and men. Harry's troopers killed all but one of the officers and about fifty of the men and captured another twenty four, before the British regrouped. Harry evaded his pursuers and managed to make it back to Washington's headquarters with his prisoners and only one man slightly wounded that same evening. The next morning, First Troop was congratulated in the General Orders of the Day and Harry's status was greatly enhanced among all officers and men within the struggling rebel army. Although First Troop's exploits were not significant in the bigger picture, things were not going particularly well for Washington and both he and his troops needed a hero. Harry's exploits were the best thing going at the time. In September, in the Battle of Brandywine, Harry and his troop were assigned to General Greene in the rebel's center. Howe won the battle and went on to occupy Philadelphia. Harry returned to attacking the British supply system, but, out of necessity, for the first time in the war also began confiscating the property of loyalists. Washington chastised his actions and issued orders forbidding the destruction of civilian property.
|
|
|
During the Battle of Germantown, in October, Harry and his troop served as Washington's personal body guard. In December, Harry joined Daniel Morgan in an action commanded by General Greene. Greene was very favorably impressed and complimented Harry's abilities in a written communication with Washington. While Washington was encamped at Valley Forge, Harry and his troop continued their depredations against the enemy. Harry was credited with making a significant contribution both in substance and morale to the welfare of the men living through the bitter winter at Valley Forge. His troop roster was down to forty-seven officers and men, but was reinforced with the addition of eleven Iroquois Indian warriors. During this period, Howe specifically mentioned the problems caused by "an American named Lee..." in his correspondence with London and, in January 1778, dispatched a regiment of cavalry with specific orders to capture or kill him. They almost succeeded, but he managed to repulse them with great bravery, accurate fire, and a bit of trickery in the remarkable Battle of Scot's Farm. This time Washington not only complimented Harry and his command in the official orders of the day, but also in a highly unusual personal letter to Harry. Patrick Henry and cousin Richard Henry Lee also wrote to him complimenting him on his bravery and acumen in the Battle of Scot's Farm. The story got into the newspapers and he became a national celebrity overnight.
|
|
|
In March 1778, Alexander Hamilton, on instruction from Washington, offered Harry a promotion to lieutenant colonel and a position on Washington's staff as liaison for cavalry units. Most officers would have immediately jumped at the opportunity, but Harry asked for time to consider. Washington agreed to keep the offer open and to await his decision. Harry did not want the job. He realized that he enjoyed troop command and preferred a field command even if it was a small one. His problem, however, was how to reject his commander's generous offer and avoid irritating the man. At the end of the month, Harry personally delivered a long carefully drafted letter to Washington complimenting his commander profusely and respectfully rejecting the staff position indicating that he would prefer to remain in a combat role. Washington took his refusal in good grace and promoted him to major so that he would be certain to understand that he still enjoyed the high regard of his commander. Harry was also assigned as commander of a "Partizan Force of Cavalry" responsible directly to the Commander-in-Chief. The unit that emerged in response to Washington's decision was composed of Harry's own First Troop and a second cavalry troop commanded by Captain Allan McLain. Both men had Iroquois Indians with them before the new unit was created. Major Lee created a third troop and assigned all of the Iroquois to it. With a few more volunteers from other units, Harry's new force counted one hundred seventy officers and men.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
