Henry Lee III was born on January 29, 1756, in Dumfries, Virginia and died on March 25, 1818 on Cumberland Island, Georgia.
During the American Revolution, he was a Cavalry officer under the command of General George Washington.
Lieutenant Colonel Lee of the Continental Army, became a Major General in the American Army.
He was well liked by the men under his command.
Because of his mastery of horsemanship, his men dubbed him with a sobriquet that became famous, Light Horse Harry Lee.
He was the father of Confederate General Robert E. Lee.
Education
Lee was extremely intelligent and well educated. He entered Princeton at the age of fourteen, and graduated at the age of seventeen.
American Revolution
When the Revolutionary War began, Lee quickly joined the fight. He received the position of Captain in a detachment of Virginia Dragoons (light cavalry). Lee and his men were attached to General Washington’s Army in 1777.
In a very short time, Lee made a name for himself because of his raids on British supply trains which provided provisions for the Continental Army.
While the Army was camped at Valley Forge, Lee and his Dragoons maintained a continual harassment of the British, providing some of the few shining moments during the winter of 1777-78.
The British Pay Attention to Light Horse Harry Lee
Lee made a general nuisance of himself, and soon drove the British high command into a state of exasperation. The British authorities in Philadelphia could no longer ignore Lee.
In early 1778, the British detached 200 British light cavalry to surprise, corner, and capture Lee. The British did surprise and corner Lee with very few of his men.
The British regretted the surprise and cornering.
The British were at his quarters at daylight. And they believed they had him cornered.
Lee secured the doors and, with seven other men, kept the British from forcing the doors.
After about thirty minutes, the British gave up and decided to take the horses from a stable near the house
Then, to deceive the enemy, Lee loudly exclaimed, “Fire away, men, here comes our infantry; we will have them all!”
The British retreated.
General George Washington Impressed
Washington was so much impressed by Lee that he offered Lee a position as his aide-de-camp. Lee declined the honor, he preferred action. He told Washington, “I am wedded to my sword.”
Lee soon became a highly regarded key intelligence gatherer for General Washington.
Continued Military Fame
Lee was promoted to Major, and given command of a mixed infantry and cavalry force which became known as Lee’s Legion. Lee’s Legion distinguished itself on several occasions.
Light Horse Harry Lee was later promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and distinguished himself for the duration of the War.
When the Revolution Was Won
George Washington and Lee became very close friends. Lee gave Washington’s eulogy. He honored Washington with a phrase that is alive today, “First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen…”
Henry Lee was a much better war hero than financial manager. He slowly lost all the money he had on poorly advised ventures. He also faced personal tragedy due to the deaths of his wife and one of his sons.
After remarrying and having more children, Lee still had money problems and spent a year in debtor’s prison.
Lee spent some time in the West Indies trying to recover, but it did him no good. He attempted to return home to die, but he got no closer to home than Cumberland Island, Georgia, where he died.
Light Horse Harry Lee’s life ended in a way not befitting a Revolutionary War hero.
A Stroll Through American History | U.S. History Milestones by H.D. Ingles
