sary defences, as far as his means and the season of the
year would admit. He disarmed ail suspected persons
within the reach of his command, and proceeded with
such rigour against the tories, as to give alarm, even to
the Provincial Congress of New York, in his assumption
of military, uncontrolled powers. To check his course,
532 GLORY OF AMERICA.
that body informed him in writing, that the business of
trial and punishment of citizens was a power vested in
their own body, and not delegated to any, not even the
most exalted military character whatever. To this the
General answered, that when the enemy was at the doors,
forms must be dispensed with that his duty to them, to
the Continental Congress, and to his own conscience, had
dictated the necessity of the measure that if he had done
wrono-. he would submit himself to the shame of beins:
reputed rash and precipitate, and undergo the censure ot
the public ; but he should have the consciousness of his
own breast ; that the pure motives of serving the commu-
nity, uncontaminated by pique or resentment to individu-
als, urged him to the step. The general also remonstra-
ted against supplying the men of war and Governor Try-
on with provisions, as the boats coming to the city must
open the means of their receiving every sort of intelligence.
' I should,'' says the General, in one of his letters, " be in
the highest degree culpable to God, my conscience, and
the Continental Conm-ess. in whose service I am eng-ao^ed,
should I suffer, at so dangerous a crisis, a banditti of pro-
fessed foes of liberty and their country, to remain at liber-
ty to co-operate with, and strengthen the ministerial troops
openl\^ in arms, or covertly, and consequently more dan-
gerously furnish them with intelligence." He also drew
up a Test, which he ordered his officers to offer to those,
who were reputed inimical to the American cause : a re-
fusal to take this, was to be construed as no more or less
than an avowal of their hostile intejitions ; upon which,
their persons were to be secured, and sent to Connecticut,
where it was judged they could not be so dangerous.
Thus the General excited the people to every spirited
measure, and intimidated by every means the friends to
the English government. At this time, Captain Yande-
put, of the Asia, seized a Lieutenant Tiley, and kept him
on board his ship in irons. On the principles of retalia-
tion, Lee took into custody Mr. Stephens, an officer of
government ; and informed the Captain what he had
done, and that this gentleman should not be released
until Lieutenant Tilev was returned. This had the de-
I
CHARLES LEE. 533
sired effect. His determined and decisive disposition had
an amazing influence both on the army and people ; and
the steps he proposed for the management of those who
disapproved of fhe American resistance, struck a terror
Vsiierever he appeared.
The news of the unsuccessful termination of the e.xpe-
dition into Canada, under the unfortimate General Mont-
gomery, cast a gloom over public affairs, and Congress
directed General Lee to proceed to take the command of
the armies in that province. Notwithstanding he wms
convalescent from a lit of the gout, he accepted the ap-
pointment. Previous to his departure, circumstances in-
duced Congress to a,lter their plan, and appoint him to the
command of the armies in the southern states. He vras
succeeded in the command at New York by General Put-
nam. On his way to the southward, he was received
v/ith every demonstration of public and private respect
fi'om all ro.nks of people, particularly in Virginia, and
North and South Carolina. His vio-ilance and foresisfht
was evinced by the fact, that when he successively arri-
ved at Nev/ York, Virginia, North and South Carolina, he
preceded the British general. Sir Henry Clinton, for when
General Lee received orders at Cambridge, to repair to
PTew York, to watch the motions of the British, he m^et
General Clinton the very day he arrived there ; when he
came to Virginia, he found him in Hampton roads and
just after his arrival in North Carolina, General Clinton
left Cape Fear. Their next meeting was at Fort Sulli-
van, Avhich must have made Lee appear to Clinton as his
evil genius, haunting him for more than eleven hundred
miles, along a coast of vast extent, and meeting him in
Philippi.
The affair of Sullivan's Island was a most extraordi-
nary deliverance ; for, if the English had succeeded, it is
more than probable the southern colonies would at that
time have been compelled to submit to the English govern-
ment. Dreadful was the cannonade, but w^ithout eftect.
Porto Bello, Boccochico, and the other castle atCarthagena,
were obliged to strike to Vernon ; Fort Lewis in Saint
Domingo yielded to the metal of Admiral Knowles: but
45*
634
GLORY OF AMERICA.
m this instance, an unfinished batterv, constructed with
Palmetto logs, resisted, for a whole day, the twelve and
eighteen pounders of the British fleet, to' the astonishment
and admiration of every spectator.
The intrepidity displayed by the Americans, on this oc-
casion, was such, that the officers and men received the
thanks of the public, through the constitutional oro-ans of
legislation and General Lee and Colonel 3Ioultrieln par-
ticular. General Lee accomplished the objects of his des-
tination, which auofmented the high estimation in which
he was held. General Sir Henry Clinton, and Sir Peter
Panver, being repulsed in their attack on SuUivan's island
returned to New York, and General Lee repaired to
Georo-ia.
Affairs in the North assumed a lowerino- appearance,
from tne dispositions manifested by the enemy, which
nidicated a vigorous attack on New York, by an intended
junction of the forces of General Howe, and'of Buro-oyne
who had boasted '' that he could make elbov-room with
t^ne besom of destruction, by the aid of five thousand men
irom one end of the continent to the other." '
All express was despatched to General Lee in Georo-ia
by Congress, ordering him to repair to Philadelphia with
all possible speed. He arrived in that city in the beo-in-
ning of October, and immediately Avaited on that body
Un due deliberation, after receivino- his opinion, he was
directed to repair to the camp at Harlaem. with an injunc-
tion to visit the several posts in New Jersey, if in his
judgment, it should be necessary. His timely arrival was
inauspicious to the desio-n of the British General, which
was no less than the blockade of the army of the Ameri-
cans on 1 ork Island, which must have eventuated in their
inevitable capture. The affair was thus : A council of
war, contrary to General Washington's opinion, were in
lavour of waiting the attack of^he British on York
Island. General Howe, findino- the American lines too
strong m front to be forced, letT a body of troops, under
Lord Percy, opposite to the river, and with the residue of
his force, effected a passao^e in flat-bottomed boats, and
landed at Throg^s neck, intendhig a simultaneous effort
CHARLES LEE. 535
against their front and rear. The delay of Howe one
week was inauspicious to his intentions ; for the night pre-
vious to his attack, which was that of Lee's arrival, another
council of officers was held in the American camp, at
which Lee attended, and pointed out to them their dan-
gerous situation, in language so forcible and convincing,
that they rescinded their former resolves, and removed
from the seat of peril before the succeeding dawn. The
next morning, Howe put his design into operation so
effectually, that the encampment, where the Americans
had held the preceding day, was completely hemmed in ;
but lo ! the bird had flown. Their change of position had
been effected with such silence and caution, that the British
(jeneral had no intimation of it, until he had obtained the
ground which he so ardently desired.
General Lee was a witness to the capture of Fort Wash-
ington, from Fort Lee, on the opposite shore, an event
which he beheld with anguish, because of his inability to
afford relief Lee was, at this time, next in command to
General Washington, in consequence of General Ward's
retirement from military service. Washington, having
left General Heath in the command, Vr'ith written instruc-
tions, retired into New Jersey, towards the Delaware, with
a view of covering Philadelphia, leaving Lee to follow him
with his forces, so soon as it should be practicable. As he
had conceived a design of harassing the enemy, by
throwing some troops on the west of the Hudson, he
directed General Heath to order him two thousand men
for that purpose, informing him, at the same time, that he
would replace them on the next day. Heath was in motion
towards Peekskill, to secure the passes in the Highlands
and their vicinity, which were conceived to be objects of
the first magnitude, and he would not obey him.^ In a
personal conversation, General Heath absolutely refused to
give any order for the purpose, alleging, that his written
instructions from the Commander-in-chief made him
alone amenable for their execution ; but that he. General
Lee, being his senior officer, might assume the command,
and on his own responsibility, issue his order through the
medium of- his own proper officer, for the purpose : givmg
636 GLORY OF AMERICA.
General Heath a written certificate for justification, that
he had so acted. General Lee gave the certificate, and
issued the order throu2:h Colonel Scanunel accordingly.
He next day changed his mind, and the order was not put
into execution.
Nothing serves so well to display the fickleness of For-
tune, and her attendant, Fame, than a reverse of circum-
stances. When basking in the sunshine of successful
endeavours, the incumbent of the capricious goddess is
loaded with the plaudits of the giddy throng ; but when
the scene is changed, the contemptuous murmurs of the
multitude are the gleanings of his haiwest. These remarks
are justified by subsequent events. No man had made
greater sacrifices than General Lee to defend the Ameri-
can cause. None had been more tampered with to desert
it, and none had exhibited more capacity-, talent, and stead-
fastness ; yet no sooner had he become a captive, through
a carelessness of danger, than the gi'een eye of the jealous
monster, suspicio}i, was turned towards him. Lee had
proceeded to ]Morristow^l with his forces, in the fore part
of December. General Washino-ton had ordered Lord
Stirling to meet him. in order to concert a plan of opera-
tions, for the defence of Philadelphia, to the last extremitA^,
in compliance Vvdth the resolves of Congress, who had
removed to Baltimore.
General Washington had crossed the Delaware. The
enemy had reached Trenton. Lee halted his troops at
^lorristown for several days, and proceeded thence to
Tealto\\m, the evening of the 12th of December, on his
way to join Washington, who, expecting him to be fol
lowed by General Heath" s division, intended to concentrate
his forces, if possible, to save Philadelphia. General Gates,
with his troops unprovided for at the onset of winter, des-
patched Major Willdnson, who volunteered his services,
with a letter to General Washington, in order to relieve
his anxieties in his disagreeable situation. Wilkinson
finding that Wasliington had passed the Delaware, and the
difiiculties he had to encounter to cross that river, induced
nim to repair to General Lee, second in command, for the
accomplishment of his object. He found General Lee, at
CHAPwLES LEE.
537
four o'clock in the morning of the 13th, at Mrs, White's
tavern, at Baskenridge, at a distance from his main body.
He was admitted to the General's chamber, and dehvered
Gates's letter to him in bed. Discerning the superscription
to be addressed to General Washington, he refused at first
to open it ; but upon a representation of the nature of its
contents, he yielded to importunities, and read it. The next
morning he was engaged in controversial disputes witli
some Connecticut horsemen in careless security, and did
not breakfast uiitil ten o'clock. He then answered Gates's
letter.* Information had been conveyed to the British, by
some of the disaffected, of the careless security in which
Lee was reposing. A plan was conceived and executed
by a party of horse under the British Colonel Harcourt,
with great gallantry, for his capture. The instant Lee
had finished his letter to Gates, Willdnson discovered the
enemy, who had surrounded the house, and by a threat to
burn it, induced the General's surrender. He was com-
pelled to mount Wilkinson's horse, and carried off in tri-
ianph, in his slippers and blanket-coat, his collar open, and
I)are headed, in a soiled shirt. The object of their enter-
prise thus accomplished, Wilkinson escaped unnoticed,
although he had secreted himself, and prepared for self-
deience in case of extremity. He mounted the first horse
lie could find, and carried the disagreeable information to
General Sullivan, on whom Lee's command devolved. By
* The following is the letter alluded to- it shows the temper in which he
waf?, at the time of his capture. ,, , ., r> ?, n i-r-c
' '' Ba?kcnridge, December \3, 17/6.
" The mle^nious ni'anceuvre of Fort Washington has unhinged the goodly
fibi-ic we iTad been building. There never was so damned a stroke. J^ntre
rou^a certain ereat man^imeaning }Va^hlngtonAis most damnably defi-
cient. He has thrown me into a situation, where I have my choice of d ffi-
culties ; if I stay in th s province, I risk myself and army : and if 1 do not stay,
the pmWce is^ost for ever. I have neither guides, cavalr^sinedicine,^^^^^^^^^
shoes, nor stockings. I must act with the greatest ^-cumspection^ Tones aie
in my front, rear, and on my flanks ; the mass of the people f J"^"f ^^ i^*^^";;
laminated: in short, if somethmg, which I do not expect turns up we are
lost ; our councilshave been weak to the last degree. As ^0 relates to
yourself, if you think you can be in time to aid the G^ener^l I wo Id have
vou by all means go ; vuu will at least save your army. I^i^ said.the whigs
I?e determined to^et fire to Philadelphia.; if they strike this deceive str^^^^^^
the day will be our own : but, unless it is done, all chancf^of hberty in any
part of the globe is for ever vanished. Adieu, my dea^^ne^d^g^^^^E^;.?"*
you 9
538 GLORY OF AJIERICA.
this unaccountable carelessness, he undoubtedly subjected
himself to much censure : but it is highly probable, that this
incident, while it threw him into the vale of neglect, only
prevented him from making a bold push against the
enemy, in which he was sure of such success, as would
redound to the benefit of the cause, and eclipse the fame of
his superior, whose military talents and acquirements he
conceived to be of a very inferior order. This event, so
fatal to Lee's fame and prospects, could not so easii)^ have
been accomplished, had his guards been at their post ; but
reposing in fatal security, they had left their arms, ai:d
vvent a short distance to bask in the sunshine, v/hen tie
enemy cut them oif, and thus completed their design vrith-
out firing a shot.
Lee was hanging on the enemy, and loitering on the
roa.d, so as to hold up the appearance of obedience of
command, while the consummation of meditated desig-Ji
against the enemy, by its brilliancy of execution, wouk]
ha.ve buried all reproach on the score of disobedience. Be
ascribed all the previous misfortunes, which had attended
the army, to weak counsels, and felt that only his expe-
rience, talents, and capacity, had been called into action to
extricate them from difiiculties, which inexperience entail-
ed on them. Such being his sentiments, founded on the
belief that a,ll his cclai sprung from the success of his
exertions, many were of opinion, that Lee was waiting to
seize on an occasion when he could perform some bril-
liant achievement, independent of the commxander-in-chief,
which Avould place the former at the head of the arm.y. An
incident* is said to have happened, while the army was at
White Plains, which serves to develope the eccentricities
of the man, in his conduct towards those who were not
high in his estimation. It had been the usual practice of
the Commander-in-chief, with his aids, to take a walk every
forenoon through the camp, and reach Lee's marquee
about mid-day. For several days, good breeding induced
Lee to invite them to dine with him, and his invitations
* Narrated by the late General John Sky Eustace, one of the aids of Gene-
ral Lee at that time, to the compiler of this work.
CHARLES LEE.
539
v/ere accepted. One da^r, at the accustomed hour, espying
the General and his suite in his usual \yalk. he retired to
his marquee, and caused a servant to affix a board on the
front thereof, with an inscription with chalk, declaring,
" ?s^o dinner cooked here to-day." General Washington
observing the writins:, smiled, and passed onward.
Let Ub return from this digression to the thread of the
narrative.
The capture of General Lee was considered as so great
a loss at that period, that Congress, who felt his import-
ance, ordered their president to direct General Washmgton
to despatch a flag to General Howe, to ascertain his treat-
ment," which, if" not corresponding with his rank and
standins:, should furnish the commander-in-chief with a
subject of remonstrance. Previous to this, a principle of
cartel had been established, for a general exchange of
prisoners ; but this affair started a difficulty, the inconve-
nience arising from which v/as sensibly and reciprocally
felt. Lee was guarded as a state prisoner and deserter
from the service of his Britannic majesty, and denied the
privileo-esof cartel as an American officer, inconsequence
of histTuctions to Lord Howe from the British cabinet, to
whom he v/as particularly obnoxious. This, of itself, was
sufficient to defy suspicion of any dereliction of affection
to thp cause in which he had engaged. Washington had
iviformed Howe, that there w&ie no prisoners of equal rank
in his power, for exchange, and that Lee should be treated
according to his rank and dignity, upon which the cartel
had beerf established, until an exchange could be efiectcd.
A fruitless discussion ensued : Lee was assiduously guard-
edthe operations of the cartel were suspended the
Americans retaliated treatment corresponding to his upon
Colonel Campbell, at Boston, and other Bntisn officers,
prisoners of war ; which state of thiiigs fasted mini ne
capture of Burgo^me, on the 17th of October, In |, when
a complete change of treatment was observed towams
j.e- in order not to affect the number of officers, who had
fallen into the hands of the Americans by that propitious
event. He was shortly after exchanged.
The first military scene, in winch General Lee appear
640 GLORY OF AMERICA.
ed after his liberation, was the battle of Monmouth, which
terminated his career in the American army. Before this
affair, his character, in general, was very respectable ; many
of the warm friends of America highly valued the import-
ant services he had rendered to the -United States.
From the beginning of the contest, he had excited and
directed the military spirit which pervaded the continent ;
his conversation raised an emulation among the officers,
and he taught them to pay a proper attention to the health,
clothing, and comfortable subsistence of tlieir men ; add
to this, his zeal was unwearied in inculcating the princi-
ples of liberty among all rajiks of people ; hence, it is
said, that a strong party was formed in Congress, and by
some discontented officers in the army, to raise Lee to the
first command : and it has been suggested by many, that
General Lee's conduct at the battle of Monmouth was
intended to effect this plan ; for, could the odium of the
defeat have been, at that time, thrown on General Wash-
ington, and his attack of the British army made to appear
rash and imprudent, there is great reason to suppose that
he would have been deprived of his command. It has
been observed by some v^aiters on this subject, that when
General Lee was taken prisoner, the American army was
on no par with the royal forces, but the case Vv^as much
changed on his return from captivity. He found them
improved, and daring enough to attack even tlie British
grenadiers, with firmness and resolution. Had not this
been the case, and General Lee, when ordered to attack
the rear of the royal army, seeing his men beat back with
disoi'ace, unvrillin^ to rally, and acting" with fear and
trepidation, his retreat would have been necessary, his
conduct crowned with applause, and his purposes effected ;
but, disappointed in this view, the retreat has been impu-
ted to himself, as he could not allege the want of spirit in
his troops for the justification of his conduct.
The British army, early on Thursday the 25th of June,
completed their evacuation of Philadelphia, having before
transported their stores and most of their artillery into the
Jerseys, where they had thrown up some works, and seve-
ral regiments were encamped : they manned the lines the
CHARLES LEE. 641
preceding night, and retreated over the commons, crossing
at Gloucester Point. A party of American horse pursued
them very close ; however, nothing very material happen-
ed till the 28th, when, about 3 o'clock in the morning,
the British army moved on their way to Middletown
Point. About 11 o'clock, the American van, commanded
by General Lee, overtook them ; but he soon retreated,
and was met by General Washington, who formed on the
first proper piece of ground near Monmouth court-house.
While this was doing, two pieces of cannon, supported by
Colonel Livingston and Colonel Stewart, with a picked
corps of three hundred men, kept off the main body of
the English, and made a great slaughter. Very severe
sldrmishing ensued, and the American army advancing,
the British made their last efforts on a small body of
Pennsylvania troops at and about Mr. Tennant's house ;
they then gave way, leaving the field covered with dead
and wounded. General Washington's troops pursued for
about a mile, when, night coming on, and the men being
exceedingly fatigued with marching and the hot weather,
they halted about half a mile beyond the ground of the
principal action. The British took a strong post in their
front, secured on both flanks by morasses and thick
woods, where they remained until about twelve at night,
and then retreated. In consequence of this action, Gene-
ral Lee was put under arrest, and tried by a Court-martial
at Brunswick, the 4th of July following. The charges
exhibited against him were,
1st, For disobedience of orders, in not attacking the
enemy on the 28th of June, agreeably to repeated instruc-
tions.
2dly, For misbehaviour before the enemy on the same
day, by making an unnecessary, disorderly, and shamefiil
retreat.
3dly, For disrespect to the Commander-in-chief, in two
letters, dated the 1st July and 28th June.
The letter, on which the third charge is founded, is as
follows :
46
642 GLORY OF AMERICA.
Camp^ English Town, ist July, 177B.
Sir,
From the knowledge that I have of your Excellency's
character, I must conclude, that nothing but the mismfor-
mation of some very stupid, or misrepresentation of some
very wicked person, could have occasioned your making
use of such very singular expressions, as you did, on my
coming up to the ground where you had taken post ; they
implied, that I was guilty either of disobedience of orders,
want of conduct, or want of courage. Your Excellency
Y/ill, therefore, infinitely obhge me, by letting me know,
on which of these three articles you ground your charge,
that I may prepare for my justification, which, I have the
happiness to be confident, I can do, to the Araiy, to the
Congress, to America, and to the World in general.
Your Excellency must give me leave to observe, that nei-
ther yourself, nor those about your person, could, from
your situation, be, in the least, judges of the merits or de-
merits of our manosu^Tes ; and, to "speak with a becomino-
pride, I can assert, that to these manoeu^Tes the success o"f
the day was entirely owing. I can boldly say, that, had
we remained on the first ground or, had we advanced
or, had the retreat been conducted in a manner different
from vvdiat it was, this whole army, and the interests of
America, would have risked being sacrificed. I ever had,
and, I hope, ever shall have, the greatest respect and ven-
eration for General Washington ; I think him endued
with many great and good qualities ; but, in this instance,