Was Gen. Charles Lee a Traitor?

Hozv the Ouestion, Which Had Re- mained Unsettled Until 1856, Was Anszvered by Dis- covery of a L,ong- Hidden Document.

BY R. WILTON MOORE.

the time Charles Lee, who had held no higher rank in the British Army than lieutanent colonel, became a major general In the Army of the Revolution, until and even long after FROMhis death, opinion was much divided as to the value of his services to the cause of independence and whether or not he meritd the treatment he received after the battle of Monmouth.

Following the battle, which occured on June 28, 1778, Lee, stung by the remarks made to him by Gen. Washington, when the latter i*en. H as tun (ilon at the battle of Monmouth. found the American forces retreating, engaged in a sharp correspondence with Washington, IT it not without significance that while in did not testify at the trial, and while it was Its genuineness. He suggested that perhaps and finally expressed a desire that a court-mar- I New York, Lee made a strenuous effort to going on carefully refrained from expressing George H. Moore, then Librarian of the New tial should be convened to pass on his con- bring about the appointment by Congress of an any opinion. But in a letter to Joseph Reed, York Historical Society, might purchase the duct; that, this being done, he was tried on official commission or committee to go there then president of the Congress, dated July, 1779, manuscript, which Moore did, and later in his three charges: (a) Disobedience of orders in and confer with him about matters he declared referring to Lee’s attack on him, Washington book on “The Treason of Lee” Moore not attacking the enemy; (b) misbehavior be- to be of the utmost importance, urging all says: “To be pursued, first under the mark of incorporated a facsimile copy of several pages fore the enemy “by making an unnecessary, “possible as expedition in the friendship and, when disguise would suit no of the manuscript, along with a copy of a disorderly and shameful retreat,” and (c) dis- expedition, crisis of affairs is of material con- longer, as an calumniator with mis- letter written by Lee to Gen. Gates on the very respect to the commander in chief by his let- present very open gross what was in his mind we representations and self-known falsehoods, day the former was captured, and the ters to him subsequent to the battle; that, sequence.” Precisely cannot we at least believe carries an which no can bear with authenticity of which is undisputed. In that heard the of a number know, though may alloy temper hfcving testimony large • • * hand wrote the he had of the success of the perfect composure: What cause, then, Is letter, written by the same that of Lee was found on the become hopeless witnesses, guilty a certain cause. we do know that on there for such a of venom unless plan, Lee says “entre nous great first and third as and American But profusion by charges exactly framed, an was That an act of in him to trial man is damnably deficient,” this being also on the second charge to the extent of March 29, 1778, it “Resolved. Congress public duty bringing still it to send of their at own solicitation I have him obvious reference to Washington. Lossing says “making an unnecessary and, in some few in- adjudge improper any his disappointed members to confer with Gen. Lee the and raised his that in of the plain: “The document was the first and was sentenced upon ire; or, conceiving pro- stances, disorderly retreat," of mentioned in his letter." It is a portion as he can darken the shades of my announcement to the world the long- “to be suspended from any command in the subjects character he his whether suspected fact that- Gen. Charles Lee was armies of the United States of North America rather curious coincidence that the date of that Illuminates own; cause which he I or motives more dark and hidden undoubtedly a traitor to the for the term of 12 months”; and that, although resolution corresponds with the apparent date these, say, yet him I shall not undertake to decide nor espoused.” the sentence was pronounced on August 12, of a document of pivotal interest to which govern The plan starts with the assertion tnat tne It did not receive the approval of the Con- reference ■will in a moment be made. have I time to inquire into them at present." But the time was to arrive for an and American cause had no chance of success, gress until December 5, having meanwhile As I have said, there was a sharp difference inquiry decision. In when the actors in the that continuance of the war would be wasteful been the subject of much debate in the ses- of opinion about the character and merits of 1856, Monmouth transaction had there and injurious to both combatants and that sions which were always held in secret. The Lee. There were Americans of ability and passed away, steps should be taken to bring it quickly to Congressional Journal shows that Rhode Island, patriotism, as, for example, Lighthorse Harry was brought to light the document to which an end. It then proposed that instead of be- New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, North Lee, who, notwithstanding they were devoted I have just alluded. Lossing, the eminent ing content with holding New York and tak- Carolina and South Carolina voted to sustain friends of Washington, retained their friend- historian, gives the story of how it came to be ing Philadelphia, 4,000 of the British troops, the sentence; that Massachusetts and Georgia ship for Lee, and were convthced that the uncovered. He states that in the Autumn of which at that time were supposed to total voted in the negative and that Virginia, court-martial sentence was far too severe. 1856 Mr. Tomlinson, a dealer In rare manu- Mary- about 20.000, should be sent south so as to re- land and New Jersey did not vote, as the mem- They thought that a mild punishment for fail- scripts, called on him in New York with duce Maryland, and prevent Virginia from bers present from each of those States were ing to give Washington timely notice of the manuscripts found among the papers of Gen. furnishing aid to the American Army in Penn- equally divided. So far as Virginia is con- disrespectful language hi Lee's letter to him Sir William Howe, who was the British sylvania. The transports carrying the British cerned, it appears that only two members would have been sufficient. But, on the other commander in chief at New York during a part troops southward were to disembark them at were present, Francis Lightfoot Lee, who voted hand, there were those who gravely doubted of the time of Lee's detention there. One of Annapolis and Alexandria, and the location “aye," and Meriwether Smith, who voted “no.” his fidelity, among them John Laurens, Presi- them was a manuscript consisting of nine of those points as suitable bases of operation On December 4, 1779, the to which dent of the Continental who of foolscap pages, folded in form for and Congress, Congress, spoke filing, was set forth. in the interval Lee had written an offensive him as “a Judas’’; Alexander Hamilton, who indorsed in the of handwriting Henry Strachey„ Lee had fairly full knowledge of conditions letter, resolved, “That Maj. Gen. Charles Lee spoke of him as a driveler or something worse,” the secretary of Gen. Howe, "Mr. Lee's plan, in Virginia. He knew it was the most pop- b* informed that has no further and Elias who him to 29th 1777.” Congress Boudinot, thought false March, ulous and the richest of the States, and that occasion for his services in the of the the cause. More than the At this document was Army important suspicion Lossing's request, left Washington greatly relied upon it for soldiers United States of America.” entertained by others is the fact that with him and it with known Washing- upon comparing and supplies. He was in Virginia after re- ton himself seems to have been He of he was It appears from the journal that the only suspicious. writings Lee, completely satisfied of ceiving his commission as major general, and States voting “no” on this occasion were Con- had been in Alexandria more than once, the necticut, New Jersey and Maryland, and that first time as a lieutenant in the army com- the only member present from Virgina, Cyrus- manded by Br&ddock which set out from that Griffin, was recorded in the negative. It was town on its fatal expedition. He was. there- necessary that a State should vote by at least Jore, able to tell of the depth of the river at two members. Alexandria, and suggest that other places on A moment may be taken to inquire what was the river south of the town could be made use the language actually used by Washington of if necessary. Lee concluded by stating, "I when he rode up to Lee and found a retreat am so confident of the event that I will in progress, of which everybody seems to have venture to assert with the penalty of my life. agreed the commander in chief should have If the plan is adopted and no accidents, such been given prompt notice. That his appear- as a rupture betwixt the powers of Europe, ance when he encountered Lee strongly in- intervene, that in less than two months from dicated his displeasure is left beyond doubt the date of the proclamation not a spark of by the evidence submitted at the trial, but that this desolating war remains unextinguished in he made use of any such language as several any part of the continent." writers have imputed to him is not proven. On that point here is what Lee himself told the court-martial in the course of his very POR nearly 75 years, so far as I can ascer- 1 lengthy statement: Saying that he was ‘‘dis- tain, this evidence of the treachery of Lee concerted, disturbed and confounded by the has been accepted by historians of the Rev- words and manner” of Washington, he went olution on both sides of the ocean. But it on to say. "The terms, I think, were these: ‘I desire to know, sir, what is the reason Is proper to mention that shortly after its confusion?’ whence arises this disorder and disclosure there was one emphatic dissent as The manner in which he expressed them was to its value. In 1860 a well known Virginia much stronger and more severe than the ex- Mr. Charles Carter a son of pressions themselves.” Had Washington de- lawyer. Lee, Light- nounced him as a “damned poltroon," as some horse Harry Lee, delivered a lecture before of the historians assert, or had he even ex- the Pennsylvania Historical Society in which claimed, as was reported to Judge Robertson he argued that the document “should be re- in 1840 by a veteran of the Revolution when garded either as a forgery, because its con- Robertson was a student at Hampden-Sid- fusion of ideas, its involved sentences, its bad College, “My God, Gen. Lee, wliat are ney spelling and grammar mark it as utterly un- about?” Lee would naturally have so in- you like anything else known to have been written formed the court. by Ice. and that the scheme of operations pro- Prior to the battle of Monmouth, in December, posed to the Howes, if indeed it was worthy 1776, in consequence of disregarding orders and to be called a p'an at all. was too stupid to requests to move which he had received from have emanated from Lee and too insulting Washington Lee was captured by the British to the unde! standing of the Howes to have and carried to New York. There a threat »o been submitted to them with any view of seek- transport him to England, in accordance with ing their approval.' Instructions from London, to be tried as a Alternatively, he argued that if Lee wrote deserter from the British Army would probably the paper, it was “in a moment of frantic and have been executed but for Washington inform- momentary ebullition of despair.” and without British ing the British commander in chief at New any intention of submitting it to the York that he was holding officers which he had authorities and that it must have been "afer- ward be taken as hostages for Lee's personal safety. This purloined and attempted to perverted to is difficult to be had the desired effect of maintaining Lee's status iniquitous purposes.” It Impressed these put forth in as simply a prisoner of war, and thus after by suggestions Lee's defense. no man of that time b*ung held a year and a half In New York, he Probably ever wrote a without some «fs exchanged and rejoined the American lengthy paper spell- ing and grammar and awkwardness of style Army at Valley Forge, May 20, 1778, a little more than a month before the battle of Mon- mouth. Maj. Gen. Charle« Lee. Continued on Eighteenth Page •' #' \ '! S t • » h'j i I