Lee, Henry "Light-Horse Harry" III, 1756-1818

Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee III was a Revolutionary War hero and the father of Robert E. Lee. He was born at Leesylvania Plantation in Prince William County, Virginia, the son of Col. Henry Lee and Lucy Grymes Lee. During the American Revolution he served as a captain of the 1st Continental Light Dragoons, and distinguished himself at the Battle of Paulus Hook and the Battle of Edgar's Lane. He was a governor of Virginia (1791-1794) and a U.S. Congressman (1799-1801). He was injured during the Baltimore Riots of 1812, defending the editor of the Federal Republican. In 1809, he spent a year in debtor's prison. He married first, Matilda Ludwell Lee (three children), and second, Anne Hill Carter (six children).

Mentioned in these documents

[Letter from Littleton Dennis Teackle to Charles Nicoll Bancker, July 28, 1812, Vol. 3]

Letter from Littleton Dennis Teackle to Charles Nicoll Bancker. The letter is from Vol. 3 of Charles N. Bancker's correspondence journal. Littleton gives a detailed recount of the riot that occurred in Baltimore on July 27, 1812. Anti-war articles written by Alexander Contee Hanson in the Federal Republican newspaper caused riots against the newspaper. The riot and events occurring afterwards were violent and resulted in the death of at least one man, Dr. Gale. Littleton includes an additional note with some of the names of the men involved.