April 2014 Auction Ends Tuesday, April 29th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 4/29/2014
Henry Lee twice-signed autograph letter signed as a young Lieutenant Colonel in charge of his own unit, ''Lee's Legion'' during the American Revolutionary War. The future Governor of Virginia and father of Robert E. Lee twice signs an autograph letter, closing it: ''H Lee''. He then signs the postscript identically. In Prince William, Virginia on 18 May 1781 ''Light Horse Harry'' finds his men lacking arms and writes to Brigadier General George Weedon for urgent help. The letter reads: ''...For holding my militia in readiness on the minute plan, I have draughted one fourth of the militia and appointed two rendezvouz in the county...so that I shall always know where to call fourth a body of men on the first alarm, but sir what are we to do for arms? We shall want at least 100. The arms we had were sent down with our last detachmt. to Wmsbg...Pray inform me without delay...the number we may expect as I will on rect of yr ltr send down for them and keep only such men on duty as can be armed. Otherwise it would be runing the country to a needless expense and useless feateiging the people...'' Lee's Legion, or 2nd Partisan Corps, was formed from the 1st Continental Light Dragoons. The mixed cavalry unit served in the Southern Theater of Operations and took part in the Battle of Yorktown; Lee was present at the Yorktown surrender of Cornwallis. 2pp. letter measures 6.5'' x 8.5''. Light toning and creasing, otherwise near fine. Only two other war-date letters by Lee have appeared on the market in the past twenty years.
Henry Lee's Urgent Revolutionary War Dated Autograph Letter Twice-Signed -- ''...but sir what are we to do for arms?...The arms we had were sent down with our last detachmt. to Wmsbg...''
Click above for larger image.