Lee, Henry, 1756-1818

Henry Lee III (January 29, 1756 – March 25, 1818) was an early American Patriot and U.S. politician who served as the ninth Governor of Virginia and as the Virginia Representative to the United States Congress. Lee's service during the American Revolution as a cavalry officer in the Continental Army earned him the nickname by which he is best known, "Light-Horse Harry". He was the father of Robert E. Lee, who led Confederate armies against the U.S. in the American Civil War.

Born on Leesylvania Plantation in Prince William County in the Colony of Virginia, Lee pursued classical studies and graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in 1773, pursuing a legal career thereafter. With the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, he instead became a captain in a Virginia dragoon detachment, which was attached to the 1st Continental Light Dragoons. In 1778, Lee was promoted to major and given the command of a mixed corps of cavalry and infantry known as Lee's Legion, with which he won a great reputation as a capable leader of light troops. It was during his time as commander of the Legion that Lee earned the sobriquet of "Light-Horse Harry" for his horsemanship. He was eventually promoted to lieutenant colonel and was assigned with his Legion to the southern theater of war.

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