The Rise and Fall of General Charles Lee
From 2nd in command to humiliated outcast
General Charles Lee was born in Cheshire, England in 1731 to British Army general John Lee. Charles was enrolled in military school in his young age and grew to be quite a fine military mind, rising through the ranks and ultimately serving as second in command of the Continental Army.
So, what ultimately led to the downfall of the man who once was thought to be the potential replacement for George Washington as commander in chief of the Continental Army? Well, it was General Lee’s temperament and a potential “military misunderstanding” that resulted in the humiliation and dismissal of the once great general.
Foreshadowing of the Future
Charles Lee’s first military assignment in the colonies was as a lieutenant in the British Army during the French and Indian Wars. While in the colonies, Lee would go on to marry a Mohawk woman, leading to his adoption into the Mohawk tribe. Apparently, Lee’s unpredictable temper and attitude led to him garnering a new nickname among the tribe — “Boiling Water.” This erratic and unregulated behavior would ultimately be what took Charles Lee’s promising career down the drain.
Lee took up permanent residence in America around 1773, just as the fraction between the British crown and her colonial Americans was becoming hard to ignore. Charles Lee joined the side of the rebellion after becoming sympathetic to the American cause. Lee was commissioned as a general, becoming the 2nd in command to only General George Washington. Having been passed up on for the home-grown Virginian, newly minted General Lee expressed disdain towards Washington. Lee certainly believed that he was the most worthy for the appointment of commander in chief of the Continental Army.
Building a Reputation
Charles Lee did have a long history of military leadership, before his appointment to the Continental Army, to back up his expectations of becoming the Continental Army commander. Lee served as an officer for a variety of European powers such as Portugal, Poland, and Russia for a time. Of course, he also had his stint in the British Army fighting in the French and Indian Wars as well, until he was wounded during an assault on Fort Ticonderoga, which side lined him for a time. But, where Lee really started to gain popularity was through the American cause. Lee, serving as the second in command of the Army, was instrumental in the Siege of Boston, the defense of Newport, Rhode Island, and most notably the defense of Charleston, South Carolina in 1776 to name a few. As the War for Independence roared on, and Lee accumulated successes, he started to express more dislike for Washington.
In 1776 after the fall of New York City, the “hero of Charleston” was captured by the British. He would be held captive until 1778 when, after a British defeat at the Battle of Saratoga, Lee was exchanged for British Major General Richard Prescott. There is speculation that while held in bondage, Lee had written correspondence with British commander William Howe on how to better defeat the Americans. Of course, this was not known at the time of Lee’s exchange and release.
The Battle of Monmouth
Up until this point, General Lee was widely held in good favor with the Americans. However, the Battle of Monmouth, New Jersey in 1778 would turn these favors sour. Here, Lee was tasked with commanding the frontal assault on the backpedaling British, however, Lee issued a premature retreat which left the Continental Army in disarray. Washington witnessed this, and he and General Lee exchanged heated words on the battlefield. The fallout of this disaster resulted in Charles Lee being court-martialed and charged with disobedience, shameful retreat, and disrespect to the commander in chief. Lee was ultimately found guilty of all charges and relieved of his duties in 1780.
Over the course of his trials and the time following them, Charles Lee launched a vicious attack on George Washington, writing on his inability to lead and of his character. Whatever respect the troops still had for Lee was lost with every word he spewed about the future first president. His berating culminated in a duel with one of Washington’s aides, John Laurens, resulting in a wound to Lee’s side that he would ultimately recover from. Charles Lee, humiliated and outcasted, died just two years later in 1782 in Philadelphia, completely out of public favor.
Closing Thoughts
Charles Lee was a very captivating character. He was instrumental in many key victories of the Revolutionary War and provided the Continental Army leadership with much great advice and support during his early time serving under Washington. However, it would be his distrust and jealousy of George Washington that would result in Charles Lee descending into a status of public enemy number one. The legacy of Charles Lee is one of deceit, treachery, and condemnation, but also one of great potential. If not for the Battle of Monmouth and his disastrous mistake, who knows what could have become of Charles Lee.
Grant Fuerstenau is a Medical Student at the University of Louisville School of Medicine.
