LEE HENRY (LIGHT HORSE HARRY) Autograph Letter Signed HLee C

Sale 2276 - Lot 58

Price Realized: $ 15,600

?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price

Estimate: $ 4,000 - $ 6,000

"HOLDING MY MILITIA IN READINESS ON THE MINUTE PLAN" LEE, HENRY ("LIGHT-HORSE HARRY"). Autograph Letter Signed, "H:Lee Col Lt," as Lieutenant Colonel, to Brigadier General George Weedon, announcing the preparedness of his militia, and requesting arms. With postscript signed "H:Lee," and Franking Signature "H Lee Col Lt" on terminal page. 2 pages, 8vo, with integral address leaf; minor wear at folds touching text. Prince William [VA], 18 May 1781

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Henry "Light-Horse Harry" Lee served as a young lieutenant colonel in the Revolution. He later gained greater prominence as governor of Virginia, and as father of Robert E. Lee. Here he reports on the preparedness of his unit: "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." Only two other war-date letters by Lee have appeared on the market in the past twenty years.