LEE, HENRY (1756-1818), American general, called "Light Horse Harry," was born near Dumfries (Va.), on Jan. 29, 1756. His father was first cousin to Richard Henry Lee. He graduated (1773) at Princeton, and on the outbreak of the War of Independ ence, became an officer in the patriot forces. He served with distinction under Washington, and in 1778 was promoted major and given the command of a small irregular corps, with which he won a great reputation as a leader of light troops, and the soubri quet of "Light Horse Harry." His greatest exploit was the brilliant surprise of Paulus Hook (N.J.), on Aug. 19, 1779. He was promoted lieutenant-colonel I78o, and sent with a picked corps of dragoons to the southern theatre of war. Here he rendered valuable services, notably at Guildford Court House, Camden and Eutaw Springs. From 1786 88 he was a delegate to the Confederation Congress, and in the Virginia Convention of 1788 he favoured the adoption of the Fed eral Constitution.
From 1789-91 he served in the general assembly, and from 1791-94 was governor of Virginia. In 1794 Washington sent him to help in the suppression of the "Whisky Insurrection" in west ern Pennsylvania. He was a major-general in 1798-1800. From 1799-1801 he served in Congress. He delivered the address on the death of Washington which contained the famous phrase, "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his country men." Soon after the outbreak of the War of 1812, Lee, while helping to resist an attack on his friend, A. C. Hanson, editor of the Baltimore Federal Republican, received injuries, from which he never recovered. He was the father of Gen. Robert E. Lee. He died on Cumberland Island, on March 25, 1818.