author

Henry Lee

A bold cavalry officer of the American Revolution, he became famous as “Light-Horse Harry” and later wrote the tribute to George Washington that gave the country the enduring phrase “first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen.” He also left behind memoirs and letters that offer a firsthand view of the early United States.

1 Audiobook

Forced Move

Forced Move

by Henry Lee

About the author

Born in Virginia in 1756, Henry Lee III studied at the College of New Jersey, now Princeton, before joining the Revolutionary cause. His daring cavalry service earned him the nickname “Light-Horse Harry,” and he went on to serve in public office after the war, including terms in Congress and as governor of Virginia.

Lee is remembered in literary history mainly for his political and historical writing rather than for fiction. He wrote a famous memorial resolution after George Washington’s death, and his wartime recollections were later published as The Memoirs of the War in the Southern Department of the United States, giving readers a direct account from a soldier and statesman of the founding era.

He was also the father of Robert E. Lee, a detail that has kept his name in American history, but his own life stands out for its mix of military action, public service, and firsthand writing about the Revolution.