Category: Henry Lee III

Whiskey220: Militias, Lee and Washington

10/18/2014

Star Spangled Banner Flag (15 Stars and Stripes)

Whiskey 220 ~ October 1794, Part 2 of 3
The Whiskey Rebellion 1791-94: Western Pennsylvania

Hypnotic Misnomers

Yes, Hypnotic Misnomers. It might just be all these whiskey thoughts I’ve been having, though there does seem to be something to it, to this idea of Hypnotic Misnomers. These are things in our politics that lull our thoughts … even when the evidence says otherwise.

What evidence for what misnomer? Perhaps a double-shot from President Washington’s Diaries to illustrate (and correct) two misnomers: one academic and one All-American.

George Washington Resigning His Commission (1783)

First misnomer: that President Washington somehow became General Washington in October 1794.

Evidence. While in Carlisle, President Washington writes of working with the Troops … or rather catches himself almost being General George once again:

“6th to the 12th. Employed in Organizing the several detachments, which had come in from different Counties of this State, in a very disjointed & loose manner; or rather I ought to have said in urging and assisting Genl. Mifflin to do it; as I no otherwise took command of the Troops than to press them forward, and to provide them with necessaries for their March, as well, & as far, as our means would admit.”

President Washington was almost acting like the old general … and noted in his own words he wasn’t in command of the Troops. He was working as President in the role of Commander-in-Chief; helping as he could, though not exercising battlefield authority.

All-American Henry Lee III

Second misnomer: that Henry Lee III is not an All-American.

Evidence. 19 October 1794, President Washington writes of his ride to Bedford with our All-American candidate, General Henry Lee III:

“19th. In company with Genl. Lee, who I requested to attend me, that all the arrangements necessary for the Army’s crossing the Mountns. in two columns might be made; Their routs, & days Marches fixed, that the whole might move in Unison – and accompanied by the Adjutant General and my own family we set out, abt. eight oclock, for Bedford, and making one halt at the distance of 12 Miles, reached it a little after 4 oclock in the afternoon being met a little out of the Encampment by Govr. Mifflin – Govr. Howell - & several other Officers of distinction.”

President Washington and his family spend the day driving to Bedford with General Lee. President and General discuss the plans for the March so that “the whole might move in Unison.” Once again, that isn’t General Washington ~ it’s President Washington (and his family).

It’s also quite a day for Henry Lee III; Washington picked him to lead the Army ~ trusted him ~ and that’s an All-American honor.

Hypnotic Misnomers: don’t be lulled.

~ Next Whiskey220: the October mini-series concludes Thursday, 23 October, with Representative Findley Distills We the People.

Posted by Bryan W. Brickner

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Word Wars: Napoleon’s Palm, Our Henry Lee and Hitler’s White Rose

8/25/2014

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Johann Phillip Palm ~ 1768 to 26 August 1806

War Cry Heal Union: The series (8 of 10)

For James Wright Foley (1973-2014) and free speech.

Word wars are always already moral. The powers of the moment, be it Emperor, Mob or Dictator, attempt to control the message through morality’s timeless twins ~ silence and violence.

The US Constitution recognizes this aspect of power in the ageless First Amendment (1791):

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

The story of free speech and press in Western Civilization ~ from Socrates to Foley ~ is a telling story …

Henry Lee III ~ 1756 to 1818

Napoleon’s Palm
On 25 August 1806, Johan Phillip Palm, a German publisher living under the rule of law according to the ideas of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte I, was tried in a mock court. Palm had published news ~ behavioral tales of Napoleon’s soldiers in Germany ~ and did not reveal the author to the mockery; the next day, 26 August 1806, Palm was executed by firing squad.

America’s Henry Lee III
On 27 July 1812, Henry Lee III, a famed American revolutionary living under the rule of law according to the ideas of a mob in Baltimore, was pummeled to incapacitation. Lee was defending Alexander C. Hanson and his First Amendment right to publish an antiwar editorial. The defenders of a free press were attacked by a “Be Quiet!” mob; Lee was never the same health-wise and died in 1818.

Hitler’s White Rose
On 22 February 1943, Sophie Scholl, a German teacher living under the rule of law according to the Nazis and Adolf Hitler, was tried in a mock court. Scholl and two Others, part of a group writing under the name White Rose, were found guilty of publishing antiwar pamphlets and writing anti-government graffiti. The three were beheaded almost immediately ~ five hours after the mockery.

And many Others ~ free speech and press ~ part of everyone's story.

*Next on Ew Publishing’s WCHU: a double feature honoring rebels and constitutions. The Rebels of Harlem Heights begin the summer series finale on Tuesday, 16 September ~ followed by Constitution Day 2014 on Wednesday, 17 September.
~
Posted by Bryan W. Brickner

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Civil Wars: Gus Kotka, Johnny Reb and Robert E. Lee

8/10/2014

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War Cry Heal Union: The series (7th of 10)
This is the 150th anniversary of US Army, 99th Indiana Infantry Regiment, Private Augustus Kotka’s last day on Earth … as a human, that is. He was killed skirmishing in the siege of Atlanta, 11 August 1864; it wasn’t a battle day ~ just one of those days. Kotka’s spirit is present today and meets with Johnny Reb for the 150th time as they discuss civil wars, Robert E. Lee and Nature.

Nowhere Sunrise (2014)

“Hey Yank,” Johnny Reb said.
“Hey Reb,” answered Augustus Kotka [1833 to 11 August 1864: KIA US Army, Siege of Atlanta].
“Gus, this ain’t Georgia: where we at?”
“This is Nowhere,” Gus replied; “I didn’t feel like meeting there this time.”
“Nowhere’s nice,” Reb noted. “What’s up though? ~ Whatcha’ wanna know?”
“Who got me killed?”
“That’s the same question for 150 years Yank ~ with the same answer ~ you did.”
“No, really, who got me killed?”
“I did then.”
“You always say that ~ this year things are different though.”

Nowhere Thistle (2014)

“How so?”
“The Constitution … it should have worked by now.”
“You’re saying it ain’t working Yank?”
“I got killed fighting ‘For’ something, not ‘Against’ you.”
“Fair enough.”
“Right ~ ‘cept fair means both sides think it’s fair: I don’t think a civil war was fair in 1861.”
“You talking Representation?” asked Reb.
“I think so; what do you know?”
“Lots being a Spirit and all.”
“So how’s that make you feel?" asked Gus; "You know, not having Constitutional Representation and having a civil war over slavery and the three fifths clause and not George Washington’s thirty Thousand?”
“George was a Reb," answered Johnny, "and so was Henry “Light-Horse” Lee and his son Robert E. Lee; Virginia produced lots of rebels.”
“Yup ~ and lots of presidents too.”
“Four of the first five,” Reb added, “hey ~ maybe this Nowhere landscape can help us.”
“Okay.”
“Take this thistle here.”
“Ouch.”
“Right Gus ~ the thorns protect flowers so seeds can be made.”
“Okay.”
“And then look at these flowers …”

Nowhere Flowering Weeds (2014)

“… Look like weeds to me.”
“Flowering weeds then ~ yet they do it differently; they share space by numbers …”
“… And not thorns.”
“Right.”
“That’s our civil war,” followed Gus, “seems the founders intended something other than thorns; then what happened with Robert E. Lee?”
“Lee missed a great strategic opportunity,” said Reb.
“1862 Antietam? 1863 Gettysburg? Petersburg 1864?”
“No,” Reb assured, “Blair 1861.”
“Right. US General Winfield Scott, his mentor and fellow Virginian, had asked him to help the Union; and then President Abraham Lincoln, through his intermediary, Mr. Blair, offered US Colonel Robert E. Lee a promotion to Major General and command of an army to quell the rebellion.”
“That is so,” added Reb, “April 1861 was Lee’s moment for Civil Greatness.”
“How so?”
“Try this on and see if it fits; if US Colonel Lee accepts President Lincoln’s offer, he buys the Union, Confederacy and Virginia a much valued commodity: Time. Lee had lots to work with: the prestige of his family, three decades of Union service, and was friends with Confederate President Jefferson Davis.”
“That makes sense.”
“If Lee takes command,” continued Reb, “he could have dawdled, played the newspaper game, or made a move ~ that would have been Civil and Strategic.”
“I see it Reb; it’s like he could have slowed things down, waited … and then what?”
“That is it ain’t it: then what?” pondered Johnny. “The way things were, with the slave states uniting and the non-slave states in turmoil, it’s not clear what would have happened.”
“Okay …”
“Though with his great abilities,” Reb imagined, “perhaps some big meeting with him and Jeff Davis in Fredericksburg Virginia.”
“Nice imagination Reb.”
“Thanks ~ it’s a fun thought that might have saved your life Gus.”
“And lots of Johnnies.”
“For sure ~ Lee would have had the loyalty of the Union and kinship with the rebellion at his hands; Lincoln would have looked like he needed Lee to make peace, and he probably did.”
“Interesting theory Reb …”
“Then see, Lee is a national hero,” Reb mused, “and he becomes President in 1864 ~ elected by the Union he saved.”
“You’re out there now Reb …”
“Not too far though,” continued Reb, “as no one expected a Nobody like Grant to become president.”
“Lee wasn’t into politics,” noted Gus.
“War is politics,” Reb clarified; “I’m just saying with his family name, being a Virginian that saved the Union … well, who knows how Great that might have been."
“Thanks for the line of thinking Reb ~ nice Ponderances.”
“Ponderances ~ I like that ...”

Nowhere Sons Up (2014)

Johnny Reb then gave Gus Yank a Spirit speech: “You know Gus, the year 2020, with the decennial Enumeration (census), is a Time for We the People to build the United States of America the founders’ intended ~ and it’ll be even better than theirs because it fulfills their Spirit in a way they couldn’t …”
“… Representing the Unrepresented.”
“Right Gus; if we Represent in 2020, we’d be honoring our Republic by fulfilling the founders’ Constitutional Rebel vision: a House for We the People and a Senate for We the States.”
“Agreed.”
“Sun’s up Gus.”
“Sounds like ‘Sons Up’ Reb.”
“Sure does ~ Whatcha’ say we meet again?”
“Great.”
“Hey,” smarted Reb, “let’s meet ‘Somewhere’ next time.”
“Got a place in mind?” Gus chuckled.
“I do.”
“That’ll be fun ~ peace Reb.”
“Peace Yank ~ and see you again soon … ”
~
Video Adaptation:
Robert E Lee refuses command of the Union Army

*Extra/New WCHU series announcement from Ew Publishing: we’re adding one to the ten in the War Cry Heal Union series (see our 26 May 2014 release). The addition looks at Representing the Unrepresented “Stock of Abraham” via George Washington and the Hebrew Congregation of Rhode Island; it’ll be number 7.5 of 10 in one week, Monday 18 August 2014.
~
Posted by Bryan W. Brickner

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War of 1812: American Exceptionalism, Free Speech and Henry Lee III

7/26/2014

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Henry Lee's Congressional Coin 19 August 1799

War Cry Heal Union: The series (6th of 10)

American exceptionalism: immigrants and constitutions.

Factions heard not silenced is today’s topic with Henry Lee III defending the First Amendment and the Unrepresented.

Henry Lee III is “Light-Horse Harry” Lee. He was famous in is own time, way before his son Robert was born. Lee served with distinction in the Revolutionary War, receiving recognition from the Second Continental Congress for his leadership at Paulus Hook (19 August 1779). Lee then followed through and supported the new Constitution through acts; as Governor of Virginia, he led the federalized state militias (during President Washington’s first-term) over the mountains and into western Pennsylvania in 1794 during the Whiskey Rebellion; he also took a beating for the First Amendment … more on that in a moment.

The Immigrant: Richard Lee I

The Lee family is a founding American family ~ perhaps even “the” founding family ~ and thereby part of what makes us exceptional.

So what is that? ~ What makes us exceptional?

Well, a nation of immigrants is one thing; the first Lee in the colonies was early on at Jamestown, 1639, one Richard Lee I (1617-1664). He’s pictured right and is known as The Immigrant. He made his fortune in the early days of Virginia; he was involved in the fur trade with the aborigine and scooped up land from the King and turned it into working farms and plantations; to do so he exported tobacco, imported indentured workers, and was in the “business” of slavery. Richard Lee, at the time of his death in 1664, was a wealthy well-connected colonial immigrant.

Henry Lee III provides us another example of American exceptionalism: our Constitution, specifically, the First Amendment’s freedom of speech.

Henry Lee did lots of things ~ both good and bad. He didn’t do so well in business; he speculated on land and lost. That’s the bad mostly. The good is what others like George Washington noticed: his ability to lead.

Lee Family Coat of Arms

Which brings us to Lee’s Baltimore beating, 27 July 1812. In a biography of his son, Douglas Southall Freeman’s Pulitzer Prize winning Lee (1934: Abridgment 1997), the author tells the story of Henry Lee’s First Amendment defense to illustrate a penchant for being in the thick of things (sounds like a Lee). This time though Henry is a citizen and not a soldier. He finds himself in a mob fracas; he defends a publisher, Alexander C. Hanson, who had published an antiwar (the US shouldn’t go to war) editorial and had his business and friends attacked by a mob; Freeman describes the brutality (page 8):

“When it was over, half of Hanson’s friends had escaped, but one had been killed and eleven frightfully beaten. Eight were thought to be dead and were piled together in front of the building, where they were subjected to continued mutilation. Henry Lee was among this number. Drunken brutes thrust penknives into his flesh, and waited to see whether there was a flicker when hot candle grease was poured into his eyes. One fiend tried to cut off his nose. After a while, some of the town physicians succeeded in carrying him to a hospital.”

Henry Lee never recovered from his Baltimore beating ~ he was never the same; what he did though, honoring his revolutionary arts in peace as well as war, is recoverable: it’s an American experience and evidence of exception ~ even the not so pretty kind.

“Be not unmindful of the future” is the translation of the Latin motto “Ne Incautus Futuri” found on the Lee coat of arms ~ and that’s exceptional too.

Next up is the seventh essay in the War Cry Heal Union series: Monday 11 August and the 150th anniversary of a Civil War day in Georgia, 1864 ~ Johnny Reb and Gus Kotka discuss Robert E. Lee.

Posted by Bryan W. Brickner

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Whiskey220: Militias, Lee and Washington

Word Wars: Napoleon’s Palm, Our Henry Lee and Hitler’s White Rose

Civil Wars: Gus Kotka, Johnny Reb and Robert E. Lee

War of 1812: American Exceptionalism, Free Speech and Henry Lee III

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