Henry "Light Horse Harry " Lee Returns to Monmouth County

As noted in prior articles, in June 1780, George Washington learned that a French fleet was expected on the Jersey shore. The Continental government would send pilots, set up communications, and raise provisions for the French. To do this, Washington returned Major Henry Lee to Monmouth County.

Lee was among Washinton’s most able officers. During his prior stay in Monmouth County in 1779, Lee’s men killed the infamous Pine Robber, Lewis Fenton, and conducted a spectacular raid against Sandy Hook. But Lee feuded with Monmouth County leaders—including Peter Imlay and David Rhea, the Army’s Quartermaster Agent in the county. When Lee proposed to impound goods from disaffected locals without their collaboration, his opponents successfully lobbied for his removal in January 1780.

Lee’s Return to Monmouth County

Washington ordered Lee back into Monmouth County on July 11, 1780, and ordered him to collaborate with David Forman, a colonel who was relieved of command of his command in 1778 but maintained a relationship with George Washington by supplying him with intelligence:

When you arrive there, you will see General Foreman who is charged with dispatches for a French fleet expected at the Hook and to keep a look out for their arrival. You will give such assistance in this as will be necessary.

Lee was asked to protect pilots sent to Monmouth County, and establish contact with the French on their arrival. Lee was also ordered to establish stores of provisions for the French:

You will instantly impress every kind of refreshment the Country affords; cattle, vegetables & ca. for the use of our allies; for which purpose you will make previous arrangements, and execute them in the manner most effectual and least grievous to the inhabitants, giving certificates for everything taken.

Forman was informed of Lee’s deployment the next day, "Major Henry Lee moved down yesterday to Monmouth with his corps of horse to protect the pilots and keep open the communication between me and the French Admiral."

Lee’s first letter to Washington on his return to Monmouth County was on July 16. He asked Washington to clarify that Forman was responsible for sending daily intelligence reports on British activity at Sandy Hook—rather than him. Forman wrote Washington that he needed to leave Monmouth County “on business,” so Lee needed to send the reports. Washington sided with Forman, sternly writing Lee: “I depend on you for information of every occurrence… For the future, you will make the report every two days of the appearance at the Hook in which the more detail the better.”

Lee acknowledged the order on July 20, but warned that because his troops would be diverted relaying intelligence reports, he could not defend the shore: “We cannot protect the people on shore from depredations because the country is too environed with water to predict probable attempts from the enemy.” In advance, Lee chose “to apologize for accidents that might transpire.” Indeed, Lee’s men were ineffectual in defending Monmouth County—summer 1780 was a terrible time for Loyalist raids into Monmouth County.

Lee set up posts at Freehold and New Brunswick for express riders on route to Washington’s camp at Morristown. The provisions consumed by these horses and men would soon become controversial. Times were hard for Lee’s men, some of whom lacked supplies and pay. On July 20, Lee wrote the Governor of Maryland to complain about the “deficiency in Emolument” for the twenty Marylanders in his corps. Lee was apparently unable to draw provisions for these men from the stores set up for the Army’s Maryland troops and not given a separate allowance for them either. He made a request:

I now beg Leave to present my claim to my proportion of Levies... to give me an order for the possession of twenty of the new Levies; or, that you will allow me to withdraw the soldiers now in my Corps subjects of your State, & to throw them into the quota of some other people.

Lee’s appeal likely fell on deaf ears. Five months later, Lee was pressing Maryland’s delegates to the Continental Congress on the same matter.

Meanwhile, David Rhea, the quartermaster who feuded with Lee a year earlier, started complaining about Lee again. Rhea worried about a food shortage at the county jail leading to trouble "as there are a number of prisoners, very impudent, in the gaol now." He blamed Lee for consuming food allotted for the jail: "Major Lee's troops have consumed all the meal at Walton's & Conover's mills.”

Raising Stores for the French Fleet

As Rhea complained, the focus of Lee’s deployment in Monmouth County shifted to raising provisions. On July 24, General Nathanael Greene wrote that Lee is in Monmouth County to "impress horses and cattle." That same day, Washington made that mission explicit: “I am informed by General Forman that there is a great number of horses in Monmouth County [are] within the enemy's power, belonging to disaffected persons.” He then ordered Lee:

To prevent the enemy from having benefit of these, you will immediately set about driving off from that part of the country, all horses fit for riding or wagon service, and deliver them to the Quartermaster General, giving certificates to the persons from whom they are taken. You will do the same with respect to cattle.

Washington also ordered Lee to go to Easton, Pennsylvania when the press of provisions was over.

Washington then wrote Forman, telling him to cooperate with Lee: “He will apply to you for advice, which you can give him privately, as I imagine it will not be prudent for you to appear in this matter." Washington asked Forman to report on British movements at Sandy Hook after Lee departed.

On July 25, Lee left for Easton prior to Washington’s order. He wrote Washington that Captain John Rudolph would work with Forman on impressing livestock. By leaving for Easton before impressing livestock, Lee seemingly disobeyed an order. Perhaps Lee wanted to leave before he had to take direction from Forman.

With Lee gone, Forman went to Shrewsbury to meet Rudolph in order to impress horses and cattle. It proved to be harder than predicted, they only raised 160 head of livestock when Forman had predicted they could raise 1,000 head. Only July 27, Forman blamed Lee: “Major Lee has marched all his horse previous to my getting this letter to East Town except Capt. Rudolph's troops, about 24 in number.” Forman augmented Rudolph’s company with thirty militia before setting him to work:

Yesterday morning, Capt. Rudolph, I expect, began to collect from the seaboard side of Shrewsbury. I fear that his success would not be considerable as I expected, occasioned by an order from Major Lee which has given the inhabitants the week before to drive up all their live cattle. That order will induce, I apprehend, the people to secret part of them.

While Lee’s men gave certificates redeemable for money, the impressment of livestock was certain to draw anger. On August 6, Obadiah Holmes, a magistrate, took the unusual step of writing directly to Washington. Holmes forwarded a memorial from Joshua Anderson complaining about the impressment of a stud horse taken from him because it was co-owned by a man named Thomson, said to be disaffected. Anderson further complained that the certificate issued was for only one third the value of the horse. He wrote:

A certain Mr. Heard an officer in Maj. Lee’s Core [sic] under the immediate command of Capt. Rudolph came to the house of your petitioner when both he & his son were absent & forcibly took away sd horse alleging to your petitioner’s wife that he had your Excellency’s orders for so doing—Your petitioner & son have since applied to Capt. Rudolph for the horse and upon remonstrating against the proceedings, Capt. Rudolph swore he would cut your petitioners son’s ears off if he said anything more about the Horse.

Anderson was robbed by British soldiers in 1778; it was therefore a particular hardship to lose the valued horse:

Before the Enemy pass’d thro’ this County, [he] lived in easy circumstances but at that time by reason of his attachment to the cause of his Country lost almost everything he had (land excepted), which has reduced him to necissitous [sic] circumstances.

Anderson questioned the alleged disaffection of Thomson, the co-owner, and noted that “his son is so frequently out in the Militia as to render but little service at home.” Holmes offered to put up a bond to be cashed if the horse was returned and Thomson or the horse went into British lines. Finally, Anderson wrote that he would keep the horse “at such a Distance from the Enemies Lines” by keeping the horse at his Upper Freehold home, “living some miles west of Monmouth Courthouse."

The petition was signed by Holmes and several leading Whigs (supporters of the Revolution). It was accompanied by a note from the officers of the 1st Regiment of the Monmouth County militia:

We the subscribers, officers of the first regt of Monmouth militia being well acquainted with Mr. Joshua Anderson & family do hereby certify that he is a man of reputable character both as a citizen as Inhabitant and as a friend to his country.

It was signed by: Asher Holmes Col.; David Gordon, Capt.; John Smock Lt. Col.; John Walton Capt.; Joseph Stilwell Capt.; John Schanck, Capt; Samuel Carhart, Capt.; Jonathan Forman, Capt; John Schenck, Lieut.; Peter Vanderhoff, Ensign; William Schenck, Lieut.; Richard Hartshorn, Qtr Mstr; William Forman; Jonathan Forman; Samuel Forman, Lieut.; Michael Sweetman, Capt.; Benjamin Van Cleave, Capt. (Anderson’s petition is in the appendix of this article.)

Anderson went to Washington’s camp to make his case. As a result, Washington wrote Lee:

His petition is supported by many well affected Inhabitants of that County who place him clearly in the character of a friend to his Country. Therefore, as the seizure must have been made by the Capt., in consequence of my instructions to you, and they only directed that such horses and cattle as belonged to disaffected persons in the power of the Enemy were to be taken, and Mr Anderson lives about 20 miles from the sea, and cannot be considered as coming within the instructions, I desire you will have the horse given up to him.

Lee wrote to Washington two days later that "I gave orders to Capt. Rudolph to deliver Mr Anderson’s horse to him. The horse is gelded & Mr Anderson refuses him.” Lee blamed the improper seizure of the horse on David Forman:

When I left Monmouth I directed Capt. Rudolph to be under the guidance of Gen. Furman, in conformity to whose advice, every hoof seized, has been seized. I am fully persuaded from Capt. Rudloph’s natural equity & moderation of temper that he has committed no act but can be justified by his orders, & by Gen. Furman’s council [sic].

Lee further noted that “the disaffected in Upper Freehold” often send livestock “to the Hook, & Capt. Rudolph assured me this horse was the property of two persons connected with the enemy.”

Lee enclosed a statement from Rudolph who stated that Anderson refused reasonable compensation for the gelded horse, but “insist’d on 300£ Specie” (15x the value of an ordinary horse). Rudoph noted, “I could not consent to an act so injurious to justice and to the public.” 

Rudolph then defended his conduct: “I accept’d this command with reluctance & in the prosecution of the business act’d altogether by advice of Genl Furman” who “press’d me repeatedly to seize the horse.” However, Rudolph declined to insult Forman for whom he had the “highest opinion of his virtue & public spirit.”

Rudolph argued that Thomson “is noted for his disaffection & has a brother, a cornet in Genl Skinners Cavalry [New Jersey Volunteers].” Rudolph also claimed that “young Mr Anderson has been convict’d of illicit trade to N. York, & has never taken the oath of allegiance to the States.” He concluded:

I conducted myself with the greatest moderation so much so that I by no means seized for the public one fourth of what was pointed out to me by Genl Furman—I only wish to explain to your Excellency the humanity of my conduct… I feel very unhappy when I find my conduct exposed to the insults of the interest’d & ignorant.

Meanwhile, another accusation was made against Lee. New Jersey’s Chief Justice, David Brearley (of Upper Freehold), wrote Washington on August 11. Brearley claimed that Lee’s men were "impressing forage on their own authority." He asked Washington to "deliver them, to be dealt with agreeably to the law." Lee defended his men for only feeding their horses and acting under warrant from a magistrate:

Capt. John Rudolph of the Cavalry joined with his host from Monmouth. He, according to the usage of the corps & orders, got billet & forage warrants from the magistrate, & acted by virtue of them only. On my junction, the troops with me were also quartered by the authority of the warrant given Capt. Rudolph which was general & designed for the quartering of the whole.

Lee insisted that certificates were issued “procuring payment to the people for the supplys furnished” according to “a letter from the Contractor of the county to Capt. Rudulph.” The contractor in question was David Rhea, who disliked Lee and may have been happy to have a role in embarrassing him.

Perspective

The French fleet did not anchor at Sandy Hook and Lee’s time in Monmouth County was mired in controversy. He feuded with David Forman and other local leaders. But the anger at Lee was largely the byproduct of Forman’s direction. Forman may have used the opportunity to impress livestock to retaliate against real and perceived enemies (having just founded a group for that purpose).

Ironies abound regarding Lee’s time in Monmouth County. His men were more active against the enemy than any other Continental unit sent into the county, but they were also the most disliked by locals. Lee’s 1779 deployment into Monmouth abruptly ended when he sought to impress livestock without guidance from a local leader; he was ordered to do exactly that during his 1780 deployment. However, that task turned into a debacle because the impressments were performed under guidance of a local leader with complicated motivations.

Caption: Cavalry reporting to Major Henry Lee were sent into Monmouth County in July 1780. They were directed to take livestock from shore residents under the direction of Col. David Forman of Manalapan.

Related Historic Site: Allen House

Appendix: Petition of Obadiah Holmes to George Washington, August 6, 1780

"The Petition of Joshua Anderson an Inhabitant of the County of Monmouth, State of New Jersey in behalf of himself & Son, humbly shewith, That your Petitioner & Son in equal Partnership with one of their neighbours were legally possessed of a very valuable blooded covering Horse three years old in June last for which they [were] or are to pay eleven thousand Pounds Contl Currency or the Exchange in Specie at one for sixty, that on the third Day of this Inst. a certain Mr Heard an officer in Majr Lee’s Core under the immediate Command of Capt. Rudolph came to the House of yr Petitioner when both he & his Son were absent & forceably took away sd Horse alledging to your Petitioners wife that he had your Excellency’s Orders for so doing—Your Petitioner & Son have since applied to Capt. Rudolph for the Horse and upon remonstrating against the Proceedings he Capt. Rudolph swore he would cut yr Petitioners Son’s Ears off if he said anything more about the Horse—It gives your Petitioner Pain to trouble your Excellency on such an Occasion, but your Petitioner humbly hopes your Excellency will excuse the Application when he considers his Petitioner as an aged Man with a Large Family that before the Enemy pass’d thro’ this County lived in easy Circumstances but at that Time by Reason of his Attachment to the Cause of his Country lost almost every Thing he had (Land excepted), which has reduced him to necissitous Circumstances. Your Petitioner would beg Leave further to inform your Excellency that the only Plea they have for detaining the Horse is that the Person who owns one half of him is disaffected & there is Danger of his going to the Enemy how far the person owning one half the Horse in Partnership with yr Petitioner & Son has given Reason for such Suspicions your Petitioner cannot determine, Your Petitioner believes such a Report & Suspicion of his Design of going to the Enemy &c. never prevailed in the neighborhood until on this Occasion—but be that as it may the Law of the State has made Provision in such Cases for forfeited Property & your Petitioner would give ample Security that the publick meet with no Loss in Case the sd Person should forfeit his Property. Your Petitioner begs Leave to give it as his Opinion that the Horse is by no Means fit for the publick Service being a full blooded Horse but three Years old Last June that has never been rode ten Miles from his Stable & that cost as much as would buy three or four abler Horses for Service than he is—Your Petitioner humbly hopes when your Excellency considers the Part that he & his Family have acted since the Commencement of this Contest (which is certifyed by a Number of the Officers & Reputable Inhabitants in the Neighborhood & annexed to this Petition) when your Excellency considers the necessities of a large Family, your Petitioners Age, & that his Son is so frequently out in the Militia as to render but little Service at Home & that your Petitioner stands bound for the Money & that if the other Partner in the Horse should go to the Enemy yr Petitioner must pay the Money. your Petitioner hopes these Circumstances considered together with the Horse’s being so young as to be unfit for Service & kept at such a Distance from the Enemies Lines as not to be in Danger of falling into their Hands all the Partners living some Miles west of Monmouth Courthouse that your Excellency will immediately issue Orders for the Horse to be returned to your Petitioner." Signed: Obadiah Holmes, One of the Justices of the Peace, Samuel Pearce, Lucas Vorhees, Joseph Browne, Charles Gilmore, [   ]Vanderbilt, Samuel Forman, Garrett Wilkes, John Till,John Vanderveer, George Walker, Benjamin Cavenhoven, Nicholas Van Brunt, George Wilson, David Cooper, Benjamin Heaviland, Solomon Combs, Stephen Heaviland, James Hampton, John Campbell, John Craig, David Forman.

"We the Subscribers, Officers of the first Regt of Monmouth Militia being well acquainted with Mr Joshua Anderson & Family do hereby certify that he is a Man of reputable Character both as a Citizen as Inhabitant and as a Friend to his Country" Signed: Asher Holmes Col.; David Gordon, Capt.; John Smock Lt. Col.; John Walton Capt.; Joseph Stilwell Capt.; John Schanck, Capt; Samuel Carhart, Capt.; Jonathan Forman, Capt; John Schenck, Lieut.; Peter Vanderhoff, Ensign; William Schenck Lieut.; Richard Hartsborne, Qtr Mstr; William Forman; Jonathan Forman; Samuel Forman, Lieut.; Michael Sweetman, Capt.; Benjamin Van Cleave, Capt

Appendix 2: Captain Rudolph’s Statement, August 22, 1780

"I yesterday offer’d to Mr Anderzon a horse seiz’d from him for public service & at present in the 2d troop of cavalry. Mr Anderson refus’d accepting his horse as he was gelded, & insist’d on 300£ Specie. Conscious that the original appraisement is his full value, I cou’d not consent to an act so injurious to justice and to the public. Mr Anderzon left me to wait on the govenor & presume my reputation or purse must suffer for my zealous execution of my orders—when left by Major Lee to execute your Excellencies instructions in Monmouth, I accept’d of the command with reluctance & in the prosecution of the business act’d altogether by advice of Genl Furman. The horse in controversy is the joint property of a Mr Thompson & a Mr Anderson [Joshua Anderson], son to the Old gentleman who wait’d on your Excellency. Mr Thompson is noted for his disaffection & has a brother a cornet in Genl Skinners Cavalry; & young Mr Anderzon has been convict’d of illicit trade to N. York, & has never taken the oath of allegiance to the States. I conceiv’d their property the object of your Excellencies orders. Genl Furman [David Forman] was of the same Opinion & press’d me repeatedly to seize the horse When he was taken it gave joy to every Whig I saw and spoke to, as it was generally presumed that the horse woud be convey’d to the Enemy after the covering Season was over for the use of cornet Thompson. In my certificate I gave full allowance for the horse, rather more than my judgment approv’d—during the whole of my transactions in the county, I conducted myself with the greatest moderation so much so, that I by no means seized for the public one fourth of what was pointed out to me by Genl Furman—I do not mean by this to asperse Genl Furman, for I possess the highest opinion of his virtue & public spirit, I only wish to explain to your Excellency the humanity of my conduct on Mr Andersons return to Monmouth he will no doubt publish your Excellencies decision in his behalf which will operate much to my prejudice. I feel very unhappy when I find my conduct exposed to the insults of the interest’d & ignorant."

Sources: George Washington to Henry Lee, Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field(DOCID+@lit(gw190182)); George Washington ot David Forman, John Fitzpatrick, ed., The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources (Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1932) vol. 19, pp. 145, 156-7, 158-9; George Washington to David Forman, Monmouth County Historical Association, Collections Alphabetical, Letters 1770-1780; George Washington to David Forman, Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, series 4, reel 68, July 12, 1780; Henry Lee to George Washington, Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, series 4, reel 68, July 16 and 20, 1780; George Washington to Henry Lee, John Fitzpatrick, ed., The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources (Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1932) vol. 19, p 184; David Forman to George Washington, Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, series 4, reel 68, July 17, 1780; George Washington to Henry Lee, John Fitzpatrick, ed., The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources (Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1932) vol. 19, p 214 note; Henry to Lee to Governor of Maryland, Journal and Correspondence of the Council of Maryland, 1780-1, p 18; Henry Lee to George Washington, Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 4, General Correspondence; David Rhea to Moore Furman, New Jersey State Archives, Dept. of Defense, Revolutionary War, Numbered Manuscripts, #5591-5592; Henry Lee to George Washington, Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, series 4, reel 68, July 21, 1780; Nathanael Greene, The Papers of General Nathanael Greene (Chapel Hill: U of North Carolina Press, 1976) vol. 6, p 218 note; George Washington to Henry Lee, John Fitzpatrick, ed., The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources (Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1932) vol. 19, p 248. Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, series 4, reel 68, July 24, 1780; George Washington to David Forman, John Fitzpatrick, ed., The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources (Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1932) vol. 19, pp. 244-5; George Washington to Henry Lee, Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field(DOCID+@lit(gw190290)); Henry Lee to Captain Rudolph, Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 4, General Correspondence; David Forman to George Washington, Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 4, General Correspondence; George Washington from Obadiah Holmes, 6 August 1780,” Founders Online, National Archives (http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/99-01-02-02839, ver. 2013-09-28;David Brearley to George Washington, Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/P?mgw:1:./temp/~ammem_wnJq::; George Washington to Henry Lee, Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mgw:@field(DOCID+@lit(gw190470)); George Washington from Henry Lee, 22 August 1780,” Founders Online, National Archives (http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/99-01-02-03013, ver. 2013-09-28); To George Washington from Henry Lee, 5 September 1780,” Founders Online, National Archives (http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/99-01-02-03180, ver. 2013-09-28); New Jersey State Archives, Dept. of Defense, Revolutionary War, Numbered Manuscripts, #3736; Henry Lee to Maryland Delegates to Congress, Journal and Correspondence of the Council of Maryland, 1780-1, p 388-9.