Charles Lee autograph letter signed ("Charles Lee"). Two pages on one leaf, 8.5" x 13.25", Red Lyon [Pennsylvania]; October 10, 1776. Major General Charles Lee writes a passionate letter of defense for Col. Donald Campbell, recently court-martialed for his actions at the Battle of Quebec. "The merits of Colonel Campbel as a Soldier, and the claim He has to the favour and protection of Congress from the sacrifices he has made to the cause of America are so well known that it is needless to dwell upon 'em..." After the Battle of Sullivan's Island, Charles Lee (1731-1782) was summoned north to New York to rejoin General Washington, with a brief break in Philadelphia to meet with Congress. While outside of Philadelphia, he stopped to pen this passionate defense of Col. Campbell. The colonel in question is presumed to be Donald Campbell of New York, a French and Indian War veteran who was appointed deputy quartermaster general for New York in the Continental Army in 1775. He was with Major General Richard Montgomery during the Canadian Expedition that winter. After Montgomery's death during the ill-fated Battle of Quebec, Campbell was placed in temporary command of his forces and hastily ordered a retreat from the field. He was later accused of cowardice by Brigadier General John Sullivan and tried by court-martial at Crown Point in July 1776. He was sentenced to be cashiered shortly before Lee penned this letter. While the recipient is unknown, it was clearly someone of significant importance and influence within the Continental Army. It reads, in part: "The merits of Colonel Campbel as a Soldier, and the claim He has to the favour and protection of Congress from the sacrifices he has made to the cause of America are so well known that it is needless to dwell upon 'em. He was in my opinion entitled to rather a greater degree of rank in the Continental Army than that which was conferred upon him, and the services He went through in the Canada Campaign add not a little to his pretentions [sic]. The hardship of his present case arising from the Court Martial at Ticonderoga so far from being a bar to his promotion ought, I conceive, to recommend him to the protection of every considerate man of humanity. General Gates laugh'd at the ridiculous circumstances of the Charges which circumstances ridiculous as they here appear to have been brought before an irregular and incompetent Court. It is unfortunate that General Gates should be some accident or from multiplicity of business or from oversight have refer'd it to General Washington and then he shou'd have again refer'd it to Congress. Upon the whole I really think it was, at the most, too trivial a matter for so serious a persecution of a valuable officer of Colonel Campbel's rank. In this perswasion [sic] I beg leave, Dr. Sir, to wage and intreat you will adopt the Patronage of a man of merits and who...has, it must be allowed, been ill treated...I once more therefore beg and intreat that you will exert your influence to obtain for him the rank, which unless some extraordinary recent demerits can be prov'd against him, is certainly his due. God bless you Sir, may you live to prosper and be honer'd by your Country established in freedom is the sincere wish of yours," Signed, "Charles Lee." General Horatio Gates also wrote in defense of Col. Campbell. By early 1777 Congress backtracked and decided Campbell should maintain the rank of colonel and continue his service in the Continental Army. However, Campbell refused to return to duty, undoubtedly embittered by the entire experience. Lee continued north to aid in the New York Campaign, but within two weeks of his crossing the Hudson River, he was surprised and captured by a British patrol under the command of Banastre Tarleton at White's Tavern in Basking Ridge, New Jersey. He remained in captivity in New York until he was exchanged in the spring of 1778, just in time for him to commit the worst blunder of his career at the Battle of Monmouth. General Washington needed a secondary commander to lead the assault and unwillingly gave the job to Lee. Washington directed him to attack the retreating enemy, but Lee instead ordered a retreat. Unfortunately for Lee, he retreated directly into Washington and his troops, who were advancing, and Washington dressed him down publicly. A few days later, Lee responded in a letter with "inappropriate language" and found himself in straights similar to Col. Campbell's when he was arrested and quickly court-martialed. Lee was found guilty and relieved of command for a period of one year but was dismissed from the service in 1780 after he continued to criticize Washington. He died two years later. The letter does not appear in The Lee Papers. Written just on the precipice of Lee's capture and fall from grace, the truly exceptional letter illustrates the passionate spirit that defined and eventually condemned the major general. Accompanying the letter is a typed transcription and an engraved portrait of Lee in uniform. Condition: Once completely separated along each fold with later amateur repairs, one of which crosses the signature. Minor smudge to one letter of signature. Two small areas of paper loss at intersection of folds. Scattered toning and soiling. Two later annotations in unknown hands, one in red ink to recto, one in black ink to verso. HID03101062020 © 2022 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved

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