Washington Related
Major General Henry Lee's Eulogy Including: "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen..." for General George Washington First Edition English Printing
1800-Dated Federal Period, "A FUNERAL ORATION On the Death of GEORGE WASHINGTON" a First Edition English Printing of the most Famous and Historic General Washington Eulogy, given by Major General Henry Lee, Including "First in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen...", Choice Crisp Near Mint.
Rare original Imprint fully titled, "General Washington! A Funeral Oration ON HIS DEATH, By MAJ. GEN. LEE. ALSO AN EULOGY: By JUDGE MINOT", printed by J. Bateson, Soho, 28 pages, measuring 8.75" x 5.75". This attractive copy is bound in a later 19th century 3/4 Leather Marbled Hardcovers with fresh "Belfast - 1833" watermarked endpapers. Imprint is disbound, internally choice near mint, beautifully printed upon crisp clean untrimmed original period laid paper. Here, Major General Henry Lee famously eulogized George Washington to both Houses of Congress. This oration was presented before a crowd of 4,000 at the first President's funeral held on December 26, 1799, where he uttered his world famous statement in tribute:
"... first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."
Exceedingly rare, we find no recent auction record and the first we have offered of this historic Washington Eulogy, famously given by American Revolutionary War Continental Army Officer and Major General Henry Lee.
Henry Lee III (1756 - 1818) was an early American Patriot who served as the Ninth Governor of Virginia and as the Virginia Representative to the United States Congress. During the American Revolution, Lee served as a cavalry officer in the Continental Army and earned the nickname "Light-Horse Harry". Lee was the father of Confederate general Robert E. Lee.
From 1786 to 1788, Lee was a Delegate to the Continental Congress, and in the last-named year in the Virginia Convention, he favored the adoption of the United States Constitution. From 1789 to 1791, he served in the General Assembly and, from 1791 to 1794, was Governor of Virginia.

In 1794, Lee accompanied Washington to help the suppression of the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania. A new county of Virginia was named after him during his Governorship. Henry Lee was a Major General in the U.S. Army in 1798"1800. From 1799 to 1801, he served in the United States House of Representatives of the Congress.
He famously eulogized General Washington to both Houses of Congress and a crowd of 4,000 at the first President's funeral on December 26, 1799, where he stated the historic line: "first in war, first in peace, and first in the hearts of his countrymen."