Certain writers have written that he was there perhaps to see Widow White herself, while other accounts note that he was actually invited. There has been conflicting rumors as to why General Lee was even at the Widow White’s Tavern. He said to his captors, admitting the weakness of the American army, and his own confidence in British strength and zeal, when roused, “The game is nearly at an end.” More Tales About three hours later, after realizing no one was going to save him, he became sullen and very much dispirited. He was mounted on the guide’s horse, tied on both legs and arms, and with one of his aids who was mounted behind a dragoon, was hurried away at a furious speed towards Brunswick. He had presented himself without his hat or outside coat, and although he earnestly requested permission to get them, he was very peremptorily refused. He was somewhat roughly handled on being seized, and his captors, if they did not treat him with great indignity, certainly displayed very little regard for his comfort or appearance. There was also a discussion regarding the valor of a French gentleman Captain Jean Louis de Virnejoux, who was noted that “had his advice been taken …probably Lee would have escaped. Some were wounded, two were killed trying to escape. Lee’s Guard rallied as the alarm was given and attempted to defend but they were quickly overpowered. General Lee’s guard had also been carelessly disposed at an out-building and the sentry at the door of the Tavern, at first mistook the dragoons for his own people. There were several French officers with Lee, and one of them took aim at Colonel Harcourt. Harcourt’s light horse, however, were fired upon from the house, and two or three British were killed (one of whom was a Cornet). Harcourt immediately summoned the house, with threats to set fire to it, and put every man in it to the sword, if the General didn’t surrender. Harcourt detached Tarleton, who traveled to and charged the Tavern with six men to secure the doors (about 100 paces from the road). On the other hand, the English account state that they captured a messenger, bearing a letter from General Lee, who was induced to tell where Lee was stationed. Get a piece of local history and remember the Basking Ridge history that took place on December 13, 1776.
The history of Widow White’s Tavern in Basking Ridge, New JerseyĮxclusive Mr Local History Project keepsake (ornament). He left them, rode 18 miles South to Brunswick and returned with Harcourt and the Dragoons. He found where the General was to lodge and breakfast, and knew it as to be at White’s Tavern about noon. Major William Bradford, one of Lee’s aids, who was present and escaped, stated that the event unfolded by a Tory who was with General Lee the night before, complaining of a horse that was recently taken by the Army. Surprising Lee’s Guard, the Tavern was surrounded. Lieutenant-Colonel Harcourt (later Earl Harcourt, F.M.), obtained intelligence that Lee was in Basking Ridge, and proceeded in that direction. With Lord Cornwallis staying in Pennington to the South, he sent a patrol of 30 dragoons from the Sixteenth Regiment (Burgoyne’s Regiment of Queen’s Light Dragoons), to gain intelligence of Lee’s division. Who would have guessed that the Widow White’s Tavern capture might have turned into a blessing in disguise for the young Continental Army. Widow White’s Tavern, named after Ebenezer White’s wife Mary Brown White, became the centerpiece of Revolutionary War history on that day, because It was on this most unfortunate day for General Lee that General Lee became a prisoner of the British Army, leaving General Washington in a precarious position. Major General Lee – IF it wasn’t for what happened in Basking Ridge, the world may have looked different today!Īt about noon time on December 13,1776, General Charles Lee (1731-1782), was alarmed by Major Wilkinson while he was writing a letter to General Gates about George Washington in an upstairs bedroom of the Widow White’s Tavern.
0 kommentar(er)
