History of Ravensworth, (Fairfax County) Virginia United States of America

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William Henry Fitzhugh Lee, soldier, was born at Arlington House, Va., May 31, 1837; son of Robert Edward and Mary Randolph (Custis) Lee. He entered Harvard college, but left in 1857 to accept a second lieutenancy in the 6th U.S. infantry. He served in the Utah campaign under Gen. Albert Sidney Johnston and while stationed in California in 1859, he resigned from the army in order to devote his time to the care of the White House estate in Virginia, inherited by his mother. He raised a cavalry company early in 1861 for the service of his native state and as captain and major in the 9th Virginia cavalry he served in western Virginia under Gen. W. W. Loring. When the Virginia troops were transferred to the Confederate States army by proclamation of Governor Letcher, June 8, 1861, he was promoted lieutenant-colonel and ordered to Fredericksburg. He was promoted colonel early in 1862 and was assigned to the cavalry brigade of Gen. J. E. B. Stuart and with Gen. T. J. Jackson's army was ordered to the relief of the army of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, confronted by the army of Gen. George B. McClellan before Richmond. On June 1, 1862, Gen. Robert E. Lee was placed in command of the Army of Northern Virginia and Col. W. H. F. Lee took part in the daring ride of Stuart around McClellan's army, June 12, 1862. He was pro* meted brigadier-general, Oct. 3, 1862, and commanded a brigade in Stuart's cavalry division, and at the head of 2000 cavalrymen he took part in opposing Stoneman's cavalry raid. He opposed the force of General Averill at Culpeper, April 30, 1863, and was forced to retreat through the place, being thus cut off from communication with General Lee's army. At Brandy Station, Va., June 9, 1863, he was severely wounded and General Chambliss succeeded to the command of his brigade. Lee was subsequently captured by a raiding party of Federal cavalry and imprisoned in Fort Monroe and in Fort Lafayette, New York harbor. He was exchanged in 1864 and on April 23 he was promoted major-general of cavalry and commanded a division in the army of Northern Virginia, taking part in opposing the Trevalian raid of Sheridan in June, 1864, from Malvern Hill. He failed to check Gen. J. H. Wilson's raiding party which he enconntered on the Southside railroad near Petersburg, June 22, 1864, but delayed Gen. J. B. Mcintosh, who commanded Wilson's own division, and caused the loss of seventy-five of his men. In August, 1864, he was defending the Weldon railroad and on the 19th at Vangiro road junction met Gen. G. K. Warren when he operated on the flank of the Federal army. He had nearly succeeded in turning it when General Spear supported by General Griffin forced his division back to within a mile of Reams's Station. On Aug. 21 he joined Gen. A. P. Hill's corps and re-enforced by a part of Hoke's division of Ewell's corps undertook to dislodge Warren, then intrenched at Reams's Station. He took part in the battle of Five Forks, April 1, 1865, where he commanded two brigades of cavalry under his cousin, Gen. Fitzhugh Lee, and on the Amelia Springs road, April 8, 1865, his cavalry cheeked the advance of the Federal army in the last struggle previous to the surrender. He was paroled with the Army of Northern Virginia and he returned to White House, where he rebuilt the residence and farm buildings destroyed by the Federal army and engaged in cultivating the plantation, 1865-74. He then removed to Burke Station, Va. He was president of the Virginia Agricultural society; a state senator in 1875, and served as a representative from the eighth district of Virginia in the 50th and 51st congresses, 1887-91, and was elected to the 52d congress in 1890. He died at Ravensworth, Va., Oct. 15, 1891.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Ravensworth, (Fairfax County) Virginia

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