Page:Charles Lee Papers 1873 Vol 3.djvu/274

THE LEE PAPERS. 255

To the Printer of the Pennsylvania Packet.

[Pennsylvania Packet, Thursday, December 8, 1778.]

Sir, As I perceive it is not found an indecency to attack my character and conduct on the 28th of June ; whilst the affair is sub judice, I hope the public will think it none, if I offer something in my own defence—You will, therefore, by giving a place in your papers to the enclosed, extremely oblige, Sir, Your most obedient humble servant Charles Lee.

General Lee's Vindication to the Public.

The different commentators on the orders I received from Gen. Washington on the 28th of June, have, I think, construed them into no more than three different senses. I shall therefore, for argument's sake, give the world leave to suppose them to have been any one of these three :*——1stly, To attack the enemy in whatever situation, and in whatever force I found them, without considering consequences.

2dly, To contrive the means of bringing on a general engagement——Or

3dly, To annoy them as much as possible, without risking any thing of great importance ; that is, in fact, to act with a great degree of latitude, according to my own discretion.

Now, I say, granting any one of these three to have been the orders I received, it is manifest, that I did literally and effectually comply, as far as depended on myself, and on human means. As to the first, notwith-* It must appear somewhat extraordinary, that when the principal and heaviest charge brought against me, was the disobedience of orders, these orders that it seems I disobeyed, should never have been attempted to be ascertained to the Court by the proper authority, but were left to the conjecture and wild constructions of those who might take the trouble to guess, and to the hardiness of those who might chuse to invent.