This legendary hero of the American Revolution was nearly beaten to death by a mob in Baltimore in 1812.
Richard Henry Lee
Thomas Paine
Henry ‘Light-Horse Harry’ Lee
Edmund Randolph
Daniel Shays
Henry ‘Light-Horse Harry’ Lee. Revered American Revolutionary cavalry hero Henry ‘Light-Horse Harry’ Lee was nearly beaten to death by a mob in Baltimore in 1812. A Federalist, Lee came to the aide of an anti-war newspaper publisher in Baltimore, Alexander Contee Hanson, defending his right to freedom of speech. A pro-war mob had destroyed Hanson’s newspaper office on June 22, 1812-four days after America’s declaration of war against Great Britain. When Hanson returned to Baltimore five weeks later to resume publication, his office was again besieged by vigilantes. After a tense standoff through the night of July 27, Hanson and his supporters, including Lee, were taken to a local jail. Later the mob stormed the jail, severely beating those being held. Lee, father of Robert E. Lee, never fully recovered from injuries sustained in the beating and died in 1818.
