nted." The loss
of the British was six hundred and ninety-three, of whom eighty-five
were killed on the field. Greene made five hundred prisoners. The
combatants were about equal in number, and the question of victory was
left undecided. Greene was, as a military leader, esteemed as second
only to General Washington.

Henry Lee was born in Westmoreland, Virginia, on the 29th of January,
1756, being son of Colonel Henry Lee[745:A] and Mary Bland, of Jordans.
Henry receiving his early education from a private tutor at home,
afterwards pursued his studies at the College of New Jersey, under the
presidency of Dr. Witherspoon, and graduated there in 1774, in his
eighteenth year. While in college, Dr. Shippen predicted his future
distinction. In 1776, when twenty years of age, on the nomination of
Patrick Henry, he was appointed a captain in Colonel Bland's regiment of
cavalry. In September of the following year the regiment joined the main
army, where Lee, by his discipline, vigilance, and efficiency, soon won
the confidence of Washington, who selected him and his company for a
body-guard at the battle of Germantown. While Lee lay near the British
lines, a numerous body of cavalry surprised him in his quarters, a stone
house, where he had with him but ten men. Yet with these he made a
gallant defence, and obliged the enemy to retreat, after having lost
four men killed, together with several horses, and an officer with three
privates wounded. Of his own party, besides the patrols and
quartermaster-sergeant, who were made prisoners out of the house, he had
but two wounded. Washington complimented Lee on his gallantry in this
little affair, and congress shortly after promoted him to the rank of
major with the command of an independent partisan corps of horse. July
19th, 1779, he surprised the British garrison at Paulus Hook, and was
rewarded by congress with a gold medal. Early in 1780 Lee, now
lieutenant-colonel, with his legion, consisting of cavalry and infantry,
joined the army of the South, under General Greene. In his retreat
before Cornwallis, Lee's legion formed part of the rear-guard of the
American army. During the retreat, Lee charged successfully upon
Tarleton's dragoons. After Greene had effected his escape, he detached
Lee, with Pickens, to watch the movements of Cornwallis. Lee, with his
legion, by a stratagem surprised four hundred armed loyalists under
Colonel Pyle, of whom ninety were killed and many wounded.