{⋆★⋆} MG Lee, William Henry Fitzhugh

William Henry Fitzhugh "Rooney" Lee
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Born: May 31, 1837

Birthplace: Arlington House, Arlington, Virginia

Father: General Robert Edward Lee 1807 – 1870

(Buried: Lee Chapel Museum, Lexington, Virginia)​

Mother: Mary Ann Randolph Custis 1808 – 1873

(Buried: Lee Chapel Museum, Lexington, Virginia)​

1st Wife: Charlotte Georgiana Wickham 1841 – 1863

(Buried: Shockoe Hill Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)​

2nd Wife: Mary Tabb Bolling 1846 – 1924

(Buried: Lee Chapel Museum, Lexington, Virginia)​

Children:

Robert Edward Lee III 1860 – 1862​

(Buried: Shockoe Hill Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)​

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Charlotte Carter Lee 1862 – 1862

(Buried: Shockoe Hill Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia)​

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Mary Tabb Lee 1867 – 1871​

(Buried: Lee Chapel Museum, Lexington, Virginia)​

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William Henry Fitzhugh Lee Jr. 1867 – 1875​

(Buried: Lee Chapel Museum, Lexington, Virginia)​

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Robert Edward Lee III 1869 – 1922​

(Buried: Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, South Carolina)​

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Dr. George Bolling Lee 1872 – 1948​

(Buried: Lee Chapel Museum, Lexington, Virginia)​

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Annie Agnes Lee 1874 – 1874​

(Buried: Lee Chapel Museum, Lexington, Virginia)​

Education:

Attended Harvard University​

Occupation before War:

1857 – 1859: Served in United States Army rising to 2nd Lt.​

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1859 – 1861: Plantation Owner White House Plantation on Pamunkey River

Civil War Career:

1861: Captain in the Confederate Army Cavalry​

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1861: Major in the Confederate Army Cavalry​

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1861: Participated in the Western Virginia Campaign​

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1861 – 1862: Lt. Colonel 9th Virginia Cavalry Regiment​

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1862: Colonel 9th Virginia Cavalry Regiment​

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Served in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia

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Served in the Famous ride around McClellan​

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House Plantation White House Was burned by Union Army​

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1862: Helped capture a Safe full of Greenbacks at Catlett's Station​

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1862: Knocked out from horse fall after Battle of South Mountain​

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1862: Acted as Brigade Commander Raid on Chambersburg​

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1862 – 1864: Brigadier General Confederate Army Cavalry​

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1863: Served in the defense of the Stoneman Raid​

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1863: Wounded in thigh during Battle of Brandy Station

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1863: Spent two weeks in recovery at Hickory being Captured​

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Prisoner of War held at Fort Monroe and Fort Lafayette​

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1864: Exchanged in Prisoner of War exchange on February 25th​

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1864 – 1865: Major General Confederate Army Cavalry​

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1864: Participated in the Overland Campaign, Virginia​

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1864: Participated Second Battle of Deep Bottom, Virginia​

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1864: Participated in Hampton's Beefsteak Raid​

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1864: Participated in Battle of Boydton Plank Road

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1865: Served in Confederate Evacuation of Petersburg, Virginia​

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1865: Participated in Battle of Namozine Church, Virginia​

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1865: Paroled at Appomattox, Virginia​

Occupation after War:

1865 – 1873: Planter and Owner of White House Plantation​

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1873 – 1891: Owner and Manager of Ravensworth Plantation​

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1875 – 1878: Virginia State Senator​

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President of Virginia State Agriculture Society​

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1887 – 1891: US Congressman from Virginia​

Died: October 15, 1891

Place of Death: Ravensworth Plantation, Fairfax County, Virginia

Age at time of Death: 54 years Old

Burial Place: Lee Capel Museum, Lexington, Virginia

 

[DBF]

My favorite facts regarding Rooney - - -

Robert E. Lee nicknamed all his children "Rooney" means "darling" in Gaelic).

An amusing story I enjoyed between REL and his son was regarding his "behavior" at Harvard.

"Lee feared Rooney seemed "only to have time or thought for running about'. As a result, Lee sent sententious letter after another until the boy stopped responding. Rooney drank and smoked. His father had no objection to alcohol and sometimes sent whiskey as a gift to friends, though he also knew men who drank themselves to ruin. He thought tobacco 'dangerous to meddle with', and teased his son that kissing young women was a better use for his mouth." (Crucible of Command, by William Davis)

And another sad story - - -

William Henry Fitzhugh Lee while at Harvard was part of the "Harvard Eight" an oarsman for the rowing team. A fellow member was Charles Redington Mudge. Both were members of the exclusive "Hasting Pudding Club" and both attended the same church. Rooney never graduated but left to join the military. They would meet again in Culpepper County, Virginia June 9, 1863 - this time not as friends, but enemies. It was the battle where Rooney was wounded. They never had a chance to see each other again as Mudge was killed a month later at Gettysburg.

On a side note - I've always thought the 2nd picture with REL and his son - I see Paul Newman not Robert E. Lee

 

[Lubliner]

Rooney appears to have a terrible infant mortality rate. Robert III (from 2nd wife) lived to 53 years, and Dr. George to 76 years, but the others died while children or babies, 5 in all. I only assume his first wife died from complications after giving birth to the first Robert III and then Charlotte Carter. That is an awful amount of tragedy under one roof.
Lubliner.

 

[luinrina]

I only assume his first wife died from complications after giving birth to the first Robert III and then Charlotte Carter.

Charlotte Wickham Lee died from illness. She became ill from worry after Rooney was captured and was held prisoner. Custis even offered to take Rooney's place so that Rooney could be with his wife, but the offer was denied. Freeman wrote that "All her vitality seemed to be gone." [Vol. III, chap. 12, p. 211]

 

[Cavalier]

@gentleman @DBF. Thanks for all of the above, information and photos. As a great admirer of Robert E. Lee I find it somehow comforting to realize that not all of the Lees were saints.

 

[Virginia Dave]

@gentlemanrob I am really enjoying reading these biographies. I have heard many of the names, but did not know much about them at all. Thank you for all that you do.

 

[gentlemanrob]

I have been writing biographies for over 10 years.

 

[Kentucky Derby Cavalier.]

All I can think about when I hear this name is "Picket, Rosser, Shad bake."

 

[Virginia Dave]

I have been writing biographies for over 10 years I have over 500 in my database so many more to share. So many more that some on the site might think I am one side with my support of the Confederacy. I do Generals, Statesmen, Colonels, Naval Officers, Surgeons, Staff Officers all for the Confederacy. I have walked lots of cemeteries My girlfriend keeps asking me when I am going to take her on a vacation that don't involve going to a cemetery or civil war. These people I try to honor and I am passionate about it. They mean a lot to me not just because they were in the war but because they stood up, defended, and came home many did and some didn't for what they believed in rather it be right or wrong. I have a Brig. General from up in your area I did back last spring. He was buried in Harrisonburg. I am actually kin to the Harrison family up in Virginia

What is his name? I work in Harrisonburg.

 

[Pollaco]

It probably worried His wife even more than usual because at that time of His capture there was widespread talk of retaliation for the Confderate threat to hang two Union captains.

 

[gentlemanrob]

Happy Birthday Major General William Henry Fitzhugh "Rooney" Lee! Salutes remembering Major General Lee on his birthday.

 

[Pollaco]

One source calls Lee a Harvard graduate. He did attend but I don't think he ever graduated did he?