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Fitz Lee was born on November 19, 1835, at “Clermont” near Alexandria, Virginia. William Henry Fitzhugh Lee came from a distinguished Virginia family; he was the grandson of Henry "Light-Horse Harry" and nephew of Robert E. Lee. He graduated from West Point in 1856, but resigned his commission with the U.S. army to join the Confederate forces. The summer of 1861 found Fitz in northern Virginia with the Virginia volunteers. At First Manassas Fitz served on the staff of General Joseph E. Johnston and served unofficially as Lieutenant Colonel of the 1st Virginia Cavalry until on September 27, 1861 Virginia Governor John Letcher appointed Fitz Lieutenant Colonel and transferred him to the renowned 1st Virginia Cavalry. Fitz would go on to become brigadier general in July 1862 because of his stellar performance on the Virginia peninsula against McClellan and the following August be promoted to Major General, serving under his close friend, General JEB Stuart. By the end of the war Fitz was commanding the entire cavalry corps of the Army of Northern Virginia. After the war he went on to become the Governor of Virginia. The commission shown here is Fitz Lee’s original commission from the state of Virginia, boldly signed by Governor Letcher and bearing the embossed state seal of Virginia. The commission measures 7.5 by 10 inches and the frame 14 by 17 inches. It is framed behind non-glare ultra-violet filtering glass. The document’s condition is extremely fine and display’s beautifully. This is the very best! |
