The following is an installment of “On This Day,” a series celebrating America’s 250th anniversary by following the actions of Gen. George Washington, the Continental Congress, and the men and women whose bravery and sacrifice led up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

Feb. 6, 1776

The story of Maj. Gen. Charles Lee is complicated. Lee was born in Cheshire, England, in 1732, the son of a British general who was educated in Switzerland. Lee served in a number of European armies, including those of Russia, Poland, and Portugal, before coming to America and joining the Continental Army in 1775. He became the second, only to Washington, in seniority, serving as the commissioned major general in the force.

Lee’s actions in the defense of New York and in the southern theater defending Charleston bolstered his reputation. But things went south after his capture by the British in 1776, following the fall of New York City. Lee was eventually returned in a prisoner swap. He soon became a strident critic of the reforms instituted by Washington and Baron von Steuben.

Unknown to Washington, as a prisoner, Lee wrote several notes to Gen. Sir William Howe on the best manner to defeat the Americans. Upon his release, Lee returned to the field and led a disorganized advanced guard at the Battle of Monmouth on June 28, 1778, resulting........

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