1. Started his military career (active duty) when he was 14 years old.
2. Spoke fluent Greek, Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, and German.
3. Inherited what we now know is mental illness, which manifested itself in moodiness and a choleric temper. As Lee himself later admitted, he suffered from a “distemper of … mind”.
4. Five of his siblings died.
6. Married a Canadian Indian during the French and Indian War.
7. Was dubbed by the Canadian Indians “Boiling Water”, a reference to his temper.
8. Was badly wounded defending Ft. Ticonderoga, and when brought back to Long Island to heal, got into a fight with the army surgeon, who then tried to assassinate him.
9. Tried to form two new colonies in the area we know of as Illinois.
10. While serving in the Polish army, he nearly froze to death in the Balkan mountains.
11. Still serving for Poland, he also survived an earthquake in Constantinople.
12. Dueled an Italian officer, who he shot dead, but lost two fingers in the process of doing so.
13. Called King George III a “dolt”.
14. Only decided Washington was a weak leader when, at Congress’ pressuring, Washington lost over 3,000 men and tons of supplies when he lost Fort Washington instead of retreating with it as Lee had suggested.
15. Washington ordered him to retreat across New Jersey from New York, so, because he was mad, Lee left the army’s column, took a few men with him to a tavern, rented several prostitutes, and was promptly captured by the British the next morning.
16. Owned a Pomeranian named Mr. Spada, which he made Abigail Adams shake its paw.
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