Treason Refuted: Why Major General Charles Lee’s Plan for the British to “Win” the Revolution was an Act of Patriotism

Since the 1860 discovery of a plan written by Charles Lee during his captivity in the American War of Independence, historians have asserted that he was a traitor or pursued self-serving motivations. A detailed analysis of the plan from the perspective of its intended audience of British commanders, however, reveals that Lee sought to persuade readers that the British could not win the war and should pursue a negotiation strategy. While the plan might represent a technical violation of the articles of war, British contemporary correspondence indicates that British generals considered Lee a dangerous adversary, loyal to the rebel cause.