General Charles Lee was Washington’s second in command during the early days of the Revolution (until he and his dogs were captured by the British at a tavern).
He was born in England and commissioned in a British regiment that was posted to Philadelphia in the 1750’s, where he participated in the City of Brotherly Love’s “climate of sexual indulgence, casual encounters, and adulterous affairs.” Then he moved on and stayed for a time with the Seneca Indians, who gave him a name that translated to “Boiling Water” (Lee was famous for his temper, not his dishwashing or pasta-making prowess, in case you were wondering).
He married the daughter of the Seneca chief, fathered twins, and promptly abandoned his new family when it came time to go back to his regiment.
No record of it exists, but his Seneca name was likely changed after that…
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