No, it's not about THIS general Lee. Nor about THAT general Lee, his father ...
It's about completely different Lee - major general Charles Lee, rather unfortunate Patriot commander in AWI.
Lee's caricature by Rushbrooke |
Lee was very fond of dogs, and was seldom seen without one. The most famous of them was certain pomeranian, named Spado (or Spada). His name entered history simply because he has gone missing and following advert appeared in the Virginia Gazette in March 7th 1777:
Twenty Dollars Reward
LOST or STOLEN, a very remarkable black shaggy dog of the Pomerania breed, called
SPADO. He belongs to our brave but unfortunate general LEE, and was
seen in the possession of a person who called himself JOSEPH BLOCK, at
Wright’s Ferry, on Susquehannah, about the 25th of
December last. It is supposed that BLOCK, who pretended to have
undertaken to carry him to Berkeley County, Virginia, has parted with
him for a trifling consideration, or lost him on the road. Whoever gives
information where the said dog may be had, or will bring him to the
subscriber in Williamsburg, shall receive the above reward, and no
questions asked.
I decided to make command stand with general Lee. As the divisional commander stand requires two figures I added a captain (yellow cockade) od 12th Continental regiment - an unit that remainded under Lee's command in late 1776.
One can learn the history of Charles Lee here (link).
The fate of Spado is unknown.