08/17/2026
George Lee Turberville, born in 1760, not only served in the Revolutionary War but was captain of the 15th Virginia Regiment by age 17.
On May 27, 1778, George Washington’s General Orders announced, “Captain Turberville is appointed Aide de Camp to Major General Lee... and is to be respected accordingly.”
Turberville held that role when the infamous dispute between Washington and Lee over the Battle of Monmouth led to Lee’s court-martial.
Years later, writing from Richmond County, Turberville outlined another rift stemming from that battle—between Lee and Joseph Reed, Washington’s aide-de-camp.
Turberville spent stretches confined to his Epping estate due to “excruciating gout,” and would write to James Madison.
In a 1792 letter, Turberville explained that Lee and Reed were close until Monmouth.
After the battle, Reed published anonymous criticism of Lee in the newspaper. Not knowing the author, Lee published a harsh response.
Reed, meanwhile, was concerned about a letter he wrote to Lee in 1776 and tried to get it back. Lee claimed he didn’t have it.
“Satisfied” that the letter didn’t seem to be a threat, Reed wrote Lee again, “a very haughty letter,” telling him to publicly apologize for his newspaper rebuttal or to consider them no longer friends.
Lee refused.
While Lee was in the midst of court-martial proceedings, Turberville said they found the letter Reed wanted. Turberville secretly obtained a copy, and told Madison it was enclosed.
“This Acct. will shew you some traits in Reeds Character & in Old Lees too which probably you knew not before,” he wrote.
_____
In 1798, the year Turberville died, he was Richmond County sheriff.
By 1800, a Virginia Herald ad announced that Epping—about 900 acres, lying partly in Richmond County and partly in Westmoreland County—would be sold to the highest bidder at Westmoreland Courthouse.
“The buildings have been mostly burnt, but the situation is high, pleasant, and healthy, with the advantage of good water very near…” the ad said.
