Why did Robert E. Lee’s father leave the family in financial difficulty?

Robert E. Lee’s father, Henry Lee, caused the family's financial hardship primarily through unfortunate land speculation. This financial mismanagement left Robert E. Lee, his mother, and his siblings in significantly reduced circumstances compared to the more affluent plantation owners within their extended family. Following these losses, Henry Lee was twice imprisoned for debt and eventually traveled to the West Indies, a move some attributed to an attempt to escape his creditors.12