Lafayette, Marquisde

la-fa-yet, Marquisde (1757-1834), a noted French soldier. He was born September 6, 1757, and died at Paris, May 20, 1834. He belonged to a distinguished French family of wealth, whose seat was in the vicinity of Auvergne. He was educated in Paris. He became an officer of the French guards in 1774. When the American Revolution came on he presented himself to the American commissioner, Deane, in Paris, and offered his services to the cause of liberty. Some difficulty arising as to transportation, he fitted out a ship at his own expense. When the king of France forbade its departure, he sent it to a port in Spain, and, eluding the guard that had been set over his movements, escaped to his ship and set sail with eleven companions, among others, Baron De Kalb. He arrived in Georgetown, South Carolina, April 14, 1777, and proceeded at once to Philadelphia. Brilliant prospects had been held up to him of high rank in the American army. Though disappointed in this respect, he offered his services promptly without pay or rank, asking only to serve as a volunteer. Washington received him into his official family. Lafayette was wounded at the battle of Brandywine; he was with Washington during the spring of 1778 at Valley Forge, and he fought at Monmouth. Though not a military genius, his bravery, enthusiasm, and social position were so valuable to the American cause that the Congress made him a major-general. He returned to France in 1779 and was instrumental in securing the cooperation of the French fleet and troops under Rochambeau. In 1780 he rejoined the American army. He was one of the court that condemned Major Andre to death. He had command of the Continental troops in the defense of Virginia against Cornwallis. He followed Cornwallis to Yorktown and kept guard over him until the arrival of Washington's troops. He was present at the surrender. At the close of the war he returned to France.

At the time of the French Revolution, despite his high birth and wealth, he was a liberal reformer. He was a member of the Assembly and was made commander-in-chief of the national guard of Paris. He distributed the tri-colored cockade and directed the destruction of Bastille. He made an effort to save the lives of the king and queen. In spite of his services, he was not acceptable to the master spirits that controlled the city during the Reign of Terror. His property was confiscated. He escaped arrest and probable execution only by flight. He was held a prisoner of state by the Austrians for five years in the fortress of Olmutz, nor was he set free until Napoleon, who considered him a "noodle," caused his release. From this time on, he devoted himself to the management of an agricultural estate known as La Grange. While not a man of commanding ability, he was an ardent friend of liberty and a man of the strictest integrity.

Lafayette revisited the United States twice, first in 1784, and again in 1824, at the special invitation of President Monroe and Congress. He was received with every mark of respect, and revisited many of the scenes which he had known when a young officer. He visited the tomb of Washington at Mount Vernon. Congress voted him $200,000 and a township of land.

See Bastille; Mt. Vernon