Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-09-21
IA FAxETg:. 6.

From the PHILADELPHIA National Gazette.
A CORES pondent is desirous OF ascer-
tanning, for a pnbhc purpose. the name
of the vessel in which La Fayette first
came to this country. iD the year l777.
We have tin our power to answer sa-
tisfactorily the inquI ~ OF the correspon-
dent of the National Gazette. Our infor-
nation is derived from conversations With
one oftbe earliest and most intimate COM
panions Of Gen. La Fayette, with whom
we have the pleasure of apersoGa &C.
quaintance. The gentleman to whom we
alIude, Mons. F, A. De Bots Martin, has
been an inhabitant OF Baltimore Tor the
last twenty-five years, aud on the 22d OF
the present month will have arrived at the
advanced age OF g. years. In taking up
on ourselves TO answer the inquiry which
has been made, We have been induced to
accompany the reply with the mention OF
some circumstances connected with 1t,
the knowledge OF which, we believe, will
not prove uninteresting to the 'correspOG.
dent, as they certainly will not to our
readers at home.
MIR. De Bots Martin, native Of Sain-
tonge. in France, was commissioned as an
officer of infantry by Louis XIV. Ia ITO
be joined his regiment IS captain, then
stationed al Port-au-P lince, in the island
OF ST Domingo, and 10 776 returned to
France Cd the business of his regiment,
Having discharged This duty, and being in
Paris, he met with an elder brother, who
wa intimate with the Marquis de la Fay
cite, and who ADVISED him 10 accompany
the latter to America. An agreement was
soon alter entered into with Mr. Silas
Dean, then American agent at Paris, but
not recognised by the French govern
ment,) that the Marquis de la Fayelte
should serve as Mao General, and all the
other officers who might accompany the
Marquis, one rank higher than the one
they held in the French army. The
French government had been ior a long
time promising vessel 10 Mr.. Dean 10
convey these officers, but always put him
off under some pTelence or other. Al
length the Marquis determined to fit out
vessel al bis own expense, and embark
for America. He employed Mir. Du Bots
Martin for that purpose, who went to BoT-
deaux aad purchased ship called La
Bonnie Mere OF about 400 tons, and MT
ted her out tor the intended voyage. This
ship vas commanded by captain LIE Bour-
sier. The Marquis and twelve or fifteen
officers, including hir. De Bots Martin,
embarked at Bordeaux in the month Of A
pril. l777, and after having resisted the
barges sent by the Governor OF Bordeaux
to stop them, they first went TO Passage,
in Spain, and subsequently arrived of the
coast OF South Carolina in the early part
of June, l777.* Here the ship was dis.
masted, and was forced 10 anchor; the
Marquis, with some officers, including Ba-
ron de kalb, went on shore, leaving the
ship to her fate. She, however, after
wards arrived safe at Charleston. The
American government did not confirm the
agreement made with Mr.. Dean in Paris
the services OF most of the officers were
not accepted, and they returned to France.
Mr. DE Bots Martin embarked at Newbu-
ryport. 1t s 10 be observed, that all the
gentlemen who accom- psBie d the Marquis
were men of rank and fortune. who did
not come to America as adventures, bat
solely to serve the cause of liberty. A.
mong them were Viscoun de Monsoy, Ba-
ron de kaIb, ChevaIlers De FranviIIe, De
Fayotte, De Virgin, and cousin of the
Marquis. The object of stopping at Pas
sage. was, to consult the Count OF Brog.
lie who advised the Marquis to depart as
soon as possible. The Marquis's father.
iH-law, The Duke OF Noaille, one of the
most powerful policemen in France, and
who had perhaps more influence at court
than any other man, severely repTimanded
the Count Of BrogIie tor having favored
tihe boys sscape'-To which il is said The
Count replied, Iassure your Grace lhat
/ only v,sh had a hundred such boys
We could add other interesting pariicu-
lars respecting the honorable part which
MIR. De B. NJ. sustained 10 relation to the
FIRST visit OF Gen. La Fayetle to America,