The Portland daily press., 1870-12-14

u tne kevOtuHOdary Ssrvlces Of
Sen. LAFAYETTE, with PcrsonaI Recoilec-
lions OIL his Visit TO Portland in 1925.
tn the Editor Of the Press:
Marquis Lafayette was born in France in
1857 and was married at the age Of 1s. He
became acquainted with some English,gentle-
men on the Continent in 1776 who were
friendly to civil liberty, and having an eager
curiosity to learn the merits of the dispute be-
tween Great Britain and the American colon
les it led him first to take deep interest in
favor of their independence. In the latter
part of the year he applied to Silas Deane,
then our agent at Paris, for information and
encouragement in his plan, already adopted,
of rendering his personal services to the cause
of ofAmerica. While he was in Paris in Dec.
1776, Dr. Franklin arrived. The intelligence
he received from him respecting our situation
and prospects at that time was of discour-
aging nature, but it seemed to increase his
zeal for the American cause. "Hitherto," said
he, II have only cherished your cause, now
go to serve it personally" He was not des-
perate adyenturer, without fortune, friends or
honors; he was surrounded with all these in
his own country. When he made known his
purpose to embark for America our envoys
were dnable to furnish ship for him. He
Immediately engaged a vessel at his own ex-
pense and sailed for the United States, then
only 10 years of age. He arrived al Charles
ton, South Carolina, in 1777, and entered as a
volunteer in the American army; after which,
his first act was to furnish arms and clothing for
the troops in that quarter, which they very
much needed. He also made an advance of
10000 francs to Gen. Washington for the pub
lie service. He was made Major General by
Congress in July of the same year. At the
battle of Brandywine in September he was
wounded in the leg but remained on the field
until the close of the battle. His wound was
severe, and before it was entirely healed he
Joined the army under Washington, who be-
came greatly attached to him. He distin-
guished himself at the battle of Monmouth
In ITO after an absence of two years he OBJ
tanned from Congress liberty to visit his fam
lily in France. Congress directed DIR. Frank
lin to have an elegant sword made in France
and presented to him, which was done. He
returned in April 1880, and hastened to head
quarters and then to Congress with the infor-
nation that the King of France had consent
ed to send large land and naval force to the
United States for the ensuing campaign. This
intelligence gave new impulse to Congress.
and tho Statas Ha tool command IF n ealoct
corps to light infantry which he clothed in
uniform at his own expense. He acted with
great gallantry at the battle cf jamestown
and also at the siege of Yorktown and capture
of CORVALLIS. In 1881, Congress con-
sented to his visiting France and voted
"that convey anee be furnished him when
ever he should choose to embark" In No
vember 1871 he again visited America after
the struggle was ended. He was received
with an enthusiastic welcome everywhere,
and returned to France in 17S5. In 1856 he
with others formed society in Paris whose
object was the gradual extinction of African
slavery. He was chosen member Of the
cele brated National Assembly at the breaking
out of the French reyolution. He was in ia
vor of retaining the king with limited powers
He was appointed to the command Of the Ma
tional Guard and atterward to the command
of division in the re gular army of France.
The Bastile was destroyed in 1889, the key Of
which he presented to Washington, and it now
hangs in the hall at Mount Vernon. In 1892
the Jacobin party got the power, and Lafay-
ette was obliged to leave France with the in
tention of coming to America, but was arrest
ed by an Austrian general and imprisoned,
first at Vessel. then at Magdeberg, where he
was confined for year in dark solitary dun
geon, during which he was offered his liberty
on condition of his joining the enemies of
France. He spurned the proposal. He was
then removed to the fortress of Olmutz and
kept under most rigorous confinement for
fom years. Gen. Washington then President.
repeatedly solicited his release, but in vain.
A German physician and a South Carolinian
by the name Of Huger tried to effect his es.
cape while riding outside the fortress for an
airing in company with his physician and a
After desperate struggle the Marquis with
his two friends escaped, but alarm guns were
fired from the fortress and they were all taken
and put in irons, where they suffered from
cold and hunger so much that Gen. Lafay-
ettes hair fell from his head. His wife and
daughters shared his confinement tor the last
two years. 1t was not until 1907 that they
were set at liberty by Napoleon on his victor
les over the Austrians in that year. He pro-
ceeded to the neutral city of Hamburg with
his family, where he remained until 1900,
when new revolution broke out in France.
He returned after an absence of eight years
and occupied his chateau of Lagrange, not ia,
voring Napoleon's government but in peace
with him.
In January, 1924, it became known thathe
intended to revisit the United States, and
Congress requested the President to offer him
public ship, which he declined. and chose to
embark in private vessel. He arrived in
New York in August, accompanied by his
SOD, George Washington Lafayette, and his
friend M. L'Vasseur. He was received with
all the honors possible to be shown, and
wherever he went he was received with affec.
tionate regard as the companion of Washing
ton and our benefactor when the "days were
dark and friends were few" His progress
north to Boston aud Portsmouth was con.
tinual ovation. Many soldiers of the revolu
ton were then alive, who had served under
and with him, whom he recollected and who
met him with joy. Not having time to come to
Portland, then he turned about and proceed
ed 70 New York by the way of Worcester
and Albany. He left New York on the 23d
of September for Philadelphia, Baltimore and
Washington, and on a Sunday morning he
visited the tomb of Washington in company
with George w. Parke Gusts, the nearest
male relative of Gen. Washington. They
spent an hour at the tomb where Mr.. Custis
presented him a ring containiug some OIL
Washington's hair. He also visited York
town, memorable for the surrender of Corn
wallis. He then went to Richmond, Norfolk
and through North and South Carolina, and
returned to Washington in December where
he remained until spring. He came to Bos-
ton in June, 1925 and laid the corner stone OF
the Bunker Hill monument on the 17lh, the
anniversary of the battle. From there he
came East and arrived in Portland June 25tb
1925, and not 1926, as a writer in the PRESS
Of last week has it. was at that time boy
of fifteen, and have a. distinct recollection o.
every circumstance. recollect the Genera
q stout mont ,o.,a.,., G l,o