Arizona republican., 1898-10-20
BOUND TO HELP AMERICA
Lafayef!e, Who Came Over 10 Fight
 for the Colonies Freedom.

Nc event Of the revolution is of such interest as the coming Of the Marquis de Lafayette to cur shores to assist Us in cur struggle for Independence. La fayette first heard of the struggle which the American colO1i2s were max ing for liberty at dinner Siven by the oommandant of the guards ct Metz to the duke Of Gloucester, brother of the English king, in the. summer cf 1776. The young officer, then barely Is years old, determined. before he left the banquet table to assist the Tevolu- tionists. But he found the perform ance of his purpose m-Te difficult than he had expected. Disaster had ever taken American arms just at this time. and the probabilities of war locked dark for the handful Of rebels on the coast Of the new world, but the ynung Frenchman was firm in bis intention 10 help the colonies. If they are losing ground, he said, "and are discourag- ed. there is all the rrcre reason fer me to go to their aid" New difficulties arose. Jafayette's friends besought the king to rafuss permissicn fer him to leave France He could find To enc to g with him.
 These things, however, only made hin the mere determined He pur- chased 6 vessel with his own money and began to fit it out His purposes were suspected by ;he British ambassa- dor and complaint was laid before the Ii I half-fittel ship to Passa gas, Spain. and met it there, but was arrested and talk en back to France. He escaped, and rejoining his ship, with eleven com panicns, among them Baron de Kalb sailed for America, with two British cruisers in pursuit. The voyage lasted twO months, and the young adventur- CT finally landed at Georgetown, s. c. His arrival reused the dropping spirits of the c0ntinental army and the people It vas an inspiration tc them and showed that friends had Teen found in Europe who would cone to tileir assis- tance-
 From Georgetown he ma,i6 his WAY to Philadelphia. where congress IVES sitting. lie asked to be 2i.-wed tc sn- ter the army as 3 volunteer aud to serve without pay, hut his offer was net accepted. and ne was given com mission as major-g neral instead The battle Cf BTandywine was the first en- gagement in which he took part. and in that he was wounded in the leg. As the men re1reated in discrGer he threw himself n a hcrse, and riding into the midst Of the rout tried 10 rally the fleeing soldiers. General Washington [ commanded his conduct 10 cor gross and recommended that he be given . sep ar2te command.
 Strcng friendship had already sprung I'D between the commander in chief and the young French volunteer and it lasted through life Lafayette's con- duct Of the campaign in Virginia, while not brilliant was so,dierly, and the re- treat from Barren hill was splendid bit Of military art. He played prin- cipal part in the capture cf Cornwailis
 at Yorktown, which terminated his l connection with the American army. One cf his chief services was in
 smoothing the differences between the French and American cfics-s and l troops.
 Visits weTa made to the new republic
 by Lafayette in 17s4 and in 1924, and
 on each occasion his progress through
 tho country was like the triuDphal