Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-06
HE Bl2 IHDAY OF LAFAYETTE
ny rI,EDEltIC J. uASI>iN

picked linn NJ, and he was on his way
10 America
Landing IN South Carolina two
lh"h'hs later. IL" rode on horseback To
Philadelphia. where he made his rcprc-
'"ntations To the American Congress
Although Congress gave him Tho dc
sired commission when they discovered
VINO u: Vas. Lafayette soon found that
ne appointment was ouly honorary
'hd mat the matter had been left -
thc discretion of General Washiur,on
no mad" the acquaintance Of the gcu
eial a. q dtuncr the same ui..h, uhcr.
by ms nodcsty and tact he mad. :,
favorable impression on tho rutrio,s
ana especially upon Washington TN.
vas the beginning OF friendship he
tween the two men that was never
married by misunderstanding or disse,
Sl"n ana that terminated only in death
Followed close upon his enIist,nen,
me ian of Philadelphia and the bat
u" OF the BrandyWine. where tho Young
marquis received "a Inuskct wound In
me leg. u vas with the creates, i'm.
pa'i"n"" that he suffered doctorjn: and
$40" c"nNai"scemce in Philadelphia.
whcr" he had been carried for rnedi
cal attention. and as soon as he was
hpic. he was back in the ncd again
IN charge OF division VI men under
WASHINGTON
tnrccr Was Not brilliant.
unfortunately for his ambition. how
ever. l.afaycttc's military career was
never conspicuously brilliant, II.
fought admirably ana brav.lv. n. won,
through tn" winter at Valley Forge
under the same hardships as did tho
t"Ionist soldiers he attained dis,inc-
ton at the Battle Of Monmouth and
executed mastery retreat ut larrcu
i'l.l, where MS troops We're nlm"s:
c"mpletely surrounded bv Rri,isb
forces. Eut he did no, possess The
military powers Of other generals I'm
tn. war. and. finally, he decided Ia
return 10 France 10 help the American
cause in his own country
After six months he again came 10
America. with promises Of assis,nnc.
from his King. and Washington p,,
him in command OF the forces in VIZ.
giitin His first act Was to borrow
money from his bankers I'm New YorI;
ana cl"ihe and equip his soldiers Then
came the Battle or Yorktown. win
the spectacular surrender OF Corn
wallis.
Again Lafayette babe good-by to
Washington ANA America to return 10
France. and there American history
loses him and French history claims
him for its own. The French Hcvnlu-
t"n was just on the verge of break
ing out IN Paris ana the King had
called tho Assembly Of Notables In
tins assembly Lafayette was Il conspic-
uous ngure. arguing the cause OF the
people and the necessity OF giving
them greater liberty. From then on his
history WAS largely the history or
France. He was the one man who
stood between the nobility and tn.
people, lighting the cause OF ihe PEG
PIE with the nobility and the cause o,
the nobility with the Infatuated mob.
As commanded OF the National Guard
in Paris. he WAS idolized by tho French
but lie lacked the strong military hand
and the ability for intrigue which
might have enabled him to end TN"
revolution. lie once saved the life or
the KING aud Queen al the risk Of his
own. but he could not prevent them Ia
ter going To tic puilloiine.
Discouraged and Sickcnc,l bv tho
barharsm OF the rcvolutionists. he re-
tired to his private estates. where he
called him 10 take command Of a rcgi-
mcnt against the invasion of Austria
He Was captured by the Austrians and
imprisoned in first prusSian and then
Austrian prisons 70! five years until
both America and Napoleon Bonaparto
intcrceded for him. In 1924. he again
visited America, which welcomed him
with open arms. and voted him $500. 900
and township Of land. France again
recalled him in 1890 to resume com
mand Of the National Guard in the rev
olution of that year. He died in Paris
the Goth of May, 1884