The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-06-27

served his country in three different capacities
is married man, the father of twins and one
other child, is major general in the American
army and is not yet twenty years Old
Lafayette had opportunity to show his
mettle. The English general, Lord Howe. was
approaching Philadelphia with superior force.
Washington marched out to meet him, and In
the skirmsh at Brandywine Lafayette was
wounded while urging his men TO stand firm
Lafayette wrote to his wife: BE entirely free
from anxiety to my wound, for all the doctors
In America aroused in my behalf. have a
friend who has spoken for me in way to insure
my being well taken Of and that Is General
Washington. That estimable man, whom / ven
crate the that l learn to know him,
has become my intimate friend His tender in
terest in my welfare quickly won my heart When
he sent his surgeon in chief to me. he told him to
cnre for if were his son. because he loved
me so much; and, having learned that wanted
to Join the army too soon again, he wrote me
letter full of tenderness, in which he admonished
me to wait until should be entirely WE'LL
Washingtons exact words in writing to the
surgeon were: "Take Of him as If he were
my son. for love him the same"
On November 25, 1777 Lafayette was sent
with General Greene to test the strength of the
British advance Philadelphia. Having dis
closed their position near Gloucester, he attacked
the Hessans with such fury that the latter were
routed and CORVALLIS, thinking that he was sur
rounded by the entire American army, retreated
with his 5000 men In hot haste
This pleased Washington so much that he
wrote to congress asking for regular command
for Lafayette A few days later Lafayette, to his
great delight, assigned to the command OF
the Virginia division of the army.
AS time went relations between washington
and Lafayette became steadily closer, the latter
sometimes referring to himself in their CORE
spondcnce as Washington's young soldier" The
intimacy between the two men was Ike that OF
father and son. the Frenchman being twenty-five
years younger than the general he so greatly
admired.
Having made voyage to France on furIough
he returned in May, 1850, joining Washington at
the army headquarters In Morristown and telling
him what nobody this side of the Atlantic
vet knew of the coming of the military and naval
expedition sent by the king of France to help the
Americans. II Lafayette himself who had
been largely instrumental in persuading the king
TO send the fleet. together with 5000 picked fight
ing men under Rochambeau and the young
quis was dispatched In advance to carry the good
news.
In due time Rochambeau arrived with the army
of 5000 men and Admiral de (rasse with feet
manned by 1000 sailors and marines.
Lafayette put in command of 1900 men
and directed to march to Virginia and meet
CORVALLIS the British commander. The troops
were So destitute that something had to be done.
Lafayette after expending his own available cash
borrowed on his personal account $4,000 from
the merchants of Baltimore
De Grasses feet hxaded for Yorktown, and
Washington. with Rochambeau, started to unite
with Lafayette in the struggle with CORVALLIS.
How Washington made forced marches to the
South in order the completely to hem In
Lord Cornwalls; how the Count de Grasse with
his great fleet arrived off Yorktown before the
arrival Of General Washington, and how La
fayette persuaded the French admiral to delay
the attack until Washington could take command
20 that by winning that fight Washington could
overthrow the enemies in congress that we're try
Ing to have one else made commander II