The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-10-17
WHEN LAFAYETTE
TOURED VERMONT
Translation of Account Of Journey as
Written BY His
Successor.


James B. Wilbur Of Manchester and
OF New York has sent to the Burling-
ton Free Press a copy of the trans
lation from the French Of Lafayette
in America in 1924 and 1922 written
by his secretary, M. A. Layasseur. The
account is so interesting that it il here
reprinted:
aFrom Portland, the general would
have been well pleased TO continue his
route 20 the extremity OF the state Of
Maine, but time was wanting; he
therefore retraced his steps towards
Burlington, passing through Windsor,
Woodstock, Montpelier, etc Although
Vermont is very mountainous, which
rendered the road more difficult, we
travelled with extreme rapidity. adj
vancing almost all the time more than
nine miles an hour, relays Of horses
having been well disposed by the in
habitants. in order that the general
might not be retarded 10 his progress
to New York On the morning Of the
2Sth, we arrived at Burlington. the
beautiful situation Of which, on the
delightful shores Of Lake Champaign.
excited our admiration. Whilst we
were viewing, with pleasure and as
constituent the beauties of nature
spread before us, we heard the thunder
of artillery, and an instant afterwards
saw advancing towards ms body of
militia, preceded by "a crowd of citi-
zens, who fastened in front OF the
national hotel. The good order of this
body of troops, the bold and firm step
of the men who composed It, answered
perfectly TO the reputation for bravery
and patriotism which the inhabitants
OF Vermont had acquired in the Revo
lutionary war, and in that of 1913.
Every one knows, that it was the
Vermonters, who, in l777. completed,
by their presence, the embarrassment I
of the English General Burgoyne, who,
at sight Of their intrepid bands, pre-
scented his equalization. Some days he
fore his surrender, he wrote to the /
British minister: The inhabitants Of I
the New Hampshire grants, a terri
tory uninhabited and almost unknown I
during the last war, flock together by |
thousands and accumulate upon my
left like dense clouds This had not l
yet been received in England when al
ready the thunderbolts which these
clouds enveloped had struck him. II
was also the soldiers of Vermont, to
the number Of 500 only, who led by
General Starke, engaged, on the same
day, two English detachments. took
from them seven hundred prisoners
four pieces of artillery, and all their
camp equipage.
Finally it was these intrepid Green
Mountain boys who formed the troops
which preserved Plattsburgh from pill
age by the English. on the llth Of
1914; and the raw crews.
who. with vessels built in eighteen
lays. forced an enemy superior in
number, 70 strike a flag which claimed
he absolute empire of the sea.
THE governor, who had met the
general at Windsor, and who had trav
led with him from that city, intro
luced him 10 the citizens and magis-
rates Of Burlington. who received him
With the most afFectionate address !
hall not insert here, nothwithstand-
ng their eloquence, the numerous
ipeeches addressed to him by the rep
of the different branches OF
he administration and government,
lor his answers, in which he conerat-
Hated the state of Vermont on their
so nobly the benefits Of the