Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-09
LAFAYETTE,S HELP
DESCRIBED IN INNS.
Old Anonymous Manuscript
Given to General in 1871
Has Rare Print of Him.

The part played by Lafayette IN
planning the successful siege of York
town during the Revolutionary War is
told in manuscript which descendants
Of the French marquis have just re-
leased through the yorktown Secqui-
centenniaf Association,
The small volume, entitled "Histori-
cal Memoirs Of the Campaigns of the
Marquis de Lafayette in North Amer
tca," was received from Warrington
Dawson, special attache of the Arneri-
can legation ct Paris, trustee of the
Association.
The manuscript has remained In the
Lafayette family and now forms part
OF the famous collection at Lafayette's
Chateau de la Grange, belonging to
Count Louis de Lasteyrie. And yet well
known though its history Is, the author
never has been discovered
Has Lafayette Inscription.
The manuscript has an inscription in
Lafayette's own handwriting, describ-
ing how he found it himself in Paris
He appears never to have known the
anonymous author. who paid him the
tribute of editing this work about his
services in America.
The inscription by Lafayette is as
follows:
1hLo HudIluSCIlpJ was IOunu In lT9l
at the house of M Nervet by his rela-
ton, NJ. DIES Hayes Blanchard, tanner
and currier, No. rue Censier, who was
good enough to give It to me.
'fSigned). LaF"
The frontispiece carries portrait of
Lafayette which, Count Lasteyrie states,
Is unique. 1t Is evidently printed from
z miniature. as the round frame is
SHOWN, together with the conventional
Imitation n q -
But just as no other print Of 1t Is
known, so the original miniature has
never been found.
Describes Situation.
The manuscript itself passes in review
all the early life of Lafayette, mention
ing that when he decided to come to
America In ITS the Americans had
practically no friend in France The
author describes how Lafayette origi-
nally landed "in Charleston in April.
lf77 Even after the arrival Of Rocf1am-
heau's army in Newport, the situation
in the Spring of 1871 Is described as
follows
1t may be well to recall that the
Americans lacked money and clothes
and shoes, they biyouacked every night
IN an unhealthy region. food was almost
impossible to secure. but the great love
OF the soldiers for NJ. de Lafayette and
his influence In the country could alone
FORM and hold his little army"
De Grasse Gets SO ships.
The campaign at Yorktown, viewed
entirely from the standpoint of La
xayette, is described as follows:
Meanwhile the French troops had
left their garrison ut Newport and had
joined Gen. Washington before York
town. Green had captured in Carolina
the posts which had been too greatly
weakened by the desire to assure the
conquest OF Virginia. Assured of its
success, judging entirely by the letters
II received from the general. the British
government was compelling the Cover
nor Of Virginia to leave, believing that
It held all the territory south Of the
Chesapeake
But the fact that Lord CORVALLIS
was reduced to holding the post of
Yorktown did not slif1ice to capture
him. Naval forces were necessary, and
tife French government having prom
ised naval superiority, M. de Grassa
was commissioned TO go to Chesapeake
Bay. where he brought together SO
ships.
Lafayette Makes Certain.
"As soon as he appeared, all the
traps prepared by Marquis de Lafayette
to surround Lord CORVALLIS were
sprung at the same moment. Three
thousand Fsrenchnien under the Marquis
De ST. Simon having joined the Ameri-
can general, Lord CORVALLIS was sur
rounded by the French ships under M.
de Grasse and 10000 men under M. de
Lafayette, as well as the greater part
Of the combined troops under the orders
Of this general, keeping him in view
from the strong position Of Williams
burg
I'm such a situation, and being able
TO receive the help he needed from the
navy, NJ. de Lafayette could have at
tackled Lord CORVALLIS. But he did
not wish to sacrifice an assured oper-
alton to the hope Of capturing alone
the enemy's army. He awaited Gen.
WASHINGTON, who commanded the
French and American sToops which had
left New York After their reunien
Gen. washington invested yorktown.
and on October 10, 1881, the English
Army capiiulated."
The manuscript ends soon after the
triumphal return Of Lafayette to
France.
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