| The Marquis de Lafayette was an interesting guy. He
created the tricolour flag for France in 1789. He joined the
Americans during the War of independence. He became a close friend
of George Washington. And he led a planned invasion of Canada...
an invasion that never took place.
Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roche Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette, was
born in in France in 1757. He grew up as an adventurer and a
romantic and longed for a "just cause".
When Lafayette learned of the struggle of the Americans in their
endeavor to secure their independence, he resolved to come to the
colonies to aid them as a volunteer. He had the backing
of Silas Deane, the US representative to France, who was charged to
recruit young French officers for the US. (Deane was later recalled by
the US under a cloud of suspicion that he accepted kick-backs from the
French thrill-seekers.)
Lafayette landed near Charleston,
South Carolina on June 13, 1777, presented his Deane-introduction letter
stating that he was to be a General in the US Army and was welcomed with
great hospitably. He proceeded to Philadelphia and was
welcomed by Congress. Who wouldn't welcome someone who was willing
to
serve in the army without pay?
Since Lafayette represented the highest rank of French nobility and
his motives were so patriotic in the American cause, the Congress
commissioned him a Major General on the 31st of July, 1777. Later that
summer Lafayette met General George Washington and a friendship
developed between the two men which lasted as long as Washington lived.
All this, and Lafayette
was not even 20 years old!
(Lafayette hated the slave trade
in America; it was one of the few things about the Revolution that he
couldn't abide, and was tireless in his criticism of slavery and its
proponents. Lafayette's unyielding views on slavery had a
tremendous effect on Washington, who ultimately freed the slaves at
Mount Vernon upon his death, due in part to Lafayette's
influence.)
Lafayette was a member of Washington's staff and
during the Battle of the Brandywine. He participated in the
closing part of the battle when he was wounded in the leg. He
rejoined the American forces after recovering from his
wound.
As Lafayette was making his meteoric rise in Washington's Army
another US General, Horatio Gates, was taking notice. Gates was
not a fan of Washington nor of Lafayette. In October of 1777,
Gates was appointed the President of the War Board. In this
position he created an assignment for Lafayette to head up an small
army that was supposed to invade Canada. Gates planned the whole
affair without the knowledge of Washington. Washington got wind of
the plan only when Lafayette approached him carrying his
"commission" from Gates.
On February 17, 1778, Lafayette rode to Albany New York, where the
invasion was being staged. He was appalled at what he saw.
There were too few troops. Those who were there were poorly
equipped. Most importantly, there was wide spread derision over
the plan to prosecute the invasion during the winter months. And
what's more, the British and Canadians were expecting the invasion.
Lafayette wrote to Washington stating; "I am sent, with a great
noise, at the head of the army to do great things. The whole continent,
France, and what is the worst, the British army will be in
expectation."
In March of 1778, the invasion plan was postponed and eventually discarded.
In 1781, following a glorious career in the US Army, Lafayette returned to
France. His only visit back to the US was in 1825 at the invitation
of the US government. The Marquis de Lafayette died in 1834 in
France.
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