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LEFT X^FAYETTE 394 ULFAYETTE vrere the first to enter the French avia- tion service, coming directly from the United States. As soon as it was seen that American ambulance workers in France showed a disposition to join the combatant forces a special channel was created for the reception of applications and so the Escadrille began to assume dimension. The Americans were at first distributed, but the idea of forming an ail-American unit soon began to take shape. Early in 1916 there were enough pilots already brevetted in conjunction with the eleves or pupils in the training schools to man the dozen airplanes in one escadrille. In February, 1916, a captain was assigned to command an American escadrille, and the Americans were placed under his orders. Before the escadrille became an established fact Cowdin brought down one German ma- chine and won the first Medaille Mili- taire. In July, 1917, there were about 100 Americans in the Army Aviation School at the camp of Avord, near Bourges, and these continued to be augmented. By that time General Pershing and his staff were in France, and one hundred hydroplanes had been landed to strengthen the sea patrol against sub- marines. The Lafayette Escadrille was under the general inspection of Lieut.- Col. Girod, and Capt. Gallet was "Chief of Pilotage." Americans living in France had taken much interest in the formation of the escadrille, conspicuous among them being W. K. Vanderbilt, who was awarded the French decoration of the Red Rosette in acknowledgment. In course of time, as the aerial forces of the United States got into shape, the American aviators in the French service were absorbed by them and the experi- ence they had gained in warfare proved of great help to aviators in the United States service. LAFAYETTE, MARIE JEAN PAUL ROCH YVES GILBEPvT MO- TIER, MARQUIS DE, a famous French military officer and statesman; born in the castle of Chavagnac, Auvergne, France, Sept. 6, 1757. He belonged to an ancient family; came to his estates at 13; married three years later; entered the army, and sailed, in spite of the op- position of the court, for America in 1777, to offer his sword to the colonists in their struggle for independence. He became an intimate and admiring friend of Washington, who gave him the com- mand of a division after his conduct at the battle of Brandywine. The treaty between the insurgents and France at ^nce led to war between France and Eng- land, and Lafayette returned to his country early in 1779. Six months later he again crossed the Atlantic, was charged with the defense of Virginia, and had his share in the battle of York- town, which practically closed the war. On a third visit to North America in 1784, after the conclusion of peace, his tour was a continual triumph. Lafayette had imbibed liberal princi- ples in the freer air of America, and was eager for reforms in his native country. He was called to the Assembly of Not- ables in 1787, and sat in its successor, the Assembly of the States General, and LAFAYETTE in that which grew out of it, the famous National Assembly of 1789. He took a prominent part in its proceedings, and laid on its table, July 9, 1789, a Declara- tion of Independence. He was soon ap- pointed to the chief command of the armed citizens, whereupon he formed the National Guard, and gave it the tri-color or cockade. He struggled incessantly for order and humanity, yet was morti- fied to the heart by the furious violence of the mob. The Jacobins hated his mod- eration, while the court abhorred his reforming zeal. Along with Bailly he founded the club of the Feuillants, and he supported the abolition of title as well as of all class privileges. After the adoption of the constitution of 1790 he retired to his estate of La- grange till he received the command of the army of Ardennes, with which he won the first victories at Philippeville, Maubeuge, and Florennes. But the