Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume X.djvu/102

 LAFAYETTE be found to carry out such an expedition. La- fayette accordingly accepted the command, and proceeded to Albany, the designated head- quarters of the expedition ; but after waiting three months for the promised force and sup- plies, during which period he took measures for putting the Mohawk valley in a state of de- fence, he at length received orders from con- gress to join the army at Valley Forge, and to suspend the invasion of Canada. He re- turned to the camp in April, 1778, and on May 18 was despatched by Washington from Valley Forge to Barren Hill, 12 m. distant, where he took post with 2,100 men and five pieces of cannon. Sir Henry Clinton, the British com- mander at Philadelphia, on the night of May 19 sent Gen. Grant with 5,000 men to surprise Lafayette. The negligence of the militia out- posts permitted the British to approach within a mile before they were discovered, and early in the morning Lafayette found himself nearly surrounded. But a dexterous stratagem and a skilful movement, promptly conceived and exe- cuted, baffled the British general, and conveyed the Americans with their artillery saTely across the Schuylkill and back to Valley Forge. His conduct in this affair called out the warmest expressions of approbation from Washington. At the battle of Monmouth, June 28, Gen. Lee, to whom as next in rank to the commander-in- chief the command of the advanced forces be- longed, refused at first to take it, and Washing- ton gave it to Lafayette ; but Lee subsequently changed his mind and applied to be reinstated, to which Lafayette assented with his accustomed grace and disinterestedness, and served under Lee during the battle, in which he displayed great gallantry. Seeing at one point of the engagement a good opportunity to attack the enemy with his division, he rode up to Lee and asked permission to make the attempt. " Sir," replied Lee, " you do not know British soldiers ; we cannot stand against them." Lafayette re- plied : " It may be so, general; but British sol- diers have been beaten, and they may be again ; at any rate I am disposed to make the trial." Lee gave him permission to attack, which he did with vigor and success until Lee, on begin- ning the " unnecessary, disorderly, and shame- ful retreat " for which he was afterward punish- ed by court martial, ordered him to fall back. A few weeks later Lafayette was sent with two brigades of infantry to assist Gens. Greene and Sullivan in the attempt to drive the British from Rhode Island, in which they had at first the assistance of a French fleet under Count d'Estaing, France having now declared war against England and formed an alliance with the United States. D'Estaing, however, before anything of importance was effected, withdrew with his fleet to Boston harbor for repairs, in spite of the remonstrances of the American generals. Lafayette was despatched to Boston to persuade him to return to Newport, but could only get a promise from him that if re- quired he would march his marines by land to the aid of the Americans. During Lafayette's absence an engagement took place, Aug. 29 ; and though he rode from Boston to Rhode Island, 70 m., in 6 hours, he arrived only in time to assist in conducting the retreat from the island, which the American commanders had decided upon, on learning of the approach of the British fleet with a fresh army on board. The good understanding between the French and American troops had been somewhat impaired by the conduct of D'Estaing, and Lafayette was of essential service in restoring harmony. His own country being now at war, Lafayette, who still retained his commission in the French army, deemed it his duty at the end of the campaign of 1778 to return to France and place himself at the disposal of his government, and at the same time to exert himself in behalf of America by personal con- ferences with the French ministry. At the request of Washington, congress granted him leave of absence, accompanied 'by complimen- tary resolutions, and by a letter recommending him to the good offices of the American minis- ter in Paris. Congress also voted him a sword. After a detention at Fishkill by severe illness, he embarked for France at Boston in January, 1779. He was received with extraordinary demonstrations of popular enthusiasm by all classes of society. His name, introduced into dramatic performances, called out acclamations at the theatres; he was followed by crowds in the streets wherever he went ; he made a journey to one of his estates in the south of France, and all the towns through which he passed received him with processions and civic honors ; and in the city of Orleans he was de- tained nearly a week by prolonged festivities in honor of his return. Amid the admiration and flattery with which he was surrounded he did not neglect the interests of America. It was mainly his personal efforts that caused the army of Rochambeau to be sent to America. "It is fortunate for the king," said the old count de Maurepas, the head of the ministry, " that Lafayette did not take it into his head to strip Versailles of its furniture to send to his dear America, as his majesty would have been unable to refuse it." Having procured for the United States assistance both with men and money, Lafayette, on May 11, 1780, re- joined Washington at the headquarters of the army, bringing himself the first intelligence of his success. He brought also a commission from Louis XVI. appointing Washington a lieutenant general of the army of France and vice admiral of its navy, a measure intended, as it afterward operated, to prevent difficulties respecting official etiquette between the French and American commanders. A French fleet bringing Rochambeau and 6,000 soldiers ar- rived at Newport July 10, and Washington despatched Lafayette to concert measures with Rochambeau for future operations. Soon after his return he was stationed at Tappan on tl Hudson in command of six battalions of ligl