Page:The Biographical Dictionary of America, vol. 06.djvu/327

 LAFAYETTE

LAFAYETTE

He visited Japan in 1886 and was among the earliest to appreciate the art of that country. Among his notable windows are: one in Harvard Memorial Hall; four in Trinity church. Boston; the Ames memorials at North Easton, Mass. (1877- S7); the Nevins memorial at Methuen, Mass.; the Watson memorial, Trinity church, Buffalo, N.Y. He was elected a member of the National Acade- my of Design in 1809, and president of the Society of American Artists and of the Society of Plural Painters. His paintings include: St. Paul (1861); A Grey Day (1862); Vieio over Newport (1862); A Sunny Day (186.j); The Wolf Charmer (1866); Tlie Last Valley (1867); Netv England Pasture Land (1867); Sleeping. Beauty (1868); The Tri- umph of Love (1871). He is the author of: Let- ters from Japan (1887); Lectures on Art (1893). LAFAYETTE, Harie Jean Paul Roch Yves Gilbert notier, Marquis de, patriot, was born at the Chateau de Chavagnac, Auvergne, France, Sept. 6, 1757; son of Michael Louis Christoplie Rocli Gilbert Motier and Marie Louise (de Riviere) de Lafayette. His ancestor the Mare-

chal de Lafayette was a distinguished French soldier, and Madame de Lafay- ette was a lady of extensive literary cel- ebrity. He was edu- cated at the College of Louis-le-Grand, at Paris, and upon the death of his mother aud grandfather in 1770 he inherited a large fortune. He was a page to Queen Marie Leczinska and in 1772 was given a lieutenant's commission in the Mousquetaires du Roi. He was married April 11, 1774, to Anastasie Adrienne, daughter of the Duke de Noailles. He was commissioned a captain of artillery in a regiment stationed at Metz in 1776, and at a dinner given in lionor of the Duke of Gloucester he lieard of the American Declara- tion of Independence, and of the disasters attend- ing the patriot arm}- in New Jersey. He com- municated to Silas Deane and Benjamin Frank- lin liis intention of enlisting his services in the cause of American liberty and although forbidden by the court, and exposing himself to the loss of his property and to capture by the British on his passage to America, lie purchased and fitted out a vessel at Bordeaux, and learning that an order had been issued for his arrest, he sailed to Passages, Spain, where his preparations were completed. He sailed April 26, 1777, in company with de

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Kalb and eleven other French officers; arrived at Charleston, S.C., where lie eciuijjped one hun- dred men with arms and clothing, as a testimo- nial of his admiration of the gallantry displayed in the defence of Fort Moultrie, and proceeding to Philadelphia offered his services to congress as a volunteer without pay. He was appointed major- general in the Continental army, July 31, 1777, and served for a time on the staff of General Washington. At the battle of Brandy wine, Sept. 11, 1777, he was wounded. Upon his recovery he was given command of 300 militiamen and on Nov. 25, 1777, assisted by the rifle corjis of Mor- gan he attacked and routed a superior force of Hessians and British Grenadiers. On Dec. 1,

1777, he was appointed to the command of the division of Gen. Adam Stephen, dismissed from the service. At this time the intrigue known as the "Conway cabal" was at its height and Lafayette was invited to act as commander-in- chief of an army to undertake a winter expedi- tion into Canada, of which plan Washington was known to disapprove. Lafayette repaii-ed to Albany where he was to cross the lakes on the ice and attack Montreal, but he found no preparation for the expedition, and on March 2, 1778, it was abandoned as totally impracticable. Lafajette was recalled in April, 1778, and was detailed by General Washington, with a corps of more than two thousand men to form an advance guard to restrain the advance of the British in case they should evacuate Philadelphia. He crossed the Schuylkill and took post at Barren Hill, May 18,

1778, but was surprised by General Grant with an overwhelming force and withdrew his troops and artillery without loss. Desiring to return to France to co-operate with the French movement against England, lie obtained a leave of absence from congress, Oct. 21, 1772, but being seized with a fever he was obliged to defer his departure un- til Jan. 11, 1779, when he sailed from Boston on the frigate Alliance. A plot was laid among the crew to murder all on board except Lafa3ette who was to be delivered to the British govern- ment as a prisoner of suitable rank to be ex- changed for Burgoyne. The plot was discovered by Lafayette, who caused thirty of the instigators to be put in irons. He arrived in Paris, Feb. 12,

1779, and after passing a week in confinement in punishment for his former disobedience, he was received with favor by the court and was ap- pointed colonel of dragoons in the army designed to invade England in the summer of 1779. Owing to the failure of the support of the Spanish fleet, Lafaj'ette was instrumental in pursuading Ver- gennes to send a land as well as a naval force to co- operate with Washington's army. As congress had only desired naval assistance, and apprehending dissensions as likely to arise between French and