(Editor’s note: The following contribution comes from the April, 2025 Lafayette BiCentennial edition of Tap Roots, The Journal of the Genealogical Society of East Alabama, of which Tom Fort is the editor.—eeb)
By Tom Fort
SNELLVILLE, Ga. | Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, the Marquis de Lafayette, was born into French aristocracy in 1757. Orphaned young, he inherited great wealth but little guidance.
As a teenager, he trained for military service and was inspired by the ideals of the American Revolution. Defying family and government opposition, he sailed to America in 1777. Despite speaking little English, he impressed General George Washington, who became his mentor, forging a lifelong father-son bond.
Marquis de LaFayette in a 1791 portrait by Jean-Baptiste Weyler, via Wikipedia.
Lafayette’s first combat was the Battle of Brandywine, where he was wounded while organizing an orderly retreat. His bravery earned him command of troops, and he fought in key campaigns, enduring the winter at Valley Forge alongside his men.
Recognizing the need for support for the Colonists, he returned to France in 1779 and secured crucial aid. Back in America, he played a key role in Virginia, helping trap British General Cornwallis at Yorktown. His strategic leadership, particularly his bold maneuvering to cut off British reinforcements, helped secure the final victory. His attack on a key redoubt contributed to the British surrender in 1781, effectively ending the war.
After the Revolution, Lafayette maintained close ties with the U.S. while advocating reform in France. Initially supporting a constitutional monarchy, he was later imprisoned during the French Revolution. Released in 1797, he refused to support Napoleon and remained politically marginalized. Following his wife Adrienne’s death in 1807, he continued championing democratic ideals, rejecting opportunities for personal gain to remain committed to the principles of liberty.
In 1824, President James Monroe invited Lafayette to the U.S. to mark the Revolution’s 50th anniversary. As the last surviving major general of the war, his visit united Americans in celebration. Arriving in New York that August, he toured all 24 states, receiving overwhelming admiration.
Accompanied by his son, George Washington Lafayette, and secretary Auguste Levasseur, he chronicled his journey, including a winter stay in Washington, D.C., and an invitation from Alabama’s governor to visit the young state. His travels took him beyond civilization into the expanding frontier, where he witnessed firsthand the nation’s growth and transformation.
A deeply emotional moment came on October 11, 1824, when Lafayette visited Mount Vernon to honor Washington. Accompanied by his son and a small delegation, he stepped inside Washington’s tomb and, overwhelmed with grief, knelt before the sarcophagus. He reportedly took a handful of soil as a keepsake and received a gold ring containing a lock of Washington’s hair from Washington’s adopted grandson. In that moment, the young officer who had once looked to Washington for guidance now stood as an aging statesman, paying tribute to the man who had shaped his life and the destiny of a nation.
Lafayette’s tour reinforced his role in American history, strengthening U.S.-France relations and reminding Americans of their revolutionary past. When he departed in 1825, he left behind a legacy of loyalty, courage, and dedication to liberty. Today, nearly 200 years later, his commitment to self-government and individual rights remains an enduring inspiration. His name graces many places across the country.
Lafayette’s dedication to freedom and democracy continues to symbolize the ideals America holds dear, ensuring that his contributions to liberty will never be forgotten.
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