On July 25, 1824 Salem Towne Junior of Charlton MA wrote to his wife about the expected reception of Lafayette in Boston – “there never was now nor will be such a meeting in this or any country”, Reflecting on the tour a few years later Edward Everett wrote that it was “an event, taken in all its parts, unparalleled in the history of man.” Hezekiah Niles wrote “the volumes of history furnish no parallel – no one like La Fayette has ever re-appeared in any country”.
We Lafayette Tour enthusiasts have become fond of the “rock star” metaphor to describe the tour. American Friends of Lafayette is offering a t-shirt that shows Lafayette with a guitar on the front and has a very partial list of the places he visited on the back..
There are two problems with the rock star metaphor. The first is that when Lafayette arrive he didn’t put on a show for the community. The community put on a show for Lafayette. After the big speech from the most eminent person available, he said a few words of thanks, shook hands and reminisced with the veterans whom he invariably remembered, kissed the ladies on the hand and told the militia that he had not seen finer troops anywhere else.
The second problem is that it “rock star” is inadequate. Lynn, MA on August 31, 1824 captures the high esteem for Lafayette in the speech of of Jonathan White, Chairman of the Committee of Arrangements:
Although your present appearance among us, like the transit of a brilliant and beneficent planet, commissioned to proclaim good will to man, in its rapid career among innumerable worlds, is short and fleeting, the emanations of the bright and joyous light which is shed around you will continue with us to guide our steps, and cheer our hearts to the latest moment of our existence.
The banner in Lynn that day went even further.
“Thou gavest to us thirteen talents. Lo! We have gained eleven more. Receive our gratitude”.
Salem had one of the more distinguished speakers on that rainy day in August. Joseph Story had been on the United States Supreme Court since 1811. In 1841 he would write the opinion in United States v Amistead which would free 53 Africans who rose up to take over the ship that they were being illegally transported in. He summarized Lafayette’s contribution in this way:
“Can we forget that we were poor and struggling alone in the doubtful contest for Independence, and you crossed the Atlantic at the hazard of fortune and fame to cheer us in our resistance? That you re-crossed it to solicit naval and military succours from the Throne of France and returned with triumphant success? That your gallantry in the southern campaigns checked the inroads of a brave and confident enemy? That your military labors closed but with the surrender at Yorktown, and thus indissolubly united your name with the proud events of that glorious day”
Joseph Story (1779-1845
Lafayette was not a rock star. He was a superhero. And like every superhero he has an origin story.
Young Gilbert
Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de La Fayette was born in 1757. As a youngster he went by Gilbert. He spent his early years in Chavaniac, far from the center of power in Versailles and Paris. Since I am terrible at French pronunciation and this is a superhero narrative inspired by a true story, we will call it Smallville. His father died in the Battle of Minden in 1759 making Gilbert the Marquis. His father’s family relatively poor sword novels had a long tradition of fighting and frequently dying for the king. Gilbert’s mother Marie Louise Joille de La Riviere left him with his paternal grandmother and aunts.
Marie Louise Jolie de la Riviere (1737-1770)
She was from a more prestigious family that lived in Paris. Living in what we might call Metropolis with her grandfather she was paving the way for Gilbert’s future. Gilbert was happy being the young lord of the manor that his grandmother managed. He took his military heritage to heart. Later in life he remarked:
“I can recall no time in my life when I did not love stories of glorious deeds, or have dreams of traveling the world in search of fame.”
He felt the responsibility to protect his people. The general region was being terrorized by a mysterious animal, whose exact nature is still uncertain. Eight year old Gilbert spent many hours in the woods hunting for the Beast of Gevaudan. We can all be thankful that he never found it,
In 1768 Gilbert got the summons to go to Paris and his carefree life as little lord of the manor was over. In Paris not adapted to court life and still dreaming of an active military career he was a bit out of place. Less than two years later, though, he receives his first superpower. In the month of April 1770 both his mother and his maternal grandfather die. Lafayette is now one of the wealthiest aristocrats in Europe and the hottest commodity on the marriage market. Before long he is engaged to the daughter of Jean-Paul-Francois de Noallies, Duc d’Ayen – Marie Adrienne Francoise.
Lafayette’s wife Adrienne
14 year old Lafayette moves to Versailles to live with his future in-laws. At first neither Gilbert or Adrienne know that they are engaged. 12 year old Adrienne is just told to be nice to the orphan boy that her old man has taken an interest in. Lafayette’s second super power is now in play, he is part of the inner elite.
He still doesn’t fit in. He wants active military service, not the sort of ceremonial role that makes up court life. An odd thing about the education of the French elite was that they studied stories about Greek democracy and the Roman Republic while preparing to spend their lives catering to an absolute monarch. All these ideas swirling around made the stirrings of revolution in America of great interest. Not to mention it created a chance to stick it to the British who killed his old man.
Louis XVI and the father-in-law forbid Lafayette going to America. And the Americans who recruited him can promise him the title of Major General, but not much else. But remember this is somebody with a superpower. Lafayette rounds up a dozen or so others who want in on this adventure and he buys his own ship to go to America. That’s right. He bought his own ship.
In Philadelphia Congress is getting fed up with many of the foreign officers who have been recruited who come demanding exorbitant salaries from an impecunious Congress. Lafayette can serve without salary and people knowledgeable about the French court realize how influential he might be. Ultimately he will be instrumental in the resources that France provides to the Americans.
In a mild but memorable display of his super power when he led a light infantry division, he didn’t just command it. He helped equip it buying swords for all the NCOs.
