He was nineteen when he first arrived in America. He was 67 when he made a second crossing from France to visit the scenes of his youth. Welcome was offered to the young man named Gilbert duMotier, the Marquis de la Fayette in 1777 when he came to join the Continental Army. Born to nobility and trained in a French Military Academy, the young soldier knew that the colonists across the Atlantic were revolting against the mighty British crown. He was inspired by their cause and set off, using his own money and resources, to join the revolution here in the colonies. So earnest was his presentation of skill and ambition to the officers of the newly forming army here, that he was transported to General George Washington who accepted his enlistment and promoted him quickly. Young Lafayette fought with the continental forces up through Pennsylvania, distinguishing himself leading a company in the Battle of Brandywine. He moved up the ranks to become a major general and up the coast to Rhode Island where he continued to fight with the Americans.

Lafayette witnessed the struggles of the Continentals who had few supplies to be effective against the well-armed British. He sailed home to France and used his influence as a member of a noble family to persuade the French government to invest in our fight for independence. His lobbying paid off and France sent not only supplies but troops. Being such a passionate advocate for the American cause endeared young General Lafayette to his American comrades but his own personality and idealism is what made him beloved over here.

Young Gilbert, always called by his titled name, Lafayette, joined the patriot cause because his sentiments matched those of the American colonists. He believed that all men are indeed created equal. Thus, he rallied for a nation that would make that its legal compass. Lafayette stood firmly against slavery that had taken root in America and hoped the new nation’s constitution would abolish it completely. As an American officer, he encouraged participation and led the soldiers who enlisted for freedom from every social class, including native peoples he encountered on this continent. In New York, the Oneida people quickly came to trust him and join his company. They called him Great Warrior. Generations later, his name was invoked when freedom was the cause. General Pershing stepped down on French soil as he led American troops into World War I saying the two words, “Lafayette, we are here,” indicating America’s debt to the hero of our revolution as France now needed that debt repaid. Suffragists repeated the call when they protested for voting rights outside the U.S. Capitol: “Lafayette, we are here! We, the women of the United States denied the liberty which you helped to gain.”

Lafayette suffered along with his American brethren throughout the war, being wounded in battle and falling ill from disease just as his soldiers did. He spent weeks recovering near the end of the war over in Fishkill where the army hospital was located. Memories of his kind friendship passed down through generations of local families.

Thus, the Hudson Valley was the first stop and the highlight of Lafayette’s grand return tour of America in 1824. President James Monroe invited him to be “the nation’s guest” that year as the United States celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of the Revolution. He arrived accompanied by his son, George Washington Lafayette (named to honor his dear friend). President Monroe knew that the American founders were dying out and he wanted them to enjoy a reunion and wanted the nation to chronicle their stories.

It is hard to envision today what an outpouring of love and admiration America felt for the Marquis. Thousands turned out to greet Lafayette along his route through American towns – usually many times more than each local population. In Newburgh, 30,000 people stood waiting at the dock and along Front, Water, Colden and Smith Streets for the general to disembark from a steamboat and parade up to the Orange Hotel on Water Street for a grand dinner. Newburgh had a population of only 4,000 that year so neighbors came from far and wide. Days had been spent earlier in September constructing floral arches and painting welcoming tribute signs. Seamstresses and tailors were busy at home and in shops for weeks before the event making sure every outfit looked perfect to be seen by the beloved old patriot and patron of America.

Much more can be learned about Lafayette’s 1824 tour, including many glimpses into local stories, by searching through websites created for this 200th anniversary. One of the best is compiled by Dutchess County Historical Society: dchsny.org/Lafayette. There is an informative short video posted at: Lafayette200.org. To know more about the hero’s welcome given in Newburgh September 15, 1824, come to the Newburgh Historical Society, 189 Montgomery Street at 7 p.m. on Thursday evening, September 19th. The society’s Research Manager, Jeff Doolittle, will discuss the events surrounding Lafayette’s Newburgh visit and show off a couple of artifacts saved from that momentous day.