The 250th anniversary of the birth of the Marquis de Lafayette, whom Fayette County as well as its county seat Fayetteville, was named for was marked on September 6 of this year.

The Peachtree City Public Library is sponsoring a commemorative event in his honor on Saturday, October 6, at 7 p.m. at City Hall in Peachtree City. The featured speaker will be Dr. Lloyd Kramer, Chair of the Department of History at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill and author of “Lafayette in Two Worlds: Public Cultures & Private Identities in an Age of Revolutions.” The event is free and open to the public.

Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier Lafayette was a French military officer and former aristocrat who participated in both the American and French revolutions. Lafayette served in the American Revolutionary War both as a general and as a diplomat, serving entirely without pay in both roles.

A wealthy orphan with a title, at age 19 Lafayette visited the Continental Congress and offered his services as an unpaid volunteer. Thus, Congress passed a resolution, on July 31, 1777, "that his services be accepted, and that, in consideration of his zeal, illustrious family, and connections, he have the rank and commission of major-general of the United States." The next day, Lafayette met George Washington, who became his lifelong friend. They became so close that Lafayette named his son George Washington-Lafayette and asked General Washington to be his son's godfather, which Washington accepted.

Lafayette's first battle was Brandywine on September 11, 1777, where he was wounded in the leg. Shortly afterwards, he secured the command of a division. He also took a leading role in the Battles of Monmouth and Yorktown. He showed his zeal by borrowing money on his own account to provide his soldiers with necessaries. The siege of Yorktown, in which Lafayette bore an honorable if not a distinguished part, was the last of the war, and terminated his military career.

It is interesting to note that despite Lafayette and Washington’s close friendship, they did not see eye to eye on slavery. Although Lafayette owned slaves at one time, he freed them and was actively interested in the abolitionist cause. He urged Washington to free his as an example to others. Lafayette purchased an estate in French Guiana and settled his own slaves there, and he offered a place for Washington's slaves, writing, "I would never have drawn my sword in the cause of America if I could have conceived thereby that I was founding a land of slavery." Nevertheless, Washington did not free his own slaves in his lifetime, and in fact could not free most of the slaves at Mount Vernon because they belonged to his wife's estate. Documentation and letters in his Mount Vernon residence do show that he wished for all his slaves to be freed after his death, and Washington's last will and testament provided accordingly.

Lafayette also proved a key figure in the early phases of the French Revolution. He permanently renounced the title “Marquis” before the French National Assembly in June, 1790. As various factions were vying for power, he fell out of favor and was ordered arrested by the Jacobin party. He fled France and was eventually arrested by the Austrians. He spent time in both Austrian and Prussian prisons. Lafayette was released in 1797; however, Napoleon would not allow his return to France for several years. He continued to be active in French and European politics until his death in 1834.

Lafayette was twice granted honorary citizenship of the United States, first in 1824 (along with his descendants in perpetuity), and again, posthumously in 2002; one of only six specific persons so honored.

Many U.S. towns and cities are named in his honor including our own Fayetteville. Lafayette College was chartered in Easton, Pennsylvania in 1826 and three U.S. naval vessels have been named after him, the most recent being the nuclear Fleet Ballistic Missile submarine USS Lafayette (SSBN-616) which served until 1991.

During World War I, General Pershing’s aide, Colonel C.E. Stanton, made a speech at Lafayette’s tomb in Paris on July 4, 1917, signifying the repaying of debt to the French, who had assisted in the United States in gaining its independence.

“What we have of blood and treasure are yours,” Stanton intoned. “In the presence of the illustrious dead, we pledge our hearts and our honor in carrying the war to a successful conclusion.”

“Lafayette, we are here!” was the final line of his speech.

During World War II, the American flag was draped on his grave, even though it was in Nazi-occupied territory. Portraits of Washington and Lafayette hang to this day in the chamber of the U.S. House of Representatives.

For more information on the Lafayette Commemoration in Peachtree City, visit www.peachtree-city.org/library or call 770-631-2520.

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