mand of General Sullivan, which was exposed to the fiercest onset of Cornwallis. Seeing the ranks broken, he dismounted from his horse, and sought to rally the flying troops. While thus engaged, a musket ball passed through his leg, happily without touching the bone. In his excitement, he did not perceive the wound, till his aid called his attention to the blood running from his boot. He then mounted his horse; his wound was bandaged by a surgeon, and he rode to Chester, where he was cared for, and the next day taken to Philadelphia. Thence he passed to Bristol, where he was met by Mr. Henry Laurens, who, happening to go through the place on the adjournment of Congress, conveyed him in his carriage to the happy settlement of the Moravians, at Bethlehem, at whose quiet retreat he passed two months, waiting for the healing of his wound.

of his family. It was the beginning was in the thickest perils of that enof a life-long intimacy, a friendship gagement, in the centre of the com which Washington bequeathed to the nation. If there lived a man," said Edward Everett, in his eulogy of the illustrious Frenchman, "whom Washington loved, it was Lafayette. The proofs of this are not wanting by those who have read the history of the Revolution; but the prviate correspondence of these two great men discloses the full extent of the mutual regard and affection which united them. It not only shows that Washington entertained the highest opinion of the military talent, the personal probity, and the general prudence and energy of Lafayette, but that he regarded him with the tenderness of a father; and found in the affection which Lafayette bore to him, in return, one of the greatest comforts and blessings of his own life." "It is a picture," says Washington Irving, "well worthy to be hung up in history-this cordial and enduring alliance of the calm, dignified, sedate Washington, mature in years and wisdom, and the young, buoyant, enthusiastic Lafayette."

In a review of the troops, which took place not long after, at which Lafayette was present, Washington remarked, "We must feel embarrassed to exhibit ourselves before an officer who has just quitted French troops." "It is to learn, and not to teach, that I come hither," was the modest reply. Lafayette was with the army as a volunteer, till the month of September, when he took part in the battle of Brandywine. He

'Irving's Washington, III. 146.

The peaceful influences at Bethlehem, however, did not turn his attention from the thoughts of war. He, on the contrary, employed his leisure in sending communications to the French governor at Martinique, urging an attack upon the British islands, under American colors, and wrote, beside, to M. de Maurepas, advising an attack on the English factories of the East Indies. The old minister thought the latter a good project, though he declined it as inexpedient.

The young soldier, chafing in his con. finement, had but imperfectly recovered from his wound, when he joined the camp, and accompanied General Greene,

as a volunteer, into New Jersey. He has left us a piteous account of the Though gifted with the title of Major condition of the unfurnished troops in General, he, as yet, had no separate that inclement season, of their need and command. He was, however, eager for their sufferings, and has told us how the fight, and with juvenile impetu-" he adopted in every respect the osity, sought every opportunity for ac- American dress, habits, and food, wishtion. This was shown in a spirited ing to be more simple, frugal and affair which he conducted while lead- austere than the Americans theming a reconnoitering party of Greene's selves." It was the period, too, of troops in November, to the neighbor- those machinations in Congress, grow hood of the Delaware, where he was in ing out of disaffection to Washington, danger of being cut off; he escaped, which threatened at the moment greatly however, and had a very pretty conflict to impair the efficiency of the army with a strong Hessian outpost of the Gates, flushed with his victory at Saraenemy, which he alighted upon, in- toga, was set up at the head of the flicting serious loss, and taking some newly constituted Board of War, and twenty prisoners. His exhilaration in it became the fashion with a certain this encounter is indicated in his letter class to praise him at the expense of to Washington describing the engage- the commander-in-chief. In the course ment. "I never saw men," he wrote, of this intrigue, it was attempted to "so merry, so spirited, and so desirous embroil Lafayette, by diverting him to go on to the enemy, whatever force from Washington, to the separate comthey might have, as that small party in mand of an expedition, planned in Conthis little fight." General Greene wrote gress, against Canada. The scheme to Washington, "The Marquis is deter- was concocted by Gates and his friends, mined to be in the way of danger." without consulting the commander-inIn communicating the intelligence to chief, who did not hear of it till Lafay Congress, Washington urged some pro- ette was informed of his appointment. vision for the military employment of A formal letter, asking his advice, was his friend. "I am convinced," he wrote, then sent to Washington, who wished "he possesses a large share of that the affair success, and encouraged Lafay military ardor which generally charette, of whose fidelity he was assured, acterizes the nobility of his country." to undertake it. The conspirators had Congress upon this seconded the recommendation, and he was accordingly given the command of the division, mostly of Virginians, vacated by the removal of General Stephens.

The winter quarters of the army that year were at Valley Forge, and there Lafayette shared the councils, and partook of the anxieties of Washington.

caught a Tartar in the French marquis, whom they had fancied a showy head for the expedition, with the real authority in the hands of their tool, Conway, who was to be second in com mand. A little incident, which oc curred on Lafayette's arrival at their camp, must have gone far to convince them of this. The scene is thus hap

pily presented by Irving: "The General, | on his wintry journey, in February, to on his appointment, proceeded to York, the rendezvous at Albany. The pros where Gates already had his little court of schemers and hangers-on. Lafayette found him at table, presiding with great hilarity, for he was social in his habits, and in the flush of recent success. The young marquis had a cordial welcome to his board, which, in its buoyant conviviality, contrasted with the sober decencies of the commanderin-chief, in his dreary encampment at Valley Forge. Gates, in his excitement, was profuse of promises. Everything was to be smooth and easy for Lafayette. He was to have at least two thousand five hundred fighting men under him. Stark-the veteran Stark -was ready to coöperate with a body of Green Mountain boys. 'Indeed,' cried Gates, chuckling, 'General Stark will have burnt the fleet before your arrival.' It was near the end of the repast. The wine had circulated freely, and toasts had been given, according to the custom of the day. The marquis thought it time to show his flag. One toast,' he observed, 'had been omitted, which he would now propose.' Glasses were filled, and he gave, 'The Commander-in-Chief of the American Armies.' The toast was received without cheering."

In addition to this, Lafayette was a good strategist enough to appoint his friend, Baron de Kalb, to the expedition, whose commission, being of an older date, superseded Conway in his command. Having arranged this and other stipulations, the Marquis set out

'Irving's Washington, III. 352.

pect was not very cheering, if we may judge from his letter, written on the way, to Washington. "I go on slowly," he says, "sometimes drenched with rain, sometimes covered with snow, and not entertaining many handsome thoughts about the projected incursion into Canada. Lake Champlain is too cold to produce one sprig of laurel; and, if I am not starved, I shall be as proud as if I had gained three battles." The prospect was not at all improved at Albany. Men and equipments were alike wanting. In fact, the whole enterprise, greatly to the mortification of the Marquis, was abandoned. He expressed his fears of the ridicule which might attach to such a fruitless undertaking, frankly to Washington, but the latter chose to see in it at least an hon orable appointment, and consoled his anxious young friend accordingly. The Marquis returned with De Kalb to Valley Forge, where, in the month of May, they had the satisfaction of finding their "winter of discontent" turned into "glorious summer" by the news of the French alliance, which was celebrated at the camp with unusual fervor, in consequence of the presence of Lafay

ette.

A few days after this festivity, the Marquis was sent forward with a considerable detachment of the army to a position midway between the camp and the British at Philadelphia. He was thus stationed at Barren Hill, on the Schuylkill, when Clinton planned an expedition, in three divisions, to sur round and capture him; and the plan

at one moment promised to be success- care and visits of Washington, and ful, when Lafayette, by an adroit move- early in January, 1779, he was enabled ment, relieved his force from its perils to embark. After a rough voyage, by a masterly retreat. The British aggravated by an attempt at mutiny withdrew from Philadelphia not long on the part of some British prisoners after, and were intercepted on the shipped with the crew, the Alliance march to New York by the battle of entered Brest. In France, an enthusiMonmouth. The command of the ad- astic reception awaited him. After a vance, in the movements preceding this few days' formal expiation of his preengagement, was, on Lee's declining it, vious neglect of the royal mandates in given to Lafayette, who yielded it retirement, he was everywhere received again when that eccentric officer re- with triumph. He did not, we may pented of his indecision and claimed it. be sure, neglect the interests of AmeWhen the armies were brought to- rica in this season of favor, but turned gether, Lafayette bore his part in the his influence to account in promoting affairs of the day in his command of her fortunes. He was mainly instruthe second line. The next incident of mental in forwarding the army of his military career was his employment Rochambeau, and so great was his in Rhode Island, under the command eagerness in pushing his applications of General Sullivan, where he was en- for men and money, that the venerable gaged in important conferences with Count de Maurepas said that to clothe the French fleet of the Count d'Estaing, the army he would willingly unfurnish and subsequently at Boston, urging his the Palace of Versailles. The remark countrymen to action, and, when the had a flavor of prophecy in it unsusopportunity had gone by, reconciling pected by the old minister. the animosities which grew out of the neglect. At the end of the campaign, considering it to be his duty to offer his services to his country in the war which had broken out between that nation and England, he requested from Congress leave of absence to return to France, which was granted, with thanks and the compliment of decreeing him a sword for his many services. He carried, moreover, an extraordinary letter of recommendation addressed by Congress to the King of France.

On his way to Boston, to sail in the frigate Alliance, he was detained by serious illness at Fishkill. The detention, however was alleviated by the

The cause of America being thus strengthened by his services abroad, he returned to take part again in its conflicts, after only a few months' absence. He was landed in Boston by a French frigate, in April, and became immediately engaged in adjusting the reception and employment of the new troops from his country. It was while thus occupied with Washington in a journey to meet Rochambeau, that the treason of Arnold occurred; and at the subsequent trial of Andre, Lafayette sat as one of the board of general officers which composed the court. When Ar nold made his appearance in Virginia, Lafayette was sent to coöperate with