Submitted by Leona Baker, Historical Society of Salisbury Township

Each year on July Fourth, we celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America. But we must not forget that long years of war followed. Considerable diplomatic effort by Benjamin Franklin and his cortege persuaded many in France to help this cause. Marquis de Lafayette, a wealthy aristocrat, was one of those who came to the aid of the struggling army led by Gen. George Washington.

Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette was born in France in 1757. Though of an old aristocratic family, he developed a fascination with the Colonial conflict brewing in America. He explained in a letter to his wife, "The welfare of America is intimately connected with the happiness of all mankind; she will become the respectable and safe asylum of virtue, integrity, tolerance, equality and a peaceful liberty."

In 1777, he sailed across the Atlantic to aid that cause for freedom. Shortly after arriving, he became a member of George Washington's staff. Because of his "bravery and military ardour" at the battle of Brandywine in Chester County, Congress soon gave the Frenchman command of his own division. Washington and Lafayette were close companions throughout the war.

After the American Revolution, Lafayette returned to France to fight for liberty and equality "for all mankind." As a statesman, he befriended Native Americans, defended the rights of French Protestants and Jews, backed national revolutions in Europe and South America, spoke out against capital punishment and became an international advocate of the antislavery movement. In 1789, with some input from Thomas Jefferson, Lafayette co-authored the Declaration of the Rights of Man, a preliminary step to a constitution for the Republic of France.

As the United States prepared to celebrate its 50th anniversary, President James Monroe invited Lafayette to return to the United States for a Grand Tour of America in 1824-25. At every stop on the tour, people greeted the last significant surviving general of the American Revolution with cheers and celebrations. When touring through Lancaster County, the Marquis stayed at Amos Slaymaker's White Chimneys. He later presented Amos with a carved gold-headed cane.

Lafayette died in Paris on May 20, 1834, and was buried in Picpus Cemetery with soil from Bunker Hill, site of the first shot fired in the American Revolution in Boston, Mass.

Lafayette College in Easton is the only college in America to bear his name. Lafayette's sword, taken from him when he was captured in Austria in 1792, is one of the most precious artifacts in the Marquis de Lafayette Collections at Lafayette College. It is brought out during commencement and other special ceremonies at the college.

On Aug. 7, 2002, an Act of Congress made Lafayette an honorary citizen of the United States, an honor afforded to only eight individuals.

Extraordinarily, "Gen. Lafayette" will return to these shores, and Salisbury Township will be right in the middle of the celebration. A Lafayette re-enactor and his entourage will stop at that same White Chimneys for a high tea and further celebration later this month.

For the past two years, the official Lafayette Project has been preparing for the re-enactment and the Historical Society of Salisbury Township is also preparing for its part in the activities. Historical society members are currently looking for the loan of artifacts of the 1760 to 1850 era to exhibit during the event.

Some information for this article was gathered from https://about.lafayette.edu/mission-and-history-old/the-marquis-de-lafayette and http://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/marquis-de-lafayette.