Program

Lafayette Trail

Subject

Event, People, Site

Location

343 Highland Rd, Tiverton, RI 02878, USA

Lat/Long

41.625196278123, -71.207928670208

Grant Recipient

The Lafayette Trail, Inc.

Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757-1834), was a French nobleman and captain in the French Dragoons. In April 1777, Lafayette sailed on the Victoire, a ship built with his personal funds, for North America to serve as a military leader in the American Revolution, despite a royal decree prohibiting French officers from serving. Shortly after his arrival, the Continental Congress commissioned him as a major general serving under George Washington.  Wounded during the Battle of Brandywine, Lafayette managed to organize a successful Patriot retreat. Early in 1779, he returned to France to negotiate an increase in support from the French government, securing thousands of French troops to fight for the American cause. As one of three division commanders, Lafayette played a pivotal role in the 1781 Battle of Yorktown. He succeeded in containing Lord Cornwallis’s men, allowing time for additional French and American forces to arrive and lay siege to the British troops, forcing Cornwallis to surrender and ensuring American victory.

During the Battle of Rhode Island, which took place on August 29^th, 1778, General Lafayette had been sent north to Boston, MA to meet with Admiral D’Estaing, and briefly meet with General John Hancock. Lafayette’s presence was required as a diplomat, to work with Count D’Estaing to coordinating the French alliance.

Due to this brief diplomatic trip to Boston, Lafayette had missed the action in Rhode Island entirely, and he was unhappy about it, as he wrote in his letter to George Washington from Tiverton, RI. He wrote, “That there has been an action fought where I could have been, and where I was not, is a thing which will seem as extraordinary to you as it seems to myself… People say I don’t want an action; but if it is not necessary to my reputation as a tolerable private soldier, it would at least add to my satisfaction and pleasure” (Major General Lafayette to George Washington, 1 September 1778, Founders Online).

Despite Lafayette’s disappointment at having “missed the action” of the battle, he returned in time for the retreat, joining his troops in Tiverton where they camped and regrouped after the battle. Lafayette also reported to Washington that General Sullivan’s decisions and actions were well made and did him “great honor”. He also reported in his letter the results of his meeting with Admiral D’Estaing in Boston, entreating Washington to allow the Admiral to sail the French navy south to help re-take Rhode Island.

General Lafayette also reported to Washington that General Sullivan had given him charge of the Warren, Bristol, and eastern shore area, where he would move next on September 2^nd with his troops to defend. He describes an uncertain situation, as he had few troops, and they were still recovering from the Battle of Rhode Island.