ALABAMA, AL (22)

Between 1778 and 1783,
44 177 French soldiers and sailors fought aside the “American Insurgents”,
5 040 gave their lives for their independence.

Between 1776 and 1783, France spent 1.3 billion French pounds. A huge debt for the time that drained the Treasure of the Kingdom.

The 13 English colonies / American Revolution

LAFAYETTE INVOLVEMENT DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR
He enlisted as a volunteer without pay alongside the « Insurgents » of the 13 English colonies in America who declared independence unilaterally July 4, 1776

Lafayette as a Major General in the continental army — *Marquis de Lafayette as a Major General of Continental Army in 1779.*
*Portrait by Charles Willson Peale*

* Lafayette: First military campaign: from June 1777 to January 1779

* Lafayette: Back in France to plead the cause of the “Insurgents”: from February 1779 to March 1780

*Lafayette second military campaign: from April 1780 to December 1781

FRANCE INVOLVEMENT DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Louis XVI – King of France and Navarre

1768-1777 – France secretly helps the American Insurgents

1768: Baron de Kalb a Bavarian-born French military, traveled to America on a covert mission (to determine the level of discontent among colonists) on behalf of France.
1775-1776-1777: France secretly sent military supplies. During these three years, France had been sent secretly to the American rebels over five million French pounds “livres tournois” (French Pound) of aid.

1778-1782 – France officially and fully aids the American Insurgents

*1778-1779 – 1st “French Expedition” under Comte d’Estaing
*1780-1781-1782- 2nd “French Expedition” under Comte de Rochambeau
*1781- The French Navy under Comte de Grasse joins the Franco-American ground Forces in Yorktown, VA

(No involvement. The State did not exist in 1765-1783)

Go to the 13 states involved: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts (South and North), New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia.

TOPIC VI (T6) – LAFAYETTE VISIT (August 4 to December 22, 1784)

Road markers, places, objects…

(No visit. The State did not exist in 1784)

In 1784, Lafayette visited all the 13 States of America except Georgia, where he enjoyed an enthusiastic welcome.

Go to the States visited: Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts (South and North today Maine), New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Virginia).

united_states_1783_1803

The United States 1783-1803

TOPIC VII (T7) – LAFAYETTE’S FAREWELL TOUR (1824-1825)

Road markers, places, objects…

usa-map-1825

The The United States 1825 and the 24 states visited : Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine (ex-Massachusetts / North part), Maryland, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia. Plus Washington D.C.

*General Lafayette in 1825 by Matthew Harris Jouett*

Detailed Timeline

Arriving from County Chattahoochee now in GA

March 31, 1825 – Crosses the Chattahoochee River into Alabama and stays in Fort Mitchell.

Fort Mitchell, AL

http://www.lat34north.com/historicmarkersal/MarkerDetail.cfm?KeyID=56-016&MarkerTitle=Fort%20Mitchell

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Mitchell,_Alabama

After staying overnight at the fort, they begin their route west to Montgomery via military escort through Creek territory.

http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1088

April 1825
• April 3 – Lafayette arrives in Montgomery/Alabama

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montgomery,_Alabama

Capitol grounds

Montgomery bell

This bell is known as the “Lafayette Bell”. It was rung in Montgomery when Gen. Lafayette, visited Alabama on his tour of America. (Contributed by Alabama Department of Archives and History) Credit: http://www.al.com

http://digital.archives.alabama.gov/digital/collection/photo/id/19570

Montgomery capitol 1

This marker or “Boulder” on the grounds of the Alabama Capitol in Montgomery was dedicated in 1925 on the 100th anniversary of a visit by the Marquis de Lafayette April 3, 1825. In 1825, the area on the outskirts of Montgomery was called Goat Hill and the state capitol was in Cahaba. (Contributed by Waymarking.com/xptwo) / Credit www.al.com

Lucas Tavern

https://exploringmontgomery.com/lucas-tavern/

Monjtgomery - Lucas tavern 3

Lucas Tavern when it stood on the Old Federal Road in Waugh, Ala.

Montgomery - Lucas tavern

Lucas Tavern was moved from its original location marked by this sign to Old Alabama Town in Montgomery.

Montgomery - Lucas tavern 4

Today, it is an educational and tourist attraction with a display of period furniture in the room where Lafayette slept. (Contributed by Old Alabama Town)

LUcas Tavern Lafayette room Lafayette spent the night at Lucas Tavern. The room where Gen. Lafayette stayed during his 1825 visit to Alabama (Contributed by the Alabama Department of Archives and History and also Southern Memories and Updates.com). Credit: www.al.com

Freeny’s Tavern

Montgomery - Freeny's Tavern 1

On April 4, Lafayette was honored with a dinner followed by a ball at Freeny’s Tavern in Montgomery before members of the party went up to the Alabama River on steamboats toward Selma.

Montgomery - Freeny's tavern 2

This marker is located on Commerce Street in Montgomery.

Montgomery - freeny's tavern 3

It says ‘On this site stood, until December 1899, the house in which Marquis de Lafayette was given a public reception and ball, April 4, 1825, while on his last tour through the United States

(This tablet is placed by the Society of the Sons of the Revolution in the State of Alabama in lasting memory of this illustrious patriot and soldier of the Revolution, the friend of Washington and the youthful champion of liberty.’ (Contributed by Waymarking.com/xptwo)Credit http://www.al.com)

• April 4–6 – Lafayette’s party boards two boats, the Balize, and the Henderson, and makes its way over the Alabama River through Selma,

-through the ill-fated, the newly platted capital city of Cahaba,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cahaba,_Alabama

-and then meet with members of the French Vine and Olive Bonapartist refugee colony (from near present-day Demopolis).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vine_and_Olive_Colony

-The party makes a brief stop in Claiborne.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claiborne,_Alabama

Selma, AL

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selma,_Alabama

selma 1

This marker in Selma commemorates the visit of the Marquis de Lafayette, describing him as ‘Soldier of France, Volunteer in the Cause of American Liberty, Guest of the Nation, entertained in Selma on his way to Cahaba, 1825.’ (Contributed by Waymarking.com/hoteltwo) Credit www.al.com

Selma 3

The Prince Charley Oak on the King plantation near Selma was a gift from the Marquis de Lafayette to William Rufus King, the only U.S. vice president from Alabama, during Lafayette’s U.S. tour in 1825. This photo was taken in the 1930s or 1940s, according to the Alabama Department of Archives and History. Credit: www.al.com

Perdue Hill, AL

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perdue_Hill,_Alabama

Perdue Hill

The Masonic Lodge located at Perdue Hill. Gen. Lafayette attended a ceremony to lay the cornerstone of this building during his visit to Alabama in 1825. (Contributed by RuralSWAlabama.org) Credit: http://www.al.com

• April 7 – Lafayette arrives in Mobile/Alabama

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile,_Alabama

Mobile Bay, AL

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Bay

Mobile Bay

Lafayette and his party left Mobile Bay in Alabama aboard the steamer The Natchez.

The party was headed to New Orleans. (Painting of The Natchez) / (Contributed by Wikipedia Commons)Credit: http://www.al.com

• April 8 – Governor Pickens accompanies Lafayette by steamboat down Mobile Bay to Mobile Point, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_Point where he joins an official welcoming party from Louisiana. He boards the original steamer Natchez (built in 1823) which takes him to New Orleans to continue his tour of America.

•   April 11 – Chalmette/Louisiana. New Orleans lodges in the Cabildo
•   April 15 – On the steamer Natchez up the Mississippi River towards Baton Rouge/Louisiana
•   April 16 – Brief stop Duncan’s Point, and Baton Rouge for a reception.
•   April 18 – Natchez/Mississippi.
•   April 28 – Carondelet/Missouri.
•   April 29 – Louis/Missouri.
•   April 30 – Kaskaskia, Illinois, (once the French capital of Upper Louisiana).
May 1825
•   May 4 – Nashville/Tennessee.
•   May 8–9 – The steamboat Mechanic, conveying Lafayette to Louisville/Kentucky, sinks on « Ohio ». New steamboat Paragon.
•   May 11 –Louisville/Kentucky. Jeffersonville/ Indiana. (Lafayette crosses the Ohio River from Louisville to spend a day He returns to Louisville that evening)
•   May 12–13 – Louisville/Kentucky
•   May 14 – Frankfort/Kentucky.
•   May 15 – Lexington/Kentucky.
•   May 16–17 – Lexington/Kentucky
•   May 18 –Georgetown/Kentucky.
•   May 19–20 – Cincinnati/Ohio.
•   May 21 –Maysville/Kentucky. Heading to Gallipolis/Ohio (Our House Tavern).

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