LAFAYETTE 95 cans. At the end of three weeks he returned to France, and without passing through Paris hastened to Bordeaux. Here he learned that the British ambassador at Paris had penetrated his design, and that the government had given orders for his arrest. Though his ship was not quite ready,' he instantly made sail for Pasages, the nearest port in Spain, where he had scarcely arrived when he was waited upon by two French officers with an order from the king of France directing him to go to Mar- seilles. They also brought letters from his rel- atives censuring his conduct, and requesting him to return home; but his wife, who was devotedly attached to him, and who shared his enthusiasm for American liberty, wrote urging him to stand firm and to proceed on his enter- prise. He returned with the officers to Bor- deaux by land, leaving his vessel at Pasages, and in apparent obedience to the royal com- mand set out for Marseilles; but soon after leaving Bordeaux he took the road to Spain, and, though closely pursued, reached Pasages, where he instantly put to sea. He was accom- panied by 11 officers, among them the German veteran Baron de Kalb. His departure created a great sensation not only in France but in England. The passage to America was long and stormy, and there was much danger from the English cruisers on the coast. Lafayette and his companions, however, landed in the night near Georgetown, S. 0., and, though at first taken for a party of the enemy, were at length received and hospitably entertained in the house of Major Huger, who conveyed them the next day, April 25, 1777, to Charleston, where they were received with enthusiasm. " The sensation produced by his appearance in this country," says Mr. Ticknor, "was, of course, much greater than that produced in Europe by his departure. It still stands forth as one of the most prominent and important circumstances in our revolutionary contest; and, as has often been said by one who bore no small part in its trials and success, none but those who were then alive can believe what an impulse it gave to the hopes of a pop- ulation almost disheartened by a long series of disasters," Lafayette proceeded by land to Philadelphia, where congress was then in ses- sion, and on his arrival addressed a letter to the president of that body, asking leave to enter the army as a volunteer and to serve without pay. Congress expressed its high sense of the value of his example and of his personal worth by the following resolution" : "Whereas the marquis de Lafayette, out of his great zeal to the cause of liberty, in which the United States are engaged, has left his family and connections, and at his own ex- pense come over to offer his services to the United States, without pension or particular allowance, and is anxious to risk his life in our cause : Resolved, that his services be accepted, and that, in consideration of his zeal, illustrious family and connections, he have the rank and 474 VOL. x. 7 commission of major general in the army of the United States." His commission was dated July 31, 1777, while he yet lacked more than a month of being 20 years old. Congress consid- ered the appointment merely honorary ; but it speedily became apparent that Lafayette was bent on serious service, and was well qualified to command. Washington and Lafayette met for the first time at a dinner party in Phila- delphia. Lafayette made a highly favorable impression, and at the close of the entertain- ment Washington took him aside, thanked him warmly for the sacrifices he had made in the American cause, and invited him to regard himself at all times as a member of his military family. The personal acquaintance thus com- menced soon ripened into an intimacy that was never for a moment interrupted. The private correspondence of Washington shows that he not only felt for Lafayette the warmest affec- tion, but entertained the highest opinion of his military talent, personal probity, and general prudence and energy. The youthful major general was first in active service at the bat- tle of Brandy wine, Sept. 11, where he had no separate command, but was attached to the staff of Washington as a volunteer. He plunged into the hottest of the fight, and when the de- feated Americans began to retreat, threw him- self from his horse, entered the ranks, and ex- erted himself to rally them. He was shot by a musket ball through the leg, but was uncon- scious of the wound till his aide told him that the blood was running from his boot. He rode with a surgeon to Chester, but would not suffer his wound to be dressed till he had re- stored order among the troops who were re- treating in confusion through the village. It was two months before his hurt was sufficiently healed to enable him to join the army. On Dec. 1 congress resolved " that Gen. Washing- ton be informed that it is highly agreeable to congress that the marquis de Lafayette be ap- pointed to the command of a division in the continental army." This resolve was passed at the request of Washington himself, who three days afterward directed Lafayette to take com- mand of the division of Gen. Stephen, who had been dismissed. About this period the board of war, of which Gates was the head and which had been created and was controlled by the faction hostile to Washington, planned an ex- pedition to Canada which was approved by congress ; and Lafayette was appointed to the command in the expectation that so flattering a distinction would attach him to the party by whom it was conferred. The first intimation that Washington had of the project was from the letter to Lafayette announcing his appoint- ment. The young Frenchman, indignant at the slight offered to his chief in not consulting him, carried the letter immediately to Washing- ton, told him he saw through the artifice, and would be governed by his advice. Washington advised him to accept the appointment, but told him he did not know where the means could
