Lafayette, Marquis

de (Marie Jean Panl Joseph Roche Yves Gilbert du Motier] (September 6, 1757—May 20, 1834), a French general, was born in Auvergne of a noble family distinguished in the service of the State. As a boy he was a page to the queen. He was still a mere youth when the outhreak of the American Revolution excited the sympathy of many high-spirited young French men, Lafayette among others. Having equipped a ship at his own expense, he sailed from Bordeaux, with the nominal disapproval of the French Government, in April, 1777. Landing in South Carolina, he proceeded northward, was in July appointed a major-general, and soon became a fast friend of Washington. He was wounded at Brandy wine, served at Mon mouth and in the Rhode Island campaign, and sailed for France in 1779, returning in time to sit on the board of judges against André. In 1781 he commanded in Virginia against Arnold and then against Cornwall is, and earned distinction by his conduct of affairs against the able British general. After the war he returned to France, paid in 1784 a short visit to America, and on the breaking out of the French Revolution he was for a time one of the foremost figures. He commanded the National Guard, but by 1792 the Jacobins removed him, as a moderate, from the eastern department; escaping to Belgium he fell into the hands of the Pru ians and Austrians and was imprisoned, chiefly at Olmiitz, until 1797. He did not accept office during the Napoleonic régime; but was a member of the Chamber of Deputies in the Restoration period. In 1824-25 he visited the United Statcs and was received with the utmost enthusiasm. His last conspicuous service was as commander of the National Guard in the revolutionary days of 1830, Lafitte, Jean (1780?-1826), pirate, came to New Orleans from France about 1809. With his brother Pierre he engaged in smuggling and piracy. Attempts to destroy their traffic were unsucce ful and they made a settlement at Barataria, on the island of Grand Terre. In 1814 the British made him tempting offers to engage against the United States during the war, but they were refused, and the documents containing the proposals were sent to the Congre . Believing them forgeries the Government sent an expedition against the buccaneers and destroyed their settlement. They afterward joined the forces of General Jackson and served during the war, on promise of pardon. From 1817 to 1821 Lafitte occupied Galveston, nominally as Mexican Governor. 388