"Hero of Two Worlds: The Marquis de Lafayette in the Age" Topic

…of Revolution

Of possible interest?

link

Also…

Bloody Ban: Banastre Tarleton and the American Revolution, 1776 – 1783

link

Armand

Appropriate given the anniversary of Yorktown

The 'historical' picture of Lafayette in the War of the Revolution is largely fiction.

To better understand his character, study his actions and attitudes during the French Revolution and the Napoleonic period.

He is vastly overrated as both a man and a soldier.

He may be seen as a 'hero' in the United States, but he was hardly even close to that in France from 1792-1815.

(smile)

Armand

I have always likened LaFayette to privileged hippies in the 70s going to Cuba to cut sugar cane for Fidel.

It is hardly fair to fault La Fayette for 1792 to 1815. La Fayette was opposed to both the Jacobins and to Napoleon. The Jacobins saw him as a monarchist, wanted him dead and had an arrest warrant issued for him. Napoleon was content to have La Fayette sidelined for much of his reign. You may fault La Fayette for calling for Napoleon's abdication in 1815, but La Fayette was far from alone in that position. The period after the fall of Robespierre when La Fayette could potentially have played a role in pushing for an effective moderate Republic La Fayette was being held by the Prussians and Austrians.

Outside the period from 1792 until 1814 when he was being held prisoner or was sidelined La Fayette was fairly effective.

'Fair' has nothing to do with it. Lafayette was the author of his own gathering misfortunes between 1792-1815.

Lafayette fled from France after the Tuileries was stormed in 1792 and that act increased the troops' suspicions of the loyalty of their officers, causing some, such as General Theobold Dillon to be brutally murdered by his own troops,

He was imprisoned by the Austrians for his defection and his release from prison in 1797 was accomplished by Napoleon's intervention and Napoleon gave him a generous pension. Lafayette gave Napoleon no gratitude or loyalty for his generosity.

Conversely, Latour-Maubourg, the competent and famous cavalry commander, had fled with Lafayette and when Napoleon secured his release he loyally served him and was a general of division by 1808. The Germans who served under him in 1812 dubbed him the 'Bayard of the Grande Armee.' That is a definite contrast in character between the two men.

Lafayette's 'opposition' to Napoleon after Waterloo was primed by Fouche (who worked closely with Talleyrand-another traitor) who exploited Lafayette's weak character, a mixture of 'liberalism, hauteur, obtuseness, ambition, and frustration' to manipulate the weak-willed Lafayette to lead to Paris politicians demanding Napoleon's abdication. Fouche's attitude to the easily-led Lafayette was the he was 'an old imbecile whom one can use like a ladder which one throws down after one has used it.

The conclusion is that 'The Lafayette in American schoolboobks is mostly an imaginary creature.'

Dillon was killed by his troops in April of 1792, several months before La Fayette left France. Dillon's death was not a result of La Fayette's decision to leave France, but it does indicate that there was an atmosphere of distrust towards royalist commanders in the army well before the Tuilleries.

La Fayette's decision to leave France in August of 1792 was the result of actions aimed at him personally and not simply a response to the Tuileries. Even so La Fayette did not attempt to defect but rather to pass through enemy territory in his effort to "get out of Dodge". In the aftermath of La Fayette's departure men like Luckner and the Duc d'Orleans' sons remained active in military high command.

As for the rest you are looking at La Fayette through Napoleon's glasses. To fault La Fayette for failing to actively support Napoleon is to ignore La Fayette's political beliefs. In the aftermath of Waterloo Fouche didn't have to manipulate La Fayette. The two men's views at that moment aligned.

His "generalship" in the AWI was also less than stellar.
But at least he didn't get drunk and abandon his troops while retreating to Trenton, like another French adventurer general I could name.

Lafayette was manipulated by Fouche and Talleyrand and that is quite obvious.

Lafayette was a tool and not too bright at that. His actions helped the Bourbons who allowed France to be looted by the allies after Napoleon's actions.

The Bourbons were both corrupt and degenerate, and Lafayette hurt France by his actions.

And if Lafayette's 'views' aligned with Fouche, that's another black mark on Lafayette's character or lack of it.

While you wait for the book…

"La Fayette" – Siege of Yorktown (1781) Part1

YouTube link

Part 2

YouTube link

Armand

I recall seeing that movie when I was about 6 Armand. Since we are being ahistorical, here is another one. YouTube link

Thanks!!

Armand