President James Monroe invited the Marquis de Lafayette to visit the United States, his adopted country. Lafayette’s tour of all 24 states in 1824 and 1825 drew large crowds and sparked a renewal of patriotism. During the American Revolution, Lafayette’s intense advocacy of the American cause convinced King Louis XVI of France to send troops and ships, which proved crucial to the American victory at Yorktown.
Lafayette arrived in Macon about midday and remained in town about 2 ½ hours, during which a dinner was held. He was traveling from Milledgeville, then the state capital, where he had spent the night at the Governor's mansion. The stop in Macon was the last before Lafayette entered Creek (now Muscogee) lands.
Learn about Revolutionary War Combat Strategy. Watch the Revolutionary War Animated Map. For a summary, read An Overview of the American Revolution.