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 traveled aboard the Natchez, a Mississippi River steamboat, docking at Chester’s (Kaskaskia) riverfront on April 30, 1825. He was honored with a dinner at Colonel Sweet’s Tavern, a reception at General Edgar’s home, and a ball at William Morrison’s residence. One of the people Lafayette partied with at Colonel Sweet's Tavern was Sidney Breese, who served as postmaster of Kaskaskia at the time and was later elected to many offices in Illinois. The town of Breese, Illinois, was named after him. William Morrison was a merchant who supplied Lewis & Clark on their expedition in the area in 1803.
Learn about Revolutionary War Combat Strategy. Watch the Revolutionary War Animated Map. For a summary, read An Overview of the American Revolution.