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.
Traveling along the Hudson River by steamboat, General Lafayette arrived in Red Hook, New York, on September 19, 1824, aboard the James Kent. During his brief stop, Lafayette visited with Janet L. Montgomery at her home, Montgomery Place, which Bard College acquired in 2016. Janet Livingston Montgomery was the widowed wife of Revolutionary War hero General Richard Montgomery, who was killed at Quebec in 1775. Lafayette was escorted back to the James Kent that afternoon and continued his tour to New York City.
Learn about Revolutionary War Combat Strategy. Watch the Revolutionary War Animated Map. For a summary, read An Overview of the American Revolution.