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.
On May 6, 1825, General Lafayette visited Clarksville, Tennessee, early in the evening. It was reported that Lafayette, eager to please the citizens of Clarksville who were gathered along the riverbanks, went ashore from the steamboat "Mechanic" for 30 minutes to greet the crowd. For a frontier river town like Clarksville in 1825, his presence — even briefly — was a moment of pride and connection to the founding generation.
Learn about Revolutionary War Combat Strategy. Watch the Revolutionary War Animated Map. For a summary, read An Overview of the American Revolution.