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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 left Hudson, New York, after a public reception and arrived in Germantown around midday on September 16, 1824. Upon arrival, Lafayette and his party were escorted up the hill to Clermont by a group of riflemen. At the summit, they were greeted by a regiment of well-disciplined soldiers in uniform, arranged in formation. Meanwhile, the grounds were lined with spectators eager to see the general. A sloop on the river fired a cannon salute, quickly returned by a shot from a nearby cannon hidden among the trees. Lafayette then reviewed the troops, who saluted by firing their guns in succession in his honor. Afterward, he was addressed by the local Masons.

Learn about Revolutionary War Combat Strategy. Watch the Revolutionary War . For a summary, read An Overview of the American Revolution.