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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 arrived in Hudson on September 17, 1824, traveling by steamboat James Kent along the Hudson River. He was welcomed by the mayor, the common council, and the “Daughters of Columbia." Sixty-eight veterans of the Revolution assembled from across Columbia County to meet Lafayette, many of whom had served directly under him during the war. One veteran carried a sword Lafayette had given him in Rhode Island. After the ceremonies, Lafayette continued upriver toward Albany.

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