Cumberland River—Arrival at Nashville—Tennessee Militia—Residence of
General Jackson—Shipwreck on the Ohio—Louisville—Journey from
Louisville to Cincinnati by land—State of Kentucky—Anecdote.
On the 2d of May, at 8 o’clock in the evening, we entered Cumberland
river, which we ascended all night, notwithstanding the darkness. This
river, which is one of the largest tributaries of the Ohio, rises to the
westward of Cumberland mountains, waters the state of Kentucky by its
two branches, and Ohio by its main stream, which forms a great bend; it
is navigable for about 400 miles. By daylight we were able to judge of
the richness of the country it traverses, from the great number of
boats, loaded with all kinds of produce, that we passed. As the banks of
Cumberland river are flat, and sometimes swampy, from its mouth to the
vicinity of Nashville, no town is met with on its shores; all the
establishments are situated some distance back, and, therefore, we were
unable to visit them; but many of the inhabitants came in boats to
salute the general, this retarded our progress, as we were obliged to
stop every moment to receive or dismiss the visiters.
Wednesday, May 4th, we remarked that the banks of the river were
considerably elevated above our heads, and presented agreeable and
healthy situations for cities or villages; at 8 o’clock no houses were,
as yet, in sight, but we heard in the distance the sound of bells,
announcing our vicinity to population, and preparations for some
solemnity; a few moments afterwards we perceived on the horizon the
spires of buildings, and on a plain at a short distance from us a dense
crowd of men, women, and children, who appeared to be expecting with
great solicitude the arrival of something extraordinary, and when our
vessel came sufficiently near to be recognized, a joyful shout arose
from the shore, and the air resounded with cries of “Welcome,
Lafayette;” this was the salutation of the inhabitants of Nashville to
the guest of the nation. This welcome was continued without interruption
until we had arrived beyond the city, at the place for disembarking,
where the general was received by the illustrious Jackson, who ascended
a carriage with him to conduct him to Nashville, several corps of
cavalry preceded them, and the procession formed behind them was
composed of all our fellow travellers, joined by a multitude of citizens
from the neighbourhood; we entered the city by a wide avenue, lined on
each side by militia remarkable for the brilliancy of their uniforms,
and their soldier-like appearance under arms; it was easy to recognise
by their martial air, that their ranks contained great numbers of those
intrepid citizen soldiers, by whom the English were overthrown under the
walls of New Orleans. In entering the city, the procession passed under
a triumphal arch, on the summit of which were these words, also repeated
at every moment by the crowd, “_Welcome, Lafayette, the friend of the
United States!_” Above this floated the American flag, attached to a
lance surmounted by a liberty cap. After having traversed the principal
streets, we arrived at the public square, which was decorated with
thousands of flags, suspended from the windows; it was also ornamented
by a triumphal arch, under which was an elevated platform, where the
governor of the state waited to salute the guest of the nation. His
speech was not only touching from the sentiments of affection and
gratitude with which it was filled, but it was also remarkable for the
truth and fidelity with which it sketched the actual situation of
Tennessee, and the rapidity of its growth under the influence of liberty
and wise laws. General Lafayette replied with that heartfelt emotion,
and that happy choice of expression, which so often, during his journey,
excited the astonishment and admiration of those who heard him. Forty
officers and soldiers of the revolution, the most part enfeebled by age,
and some mutilated in war, notwithstanding which they had assembled from
all parts of the state to assist at the triumph of their old general,
now advanced from the two sides of the arch, amidst the acclamations of
the people, and showered upon him marks of affection and patriotic
recollections; among them was one, remarkable above all the others for
his great age, and the vivacity with which he expressed his joy; he
threw himself into the general’s arms, weeping and exclaiming, “I have
enjoyed two happy days in my life, that when I landed with you at
Charleston in 1777, and the present, now that I have seen you once
again, I have nothing more to wish for, I have lived long enough.” The
emotion of this old man was communicated to the whole crowd, and there
was a profound silence for some time. Notwithstanding his infirmities he
had travelled more than fifty leagues to procure this moment of
happiness. We afterwards learnt that his name was Hagy, that he was born
in Germany, and that he had come over to America in the vessel with
Lafayette, and had been under his orders during the whole war of the
revolution. General Lafayette, after devoting a few moments to the
affection of his old companions in arms, re-entered the carriage with
the governor, and went to the beautiful residence of Dr. M’Nairy, who
had prepared accommodations for us, and who, with his whole family,
received us with the most amiable hospitality. The general was received
at the door by the municipal body and the mayor, who addressed him in
the name of the inhabitants of Nashville. After the reply of the general
to this speech, the people gave three cheers, and retired in silence, to
permit their guest to take a little repose before dinner; but the
general profited by this occasion to visit Mrs. Jackson, whom he
understood to be in the town, and to Mrs. Littlefield, the daughter of
his old fellow soldier and friend, General Greene.
At four o’clock another procession came to conduct us to a public
dinner, at which more than two hundred citizens sat down, and which was
presided over by General Jackson. Among the guests was a venerable old
man, named Timothy Demundrune, the first white man who settled in
Tennessee. According to the American custom, the repast was terminated
by the frank and energetic expression of each guest’s opinion on the
acts of the administration, and the public character of the magistrates,
and candidates for the different offices; among these numerous toasts I
will only cite the three following, which appeared to me as peculiarly
well adapted to demonstrate the predominant sentiments of the people of
Tennessee.
“The present age—it encourages the reign of liberal principles. Kings
are forced to unite against liberty, and despotism to act on the
defensive.”
“France—republican or monarchical, in glory or misfortune, she always
has claims on our gratitude.”
“Lafayette—tyrants have oppressed him, but freemen honour him.”
After this last toast, the general rose, expressed his thanks, and
begged permission to give the following: “The State of Tennessee, and
Nashville, its capital—may our heritage of revolutionary glory be for
ever united to the unfading laurels of the last war, and thus form a
perpetual bond of union between all parts of the American
confederation.”
The president then gave the signal for departure, and we went to the
masonic lodge, where three hundred brothers, in the most brilliant
costume, received us with the most affectionate cordiality. We passed a
true family evening with them. An eloquent orator, Mr. William Hunt,
delivered an excellent discourse, which, in a masonic form, embodied the
most noble precepts of patriotism and philanthropy; and the meeting
terminated by an elegant collation, at the end of which the general
proposed a toast, which was received with the greatest enthusiasm; it
was to the memory of our illustrious brother Riego, the martyr of
liberty! In retiring to our quarters at Dr. M‘Nairy’s, we found the town
brilliantly illuminated, and a great number of houses decorated with
transparencies representing General Lafayette, with a variety of
ingenious emblems.
The next morning, as soon as we rose, we proceeded to the southward of
the city, where we found all the militia of the adjoining counties
collected in a camp, which they occupied for some days whilst waiting
for the arrival of Lafayette; some of the corps we saw under arms, had
come, we were told, more than fifty miles, to add by their presence to
the solemnity of the reception given to the guest of the nation. The
general, after having seen them manœuvre before him, went through their
ranks to express his admiration of their discipline, and his gratitude
for the proofs of affection they had shown him. During this time, Mr.
George Lafayette and myself conversed with an officer of the staff, who
had the goodness to give us some details as to the organization of the
military force of Tennessee.
This officer might perhaps be thought to have been enthusiastic in his
praises, and to have shown much national vanity, but I am persuaded he
only spoke as he felt. He extolled the military qualities of his fellow
citizens, from conviction, and as he would have praised, in strangers,
any points he thought worthy of commendation. I have often remarked that
the Americans, in general, are little given to the species of hypocrisy
we term modesty, and with which we think we should always veil ourselves
when we are speaking of our own virtues. They believe, and I am of their
opinion, that true modesty does not consist in depreciating ourselves,
but in not speaking with exaggeration or without cause of our own
merits.
A frugal repast, prepared and served by the military, under a tent,
terminated this visit to the camp of the Tennessee militia, after which
we returned to the city, where we successively visited an academy of
young ladies of Nashville, and Cumberland college. In both these
establishments, the general was received as a beloved father, and he
left them with the sweet and consoling certainty, that the careful and
excellent manner in which they inculcated learning and a love of
liberty, would greatly augment the glory and perpetuate the happiness of
his adopted country. The committee of instruction of Cumberland college,
presented to him and to General Jackson, a resolution of the trustees,
by which two new chairs, under the names of Lafayette and Jackson, for
teaching the languages and philosophy, were about to be established by a
voluntary subscription of the citizens of Tennessee. They both accepted
this honour with great satisfaction, and subscribed their names at the
bottom of the resolution before leaving the establishment, which,
although recently formed, already promises the most satisfactory
results.
At one o’clock, we embarked with a numerous company, to proceed to dine
with General Jackson, whose residence is a few miles up the river. We
there found numbers of ladies and farmers from the neighbourhood, whom
Mrs. Jackson had invited to partake of the entertainment she had
prepared for General Lafayette. The first thing that struck me on
arriving at the general’s, was the simplicity of his house. Still
somewhat influenced by my European habits, I asked myself if this could
really be the dwelling of the most popular man in the United States, of
him whom the country proclaimed one of her most illustrious defenders;
of him, finally, who by the will of the people was on the point of
becoming her chief magistrate. One of our fellow passengers, a citizen
of Nashville, witnessing my astonishment, asked me, whether in France,
our public men, that is to say, the servants of the public, lived very
differently from other citizens? “Certainly,” said I; “thus, for
example, the majority of our generals, all our ministers, and even the
greater part of our subaltern administrators, would think themselves
dishonoured, and would not dare to receive any one at their houses, if
they only possessed such a residence as this of Jackson’s; and the
modest dwellings of your illustrious chiefs of the revolution,
Washington, John Adams, Jefferson, &c. would only inspire them with
contempt and disgust. They must first have in the city an immense and
vast edifice, called a hotel, in which two large families could live
with ease, but which they fill with a crowd of servants strangely and
ridiculously dressed, and whose only employment, for the most part, is
to insult those honest citizens who come on foot to visit their master.
They must also have another large establishment in the country, which
they call a chateau, and in which they accumulate all the luxuries of
furniture, decorations, entertainments, and dress, in fact, every thing
that can make them forget the country. Then they must have, to enable
them to go from one to the other of these habitations, a great number of
carriages, horses, and servants.” “Very well,” interrupted the
Tennessean, shaking his head as if in doubt, “but who provides these
public officers with all the money thus swallowed up in luxury, and how
do the affairs of the people go on?” “If you ask them, they will tell
you that it is the king who pays them, although I can assure you that it
is the nation, which is borne down by taxes for the purpose; as to
business, it is both well and badly attended to, but generally the
latter.” “And why do you submit to such a state of things?” “Because we
cannot remedy it.” “What! you cannot remedy it? A nation so great, so
enlightened as the French, cannot prevent its officers, magistrates, and
servants, from enjoying, at their expense, a scandalous and immoral
luxuriousness, and at the same time not attending to their duties!
whilst we, who have just assumed our name among nations, are enjoying
the immense advantage of only having for magistrates, men who are plain,
honest, laborious, and more jealous of our esteem than solicitous for
wealth. Permit me to believe that what you have told is only pleasantry,
and that you wished to amuse yourself for a moment with a poor
Tennessean who has never visited Europe. But rest assured, that however
ignorant we may be of what passes on the other side of the water, it is
not easy to make us credit things which militate so strongly against
good sense and the dignity of man.” Do what I could, I could never make
this good citizen of Nashville believe that I was not jesting, and was
obliged to leave him in the belief that we were not worse governed in
France than in the United States.
General Jackson successively showed us his garden and farm, which
appeared to be well cultivated. We every where remarked the greatest
order, and most perfect neatness; and we might have believed ourselves
on the property of one of the richest and most skilful of the German
farmers, if, at every step, our eyes had not been afflicted by the sad
spectacle of slavery. Every body told us that General Jackson’s slaves
were treated with the greatest humanity, and several persons assured us,
that it would not surprise them, if, in a short time, their master, who
already had so many claims on the gratitude of his fellow citizens,
should attempt to augment it still more, by giving an example of gradual
emancipation to Tennessee, which would be the more easily accomplished,
as there are in this state but 79,000 slaves in a population of 423,000,
and from the public mind becoming more inclined than formerly to the
abolition of slavery.
On returning to the house, some friends of General Jackson, who probably
had not seen him for some time, begged him to show them the arms
presented to him in honour of his achievements during the last war; he
acceded to their request with great politeness, and placed on a table, a
sword, a sabre, and a pair of pistols. The sword was presented to him by
congress; the sabre, I believe, by the army which fought under his
command at New Orleans. These two weapons, of American manufacture, were
remarkable for their finish, and still more so for the honourable
inscriptions, with which they were covered. But it was to the pistols,
that General Jackson wished more particularly to draw our attention; he
handed them to General Lafayette, and asked him if he recognized them.
The latter, after examining them attentively for a few minutes, replied
that he fully recollected them, to be a pair he had presented in 1778 to
his paternal friend Washington, and that he experienced a real
satisfaction in finding them in the hands of one so worthy of possessing
them. At these words the face of old Hickory was covered with a modest
blush, and his eye sparkled as in a day of victory. “Yes! I believe
myself worthy of them,” exclaimed he, in pressing the pistols and
Lafayette’s hands to his breast; “if not from what I have done, at least
for what I wished to do for my country.” All the bystanders applauded
this noble confidence of the patriot hero, and were convinced that the
weapons of Washington could not be in better hands than those of
Jackson.
After dinner we took leave of General Jackson’s family, and returned to
Nashville to attend a public ball which was very brilliant; and
afterwards went on board the Artisan to continue our journey. Governor
Carroll of Tennessee and two of his aides-de-camp accompanied us. We
rapidly descended the Cumberland, and on the 7th of May again entered
the Ohio, otherwise called “_la belle rivière_,” for it was thus the
first French who discovered its shores designated this majestic body of
water, which for eleven hundred miles waters the most smiling and
fertile country on the globe. The Ohio is formed by the junction of the
Monongahela and Alleghany at Pittsburgh, and empties itself into the
Mississippi about the 37° of latitude. Its current is usually about a
mile and a half per hour, but when the waters are high, it often equals
that of the Mississippi, whose ordinary swiftness is four miles per
hour. The water of the Ohio is said by the Americans to possess great
prolific powers, and when you demand on what ground they found this
opinion, they proudly point out the numerous dwellings which are
infinitely multiplied on its banks, and the prodigious number of
children who issue forth every morning, with a little basket of
provision on their arms, to spend the day at school, to return in the
evening to the paternal roof, singing the benefits of liberty.
On the 8th at break of day, we arrived opposite Shawneetown, where we
landed with Governor Coles and the other members of the committee from
the state of Illinois, and who, to our great regret, could not accompany
us any farther. General Lafayette accepted a dinner provided for him by
the inhabitants of that town. We continued our voyage, urging the speed
of our small vessel with the whole power of the engine. Notwithstanding
the departure of Governor Coles and his companions, we still had a
numerous company on board. All the beds in the great cabin, were
occupied by the deputations from Missouri, Tennessee, Kentucky, and by
other persons who had asked permission to accompany General Lafayette to
Louisville. The general, his son, Mr. de Syon, and the author of this
journal, shared in common, what is called the ladies’ cabin, situated in
the stern of the vessel, and which could only be reached by descending
about a dozen steps.
During the whole of the 8th we worked hard. The general replied to a
great number of letters, which were addressed to him every day from all
parts of the Union, and dictated to me some directions to the
superintendant at La Grange; indicating what changes and improvements he
wished made before his return to France. Being somewhat fatigued by this
labour, he retired early to bed, and was already asleep, when at 10
o’clock, Mr. George Lafayette, coming below from the deck where he had
been walking, expressed his astonishment that in so dark a night, our
captain did not come to, or at least abate the speed of the vessel. We
fully agreed in the justice of this remark, but being accustomed for
some months to permit no difficulty to arrest us, and to travel at all
times, we soon began to speak of other things, and Mr. George Lafayette
also laid down and slept with every feeling of safety. I remained
conversing with Mr. de Syon and correcting some notes. With the
exception of the pilot and two men, every body was asleep around us, and
at 11 o’clock the profound silence that reigned on board, was only
broken by the deep grating of the engine and the dashing of the water
against the sides of the vessel. Twelve o’clock struck, and sleep was
beginning to invite us to repose, when our vessel suddenly received a
horrible shock, and stopped short. At this extraordinary concussion, the
general awoke with a start, his son sprung from his bed, half dressed,
and I ran on deck to learn what was the matter. I there found two of our
fellow passengers, whom anxiety had brought up, but who were returning,
saying we had probably struck on a sand bank, and that there was no
danger. Not trusting this opinion, I went into the great cabin; all the
passengers were in a state of great agitation, but still in doubt as to
the nature of the accident; some had not even quitted their beds.
Decided on not going below without positively ascertaining the real
state of things, I seized a light and ran forward, the captain arrived
there about the same time, we opened the hatches, and ran forward; the
hold was already half filled with water, which rushed in torrents
through a large opening. “A snag! a snag!” cried the captain, “hasten
Lafayette to my boat! bring Lafayette to my boat.” This cry of distress
had reached the great cabin, and every mouth repeated it with dismay,
but it had not been heard in our cabin, where I found the general, who
had, by the advice of his son, permitted himself to be partly dressed by
his faithful Bastien. “What news?” said he, on seeing me enter. “That we
shall go to the bottom, general, if we cannot extricate ourselves, and
we have not a moment to spare.” And I immediately began to collect my
papers, which I threw pell-mell into my port-folio; George Lafayette on
his part, hastily collected those objects he thought most necessary to
his father, and begged him to follow us, but his toilet not being yet
made, he wished us to go first and provide means of escape. “What!”
cried his son, “do you think that in such circumstances we will leave
you for a moment?” and immediately we each seized a hand and dragged him
towards the door. He followed us, smiling at our haste, and began to
ascend with us, but had scarcely reached the middle of the stairs, when
he perceived that he had forgotten his snuff-box, ornamented with a
picture of Washington, and wished to return for it; I went to the end of
the cabin, found it and brought it to him. At this time the rolling of
the vessel was so violent and irregular, and the tumult over our heads
augmented to such a degree, that I believed we should not have time to
escape before she sunk. At last, we reached the deck, where all the
passengers were in the greatest confusion, some bringing their trunks,
others looking for the boat, and crying out for Lafayette. He was
already in the midst of them, but owing to the darkness of the night, no
one recognised him; the boat heeled so much to starboard, that it was
with difficulty we could keep our footing on deck. The captain assisted
by two sailors, had brought his boat to this side, and I heard his
sonorous voice crying out, Lafayette! Lafayette! but we could not reach
him on account of the confusion around us. Nevertheless the vessel
heeled more and more, each moment augmented the danger, we felt that it
was time to make a last effort, and pushed into the middle of the crowd,
where I cried, “here is General Lafayette!” This exclamation produced
the effect I anticipated. The most profound silence succeeded to the
confusion, a free passage was opened for us, and all those who were
ready to spring into the boat, spontaneously checked themselves, not
wishing to think of their own safety before that of Lafayette was
ascertained. The difficulty was now to determine the general himself to
depart before all his fellow passengers, and almost alone, for the boat
would only hold a few persons, but he was soon obliged to yield to the
will of all, energetically expressed by each; the irregular concussions
of the vessel, and the rocking of the boat which was more than four feet
lower than our deck, rendered a passage from one to the other extremely
difficult, especially in the dark. The most active young man would not
have hazarded a leap, for from the darkness he would have risked
plunging in the water; great precautions were therefore to be adopted,
as regarded the general. I went first into the boat, and whilst the
captain kept her as near as possible to the vessel, two persons
descended with the general, holding him under the shoulders. I received
him in my arms, but his weight added to my own on the side of the boat,
nearly capsized it, and losing my equilibrium, I should probably have
fallen into the water with him, if Mr. Thibeaudot, formerly president of
the senate of Louisiana, had not given me his support, and thus saved us
both. As soon as we were assured that the general was safely on board,
we pushed off as rapidly as possible, to prevent the other passengers
from overloading our slight batteau. Although the greatest difficulties
were overcome, all danger was not passed. The land was to be made; but
at what distance was it from us? towards what shore should we direct our
course? This the darkness of the night prevented us from ascertaining
with certainty. Our captain soon made up his mind with decision. Holding
the rudder with a firm grasp, he directed us to the left bank, and
ordered his two sailors to row gently. In less than three minutes we
happily reached a bank covered with a thick wood.
In landing, our first care was to count and recognise each other; we
were nine: the captain, two sailors, General Lafayette, Mr. Thibeaudot,
Doctor Shelly, carrying in his arms a child of about seven years of age,
a daughter of a presbyterian clergyman, the father of the child and
myself. It was then only that the general perceived that his son was not
with him, and immediately his habitual coolness in the presence of
danger abandoned him. He was filled with anxiety, and in a state of the
most violent agitation. He began to call, George! George! with all his
strength, but his voice was drowned by the cries which arose from the
vessel, and by the terrible noise made by the steam escaping from the
engine, and received no answer. In vain, to re-assure him, I represented
to him that his son was a good swimmer, and that he doubtless had
remained on board voluntarily, and with his coolness he would escape all
danger. Nothing had any effect; he continued to traverse the shore
calling on George. I then threw myself into the boat with the captain to
go to the succour of those who so much needed it. The vessel still
floated, but almost on her beam ends. The captain mounted on board, and
I received in his place a dozen persons, who precipitated themselves
into the boat, and whom I carried to land, without having been able to
speak to George, Mr. de Syon, or Bastien. I dared not give an account of
this first attempt to the general, and therefore made preparations for
another trip, when a horrible crash and cries of despair announced to me
that the vessel was sinking. At the same instant, I heard the water
agitated in several directions by the efforts of those who were saving
themselves by swimming. Mr. Thibeaudot, who had advanced into the water
in order to judge better of what was passing, and to afford assistance
to those who needed it, perceived a man, exhausted with fatigue,
drowning a few paces from the shore, in a spot where the water was only
three feet in depth. He drew him out with such ease, that a child might
have rendered him the same service, and laid him on the grass. But the
unfortunate man was so agitated by fear, that he continued to make on
land all the movements of swimming, and would perhaps have killed
himself by these useless efforts, if Mr. Thibeaudot had not succeeded in
calming him. At every instant, other persons arrived on shore, and among
them I always expected to recognise Mr. George Lafayette; and the
general demanded news of his son from all, but in vain. I now myself
began to fear for him. Another arrival of the boat informed us that the
vessel had not entirely sunk; that the starboard side was under water,
but that the larboard and gangway were still above it; and that a great
number of passengers had taken refuge there. Thinking that there was an
urgent necessity for succouring those who remained in this critical
situation, I again entered the boat, and aided by a sailor approached
the vessel. I first arrived at the prow; I called George with all my
strength, but there was no answer. I then dropped along her side to the
stern. In passing, I heard a voice over head cry out, “Is that you, Mr.
Levasseur?” I listened and examined attentively; it was our poor
Bastien, who was holding with difficulty to the roof of the upper cabin,
the pitch of which was very great from the oversetting of the vessel. As
soon as I came near him, he slid down and fortunately fell into the
boat. When I arrived at the stern, I again called George; he instantly
answered me. His voice appeared to be perfectly calm. “Are you in
safety?” said I. “I could not be better,” replied he gaily. This reply
gave me much relief, for my fears were really becoming serious. At the
same instant, Mr. Walsh of Missouri, who was near him, gave me every
thing that could be saved of our baggage. This was a small portmanteau
of Mr. George Lafayette’s, a bag of his father’s, my own port-folio,
which I had thrown on the deck when I was aiding the general to descend,
and about sixty out of the two hundred letters we had prepared for the
post, on the preceding days; all the others were lost. I now returned to
land with Bastien and two other persons I had received in the boat, and
hastened to assure the general of the safety of his son.
As I had satisfied myself that the vessel, having found support, could
not sink any deeper, and consequently that there was no farther danger
to those on board, I thought that I might dispense with making other
voyages, and occupy myself a little with the general, for whom we
established a good bivouac around a large fire of dry branches. In the
midst of this occupation, Mr. George and Mr. de Syon, with the remainder
of the passengers, arrived. We then learnt that at the moment of the
wreck, Mr. George, seeing that I was in the boat to watch over his
father, had returned to the cabin, into which the water had already
penetrated, and had made Bastien and Mr. de Syon, who were imprudently
endeavouring to save their effects, leave it. Then, only yielding ground
as the water forced him, he had indefatigably occupied himself with the
care of those around him. At one moment, the water reached to the middle
of his body. But his coolness and presence of mind reassured some
persons, who, without him, would perhaps have been dismayed and exposed
to the greatest danger. Finally, we were told, he would not leave the
vessel, until he was satisfied, that all who remained on board belonged
to her and could dispense with his assistance. “Mr. George Lafayette
must often have been shipwrecked,” said the captain, “for he has behaved
tonight as if he was accustomed to such adventures.”
From other accounts, it appears that almost immediately after the
departure of the general, the water entered our cabin with a violence
which would not have permitted us to leave it, if we had remained there
a few minutes longer.
When we were well assured that no person had perished, we lighted
several large fires as well for the purpose of drying ourselves, as to
discover our situation. The general slept for some moments on a mattrass
which had been found floating, and was nearly dry on one side. The rest
waited impatiently for day, and occupied ourselves in cutting wood to
keep up the fires. A tolerably heavy rain added to our troubles, but
fortunately it was not of long continuance.
At day break, they recommenced their trips to the vessel, to endeavour
to save some of the baggage and to procure food. The captain, Governor
Carrol of Tennessee, and a young Virginian, Mr. Crawford, directed these
researches with great activity. It was a singular and touching event, to
see a governor of a state, that is to say, a first magistrate of a
republic, without shoes, stockings or hat, doing the duty of a boatman
as if it had been his real occupation, and that much more for the
benefit of others than for himself, for he had very little on board to
lose by the shipwreck. Those different searches obtained us a trunk
belonging to the general, in which were his most valuable papers, and a
small part of the passengers’ baggage. They also brought a leg of smoked
venison, some biscuits, a case of claret and a keg of Madeira. With
these provisions, about fifty men, for such was our number, repaired
their strength, exhausted by a night of labour and anxiety.
The day, on its return, shone on an interesting picture. The shore was
covered with wrecks of all kinds, in the midst of which each eagerly
searched for their own property; some mournfully recounted the extent of
their losses, others could not avoid laughing at the nakedness or
costume in which they found themselves; this gaiety soon became
prevalent, and pleasantries circulated around the fires of our bivouac,
and at last smoothed the visages of the most sorrowful, and almost
transformed our shipwreck into a party of pleasure.
At nine o’clock we induced the general to cross the river, and go to a
house we perceived on the other bank, to shelter himself from the storm
which threatened us. Mr. Thibeaudot and Bastien accompanied him. He had
scarcely left us, when one of the party, who was on the look out on the
shore, pointed out to us a steam-boat descending the river, and
immediately afterwards another. This double news filled us with joy and
hope. Soon these two vessels arrived opposite to us and stopped. One of
them, a vessel of large size and remarkable beauty, was the Paragon; she
came from Louisville and was going to New Orleans, with a heavy cargo of
whiskey and tobacco. By a very lucky circumstance for us, one of our
companions in misfortune, Mr. Neilson, was one of the owners of this
vessel, and hastened to put it at the disposal of the Tennessee
committee to transport General Lafayette, generously taking on himself
all the chances of another misfortune and the loss of insurance.
Immediately our whole party, abandoning our bivouac, repaired on board
of the Paragon. Before leaving the captain of the Artisan, who remained
with his vessel to endeavour to save something, we offered him our
services, which he peremptorily refused, assuring us that he had hands
enough for this work. But the poor man was very much depressed, not from
the loss of the vessel, nor that of 1200 dollars he had on board, or
even from any fear of not finding employment; his grief arose from
having shipwrecked the guest of the nation. “Never,” said he, “will my
fellow citizens pardon me for the perils to which Lafayette was exposed
last night.” To endeavour to calm him, we drew up and all signed a
declaration, in which we attested that the loss of the Artisan could not
be attributed either to the unskilfulness or imprudence of Captain Hall,
whose courage and disinterestedness had been experienced by us all
during the accident. This declaration, which was sincere on the part of
all the signers, appeared to give him great pleasure, but did not
entirely console him. As soon as the Paragon got under way, I went with
Mr. George Lafayette in search of his father. After half an hour’s
rowing, we re-joined our new vessel, which in two days, and without
accident, conducted us to Louisville, where we remained twenty-four
hours. It was about 125 miles from that place, near the mouth of Deer
Creek, that we met with our misfortune.
The entertainments given to General Lafayette at Louisville were marred
by the stormy weather; but the expression of public feeling was not the
less pleasing to him. The idea of the danger he had incurred, excited in
all breasts a tender solicitude, which every one testified with that
simplicity and truth of expression only appertaining to freemen. In the
midst of the joy occasioned by the arrival of Lafayette, the citizens of
Louisville did not forget the noble disinterestedness of Mr. Neilson, to
whom they presented the strongest proofs of gratitude. His name was
coupled with that of the general, in the toasts they gave at the public
dinner. The insurance company declared that the Paragon should remain
insured without an additional charge, and the city presented him a
magnificent piece of plate, on which was engraved the thanks of the
Tennesseans and Kentuckians for the generous manner in which he had
risked the greater part of his fortune that the national guest should
receive no delay nor inconvenience in his journey.
The day after our arrival, notwithstanding the badness of the weather,
the general crossed the Ohio to accept the invitation that was sent him
by the citizens of Jeffersonville in the state of Indiana. He remained
there some hours, and returned in the evening to Louisville to attend a
dinner, ball, and various spectacles that had been prepared for him. On
Friday morning, the 12th of May, after having presented a standard to a
corps of volunteer cavalry that had been expressly formed some days
previous, to escort him on his arrival, he began his journey by land to
Cincinnati, passing through the state of Kentucky, as he wished to visit
its principal towns, Frankfort, Lexington, &c. Governor Carrol, who,
after having fulfilled his mission, in placing the guest of the nation
under the care of the Kentucky committee, wished to return home, with
his staff, yielded to the pressing invitations which were given him by
the committee to accompany General Lafayette yet farther. On the day of
our departure, all the militia were under arms. We found, by their
excellent discipline, armament and uniforms, that they strongly
resembled those of Tennessee, with whom they are united in brotherly
feeling, to which the events of the last war gave a new force.
At the end of our first day’s journey, we arrived at Shelbyville, a
large and flourishing village, situated in the midst of a most fertile
and diversified country; the next day, at four o’clock in the afternoon,
the general made his entrance into Frankfort, the seat of government of
Kentucky. The entertainments given on this occasion by the inhabitants
of the town, to which were joined those of the neighbouring counties,
were very brilliant, and strongly impressed with that ardent and
patriotic character which distinguishes all the states of the Union, but
which, among the Kentuckians, is more manifest, and expressed with all
the energy of a young people, enthusiastic in the cause of liberty.
After having traversed the principal streets of Frankfort, we arrived in
the centre of the town, where we stopped in front of a triumphal arch,
under which the governor waited for the guest of the nation; the sound
of a cannon, discharged from a neighbouring hill which overlooked all
the neighbourhood, arrested the acclamations of the people, when the
governor advanced in the midst of a profoundly silent and attentive
crowd, and delivered an eloquent and appropriate address. This discourse
was loudly applauded by the multitude, and I heard it asserted every
where around me that it was impossible to express the sentiments of the
people of Kentucky with greater exactness.
After passing several hours in receiving visits and marks of friendship
from the whole population, the general went to a dinner that had been
prepared for him in the public square. The table was of a semi-circular
form, and contained places for eight hundred persons, in order that all
the detachments of militia that had escorted General Lafayette from
Louisville might be accommodated, as well as a great number of officers
from Tennessee and Kentucky, who had particularly distinguished
themselves during the last war, as General Adair, Colonel M‘Affee, &c.
Notwithstanding his desire to avoid transgressing any of the established
customs of the United States, the general was obliged to travel on
Sunday, for his time was rigorously appropriated until his arrival at
Boston, where he was obliged to be on the 17th of June. We therefore set
out on Saturday, the 14th of May, from Frankfort, and travelling almost
without stopping, till we reached Lexington, which we entered on Monday,
about the middle of the day. On the way, we visited the pretty little
town of Versailles, where we remained some hours, to attend a public
dinner, given by the citizens of the town and the surrounding country;
and we slept on Sunday night about three miles from Lexington, where, on
Monday morning, a large body of militia cavalry, conducted by a
deputation from Lafayette county, arrived to escort the general. The
procession was formed on an eminence from whence we could discover
Louisville in the distance, with the fertile fields that surrounded it.
We took up the line of march about eight o’clock. The rain fell in
torrents, and the sky covered with thick clouds, presaged a bad day; but
at the moment we began to enter the town, a discharge of artillery from
a neighbouring hill announced the arrival of the procession; and at this
signal the rain ceased, as if by enchantment, the clouds dispersed, and
the returning sun discovered to us the neighbouring country, covered
with crowds of people anxiously expecting the arrival of the national
guest. This almost magic scene added still more to the enthusiasm of the
multitude, and their joyful acclamations were mingled with the continued
roar of artillery which surrounded us. The entertainments at Lexington
were extremely brilliant; but of the proofs of public felicity, that
which most attracted the general’s attention, was the developement and
rapid progress of instruction among all classes of people. In fact, is
it not an admirable and astonishing circumstance, to find in a country,
which not forty years ago was covered with immense forests, inhabited by
savages, a handsome town of six thousand inhabitants, and containing two
establishments for public instruction, which, by the number of their
pupils, and the variety and nature of the branches taught, may rival the
most celebrated colleges and universities in the principal towns of
Europe? We first visited the college for young men, superintended by
President Holly, who received the general at the door of the
establishment, and addressed him in an eloquent speech, in which, after
having described what Lafayette had accomplished in his youth, for the
liberation of North America, he expressed a regret that his efforts had
not been equally successful in the regeneration of France. Then
reverting to a more consoling topic, he rapidly sketched a picture of
American prosperity and the happy influence his visit would produce on
the rising generation.
The general replied to the various points of President Holly’s speech
with his accustomed felicity of expression, and afterwards took his
place, in a large hall, prepared for the exercises of the young men;
where, in the presence of the public, he was addressed in Latin, English
and French, by three of the pupils, whose compositions, as eloquently
written as well delivered, merited the plaudits of the auditors. He
replied to each of the young orators in a manner that proved that the
three languages they had used were equally familiar to him, and that his
heart was deeply moved by the expression of their youthful patriotism.
He was not less pleased with his visit to the academy of young ladies,
directed by Mrs. Dunham, and instituted under the name of the Lafayette
academy; one hundred and fifty pupils received him with the harmonious
sound of a patriotic song composed by Mrs. Holly, and accompanied on the
piano by Miss Hammond; several young ladies afterwards complimented him;
some in prose, and others in verse, of their own composition. The
discourse of Miss M’Intosh and the beautiful ode of Miss Nephew,
produced a great effect on the audience, and drew tears from eyes little
accustomed to such emotions.
From so many and touching proofs of esteem and veneration for his
character, General Lafayette experienced feelings it was impossible for
him adequately to express. Surrounded and caressed by these tender and
innocent creatures, he abandoned himself to those sweet emotions, to
which, in spite of age, his heart has not become insensible; and he
could not avoid repeating how much he felt his happiness in having
combated during his youth, for a people whose descendants testified such
affection for him; and the profound knowledge, even the youngest of the
children appeared to possess of every action of his life, penetrated him
with the liveliest gratitude. At last, he tore himself from a scene of
emotion, too violent to be supported for any length of time, assuring
the directress of the academy, that he was proud of the honour of seeing
his name attached to an establishment so beneficial in its aim, and
happy in its results.
In the midst of entertainments of all kinds, the description of which
would be impossible, General Lafayette did not forget what he owed to
the memory and former friendship of his old companions; having
ascertained that the widow of General Scott lived at Lexington, he went
to her house to pay his respects. This visit was highly gratifying, not
only to Mrs. Scott and her family, but also to all who had known General
Scott, whose noble character and patriotic conduct during the
revolutionary war will always be cited with pride by his
fellow-citizens.
General Lafayette did not overlook another friendship, which, although
more recent, was not less sincere. After this visit he went a mile from
Lexington, to Ashland, the charming seat of Mr. Clay; the honourable
secretary of state was absent, but Mrs. Clay and her children performed
all the honours of the house with the most amiable cordiality. This step
of the general’s was very pleasing to the citizens of Lexington, which
was a proof to me, that the popularity of Mr. Clay, which rests on his
talents and services, has not been diminished among his fellow citizens
by the gross and perhaps unwarrantable attacks made on him by some party
journals at the time of the presidential election.
After forty-eight hours of uninterrupted entertainments, we left
Lexington, where we parted with Governor Carrol and almost all our
companions from Tennessee, Louisiana, Frankfort, &c. and only
accompanied by a detachment of volunteer cavalry from Georgetown, we
turned suddenly to the left, and in thirty-six hours arrived at that
point in the Ohio, on which is situated the handsome city of Cincinnati,
in which General Lafayette was expected with the greatest impatience.
This journey, from Louisville to Cincinnati, gave us the advantage of
seeing the prodigies of art effected by liberty, in a country which
civilization has scarcely snatched from savage nature.
In 1775, Kentucky was only known from the reports of some bold hunters,
who had dared to establish themselves among the ferocious tribes who
inhabited that country. Its name alone, formed of the Indian word
Kentucke, signifying river of blood, always recalled to the dismayed
whites the numerous murders committed on the first among them who had
attempted to enter it, and appeared as if it would deter them from ever
establishing themselves there; but the courage, activity, and
perseverance of a Carolinian, named BOON, succeeded, after many
unsuccessful attempts, in forming a settlement of sufficient size to
resist the reiterated attacks of the Indians. Soon after, the
revolutionary war, which gave liberty and independence to the English
colonies, having terminated, the activity of the inhabitants of the
northern states, urging them perpetually to new enterprises, the tide of
emigration flowed towards Kentucky, and in the year 1790, the population
of this country already amounted to near 74,000. Until this time
Kentucky had always been looked upon as a part of Virginia, but then, by
consent of that state, it was separated, and formed into a distinct
state, which was admitted into the Union in 1782; its population is now
560,000. The Indians, either destroyed, or driven back to distant parts,
by civilization, have left the field open to the industry of the whites;
in the place of the ancient forests that served them for an asylum, are
now found populous cities, abundant harvests, and active and prosperous
manufactures; finally, Kentucky, in spite of its ominous name, has
become a hospitable land, and is now one of the most brilliant stars in
the new constellation of the west. The courage displayed by the
inhabitants of Kentucky during the last war is well known, and in what
manner they expressed their patriotic sentiments in the presence of
Lafayette. Nevertheless, I will relate the following anecdote, which
proves how deeply the hatred of despotism is imparted in the breasts of
every class among these happy people.
During a pleasant day of our journey, I ascended a steep hill on foot,
on the summit of which I stopped near an isolated cabin, in order to
wait for the carriages, which slowly followed me, and were still far in
the rear, for I had walked rapidly. A man, who was smoking his segar at
the door of the house, asked me to walk in and rest myself. I accepted,
with gratitude, this polite invitation. The difficulty with which I
expressed my thanks in English marked me for a stranger, and induced a
number of questions, as to the place whence I came, where I was going,
and the motives of my journey. As these questions appeared to be
dictated rather from a feeling of kindness, than from indiscreet
curiosity, I hastened to answer with all possible politeness. “Well!”
exclaimed my host in a joyful tone, “since you have the happiness of
living with Lafayette, you will not refuse to drink a glass of whiskey
with me to his health,” and segars and whiskey were immediately
presented to me, and we began to converse on what appeared most to
interest my Kentucky entertainer, the guest of the nation. After
exhausting this subject, he spoke of my country, and the extraordinary
man who had bestowed upon it fifteen years of glory and despotism. He
seemed enthusiastic on the military exploits of Napoleon, and deeply
afflicted at his unhappy end. “Why,” said he, “had he the folly to give
himself up, in his misfortunes, to his most cruel enemy, to the English
government, whose perfidy he had so often experienced? why did he not
rather seek an asylum on our hospitable shores? Here he would have found
admirers, and what is better, sincere friends, in the midst of whom,
freed from all inquietude, he might have peacefully enjoyed the
recollection of his great actions.” “I suspect,” answered I, “that you
know little of Napoleon’s character; his soul was not formed for the
mild enjoyments of peace; he constantly required new food for the
prodigious activity of his genius; and who knows, that if seduced by new
dreams of ambition, at the view of the resources of a new country, he
would not have attempted to substitute, as he did with us, his own will
for your wise institutions?” “We should have considered such an attempt
as an act of madness,” replied my host with a smile of disdain, “but if,
against all probabilities, we had submitted for a moment to his
tyrannous ascendency, his success would have been fatal to him. Look at
that rifle,” added he, pointing to one in a corner of the room, “with
that I never miss a pheasant in our woods at a hundred yards; a tyrant
is larger than a pheasant, and there is not a Kentuckian who is not as
patriotic and skilful as myself.”