The Plume

As most are aware from our American History classes, Marquis de Lafayette, a young 19-year-old soldier from France, admired the American Colonies and came to their aid by joining the Continental Army and working and learning under General George Washington. “The moment I heard of America, I loved her; the moment I knew she was fighting for freedom, I burnt with a desire of bleeding for her; and the moment I shall be able to serve her at any time…will be the happiest of my life.” He was wounded at the Battle of Brandywine in a vain attempt to prevent the British from occupying Philadelphia in 1777. But four years later, he stood victorious with Washington at Yorktown to accept Britian’s surrender.

Following the British surrender, Lafayette returned to France to assist in the French Revolution. He endured five years in a French prison. But Bucks County was always important to Lafayette. It was here he joined the Continental Army encamped in Warminster along the Neshaminy, and it was here he received care from wounds at Brandywine. Washington and Congress promoted him to Major General. In 1824, at age 67, and 41 years after the end of the Revolutionary War, Marquis de Lafayette accepted an invitation from President James Monroe to return to the United States for a year-long victory tour and hero’s welcome of the country.

Crowds everywhere cheered Lafayette as his coach passed in a whirlwind tour starting in New England. Riding in a black carriage with a retractable hood drawn by six cream-colored horses, he crossed the Delaware from New Jersey into Morrisville on September 27, 1824. Town folk, dignitaries, and the governor of Pennsylvania welcomed him, shouting “Viva Lafayette!” An escort of carriages and horse soldiers from Bucks County accompanied General Lafayette. One of the escorts was third-generation John Thompson (1795-1869, eldest son of Hugh and Mary Praul Thompson), captain of the Wrightstown Company of the Bucks County Militia! And for his service Captain Thompson was presented “a blue plume tipped with red.” Quite an honor, eh? your text here...