General Lafayette
Starting our last day in the historic town was another Lafayette program! Would this one be a different story-line than our first meeting with him the day before?
It is 1781, the year Lafayette was sent with his dragoons by General Washington to capture the villainous turn-coat Benedict Arnold, who was wreaking havoc in Virginia.
Explaining that by the time of his arrival Arnold had escaped by boat to New York, General Cornwallis had entered Virginia.
Outnumbered by the British, Lafayette and his dragoons pestered the Redcoats, eventually cornering them in nearby Yorktown.
Again, the audience was permitted to ask questions, which are obviously unique to each presentation, allowing us to learn new things and even laugh!
For example, when a guest teasingly asked whether Benedict Arnold was really a traitor, Lafayette shockingly tossed the question to the crowd, who booed in proper 18th century manner!
When my son raised his hand with a question, Lafayette replied: Ah, the young historian has returned! Are you going to ask about the Hundred Years’ War?
My son responded: No. What do you think of Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox?
Lafayette regaled us with amazing tales and new information on another favorite from our homeschool studies.
Later my son asked another question: What is a marquis?
Again, a great response, that we can easily look up on-line, but more personalized coming from the marquis, himself, a Frenchman responding to an American audience.
We just love historical interpreters giving us this history immersion. It’s exactly the reason we came to Colonial Williamsburg.
After the question and answer, Lafayette quickly left for an important meeting with General Washington.
Revolutionary City Street Theater: Citzens at War 1776-1781
The theme of Revolutionary City was “Citizens at War” 1776-1781 which began with the drum and fife corps playing a march in front of the Capitol.
Declaration of Independence
It is July 25, 1776 and the printer has obtained a copy of the Declaration of Independence, now printed on the front page of the gazette.
While publicly read from the balcony and recited by the different historical interpreters, I felt goose bumps.
This was my kids fourth deep immersion into the famous document this year, the other three being part of our homeschool studies. I love this about Colonial Williamsburg.
British General Benedict Arnold
A most stunning scene that morning actually occurred one day in April of 1781.
Suddenly several historical interpreters cried: Make haste! To the Capitol! The turncoat is coming!
Cautiously walking to the Capitol, we were sped along as the interpreters frantically exhorted us to hurry!
We heard the clip clop of horses’ hooves…and there he was.
The dreaded turncoat…Benedict Arnold!
Now a general in the British army, Arnold audaciously announced the rules of occupation, which he considered fair.
Despite our booing all the gloomy prospects, the Grand Union flag atop the Capitol was replaced with the Union Jack.
General George Washington
Gloomily walking from the Capitol to Raleigh Tavern, we were surprised to see the newly arrived General George Washington!
It was September 28, 1781.
Soon the Continental Army would march to Yorktown with the French allies led by Rochambeau, to begin the siege on the British.
Victory is within their grasp! Huzzah!
After eating our lunch under the trees and watching the horses prance up Botetourt Street, we headed for the College of William and Mary.
College of William and Mary
Established in 1693, the College of William and Mary is the oldest academic building continuously used in America.
Taking this picture made my heart stop.
My 12-year-old son could be walking to grammar school, on the path to higher education!
The statue is of the Royal Governor, Lord Botetourt who was much loved by Virginians.
Grammar School for Intensive Latin and Greek Studies
On our self-guided tour of the historical section of the Wren Building, we freely walked about.
Around the age of 8, boys began their studies in grammar school, which focused on intensive studies in Latin and Greek.
Although my shy daughter never asked questions of the interpreters, as her brother often did, she knew her paintings!
Throughout the Palace, Capitol, and Wren Building she knew every painting, and every King and Queen of England, as did my son.
College Camp Established by Colonel Patrick Henry
Behind the Wren Building is College Camp, which was established by Colonel Patrick Henry (yes, that Patrick Henry) for the encampment of the Virginia militia in 1775.
From there we toured the Thomas Everard House near the Governor’s Palace.
Then we went to the Palace Gardens to see Prelude to Victory.
Prelude to Victory with Generals Washington and Lafayette
Prepared to meet General Washington and his staff as they prepared for the siege of Yorktown, we were delighted to see General Lafayette!
These historical interpreters perfectly played their parts. We know because we extensively read all about them in homeschool.
The program gave us an idea of their working relationship, with Lafayette as the aide-de-camp to the General, which was undergirded by their father/son relationship.
Lafayette displayed deep loyalty to Washington, while Washington exuded full trust in Lafayette.
Fielding questions about the upcoming siege or even about past events of the war, Lafayette worked the crowd while Washington stoically supervised.
Though famously stoic, lesser known were the moments of emotion from Washington, which occurred during the presentation.
General Washington trains future troops
Two little boys got the wiggles, so they moved to the side of the garden to play guns.
General Washington stepped down to talk to one while Lafayette was answering a question and I thought, uh oh…
Then I heard soft laughter, cameras suddenly snapping pictures of General teaching the boys how to properly hold their guns and stand behind the tree!
Stoic General Washington stole the show from the emotive Lafayette!
Later when my son raised his hand for a question, the Marquis exclaimed: Ah, monsieur, the young historian! Mon general, that is the young historian I met yesterday!
The typical stoic General Washington grinned, for a brief moment. (Yes, even the real George Washington was known to do that on occasion!)
My son’s queries were: Why is the General Washington’s sword straight when the General Lafayette’s is curved? And what does the black and white fluff on top of General Lafayette’s hat represent? Why didn’t the General Washington also have that fluff on his hat? Again, great answers!
At the end of this perfectly portrayed program, the generals left to prepare to review the militia.
Magazine
Oh no! Our last day in Colonial Williamsburg was nearing and end but we hardly got to see everything!
Only yesterday General Lafayette asked my son what his favorite place in town was.
The Magazine he exclaimed! We ran off to explore the Magazine, where the town stores arms and ammunition, but it closed at 4pm. Oops.
So that was sad. At least my son impeccably remembers his last visit in 2004.
Hmmmm, couldn’t we return for another vacation next year…or even live here?????
Military Review
Finding a giant shady tree to sit under the general’s review of the militia, my son soon found opportunity to join with other youth as a junior regiment.
Shopping and Bassett Hall
After shopping at the print shop, we walked to Bassett Hall to see the grounds of the vacation home of John D. Rockefeller, who financed the restoration of the historic area, beginning in the 1920s.
Dinner at the King’s Arms Tavern
We ended our vacation to Colonial Williamsburg at the King’s Arms Tavern where colonial musicians played for us and we were teased by a historical interpreter.
Three Days not Enough Time to Tour Colonial Williamsburg
Sigh…all the advertising is wrong.
Three days are NOT enough time to experience all of Colonial Williamsburg.
We could have easily spent our entire 2 weeks here.
We would love to live and work here! Huzzah! At least the memories will forever by with us.
Nor do these pictures tell the entire story. For more photos from our time in Colonial Williamsburg, click on any photo to access my Flickr set, or click here.
