After the grand festivities of welcoming Lafayette 1824 style the day before, we returned to Yorktown for the big parade celebrating the victorious battle won at the hands of the French-American Alliance.
FRENCH-AMERICAN ALLIANCE
As the town prepared for the festivities, even the many private residences got into the spirit!
Meanwhile the American flag was interspersed along historic Main Street…
In this historic home is a coffee shop with Lafayette flair!
Historical sites, such as the old custom house, now a museum run by the Comte de Grasse Daughters of the American Revolution, got into the spirit of the French-American Alliance.
btw Comte de Grasse was the French Admiral who won the Battle of the Capes, blocking Cornwallis from rescue or escape…so that the siege could be enacted.
Bordered by Comte de Grasse St and Main St is the Yorktown Victory Monument, which was installed in 1884.
Although many French dignitaries, military, and citizens often attend this parade, this year a unique French visit occurred.
LAFAYETTE, WE ARE HERE
In honor of the 200th anniversary of Lafayette’s Grand Tour of Yorktown, the Lafayette Squardron aka French Air Force flying a Dassault Rafale (right) joined an American F-22 Raptor (left) in opening the parade with a flyover.
Wow! Symbolic of the French and American armies that fought side by side on the nearby Yorktown Battlefield achieving ultimate victory and liberty, these Air Force jets also remind us of WWI when American flew alongside the French in the Lafayette Esquadrille…now the Lafayette Squadron.
Lafayette would have been pumped if he could see this!
PARADE
With great fanfare the parade began with bands, military units (modern and historic), as well as many American Revolution and Lafayette groups, etc.
Wow! I wish I lived here to join in the fun! These are kindred spirits!
Guest of honor was Lafayette, interpreted by Colonial Williamsburg’s Mark Schneider!
Serving in the Continental Army without pay, the 19 year old Lafayette clothed his tattered troops, formed alliances with American Indians, and brought French to massively support America with finances, supplies, troops, and a naval fleet.
Everywhere he went, Lafayette made friends.
When invited by President Monroe to tour the 24 states of America, many cities arranged to fete him, to which massive crowds exitedly arrived…prompting more cities to invite him.
From July 1824 to September 1825, Lafayette visited every state to: demonstrations of frenzied enthusiasm without precedent or parallel in American history. –Yorktown Battlefield National Park Service
JAMES ARMISTEAD LAFAYETTE
After many speeches from French and American dignitaries, Lafayette spoke a few words…then noticed James, in the audience, whom he remembered from the Battle of Yorktown.
It was James, who at the time was a slave owned by Virginian who put him into Lafayette’s service.
Not supporting slavery, Lafayette used James in a most trustworthy manner, as a double agent so that he could glean information from the British which proved helpful at the Battle of Yorktown.
When Lafayette visited Virginia in 1784, he learned James had never earned his freedom for his service in the American Revolution, so Lafayette wrote a letter to the General Assembly which gained his freedom.
Upon obtaining his freedom, James changed his surname from Armistead to Lafayette!
After a joyous reunion, they shared their story.
