Lafayette’s Night
In Murfreesboro
A glittering ball was planned, hut
the mud was thick and the hour grew
late. . . .
«»/
JOHN W. PARKER
In commemoration of a festivity
which was planned for 1825 but never
completely look place, a Grand Ball
will be staged in the venerable river¬
front town of Murfreesboro on Satur¬
day evening. January 27. The occasion
will mark the visit. 148 years ago. by
hero of the American Revolution, the
Marquis de Lafayette of France.
This elaborate social affair is not
being held solely in remembrance of
the long-ago festivities which were so
hastily conceived and executed in
honor of the last surviving Revolution¬
ary War general upon his brief stop
here on that Saturday. February 26,
in 1825. Rather, it is hoped that the
event will focus attention on the re¬
markable progress being made in the
town's Adaptive Restoration program,
begun in 1967.
Distinguished foreign visitors were
not a novelty in Murfreesboro during
the early 1800s. The Eagle Tavern,
operated by Mrs. Sally Mosson, and
later the Indian Queen Inn, with Moses
THE LAFAYETTE BALL
The Murfreesboro Historical Associa¬
tion. Inc., in u five-) cnr-funcl-raisinu pro-
Crani, is seeking $5 million to acquire and
restore its treasured historic buildings.
Federal and State agencies, foundations
and individuals are being sought as
donors. Proceeds from the Lafajette Ball
will go into this fund.
Announcement of the event, to be held
January 27. was made by E. Frank Ste¬
phenson, Jr., president of the Association,
and Mrs. Edwin P. Brown, chairman of
the Historic Murfreesboro Commission.
Mrs. A. A. McLean and Mrs. II. K.
Burgwyn. are co-chairmen for the ball,
to he accompanied by a number of parties
in the town's gracious homes for over
300 guests.
Clements proprietor, were landmarks
of hospitality. The Bishop of London
was a guest here, as were Prince
Achillc Murat (Napoleon’s son) and
the Duke of Saxc-Wcimcr Eiscnstat,
on separate occasions.
But the most distinguished guest of
all was Gilbert Montier. Marquis dc
Lafayette, friend of George Washing¬
ton, and hero-general of the American
Revolution. News of his pending ar¬
rival reached the village on Friday
morning, February 25. 1825. The citi¬
zens had a scant 24 hours to prepare for
his coming, which was delayed by
weather conditions until 9:00 p.m. the
following evening, February 26, and he
departed after breakfast the next morn¬
ing on his triumphant tour of the South¬
ern states.
It was for this visit, an honor be¬
stowed on few American towns, that
welcoming ceremonies were planned,
a banquet prepared, and a ball ar¬
ranged. All was accomplished except
the ball — cancelled because of the
lateness of the hour. It is partly the
realization of what must have been a
keen disappointment to their ancestors
which prompted present-day citizens
to fulfill a long-overdue patriotic duty
and social amenity. Hence, a Lafayette
Ball, come January 27. 1973.
The 1824-25 visit to America consti¬
tuted the third occasion for Lafayette’s
coming to these shores. Shortly after
the beginning of the war for freedom
in the colonies, he had arrived in
Charleston. South Carolina, at age 19,
in a ship bought and equipped by him¬
self, to offer his sword to General
Washington, at whose side he fought
from Brandywine to Yorktown.
Mcrqun dc Lofayctle — ot age 68 Ihc fomed
Revolutionary hero entered North Carolina near
Murfreesboro on his Southern tour.
At Washington's personal invitation
he had returned in 1784-85 as a guest
to Mount Vernon, and together the
two heroes had toured the cities and
battlefields they had known under
harsher circumstances.
Now in the twilight of his life, at
age 68, Lafayette had accepted Con¬
gress’ invitation to be a guest of the
nation and allow the people to acclaim
him, the last surviving general of the
American Revolution and active par¬
ticipant in the more recent popular
revolution in his own country.
After a sojourn of some six months
in and around Washington, General
Lafayette sailed for Norfolk, Virginia,
to begin his Southern lour, accom¬
panied by his 45-year-old son, George
Washington (named for his dear friend,
the late President), his secretary Au¬
guste Levansseur, his valet Sebaslien
Wagner, and a young Frenchman
named dc Syon. whom he had recently
met in the capital city. Pushing on im¬
mediately to Suffolk. Virginia, the first
stop on his tightly scheduled itinerary,
he spent the night there, then headed
for the North Carolina border, where
the first overnight stay in this state had
been set for the town of Murfreesboro.
A break for lunch occurred at Somcr-
ton. just north of the state line, and
there he was met by the advance Mur¬
freesboro delegation, composed of Dr.
Lawrence O'Bryan. Lewis Meredith
Cowper, and John W. Southall. Inter¬
mittent rains had slowed the progress
considerably, and it was well after dark
to
THE STATE. January, 1973
