#brinkerhoff inn

Dear @msrandonstuff,

I am so glad you asked this! Yes, La Fayette did indeed fell gravely ill during his time in America.

Generally speaking, there are three main events that mattered health-wise in La Fayette’s life during the War of Independence. The first was his gunshot wound to the leg during the Battle of Brandywine, on September 11, 1777. Later, during his engagements in the southern campaigns, he contracted a prolonged fever that weakened him and left him tired and irritated, but his life was never in any serious danger. La Fayette often suffered from fevers, during times of war as well as during peace times. They usually came on after stressful and work-intensive periods and lasted from half a day to maybe two days and were usually cured by a good night of sleep. This episode in the south however was different and it is today believed that he had contracted Malaria – not uncommon for the time and area. The next health related event was the most serious one. La Fayette was preparing to sail back to France for the first time since his initial engagement in the war and it was at this time in November of 1778 that he fell seriously ill at Fishkill. La Fayette himself retold the events in his Memoirs:

Heated by fatiguing journeys and over exertion, and still more by the grief he had experienced at Rhode Island; and having afterwards laboured hard, drank freely, and passed several sleepless nights at Philadelphia, M. de Lafayette proceeded on horse-back, in a high state of fever, and during a pelting autumnal rain. Fetes were given in compliment to him throughout his journey, and he endeavoured to strengthen himself with wine, tea, and rum: but at Fishkill, eight miles from head-quarters, he was obliged to yield to the violence of an inflammatory fever. He was soon reduced to the last extremity, and the report of his approaching death distressed the army, by whom he was called the soldier’s friend and the whole nation were unanimous in expressing their good wishes and regrets for the marquis, the name by which he was exclusively designated. From the first moment, Cockran, director of the hospitals, left all his other occupations to attend to him alone. General Washington came every day to inquire after his friend; but, fearing to agitate him, he only conversed with the physician, and returned home with tearful eyes, and a heart oppressed with grief. Suffering acutely from a raging fever and violent head-ache, M. de Lafayette felt convinced that he was dying, but did not lose for a moment the clear-ness of his understanding: having taken measures to be apprised of the approach of death, he regretted that he could not hope again to see his country and the dearest objects of his affection. Far from fore- seeing the happy fate that awaited him, he would willingly have exchanged his future chance of life, in spite of his one and twenty years, for the certainty of living but for three months, on the condition of again seeing his friends, and witnessing the happy termination of the American war. But to the assistance of medical art, and the assiduous care of Dr. Cockran, nature added the alarming though salutary remedy of an hemorrhage. At the expiration of three months, M. de Lafayette’s life was no longer in danger: he was at length allowed to see the general, and think of public affair. (…) In spite of his extreme debility, M. de Lafayette, accompanied by his physician, repaired, on horse-back, to Boston, where Madeira wine effectually restored his health.

Marquis de La Fayette, Memoirs, Correspondences and Manuscripts of General Lafayette, Vol. 1, Craighead and Allen, New York, 1837, pp. 63-65.

Although La Fayette could sometime be a bit dramatic about certain things, he tended to downplay serious health problems rather than to exaggerate them – we also have the accounts of other people, physicians, military personal and civilians alike that support his account. The situation seems to have indeed been quite dire at the beginning.

One thing though that most likely is not true; Washington would not have had the time to visit La Fayette every day. We know of one visit by the commander-in-chief that we can be sure of, but there were likely not too many more visits.

Something noteworthy about La Fayette’s illness and subsequent stay in Fishkill is the fact that the very room where he spend the majority of these three months still exists. La Fayette stayed in the house of the Brinckerhoff family (bedroom on the second floor.) The family was quite a prominent family and had many other distinguished guests during the Revolutionary War, such as Alexander Hamilton, Baron von Steuben and George Washington. The house of the family is still standing and is today a Bed and Breakfast. You can book La Fayette’s former room alfor 299 USD a night and on the webpage of the Brinckerhoff Inn you can also find pictures of the room. One of the tables in the room is not part of the original interior but was gifted to the family by La Fayette in 1824/25 as a thank you gift.