The principal source for what occurred on Lafayette’s November 1824 visit to Jefferson is the November 10 issue of Charlottesville’s Central Gazette, later credited to Charles Downing.[1] While it has not survived, it was reprinted in whole or in part in papers of Richmond, Alexandria, Lynchburg and Fredericksburg.[2] My source for the Central Gazette of November 10 is principally the Alexandria Gazette of November 16.

Turning now to the visit: At Boyd’s Tavern on Thursday, November 4, Mr. Rives greeted Lafayette in a formal speech, recorded verbatim. The party then entered the tavern for libations. The tavern had been built for Jefferson’s brother-in-law, Col. Charles L. Lewis, around 1750. (The current building was constructed between 1825 and 1840.) Lafayette had been in this tavern before. In June 1781, Lafayette visited the tavern during his military campaign.[3]

The distance from Boyd’s Tavern to Monticello would be nine miles. Boyd’s Tavern was elevation 475 feet. The party descended to the Rivanna River and then climbed to Monticello’s 850 feet. The party consisted of Jefferson’s carriage carrying Lafayette, Mr. Rives, and Thomas Jefferson Randolph. Two other carriages and a baggage wagon, a small detachment of cavalry, the deputation of the Committee of Arrangements, guards, and “a large body of citizens who had assembled to do him honor, marshalled into order by the assistance of Major Clarke…” Albemarle had decided its escorts would not be military but in civilian, “mountaineer” dress.[4]

Per the Central Gazette:

Nothing could surpass in beauty and grandeur the march of a long and animated procession through a mountain’s meanders—as it winded around the hill and descended the river below the little town of Milton, the General himself drew the attention of his immediate companions to the moving scenery around him, and highly complimented the imposing appearance of the guards. To an indifferent spectator it could be indifferent, it seemed that thousands of freemen had sprung up from the hills, and woods, and mountains, to hail the arrival, and to shout the welcome, of their country’s friend. A moment such as this, when a nation’s gratitude bursts out into one wide wild spread of enthusiasm, when the heart beams in every eye, and that heart, La Fayette’s—a moment such as this, is enough to repay all the perils and privations in a long life, devoted to the cause of freedom.

At two o’clock the approach of the procession up the mountain was announced by the bugle. [The pedestrians] formed themselves into a line on the northern margin of the circular yard, in front of the house. The cavalry…ranged themselves on the opposite side of the yard; a deep silence prevailed while every eye turned with eagerness…The next moment the carriages drew up in front of the building. As soon as the General drove up, Mr. Jefferson advanced to meet him, with feeble steps; but as he approached, his feelings seemed to triumph over the infirmities of age [81], and as the General descended they hastened into each other’s arms. They embraced again and again—tears were shed by both—and the broken expressions of “God bless you, General,” “Bless you, my dear Jefferson,” was all that interrupted the impressive silence of the scene, except the audible sobs of many whose emotions could not be suppressed.

Witness Thomas Jefferson Randolph reported in his memoirs there had been seven carriages, 120 mounted men, and about two hundred pedestrians.[5] Jane Blair Cary Smith, writing at age 58 about this event when she was 16, recorded the scene in this manner:

On a golden November day we watched for the coming guests on the south western terrace. At length, in an open space at the foot of the mountain we discerned a train of several carriages, followed by 40 or 50 men on horseback. Then all was hurry and expectation! A few favored guests were assembled — among whom were Mr. and Mrs. Madison, and about a dozen young lady relatives, some of whom were beautiful enough to grace any reception. All were assembled in the portico, a stone structure with massive doric columns on the N.W. front of the house, Mr. Jefferson, Mrs. Randolph, Mr. and Mrs. Madison being the centre of the group. We lost sight of the cortege; as it wound around the base of the mountain, but at length through the pendant branches of the willows, we saw them with all the military show of gay scarfs and prancing horses, whose glittering accoutrements flashed in the sunshine as they formed in line on the edge of the lawn. Who can tell the excitement of that hour to a country rustic, who had seen nothing! Emotions so intense cd. not be experienced in our day, when girls of 14 or 15 are veterans and can stand the charge in a battle of sensations unmoved — At length, the first carriage reached the lawn and drew up; a crowd of gentlemen dismounted in eager haste and the Guest of the Nation was handed out: simultaneously Mr. Jefferson had walked to the edge of the lawn hurriedly and bareheaded to meet his guest. They embraced and kissed each other on the cheek in European fashion: — all was so still that we heard the words distinctly — “My dear Jefferson! — My dear Lafayette!”

The whole was a scene for an artist — a grand historic picture should have commemorated this meeting — on this mountaintop — the long chain of wavy outline, where the Blue Ridge met the horizon — the expanse of level country stretching away — away — until it seemed an ocean in the distance, — a high rugged peak in the front view — all beautified by the soft golden veil of Indian summer — the mystery and glory of our Autumn! At this moment few, if any had leisure to do aught but feel these influences; for all eyes were rivetted upon the principal figures of the [pair] — the distinguished soldier and the great statesman. The General was led up the steps by Mr. Jefferson, and introduced to Mrs. Randolph, whom he remembered as a school-girl at the Convent of St. Cyr, and then as the mistress of her father’s house in Paris: he kissed her hands repeatedly and spoke many kind words as she received him with a grace peculiarly her own — a stately, elegant woman she was on all occasions, always self[-]possessed, though shrinking with painful timidity from notoriety. She then introduced her daughters and nieces, and among those white robed girls were some of the fairest the General had seen in all his long wanderings: — they crowded eagerly to touch the hand that had wielded a sword in our great Revolution. I had been accustomed to see MR. JEFFERSON — MR. MADISON — and MR. MONROE, but this French hero was a [spell?] to my inexperience…[6]

Smith erred. Neither James nor Dolley Madison were at the greeting. Writing to his wife from Monticello early on the morning of Nov. 5, Madison said he had arrived at sunset when those dining were starting dessert. He noted that Auguste Levasseur, Lafayette’s private secretary, arrived after the greeting and, ill, went straight to bed. This accords with Levasseur’s private diary.[7]

Jefferson’s enslaved person Peter Fossett reported at age 83 the events when he was age nine:

[Lafayette] was met at Red Gate and escorted to Monticello by the Jefferson Guards and the Virginia Militia. The latter consisted of all the school boys in the county, who had been drilled for the occasion, armed with sharp pointed sticks tipped with pikes. The meeting between Jefferson and Lafayette was most affectionate. They fell into each other’s arms with these words: “My dear Lafayette,” “My dear Jefferson,” and wept.

Mrs. Patsy Randolph, who had been Martha Ann Jefferson [sic], received Lafayette with grace and dignity befitting a queen, welcoming him to the hospitality of the home of her father. They all listened to the addresses that followed. Even the slaves wept. A youth of eighteen made the address on behalf of the juvenile soldiers…[8]

President James Monroe had intended to be at the greeting but had departed Albemarle County two days earlier, leaving a letter for Lafayette that he had to return to Washington on public business.[9]

Jane Smith described the dinner:

A brief toilette brought the guests to the drawing room again, and in a few moments more to the dining room: A party of 20 ladies and gentlemen sat down to dinner; Mr. Jefferson sat at one side with Mr. Madison and Genl. LaFayette on either hand: Mr. Geo. LaFayette was at the head of the table between Miss Randolph and her mother. As usual there were fewer gentlemen than ladies, and one side of the table showed an almost unbroken line of beautiful young girls. I remember the enthusiastic admiration of the Frenchmen, expressed in undertones of their own language, partly at the animate beauty on one hand, and the landscape on the other. We sat in a lofty vaulted apartment, hung on all sides with large paintings, the light of closing day came down softly from the window of the vaulted roof, and in a moment the glory of the setting sun shone from the many tinted mountain behind which it was sinking. All eyes turned to watch that sun setting: the foreigners reiterating words of admiration and delight at every new aspect. The picture rises vividly before me, not a touch is lost — not a hue faded, for the tablet of memory held then but few records: forty two years have passed — …. Among other observations of a more exalted nature, I could not help noticing that the French hero ate fish not only with his fingers, but with his whole hand dipped into the mess Arab fashion.

Part 5 covers Lafayette’s visit to Charlottesville and the gala dinner at the Rotunda of Jefferson’s University of Virginia.

[A link to Part 3 is here.]

[1] “Reception of General Lafayette in Albemarle,” Magazine of Albemarle County History, vol. 24 (1965-66), pp. 53-66 (citing Mary Rawlings, ed., Early Charlottesville: Recollections of James Alexander, 1828-1874, 1942; 1963 notes and revisions by Velora Carver Thomson), p. 13 (quoting Alexander).

[2] “Reception of Gen. La Fayette in Albemarle,” Constitutional Whig [Richmond], Nov. 19, 1824, p. 1, col. 4; Alexandria Gazette, Nov. 13, 1824, p. 2, col. 2; Alexandria Gazette, Nov. 16, 1824, p. 2, col. 5; The Virginian [Lynchburg],  Nov. 20, 1824, p. 2, col. 4; W.S. Shields, , “General Lafayette’s Visit to Monticello and the University,” The Virginia University Magazine IV no. 3 (1859), pp. 113-25; R.D. Ward, An Account of General La Fayette’s Visit to Virginia, in the Years 1824-’25 (1881), pp. 90-95; “Reception of General Lafayette in Albemarle,” Magazine of Albemarle County History, vol. 24 (1965-66), pp. 53-66; and Edgar Ewing Brandon, Lafayette, Guest of the Nation; a Contemporary Account of the Triumphal Tour of General Lafayette through the United States in 1824-1825, as Reported by the Local Newspapers (vol. 3, 1957, pp. 125-139, republishing Fredericksburg’s Virginia Herald of Nov. 15).

[3] “Boyd Tavern,” National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, Sept. 30, 2009, pp. 5-6.

[4] For the last sentence: “Arrangements at Charlottesville,” Richmond Enquirer, Nov. 5, 1824, p. 2, col. 4 (quoting an undated Citizen Gazette).

[5] Thomas Jefferson Randolph’s memories in Sarah N. Randolph’s Domestic Life of Thomas Jefferson (1871, pp. 390-91) and his own memoirs in the Papers of Randolph held by the University of Virginia.

[6] Jane Blair Cary Smith (1808-1888; a distant cousin of Jefferson, granddaughter of Col. Thomas Mann Randolph), The Carysbrook Memoir: The Carys of Virginia (1866, pp. 69-78).

[7] Levasseur, vol. 1, p. 213.

[8] Peter Fossett (1815-1900), “Once the Slave of Thomas Jefferson—The Rev. Mr. Fossett, of Cincinnati, Recalls the Days When Men Came from the Ends of the Earth to Consult ‘the Sage of Monticello’—Reminiscences of Jefferson, Lafayette, Madison, and Monroe,” Special to the Sunday World, New York World, Jan. 30, 1898.

[9] “Gen. La Fayette,” Richmond Enquirer, Nov. 12, 1824, p. 3, col. 1 (the same paper reports the Virginia votes for presidential electors).