On June 21, 1825, the Marquis de Lafayette began his second visit to New Hampshire as part of his farewell tour of the 24 American states. During his 13-month journey, this French hero of the American Revolution was met everywhere with exuberant displays of gratitude and affection.
The Marquis de Lafayette spent only about 12 hours in Portsmouth on Sept. 1, 1824, but the city made the most of it. The “nation’s guest” was surrounded by cheering crowds, praised by local and state officials, taken on a tour of the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, honored at a public banquet, an…
