拍品專文
Lafayette, after his father's death at the Battle of Minden on 1 August, 1759, grew up at the family home in the Chateau of Chavaniac, now called Chateau Lafayette, and in Paris at the Collège du Plessis. After the death of his mother and grandfather in 1770 he inherited an income of 120,000 livres
Following the family tradition he entered the army in the second company of King's Musketeers under the Duc de Noailles, whose daughter he married in 1774. He became strongly attracted to the aspirations of the American insurgents, and secretly made plans to go to America. He withdrew from active service in the French Army, and following the Declaration of Independence started negotiations with the Americans to serve in the Army of Independence without renumeration. News of his plans reached the ears of the British Ambassador in Paris, whose objections led to a royal lettre de cachet preventing him from going to America. In fact it had the opposite effect, and Lafayette sailed for America on 20 April, 1777, the year after these pistols were made.
On arrival in Philadelphia Lafayette presented his credentials to a committee of Congress: however Congress was tired of foreign adventurers and he was not encouraged by them. Undaunted, he wrote a petition with two requests: to serve at his own expense, and to begin as a volunteer. This unusual action led to his commissioning by Congress as a Major-General. He met George Washington on 1 August and this meeting marked the beginning of their famous friendship. He was wounded at the Battle of Brandywine, and this helped establish him in the eyes of his American comrades. On 1 December Congress voted him command of the division of Virginian light troops. He saw renewed active service against the British, narrowly avoiding capture at Barren Hill in May, 1778. In October of that year he was granted furlough and returned to Paris where he was feted and did much to forward the aims of the Americans, before returning to America with a French fleet, which helped defeat the British at the Battle of Yorktown on 19 October, 1781. He returned to France where he was again feted, and eventually became involved in the Revolution in France. He has never been forgotten in America; Congress voted him grants of money and lands in recompense for his services. He returned for a visit to the United States in 1784 and again in 1824, and after his death on 20 May, 1834 his grave was covered with earth from Bunker's Hill
Dr. Cochran was one of the founders of the New Jersey Medical Society in 1766, becoming President in 1769. In 1776 he offered his services as a volunteer, and Washington put his name before Congress. He was selected for the position of Physcian and Surgeon-General of the Army in the middle department in 1777, subsequently becoming Chief Physcian and Surgeon. He was on intimate terms with Washington and Lafayette, the former presenting him with his camp furniture, and the latter with a gold watch, which was sent from France. See Ida Cochran Haughton, Chronicles of the Cochrans, Columbus, Ohio, 1915, pp.94-98
Sold with a copy of a typed family account detailing the descent of the pistols from Dr. Cochran to the present vendor
Following the family tradition he entered the army in the second company of King's Musketeers under the Duc de Noailles, whose daughter he married in 1774. He became strongly attracted to the aspirations of the American insurgents, and secretly made plans to go to America. He withdrew from active service in the French Army, and following the Declaration of Independence started negotiations with the Americans to serve in the Army of Independence without renumeration. News of his plans reached the ears of the British Ambassador in Paris, whose objections led to a royal lettre de cachet preventing him from going to America. In fact it had the opposite effect, and Lafayette sailed for America on 20 April, 1777, the year after these pistols were made.
On arrival in Philadelphia Lafayette presented his credentials to a committee of Congress: however Congress was tired of foreign adventurers and he was not encouraged by them. Undaunted, he wrote a petition with two requests: to serve at his own expense, and to begin as a volunteer. This unusual action led to his commissioning by Congress as a Major-General. He met George Washington on 1 August and this meeting marked the beginning of their famous friendship. He was wounded at the Battle of Brandywine, and this helped establish him in the eyes of his American comrades. On 1 December Congress voted him command of the division of Virginian light troops. He saw renewed active service against the British, narrowly avoiding capture at Barren Hill in May, 1778. In October of that year he was granted furlough and returned to Paris where he was feted and did much to forward the aims of the Americans, before returning to America with a French fleet, which helped defeat the British at the Battle of Yorktown on 19 October, 1781. He returned to France where he was again feted, and eventually became involved in the Revolution in France. He has never been forgotten in America; Congress voted him grants of money and lands in recompense for his services. He returned for a visit to the United States in 1784 and again in 1824, and after his death on 20 May, 1834 his grave was covered with earth from Bunker's Hill
Dr. Cochran was one of the founders of the New Jersey Medical Society in 1766, becoming President in 1769. In 1776 he offered his services as a volunteer, and Washington put his name before Congress. He was selected for the position of Physcian and Surgeon-General of the Army in the middle department in 1777, subsequently becoming Chief Physcian and Surgeon. He was on intimate terms with Washington and Lafayette, the former presenting him with his camp furniture, and the latter with a gold watch, which was sent from France. See Ida Cochran Haughton, Chronicles of the Cochrans, Columbus, Ohio, 1915, pp.94-98
Sold with a copy of a typed family account detailing the descent of the pistols from Dr. Cochran to the present vendor