Liberating Lafayette - Francis Kinloch Huger Frees a Founder
Francis Kinloch Huger was involved in a daring plan to free the Marquis de Lafayette from Austrian custody during the fallout of the French Revolution.
This plan was necessary, as President George Washington did not want to get involved due to his fear of starting a war with another European power.
I mentioned Huger’s story last year when I wrote about his uncle, Francis Kinloch, but I thought it was about time we give the story a more thorough review.
The Capture of Lafayette
In 1792, the Marquis de Lafayette fled the violence of the French Revolution.
During the escape, he was captured by Austria and imprisoned. Although the Americans supplied him with a pension for his war service, George Washington did not intervene as he was weary of foreign entanglements and the United States did not have an Ambassador in Vienna.
Fortunately, due to his status as a nobleman and ties to America, his captors treated him kindly and he was granted much leniency.
The Plan
John Barker Church, who was serving as an American consul to France, hatched a plan to free Lafayette.
Church hired a physician, Justus Bollmann, to assist in the escape. Bollmann, in turn, brought on an American friend: Francis Kinloch Huger.
Francis Kinloch Huger
Francis Kinloch Huger had long been an admirer of Lafayette.
He was from a wealthy South Carolina family and his father and four uncles had all served during the American Revolution.
In fact, when Lafayette had first arrived in the United States, the first house he stayed in was Huger’s. Just four-years-old at the time, Huger grew up hearing stories of the famous Frenchman.
Contacting Lafayette
Francis had been studying medicine in Europe when his friend, Bollmann, made known his plan to free the Marquis.
Huger eagerly agreed to join the team and they bribed a guard to permit the passing of notes to Lafayette. These notes had messages written in lime juice on them, which was an early method of using invisible ink.
Lafayette wrote back that the guards took him for daily walks and of the three men one was fat and two were old.
The Plan in Action
On November 4, 1794, the plan was set in motion.
As he got out of a carriage, Lafayette attempted to grab a sword from the fat guard. He proved to be more of a match than expected and was able to get on top of the Marquis and begin choking him.
Huger and Bollmann were able to scare off the two old men before saving Lafayette from his attacker. They gave him a horse and sent him on his way.
Unfortunately, the old guards sent out the alarm and Huger was captured during the ruckus.
Prison
Lafayette’s goal was to make his way to England before sailing to the United States.
Unfamiliar with the territory, he was soon arrested by locals who did not trust his French accent and attempts at bribery. He was brought back to prison where he was kept under close watch for five years.
Huger was also imprisoned, spending eight months in solitary confinement before being released on the condition he return to the United States.
Reunion
Upon his return home, Huger began his physician practice while studying artillery.
Francis would serve as a Captain of Artillery during the War of 1812 while spending time in the South Carolina House of Representatives. He would later make his way into the State Senate.
Thirty years after the escape attempt, Lafayette returned to the United States for his famous tour. He stopped at the Huger residence, where Francis’ father had hosted him so many years before.
That afternoon, the two men who shared such a harrowing experience, met for just the second time.
Here are some more stories about prison during the American Founding:
Hell in the Harbor - Death on Board the HMS Jersey
Thomas Heyward Jr. - Songwriting Prisoner
Elizabeth Lewis Stands Confidently Against the British
Want to read more about the Lafayette’s alliance with the United States?
‘Adopted Son’ is one of my person favorite books on the American Revolution.
This tome discusses the important relationship between George Washington and the Marquis.
Pick up a copy through the Amazon affiliate link below (you’ll support this site, but don’t worry, Amazon pays me while your price stays the same) but be warned, it is very rare and therefore expensive.
