These repeated acts of insubordination and license at length drew upon him the serious displeasure of the king, and he was dismissed from the service. Sinking under the burden of his calamities, in a moment of despair he made an attempt upon his own life; and when rescued by his friends from death, hastened to the celebrated monastery of La Trappe, where he proposed to withdraw from the world and take the vow of perpetual silence. This was about the time when the heroic struggle of the American states for independence first began to attract attention and awaken sympathy throughout Europe. All the efforts of La Rouërie's friends to rescue him from what they considered a living tomb were in vain, until they related to him the enthusiasm which reigned throughout Paris when news was received of the Roman steadiness of the Continental Congress; and that under the most adverse circumstances, and while the whole world regarded trans-atlantic liberty as in the last agonies of existence, Washington had accom-plished the two brilliant achievements of Trenton and Prince-ton, over a numerous and hitherto victorious army. This information opened a new field for the young Frenchman's aspirations. He came out again into the world, declared himself a champion in the just cause of this weak and youth-

MARQUIS DE LA ROUËRIE 17

ful people, and with all the daring and enthusiasm which characterized the Paladins of romance, he took the earliest opportunity of reaching the shores of America. He arrived here in the spring of 1777. Concealing his title and assuming for a surname his baptismal appellation of Armand, he presented himself at once to Congress, asking for employment. On the 10th of May he received from that body the rank of colonel, being, at his own request, com- missioned to raise a partisan corps of Frenchmen consisting of horse and foot, and not exceeding in number two hundred.