Lafayette's Reception in Philadelphia

Lafayette's party arrived in philadelphia 32 days after leaving charleston, forty days after landing in america. They felt acutely self conscious of the deep anti french, anti catholic sentiment of these anglo settlers and detected latent hostility in people they encountered. As they trudged wearily toward philadelphia, they learned the british captured fort ticonderoga, sentinel of the northern border with canada. If they did not hurry, the war might be over before they even had a chance to fight.