To Generals Lallemand, Antoine Riguad, the veterans of the Napoleonic Wars
Liberty, Liberty County, Texas
Marker Inscription
To Generals Charles Lallemand, Antoine Rigaud, the veterans of the Napoleonic Wars and other French settlers, who, after many trials and adventures, came to Texas in the spring of 1818 to found on the banks of the Trinity River the Champ D'Asile: a last refuge for peace and liberty "Nous voulons vivre libres, laborieux et paisables" (We want to live as free men through our labor, and in peace.) Erected by the State of Texas 1936
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
In the spring of 1818, French generals Charles Lallemand and Antoine Rigaud led a band of Napoleonic veterans and other exiles to the banks of the Trinity River to found the Champ d'Asile—the "Field of Asylum"—a colony meant to be a refuge for peace and liberty. The settlers, defeated soldiers of a fallen empire, hoped to build new lives free of the political turmoil of Restoration Europe. The venture was short-lived, but its idealistic motto endured: "We want to live as free men through our labor, and in peace."
Why it matters
The Champ d'Asile is a striking episode of Old World exiles seeking sanctuary on the Texas frontier, a reminder that America's borderlands drew dreamers and refugees from far beyond its own shores.
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Related people
- · Charles Lallemand
- · Antoine Rigaud
Related events
- · Founding of Champ d'Asile
Themes & tags
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