Lafayette Joins the American Revolution
The Marquis de Lafayette, a French nobleman, played a significant role in the American Revolution after joining the colonial cause on July 31, 1777. Born in 1757, Lafayette became an orphan at a young age and ultimately pursued a military career, feeling a strong connection to the American struggle for independence. He traveled from France to offer his services as a major general, receiving formal acceptance from the Continental Congress due to his enthusiasm and background. Lafayette quickly became a trusted ally of General George Washington and demonstrated his commitment to the cause by participating in key battles, including Brandywine, where he was wounded.
As the war progressed, Lafayette also worked to secure additional support from France, convincing the French king to send military assistance. He returned to America in April 1780 and played a crucial role in defending Virginia against British forces led by Lord Charles Cornwallis. His efforts culminated in the decisive victory at the Siege of Yorktown in 1781, which significantly contributed to the American victory in the war. Lafayette's legacy as a hero of the American Revolution endures, reflecting the collaboration between allies in the pursuit of liberty. He later returned to France, where he continued to engage in military and political life until his death in 1834.
Lafayette Joins the American Revolution
Lafayette Joins the American Revolution
On July 31, 1777, Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, traveled to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to offer his services to the American colonies who were now united in their rebellion against the British Empire. Lafayette would become one of the leading heroes of the American Revolution.
Lafayette was born on September 6, 1757, in the province of Auvergne, France. He was only two years old when his father was killed at the battle of Minden during the Seven Years' War, and at the age of 13 he became an orphan when his mother died in 1770. Lafayette inherited a large estate, but this did not prevent him from pursuing career ambitions in the French military. He was a dragoon captain when the American colonies revolted against Great Britain in 1775 and later wrote in his memoirs that “at the first news of this quarrel, my heart was enrolled in it.” Lafayette resigned from the French military in June 1776 and, through Silas Deane, an American agent in Paris, he agreed to serve in the colonies with the rank of major general without pay. Lafayette left for America from Spain on April 20, 1777, and arrived at Georgetown, South Carolina, on June 13, 1777. From there he traveled to Philadelphia, where on July 31, 1777, the Continental Congress accepted his services and resolved that, in view of his “zeal, illustrious family, and connections,” he would have the rank of major general.
Shortly after joining the revolutionary cause, Lafayette became close friends with General George Washington and ultimately joined his staff. On September 11, 1777, the 20-year-old major general took part in the battle of Brandywine in Pennsylvania. The rebel forces were defeated in their effort to prevent British general Sir William Howe from advancing on the strategic city of Philadelphia, and Lafayette suffered a bullet wound in his leg as he attempted to rally the scattered American troops. In 1778 he was put in charge of an unsuccessful invasion of Canada, then fought alongside General Charles Lee at the battle of Monmouth in New Jersey on June 28, 1778. In August of that same year he served as a liaison officer between the American forces and the French fleet under Count Charles d'Estaing, during and after the unsuccessful attack on British-occupied Newport, Rhode Island. When war broke out between France and Great Britain, Lafayette returned to France and persuaded the French king to send a land and naval expedition to help the Americans. In April of 1780, Lafayette returned to the United States to prepare for the expedition's arrival.
On April 29, 1781, Lafayette and the 1,200 troops under his command arrived at Richmond, Virginia, just in time to prevent its capture. When reinforcements arrived, he still had only 3,000 troops available to face British general Lord Charles Cornwallis and his 7,000 men. Lafayette would not confront Cornwallis, however, until the decisive battle of the American Revolution at Yorktown, Virginia, where he played a key role in the American victory. In December of 1781 he left the United States a hero of the war for independence and eventually died on May 20, 1834, in France.