American Revolutionary War Service of Marquis de Lafayette—Part II
On January 9, 2025, reviewed Part I detailing the Missouri visit of the American Revolutionary general, the Marquis de Lafayette, in 1825. Lafayette was hailed as a hero because of his military achievements in the American Revolutionary War.
Some of us remember reading in our school history books that General Lafayette was instrumental in the American victory at Yorktown in which British forces surrendered and led to the end of the American Revolutionary War; however, history books give only brief coverage of Lafayette’s military service for American forces.
Lafayette was born in 1757 to French royal family, from whom he received a large inheritance at age 13. His ancestors had a long history of military participation, and he continued the tradition by entering a military academy at age 13 for which he soon was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Musketeers by age 14. [1]
Lafayette became interested in the American Revolution in 1775 at a dinner in which the Duke of Gloucester shared a sympathetic view, and Lafayette soon supported the American patriot cause. He purchased a ship, the Victorie, with his personal funds. Lafayette and a group of French soldiers left for America, arriving at Georgetown, South Carolina on June 13, 1777. [1], [2]
Six weeks later, Lafayette was in Philadelphia. Many of the French volunteers did not speak English or have any military training. Lafayette spoke some English but he became fluent in one year. Lafayette met George Washington when Washington had come to Philadelphia to address the Continental Congress. Washington was impressed with Lafayette’s dedication and appointed Lafayette to his staff. Washington and Lafayette would remain friends throughout the war and for the rest of their lives. [3]
Lafayette saw his first military action in America at the Battle of Brandywine in which he was wounded with a gunshot wound. Because Lafayette had remained on the battlefield until his brigade completed an orderly withdrawal before being treated, Washington recommended Lafayette for a division command. At Brandywine, Lafayette led a command of 350 soldiers in which the American forces surprised 400 Hessian soldiers, and Congress then gave Lafayette command of a division of Virginia troops. [3]
Lafayette was in Valley Forge with George Washington through the winter of 1777-1778, and Lafayette participated in action at Albany, NY; Saratoga, NY; Battle of Barren Hill, PA; Battle of Monmouth. NJ; and Battle of Rhode Island.[3]
By the fall of 1778, Lafayette requested a leave of absence to return to France to seek support for the American Revolutionary war effort. Lafayette returned to America with 6,000 French troops under the command of General Jean-Baptiste de Rochambeau in March, 1780. The news of the French support helped bolster American patriot morale. [3]
Lafayette next served in the Southern Campaign as the British were coming up from Georgia along the eastern coast. After American military successes at the Battle of Kings Mountain and the Battle of Cowpens in South Carolina, George Washington sent Lafayette to Virginia to stop British General Cornwallis. After the French fleet defeated the British in the Battle of Chesapeake Bay, MD, and blocked the resupply of goods and supplies to Cornwallis’ British forces, Lafayette and Washington began the siege of British forces at Yorktown. Cornwallis was hemmed in, and he agreed to surrender terms on October 18, 1781. The American Revolutionary War was basically over.
Lafayette left for France in December, 1781, and he was honored as a hero in France. Lafayette would come back to visit the United States in 1784-1785 and again in 1824-1825 when he was welcomed as the last surviving major general of the American Revolutionary War. [1]. [2], [3]
Part III will review Lafayette’s tours to the United States in 1784-1785 and 1824-1825.
Sources: [1] “Marquis Lafayette,” Battlefield.Com. [2] “Marquis de Lafayette,” AmericanHistory.Com. [3] “Marquis de Lafayette,” Wikipedia.Org.
