Marquis de Lafayette
Major General, Continental Army
"I am here to learn, not to teach."
Biography
At 19, the French aristocrat Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, defied his king and sailed for America at his own expense. He was wounded at Brandywine, endured Valley Forge, and became one of Washington's most capable and trusted generals. In 1781, his brilliant campaign in Virginia bottled up Cornwallis at Yorktown, refusing to be drawn into open battle until Washington arrived with the main army. Lafayette became the living symbol of the Franco-American alliance and a hero in both nations.
Did you know?
Lafayette named his son Georges Washington de Lafayette. He brought the key to the Bastille to Washington as a symbol of the French Revolution, which he helped lead. It now hangs at Mount Vernon. He is one of the few foreign-born people to have been made an honorary American citizen.
Key Battles
Battle of Monmouth
Patriots victoryJune 28, 1778 · 720 total casualties
Monmouth was the last major battle in the North. The new French alliance shifted British strategy south, and Washington's army had proven it could fight on equal terms. General Lee was court-martialed and never held command again.
Siege of Yorktown
Patriots victorySeptember 28 – October 19, 1781 · 8,476 total casualties
The last major military engagement of the Revolution. Parliament voted to end offensive operations in America, and peace negotiations began. The Treaty of Paris in 1783 formally recognized American independence.
Life Journey
Timeline
September 6, 1757
🌅 Birth
Born in Chavaniac, Auvergne, France
1777
📍 Posting
Defies royal order and sails for America from France
July 31, 1777
📍 Posting
Commissioned Major General by Continental Congress; volunteers without pay
September 11, 1777
⚔️ Battle
Wounded in leg at Battle of Brandywine; refuses to leave field
Winter 1777–1778
📍 Posting
Endures Valley Forge beside Washington and the men
Summer 1781
⚔️ Battle
Commands Virginia forces; keeps Cornwallis pinned without direct battle
October 19, 1781
⚔️ Battle
Witnesses Cornwallis surrender at Yorktown
May 20, 1834
✝️ Death
Dies in Paris; American soil placed in his grave