The Marquis de Lafayette volunteered to serve with the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
Born Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Lafayette was a young French aristocrat and military officer who strongly supported the American cause. Congress commissioned him a major general on July 31, 1777, after he offered to serve without pay.
Lafayette formed a close relationship with George Washington and fought at the Battle of Brandywine, where he was wounded while helping organize an American retreat. He later served at Valley Forge, Rhode Island, and other campaigns.
In 1781, Lafayette commanded American troops in Virginia against Lord Cornwallis. His forces helped contain the British army until American and French troops assembled for the decisive siege of Yorktown. Lafayette is often called the “Hero of Two Worlds” because of his later importance in both American and French political history.