Which French nobleman became a major-general in the Continental Army during the American Revolution?

Marquis de Lafayette became a major-general in the Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, was a French aristocrat who volunteered for the American cause in 1777. He arrived in the United States at age 19 and offered to serve without pay. Congress commissioned him as a major-general, although he initially had no independent command.

Lafayette became a trusted associate of George Washington and commanded American troops in several operations. He was wounded at the Battle of Brandywine in 1777 and later played an important role in the Virginia campaign against British forces. His American service strengthened the personal and political relationship between France and the new United States.

Lafayette returned to France after the war but remained celebrated in the United States. His later 1824–1825 tour of the country became a major national event, linking Revolutionary memories with the early republic's growing sense of identity.