Skip to content
The War AtlasThe · War · Atlas

COMMANDER // 1757–1834

Marquis de Lafayette

major generalFranceUnited States4 battles1 war

Lifespan

1757 – 1834

17601770178017901800181018201830American Revolution · 1775–1783Battle of Brandywine — September 11, 1777 · United States · American RevolutionPhiladelphia campaign — January 1, 1777 · United States · American RevolutionYorktown — Sep–Oct 1781 · United States · American RevolutionYorktown campaign — January 1, 1781 · United States · American Revolution

Active service 1777–1781 — 4 battles across 1 war; first command at age 20.

Profile

Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette, known in the United States as Lafayette, was a French military officer and politician who volunteered to join the Continental Army, led by General George Washington, in the American Revolutionary War. Lafayette commanded Continental Army troops in the decisive siege of Yorktown in 1781, the Revolutionary War's final major battle, which secured American independence. After returning to France, Lafayette became a key figure in the French Revolution of 1789 and the July Revolution of 1830 and continues to be celebrated as a hero in both France and the United States.

Source · Wikipedia · Q186652

Battles (4)

Last verified June 2026
Cite this page →Suggest a correction →