Did James Armistead ever have freedom?
The Marquis de Lafayette assisted him by writing a recommendation for his freedom, which was granted in 1787. In gratitude, Armistead adopted Lafayette's surname. After receiving his freedom, he moved nine miles south of New Kent, bought 40 acres of land, and began farming.
Did James Armistead have a family?
Living off his annual pension fee, Armistead moved to his own 40-acre farm in Virginia, where he married, raised a family, and lived out the rest of his life as a freeman. Armistead added Lafayette to his name as a token of gratitude and a testament to the bond the former slave and French general shared.
What year did James Armistead join the war?
Most sources indicate that James Armistead was born in 1748 in New Kent County, Virginia, though others put his birth around 1760. In 1781, after getting his enslaver’s consent, Armistead volunteered to join the army under Lafayette. Lafayette utilized Armistead as a spy, with the latter posing as a runaway slave.
What role did James Armistead play in the American Revolution?
James Armistead is the most significant person in the American Revolution because he risked his life for a cause that did not guarantee his freedom. He was able to use his role as a slave to acess the British camps, and gathered key information that narrowed the British Army’s fate in the American Revolution.
How did James Armistead Lafayette's efforts impact the American Revolution?
In the American Revolution, an African American slave named James Armistead served as a spy for the Americans. He provided valuable information to the patriots about the movements of British troops, helping contribute to an American victory in the Siege of Yorktown. Armistead later changed his name to James Lafayette.
How did Armistead become a hero of the revolution?
Using his vast knowledge of the local landscape, Armistead helped British Gen. Benedict Arnold guide his troops through Virginia's local roads, which subsequently gained the trust of the British. He would then dispatch these movements to the Continental Army.
What did James Lafayette do during the war?
James Lafayette was a spy during the American Revolution (1775–1783). Born enslaved in about 1748, he was a body servant for his owner, William Armistead, of New Kent County, in the spring of 1781.
Why was James Lafayette important?
James Armistead Lafayette (born 1748 or 1760 – died 1830 or 1832) was an enslaved African American who served the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War under the Marquis de Lafayette, and later received a legislative emancipation.
Why was Armistead such a successful spy?
Because Armistead was a native Virginian with extensive knowledge of the terrain, the British received him without suspicion. As a result, Armistead accomplished what few spies could: direct access to the center of the British War Department.
Who said give me liberty or death?
Patrick HenryOn March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry signaled the coming revolution when he spoke at a Virginia convention and allegedly implored: “Give me liberty, or give me death!”
Did Lafayette save the revolution?
Lafayette was injured in the Battle of Brandywine, but his tactical cunning and fearlessness in battle helped to save the Revolution on many occasions.
What was Lafayette last words?
' On the last day but one before his death, when the visits of strangers were forbidden, Lafayette said to his grandson, M. Jules de Lasteyrie, 'You will tell the good Princess de Belgiojoso how grateful I feel for her visits, and how much I suffer at being deprived of them. '
Did Lafayette free his slaves?
The Marquis intended to eventually free them and put in practice his belief in gradual emancipation, or what he described to George Washington as “this experiment which you know is my hobby horse.” Tragically, Lafayette never formally freed the slaves and when his property was confiscated by the Terror government, the ...
Did Lafayette believe in slavery?
After election to the National Assembly in 1789, Lafayette wrote the draft for the Declaration of the Rights of Man and pursued legislation to promote his liberal ideals, including the abolition of slavery. Frederick Douglass considered Lafayette a true abolitionist who embraced racial equality.
What was the major contribution made by James Armistead Lafayette?
James Armistead was an enslaved African American, best known for his work as a spy during the American Revolution.
Who were famous spies in the Revolutionary War?
Learn more about some of the spies that aided the Patriot cause during the American Revolution.Nathan Hale. ... Benjamin Tallmadge. ... Austin Roe. ... Abraham Woodhull. ... Anna Strong. ... Robert Townsend.More items...
Did James Armistead Lafayette get freedom?
James Armistead Lafayette, born an enslaved Virginian in New Kent County, won his freedom for his service as a double agent during the Revolution.
What is a famous quote from James Armistead Lafayette?
Two Patriots: One Slave and One Free; James Armistead Lafayette and James Forten. “It is not for their own land they fought, not even for a land which had adopted them, but for a land which had enslaved them, and whose laws, even in freedom, oftener oppressed than protected.
Who Was James Armistead?
With the permission of his master, Armistead enlisted in the Revolutionary War under General Lafayette. Working as a spy, Armistead gained the trust of General Cornwallis and Benedict Arnold, providing information that allowed American forces to prevail at the Battle of Yorktown. Armistead died in 1830, having successfully petitioned for his freedom in 1787.
Why did James Armistead join the army?
In 1781, James Armistead volunteered to join the U.S. Army in order to fight for the American Revolution. His master granted him permission to join the revolutionary cause, and the American Continental Army stationed Armistead to serve under the Marquis de Lafayette, the commander of allied French forces.
What was the effect of the French and American blockade on the British forces?
The American and French blockade surprised British forces and crippled their military. As a result of the Lafayette and Washington's victory in Yorktown, the British officially surrendered on Oct. 19, 1781.
When did Armistead surrender?
As a result of the Lafayette and Washington's victory in Yorktown, the British officially surrendered on Oct. 19, 1781. Despite his critical actions, Armistead returned to William Armistead after the war to continue his life as a slave.
Who was Lafayette's spy?
Lafayette employed Armistead as a spy, with the hopes of gathering intelligence in regards to enemy movements. Posing as a runaway slave hired by the British to spy on the Americans, Armistead successfully infiltrated British General Charles Cornwallis' headquarters.
What did Armistead do to the British?
As a double agent, he relayed critical information to Lafayette and misleading intel to the enemy.
Where did James Armistead live?
Born into slavery around 1760, James Armistead lived most of his life on a plantation in New Kent, Virginia. During the American Revolution, however, James received permission from his master, William Armistead, to enlist in the Marquis de Lafayette’s French Allied units. Here, the army dispatched Armistead as a spy, playing the role of a runaway slave to gain access to General Cornwallis’s headquarters. Because Armistead was a native Virginian with extensive knowledge of the terrain, the British received him without suspicion. As a result, Armistead accomplished what few spies could: direct access to the center of the British War Department.
Why did Armistead add Lafayette to his name?
Armistead added Lafayette to his name as a token of gratitude and a testament to the bond the former slave and French general shared . The two crossed paths again during Lafayette’s grand tour of the United States in 1824, where the general picked James out of a crowd and cordially embraced him. James Armistead Lafayette died in 1832.
Why was Armistead a spy?
Here, the army dispatched Armistead as a spy, playing the role of a runaway slave to gain access to General Cornwallis’s headquarters. Because Armistead was a native Virginian with extensive knowledge of the terrain, the British received him without suspicion.
What was Armistead's greatest act?
Several of Armistead’s finest acts occurred in 1781, during a critical moment in the Revolution—the Battle of Yorktown. The spy informed Lafayette and Washington about approaching British reinforcements, which allowed the generals to devise a blockade impeding enemy advancements.
Who was the comrade in arms of Armistead?
After several years without success, Armistead received help from an old comrade in arms, the Marquis de Lafayette. Upon learning that Armistead remained enslaved, Lafayette wrote a letter to Congress on his behalf. Armistead received his manumission in 1787.
Who was the British turncoat who helped the Redcoats?
Oblivious to his true intentions, the British assigned Armistead to work under the notorious turncoat, Benedict Arnold. By helping Arnold maneuver his troops through Virginia, Armistead gained significant insight into the Redcoats’ movements.
Who was James Armistead?
James Armistead Lafayette (1760-1832) James Armistead [Lafayette] was an African American spy during the American Revolution. Born in Virginia as a slave to William Armistead in 1760, he volunteered to join the Army in 1781. After gaining the consent of his owner, Armistead was stationed to serve under the Marquis de Lafayette, ...
Who was the French commander who employed Armistead as a spy?
After gaining the consent of his owner, Armistead was stationed to serve under the Marquis de Lafayette, the commander of French forces allied with the American Continental Army. Lafayette employed Armistead as a spy.
Why did Lafayette praise Armistead?
After the Revolution, Lafayette praised Armistead for his dedication and instrumental role in the surrender at Yorktown. Armistead returned to William Armistead after the war to continue his life as a slave, as he was not eligible for emancipation under the Act of 1783 for slave-soldiers (he was considered a slave-spy).
Where did James Armistead Lafayette live?
After receiving his freedom, he moved nine miles south of New Kent County in Virginia, bought forty acres of land and began farming. Armistead married, raised a large family and was granted $40 a year by the Virginia legislature as pension for his services during the American Revolution. James Armistead Lafayette died in 1832 at the age ...
Who sent spies to Cornwallis' camp?
Lafayette sent several spies to infiltrate Cornwallis’s camp, yet none proved able to produce valuable information for him until he received Armistead’s reports dated July 31, 1781. The information in these reports helped Lafayette trap the British at Hampton.
Who sent a message to General Lafayette?
In the summer of 1781, General George Washington sent a message to General Lafayette, instructing him to keep his forces strong and to inform him of Cornwallis’s equipment, military personnel, and future strategies.
Who was the British spy who infiltrated the headquarters of the British?
While working for Lafayette he successfully infiltrated British General Charles Cornwallis’s headquarters posing as a runaway slave hired by the British to spy on the Americans. While pretending to be a British spy, Armistead gained the confidence of General Benedict Arnold and General Cornwallis.
Why was James Armistead important to the colonists?
The Marquis de Lafayette quickly recognized James Armistead was a valuable asset for the colonial cause, in part because he could read and write. Rather than use Armistead as a messenger, the commander offered him a dangerous mission: to infiltrate the British forces as a spy.
When was James Armistead born?
The early life of any slave pre-Civil War is difficult to track, but James Armistead was likely born around 1760 and into the ownership of William Armistead. In the 1770s, James Armistead became a clerk for William and when the Revolutionary War broke out, the state of Virginia appointed William to manage the state’s military supplies — putting ...
Why did James Armistead Lafayette add "Lafayette" to his last name?
Jean-Baptiste Le Paon/Lafayette College Art Collection James Armistead, right, later added “Lafayette” to his last name to honor the Marquis de Lafayette for helping him to earn his freedom.
What did Armistead do to help Lafayette?
Armistead’s intel proved critical in helping Lafayette’s much smaller force to avoid battle with the British. Armistead was also a key link in the colonial spy network. He could transmit Lafayette’s instructions to other spies hidden behind enemy lines.
Where did Lafayette visit in 1824?
In 1824, Lafayette returned to the United States and visited the battlefield in Yorktown. There he saw James Armistead Lafayette in the crowd. The Marquis stopped his carriage and embraced his namesake, who would live the rest of his life as a free man.
How much did Armistead get paid for his service?
The state of Virginia granted Armistead a stipend of $40 per year for his service during the war.
How many slaves were sent to assist the Redcoats?
In less than a month, 300 slaves signed up to assist the Redcoats. In response, the Continental Congress passed a similar measure to recruit free blacks and promise manumission to slaves who joined the Patriot’s side. In 1780, five years into the war, the Armisteads moved from Williamsburg to Richmond. The next year, James Armistead asked ...
What did Armistead do to help the British?
Posing as a runaway enslaved man, Armistead quickly infiltrated British forces via Arnold’s camp. While at first he took on menial tasks, his vast knowledge of the terrain—a trait that wouldn't seem suspicious for a local runaway—was useful to both Arnold and Cornwallis for British intelligence during the war. So they assigned him the task of spying on the colonies.
Where did Armistead live?
Armistead went on to move nine miles south of New Kent, Virginia, where he’d spent so much of his life as another man’s property. He lived a peaceful life as a husband and father, bought 40 acres of land to farm, and received $40 a year from the Virginia legislature for his invaluable work to liberate a nation that, in the end, proved so reluctant to grant him his own freedom.
What was Armistead's most valuable piece of intel?
One of Armistead’s most valuable pieces of intel came near the end of the summer in 1781. He sent a note to Lafayette, detailing Cornwallis’s move from Portsmouth to Yorktown and the expected arrival of 10,000 British troops at the new location.
Why did Armistead work as a double agent?
Armistead’s work as a double agent made traveling between the camps easier, as he didn't stand out as a peculiar presence by either side. It also made collecting information on British forces less dangerous—as long as he wasn’t caught. pinterest-pin-it.
What was the battle of Yorktown?
In the autumn of 1781, the American colonial army fought in the Battle of Yorktown, the final and arguably most consequential battle for American independence from British rule. By all accounts, this monumental victory, which forced the surrender of British General Lord Cornwallis and his squadron of nearly 9,000 troops, ...
When did Armistead become free?
As a result, in 1787 Armistead became a free man. Appreciative of the Frenchman who helped him acquire his freedom, Armistead changed his name to James Armistead Lafayette.
Did Armistead take up arms?
At the time, enslaved people could fight on either side of the war, with freedom as an incentive for their service. Armistead didn’t take up arms in the war , however. Instead, in 1781, he was stationed under the Marquis de Lafayette, commander of the allied French forces and a key ally of General George Washington, ...
Early years
Assessment
Performance
Aftermath
Retirement
- After successfully infiltrating British intelligence, Armistead floated freely between the British and American camps. As a double agent, he relayed critical information to Lafayette and misleading intel to the enemy. Oblivious to his true intentions, the British assigned Armistead to work under the notorious turncoat, Benedict Arnold. By helping Arnold maneuver his troops through Virginia…
Later life
- Several of Armisteads finest acts occurred in 1781, during a critical moment in the Revolutionthe Battle of Yorktown. The spy informed Lafayette and Washington about approaching British reinforcements, which allowed the generals to devise a blockade impeding enemy advancements. This success resulted in the final major victory for the colonists when Lord Cornwallis surrender…