Full Name
James Armistead Lafayette (born James Armistead)
Date of Birth
1748 or 1760
Date of Death
1830 or 1832
Place of Birth
New Kent County, Virginia, United States
Place of Death
New Kent County, Virginia, United States
Known Affiliates Names
- William Armistead (master)
- Marquis de Lafayette (commander)
Affiliated Organizations’ Names
- Continental Army (served under)
Major Events
- American Revolutionary War (served as a spy)
Brief Biography
James Armistead Lafayette, born between 1748 and 1760 in New Kent County, Virginia, was an enslaved African American who served as a spy during the American Revolutionary War under the Marquis de Lafayette. With the permission of his master, William Armistead, James enlisted in the Continental Army and worked as a double agent, providing crucial information to the Marquis de Lafayette and disinformation to British commander General Cornwallis. After the war, Armistead petitioned for his freedom and was granted legislative emancipation in 1787. He later moved to a 40-acre farm in Virginia, where he married, raised a family, and lived as a free man until his death between 1830 and 1832[1][2][3][4][5].
Citations: [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Armistead_Lafayette [2] https://www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/james-armistead-lafayette [3] https://www.thenmusa.org/biographies/james-armistead-lafayette/ [4] https://www.ouramericanrevolution.org/index.cfm/people/view/pp0053 [5] https://www.biography.com/military-figures/james-armistead