Washington did not really outfight the British. He simply out-spied us – British Intelligence Officer.
By the summer of 1781, simply sustaining the Continental Army proved challenging. Earlier winter encampments and intense fighting devastated the patriot spirit. That same year, when James received permission from his enslaver to volunteer under Major General (Marquis de) Lafayette, it was not in battle but as a spy.
While imitating a freedom seeker, James easily infiltrated British lines. Since he knew the local terrain, he also conducted espionage as a double spy. James relayed false intelligence to British officers while documenting their conversations about strategy and deployments. He then handed off these findings to an intricate network of patriot spies.
Whispers of Lord Cornwallis’ plan to storm Yorktown soon reached General George Washington. In August, Washington rerouted to Virginia, aiding the French allies in a blockade of the Chesapeake Bay and surrounding land.
By the fall of 1781, Cornwallis surrendered.
At the war’s end, James remained enslaved. Although he petitioned Virginia, the state refused his emancipation until 1787, after the Marquis praised James’ service to the nation. James later adopted the surname Lafayette in honor of the Marquis. When the Marquis toured the United States in 1824, he spotted James in a crowd. The two embraced—James Lafayette, now a free man, landowner, and American hero.
