The story James told the British was partly true. He was born in Virginia in 1748. Back then, Virginia was one of 13 American Colonies ruled by Great Britain. Like many thousands of Black people at the time, James was born into slavery. 

    James was in his late 20s when the American Revolution began in 1775. The Continental Army was led by General George Washington. It was fighting for freedom from Great Britain. A win would mean the Colonies could become a new nation—the United States of America. 

    But by 1781, the Americans were close to losing the war. General Washington had a small army camped outside New York City. Meanwhile, General Charles Cornwallis was leading a 7,000-man British force into Virginia.

    Washington’s forces were not strong enough to beat the British with direct attacks. 

    His only hope was to outsmart them.

    What James told the British was partly true. He was born in Virginia in 1748. Back then, Virginia was one of 13 American Colonies ruled by Great Britain. Like many Black people at the time, James was born into slavery.

    The American Revolution began in 1775. The Continental Army was led by General George Washington. It was fighting for freedom from Great Britain. If it won, the Colonies could become a new nation: the United States of America.

    But by 1781, the Americans were losing. Washington had a small army camped outside New York City. General Charles Cornwallis was leading a 7,000-man British force into Virginia.

    Washington’s army couldn’t beat the British with direct attacks. He would have to outsmart them.

    The story James told the British was partially true. He was born in Virginia in 1748. Back then, Virginia was one of 13 American Colonies ruled by Great Britain. Like many thousands of Black people at the time, James was born into slavery.

    James was in his late 20s when the American Revolution began in 1775. The Continental Army, led by General George Washington, was fighting for freedom from Great Britain. A win would mean the Colonies could become a new nation—the United States of America.

    But by 1781, the Americans were in danger of losing the war. General Washington had a small army camped outside New York City, while General Charles Cornwallis was leading a 7,000-man British force into Virginia.

    Washington’s forces were not strong enough to defeat the British through direct attacks.

    His only hope was to outsmart them.

    It was at this moment that James sprang into action. 

    In the spring of 1781, James met with one of Washington’s top generals. He was a 23-year-old named Marquis de Lafayette. He needed to know where the British planned to strike next. James offered to find out. 

    Why would James volunteer to spy? Why take such a big risk for a country that forced him to live in slavery?

    No one knows for sure. But it is known that James had a wife named Sylvia. They had at least one child. Some experts believe that James’s goal was to gain his freedom and to stay with his family in Virginia. He may have seen spying as a chance to do both.

    That’s when James sprang into action.

    In the spring of 1781, James met with one of Washington’s top generals. His name was Marquis de Lafayette. He needed to know where the British planned to strike next. James offered to find out.

    Why did James offer to spy? Why risk his life for a country that forced him to live in slavery?

    No one knows for sure. But James had a wife. They had at least one child. Some experts say James wanted to gain his freedom and to stay with his family in Virginia. He may have seen spying as a way to do both.

    It was at this moment that James sprang into action.

    In the spring of 1781, James met with one of Washington’s top generals, a 23-year-old man named Marquis de Lafayette. Lafayette needed to know where the British intended to strike next, and James offered to find out.

    Why would James volunteer to spy? Why take such a huge risk for a country that forced him to live in slavery?

    No one knows for certain, but it is known that James had a wife named Sylvia and that they had at least one child. Some experts believe that James wanted to gain his freedom and to stay with his family in Virginia. He may have seen spying as a chance to do both.

    James talked his way into the British camp. He worked inside Cornwallis’s headquarters. This allowed him to listen in on meetings and look at secret documents.

    James risked his life to get this information to the Americans. He slipped out of the British camp. He ran back across fields, forests, and streams. He found Lafayette and told him what he had learned. Lafayette sent the news to General Washington in New York.

    Meanwhile, James slid back into the British camp. And in the summer of 1781, the British came to James with an idea. They liked him. They trusted him. And they wanted him to spy on the Americans!

    James became a double agent. Both sides believed he was spying for them. He could share British secrets with the Americans. And he could lie to the British about the Americans’ plans.

    And so, James talked his way into the British camp and began gathering information. He was given a job inside General Cornwallis’s own headquarters, which allowed him to listen in on meetings and sneak looks at secret documents.

    James risked his life to bring this information to the Americans. He slipped out of the British camp and hurried back across fields, forests, and streams. He found Lafayette and told him what he had learned, and Lafayette then sent the news to General Washington in New York.

    Meanwhile, James slid back into the British camp. And in the summer of 1781, the British approached James with an idea. They liked him. They trusted him. And they wanted him to spy on the Americans!

    James could now be a double agent—in other words, both sides would believe he was spying for them. He could pass British secrets along to the Americans, and he could lie to the British about the Americans’ plans.

    That summer, James picked up a huge piece of news: General Cornwallis was about to move his entire British force to Yorktown, Virginia. That was a town on the York River.

    The news was sent to Washington. At the same time, France was sending ships to help the Americans. So Washington came up with a plan: His army would surround Yorktown by land. The French navy would block any escape by river and sea. 

    The British forces would be trapped at Yorktown.

    Could the Americans finally win their fight for freedom?

    That summer, James heard big news: Cornwallis was about to move his whole British force to Yorktown, Virginia. That was a town on the York River.

    The news was sent to Washington. France was sending ships to help the Americans. Washington made a plan: His army would surround Yorktown by land. The French navy would block any escape by river or sea. The British forces would be trapped at Yorktown.

    Would the Americans win their freedom?

    That summer, James picked up an extremely valuable piece of information: He learned that General Cornwallis was planning to move his entire British force to Yorktown, a Virginia town on the York River.

    The news was sent to Washington. At the same time, France was sending ships to assist the Americans. So Washington came up with a plan: His army would surround Yorktown by land, and the French navy would block any escape by river and sea.

    The British forces would be trapped at Yorktown.

    Could the Americans finally win their fight for freedom?

    Maybe. The trap would work only if the British were taken by surprise. So Washington had his men build new bread ovens.

    The goal was not to bake a lot of bread. It was to mislead the British. Washington wanted them to think his army planned to stay in New York for a while. But after the ovens were built, his army raced to Virginia.

    The plan worked. In early September, the French and American forces surrounded the British. Day after day, Washington hit them with cannon fire.

    On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered. The Americans had won the battle. This was a turning point in the war. It led to Americans winning their freedom.

    Maybe. The trap would work only if the British were taken by surprise. So Washington had his men build new bread ovens.

    The goal was not to bake a lot of bread. It was to mislead the British. Washington wanted them to think his army planned to stay in New York for a while. But after the ovens were built, his army raced to Virginia.

    The plan worked. In early September, the French and American forces surrounded the British. Day after day, Washington hit them with cannon fire.

    On October 19, 1781, Cornwallis surrendered. The Americans had won the battle. This was a turning point in the war. It led to Americans winning their freedom.

    But James himself was not free. When the war ended, he was still enslaved.

    In 1783, a law was passed in Virginia. It freed enslaved men who had fought in the Continental Army. But James had been a spy, not a soldier. The law didn’t help him.

    James wrote to Virginia’s government. Lafayette added a letter of support. In 1787, James was granted his freedom. He bought a farm. In honor of his former commander, he took the last name Lafayette.

    James died in 1830. Nearly 200 years later, his story is very much alive.

    James Lafayette may not be the most famous hero of the American Revolution. But he’s one we should all know and celebrate. 

    But James himself was not free. When the war ended, he was still enslaved.

    In 1783, a law was passed in Virginia granting freedom to enslaved men who had fought in the Continental Army—but because James had served as a spy and not a soldier, the law didn’t help him.

    James wrote to the Virginia government, and Lafayette added a letter of support. Finally, in 1787, James was granted his freedom. He bought a farm and lived there with his family. In honor of his friend and former commander, he took the last name Lafayette.

    James Lafayette died in 1830 at 81 or 82. (His exact birthday is unknown.) Nearly 200 years later, his story is very much alive.

    James Lafayette may not be the most famous hero of the American Revolution, but he’s one we should all know and celebrate. •