(Under Construction)
Lafayette’s Baptism of Fire by E. Percy Moran, 1909
September 6, 1757 Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, born in Chavaniac, France
August 1, 1759 Father dies in battle in the battle Minden during Seven Years War with England
November 2, 1759 Adrienne de Noailles, later Lafayette’s wife, born in Paris
1768 Begins school at age 11 at the College of Plessis in Paris
April 3, 1770 Mother dies
April 24, 1770 Maternal grandfather dies, leaving his estate to Lafayette, who, after inheriting from an uncle soon after, becomes one of the richest men in France
April 9, 1771 Receives appointment to serve in the King’s Musketeers, begins his military education at the Military Academy at Versailles.
May 1771 Commissioned officer in the Musketeers, with mostly ceremonial duties
April, 1773 With help from his future father-in-law, becomes Brevet Lieutenant in the prestigious Noailles Regiment
April 11, 1774 Married to Adrienne de Noailles (14) at age 16
August 8, 1775 While on maneuvers in Metz, France, dined with the Duke of Gloucester speak of the struggle in the colonies, which inspires him to help the colonists
December, 1775 Daughter Henriette born
Summer/Fall, 1776 Sent to England by father-in-law
December 7, 1776 Accepts commission as American Major General from Silas Deane, subsequently buys his own ship and calls it La Victoire
Louis XVI issues arrest warrants for any French soldier leaving to fight for America
April 20,1777 Avoids arrest by escaping across the Spanish border and setting sail for America in La Victoire, learns some English from de Kalb during the voyage
June 13, 1777 Arrives in America near Georgetown, SC
July 31,1777 Arrives in Philadelphia, receives notably unenthusiastic reception from Congress, meets General George Washington
August 10, 1777 Becomes an aide-de-camp for Washington
September 11, 1777 Fights bravely in the Battle of Brandywine, wounded in his left leg, taken to Moravian Hospital in Bethlehem, PA, to recover
November, ? 1777 Rejoins Washington
November 24,1777 Sent by General Greene with 400 men to reconnoiter Howe’s movements, successfully attacks Hessians near Gloucester, NJ
December 19 ,1777 Marches into Valley Forge with Washington and 12,000 troops
November? 1777 Conway Cabal discovered
February 6, 1778 Treaty of alliance between America and France signed in Paris
February 17,1778 Sent to invade Canada, arrives at Albany, sees lack of troops, aborts mission
March, 1778 Recruits 50+ Oneida warriors and sends them to Valley Forge
April, 1778 Returns to Valley Forge
May 3?, 1778 Learns of the death of his daughter, Henriette
May 6? ,1778 French Alliance announced at Valley Forge
May 18, 1778 Leads 2200 troops to Barren Hill to scout British forces in Philadelphia
May 20 ,1778 Escapes from 16,000 British troops at Barren Hill, PA
June 18, 1778 British leave Philadelphia for New York via NJ
June 28, 1778 Battle of Monmouth Court House, Monmouth, NJ
July August 29 Leads one division under General Greene in assault on British in Newport, D’Estaing takes French fleet out of this battle, Lafayette acts as go-between
January 11,1779 Arrives back in France seeking more support
December 24,1779 Adrienne gives birth to a baby boy, George Washington Lafayette
March 17,1780 Embarks on L’Hermione to return to America.
April 28,1780 Arrives at Boston Harbor, greeted as a hero
March 10, 1780 Arrives at Morristown, NJ, and tells Washington France sending 6,000 troops, artillery, munitions, ships and money, under the command of Rochambeau
September?? 1780 Discovery that General Benedict Arnold has committed treason
Fall, 1780 British move the war to the South, believing loyalist support strong there
1781 February Takes command of troops, which he outfits from his own pocket, and tries to capture Arnold, who is laying waste to Virginia
Pursued by Cornwallis, whose forces far outnumber his, managed to avoid major battle
September, 1781 Pursues and corners Cornwallis at Yorktown, VA
August 19, 1781 Washington and Rochambeau begin 450 mile trek to Yorktown
Battle of the Capes DeGrasse defeats the British fleet in Chesapeake Bay
DeGrasse blockades the British in Yorktown, urges L. to attack but he refuses, determined to wait for Washington
September 17, 1781 Washington and Rochambeau arrive with # American, # French troops, and siege guns
September 28, 1781 Siege of Yorktown begins, Washington gives Lafayette command of one of the three Continental divisions
Assault on Yorktown, in command of one of the three Continental divisions
October 17, 1781 French and American troops cannonade the British into surrender after nine days of blistering artillery fire
October 19,1781 Cornwallis surrenders at Yorktown, effectively ending the War of Independence
December 23,1781 Leaves Boston on the The Alliance, returns to France, where he continues to lobby for trade agreements, etc., with America
March 28, 1783 ? Daughter Virginie born, named after Washington’s home state
September, 1783 The Treaty of Paris signed, America wins its complete independence
August 17, 1784 Visits Mount Vernon as Washington’s honored guest
1824-5 At the invitation of President Monroe, makes a Farewell Tour of all 24 of the Uni ted States
May 20,1834 Dies in Paris, aged 76, buried in Picpus cemetery under dirt from Bunker Hill
For a complete timeline that includes Lafayette’s role in the French revolution, please visit: https://friendsoflafayette.wildapricot.org/Timeline