James Armistead Battle Of Yorktown

With the permission of his master armistead enlisted in the revolutionary war under general lafayette.

James armistead battle of yorktown. As a double agent he was responsible for reporting the activities of benedict arnold after he had defected to the british and of lord cornwallis during the run up to the battle of yorktown. On july 31 1781 james armistead submitted a detailed report on british locations and cornwallis s strategy. Lafayette intelligence ended the battle of yorktown consequently. James armistead an enslaved virginian convinced his owner to let him volunteer with the marquis de lafayette in 1781.

Several of armistead s finest acts occurred in 1781 during a critical moment in the revolution the battle of yorktown. He then reported to lafayette on cornwallis s plans and movements. He sent a note to lafayette exposing cornwallis s move from portsmouth to yorktown. They successfully cut off british reinforcements from yorktown where the final battle of the war would begin a few weeks later.

He fed the british false information while disclosing very accurate and detailed accounts to the americans. James armistead provided critical intel to the continental army as a double agent during the revolutionary war. James armistead lafayette was an enslaved african american who served the continental army during the american revolutionary war under the marquis de lafayette. James armistead lafayette supplied crucial information to generals lafayette and george washington that helped the continental win the battle of yorktown.

When james learned that general lafayette had arrived in virginia to oppose and harass british forces he volunteered to join lafayette s light infantry. Based on armistead s report washington and lafayette implemented the plan. The note said that cornwallis was expecting the arrival of 10 000 british troops at 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.

The spy informed lafayette and washington about approaching british reinforcements which allowed the generals to devise a blockade impeding enemy advancements. Armistead died in 1830. James armistead american spy. The victory described as improbable wouldn t have been possible but for the patriotic service of james armistead lafayette.

James armistead was an enslaved african american in new kent county virginia when british forces invaded virginia in 1781. One of the most valuable pieces of intel that james armistead sent was near the end of the summer in 1781. 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.