Spy of the American Revolution

Like all great spy stories, this one is full of mystery.

Here’s what we know. On a spring day in 1781, a man named James did just about the most dangerous thing a person can do in a time of war: He crossed into enemy territory. It was six years into the American Revolution. A powerful British army was marching through Virginia, trying to crush the American rebellion once and for all.

James raced across miles of fields and forests. He scrambled over rocks and fallen trees, and splashed across rushing streams. Finally, he found what he was searching for—the canvas tents and smoking campfires of a British army camp. Armed soldiers patrolled the grounds. James, who carried no weapon, must have felt a moment of terror. The safe thing would have been to turn around.

But he was not there to play it safe.

James walked boldly into the camp. When the British commanders demanded an explanation, James had his story ready: He’d been born into slavery nearby, he explained to them. He’d just escaped from his enslavers and wanted to join the British side. He had valuable information to offer.

After all, he’d grown up in this part of Virginia and knew the local geography far better than any British soldier. He could show them paths through the woods and shallow spots in the rivers. British generals were eager for this sort of intelligence, so they welcomed James into their camp.

It was a decision they would come to regret.

Like all great spy stories, this one is full of mystery. 

It was a spring day in 1781—six years into the American Revolution. A man named James did something very dangerous. He crossed into enemy territory. A powerful British army was marching through Virginia, trying to crush the American rebellion. 

James raced across miles of fields, forests, and streams. Finally, he found what he was searching for—a British army camp. Armed soldiers patrolled the grounds. James, who carried no weapon, must have felt a moment of terror. The safe thing would have been to turn around.

But he was not there to play it safe.

James walked boldly into the camp. British commanders demanded an explanation. James had his story ready: He’d been born into slavery, he told them. He had just escaped from his enslavers and he wanted to join the British side. He had valuable information to offer.

After all, he had grown up in this part of Virginia. He knew the local geography better than any British soldier. He could show them paths through the woods and shallow spots in the rivers. British generals were eager for this sort of intelligence. They welcomed James into their camp.

It was a decision they would later regret.

The story James told the British was partly true. Like many thousands of Black people at the time, James was indeed born into slavery—on a plantation in New Kent County, Virginia, in 1748. (At the time, Virginia was one of 13 American colonies ruled by Great Britain.)

James’s enslaver was named William Armistead. Some history books refer to James as “James Armistead,” but there is no evidence that James himself ever used that name. (For this reason, he is referred to simply as “James” throughout this article.)

James learned to read and write English and French, probably by attending lessons alongside Armistead’s son. As a young man, James married a woman named Sylvia, who was also enslaved, and they had at least one child together.

James was in his late 20s when the American Revolution began, in 1775. George Washington took command of the Continental Army, and the following year, the 13 Colonies declared independence from Great Britain. Thousands of American Patriots joined the military, helping to fight for what would become a new nation—the United States of America.

But the United States would come to exist only if the Americans won the war. And by 1781, six long years into the conflict, that was looking more and more unlikely.

In fact, they were dangerously close to losing.

The new American government was deep in debt. The Continental Army didn’t have enough money to pay its soldiers.

Washington had a small force camped outside of British-held New York City. He badly wanted to recapture the city, but his army was too small. Meanwhile, a British force commanded by General Charles Cornwallis had just left North Carolina and was slicing through Virginia. Cornwallis was determined to crush support for the Revolution in the South.

It was a low point for American hopes. Washington knew his forces were simply not strong enough to defeat the British with direct attacks.

But perhaps the British could be outsmarted.

The story James told the British was partly true. He was born in New Kent County, Virginia, in 1748. Like many Black people in the colonies, James was born into slavery. (At the time, Virginia was one of 13 American colonies ruled by Great Britain.)

James’s enslaver was named William Armistead. Some history books refer to James as “James Armistead.” But there is no evidence that James used that name. (So in this article, he is referred to as just “James.”) 

James learned to read and write English and French, probably by attending lessons with Armistead’s son. As a young man, James married a woman named Sylvia. She was also enslaved. They had at least one child together.

James was in his late 20s when the American Revolution began, in 1775. George Washington took command of the Continental Army. The following year, the 13 Colonies declared independence from Great Britain. Thousands of American Patriots joined the military. They fought for what would become a new nation—the United States of America. 

But the United States would come to exist only if the Americans won the war. And by 1781, six long years into the conflict, that was looking very unlikely. 

In fact, they were very close to losing.

The new American government was in debt. The Continental Army didn’t have enough money to pay its soldiers. 

Washington had a small force camped outside New York City. His army was too small to free the city, which was held by the British. Meanwhile, a British force had just left North Carolina. It was slicing through Virginia. General Charles Cornwallis led the force. Cornwallis was determined to crush support for the Revolution in the South.

It was a low point for American hopes. Washington knew his forces were not strong enough to defeat the British with direct attacks. 

But perhaps the British could be outsmarted. 

It was at this moment that James sprang into action. In the spring of 1781, most likely in Williamsburg, Virginia, James met with one of Washington’s top generals: a 23-year-old French volunteer called the Marquis de Lafayette.

Lafayette was trying to defend Virginia from the British invasion, but he had far fewer men than General Cornwallis. He was desperate to know where Cornwallis planned to strike next.

James offered to find out.

Why would James volunteer to spy for the Americans? Why take such a dangerous risk for a country that forced him to live in slavery? Nobody knows for sure, but historical interpreter Stephen Seals has an educated guess. Seals portrays James at Colonial Williamsburg, a living history museum located in Virginia. He has spent years researching James—meeting with James’s descendants and digging through 200-year-old tax and property records to learn everything he can about who James was.

It’s likely, Seals believes, that James was thinking of both freedom and family when he volunteered to spy. His goals were to gain his freedom and to remain with his family in Virginia, which was his home. He may have seen volunteering as a chance to do both.

And so, after talking his way into the British camp, James began gathering information about the British military’s plans.

Historians believe he worked as a servant or waiter, quickly gaining the trust of British commanders. Before long, he was given a job working inside General Cornwallis’s own headquarters. This enabled James to listen in on planning meetings and sneak looks at secret documents.

But how could he get this priceless information to the Americans?

The only way was to deliver it himself.

Risking his life yet again, James slipped unnoticed out of the British camp. Hurrying back across fields, forests, and streams, he found Lafayette and told him what he had learned about the British army’s size and strategies. Lafayette then passed this information on to Washington, who remained in New York. James, meanwhile, slipped back into the British camp and continued his work for Cornwallis.

This is when James sprang into action. In the spring of 1781, most likely in Williamsburg, Virginia, James met with one of Washington’s generals. He was a 23-year-old French volunteer called the Marquis de Lafayette. 

Lafayette was trying to defend Virginia from the British invasion. But he had far fewer men than General Cornwallis. Knowing where Cornwallis planned to strike next would be helpful.

James offered to find out. 

Why would James volunteer to spy for the Americans? Why take such a dangerous risk for a country that had enslaved him? Nobody knows for sure. But Stephen Seals has an educated guess. Seals is a historical interpreter. He portrays James at Colonial Williamsburg, a living history museum in Virginia. He has spent years researching James.

James’s goals were to gain his freedom and to remain with his family in Virginia, which was his home. Seals thinks James may have seen volunteering as a chance to do both.

So James talked his way into the British camp. Then he began gathering information about the British military’s plans. 

Historians believe he worked as a servant or waiter, gaining the trust of British commanders. Soon he was given a job working inside General Cornwallis’s own headquarters. James listened in on planning meetings. He snuck looks at secret documents. 

But how could he get this priceless information to the Americans? 

The only way was to deliver it himself. 

Risking his life again, James slipped out of the British camp. He hurried back across fields, forests, and streams. He found Lafayette. James told him what he had learned about the British army’s size and strategies. Lafayette then passed this information on to Washington, who was in New York. James, meanwhile, slipped back into the British camp. He continued his work for Cornwallis.

Historical sources suggest that in the summer of 1781, the British approached James with a request. They liked and trusted him, and they wanted him to spy on the Americans!

James would have seen the beauty in this. He could now operate as a double agent—someone who pretends to spy for one country while in fact acting on behalf of another. He moved back and forth between British and American camps, sharing British secrets with the Americans and feeding the British misleading updates about what the Americans had planned.

That summer, in General Cornwallis’s headquarters, James picked up a huge piece of news— something that could determine the outcome of the entire war. Cornwallis was about to move his entire force to Yorktown, Virginia, near the mouth of the York River.

News of the plan passed from James to Lafayette and then on to Washington, who was still camped outside New York City. This happened just as France was sending a large fleet of ships to help the Americans.

Washington saw an opportunity: What if his army could surround Yorktown by land while the French navy blocked an escape by sea? Cornwallis’s entire army would be trapped at Yorktown.

Was this Washington’s chance to outsmart the British?

Could the Americans finally win their fight for independence?

Historical sources suggest that in the summer of 1781, the British approached James with a request. They liked and trusted him. They wanted him to spy on the Americans! 

James would have seen the beauty in this. He could now operate as a double agent. That’s someone who pretends to spy for one country while in fact acting on behalf of another. He moved back and forth between British and American camps. He shared British secrets with the Americans. He gave the British fake updates about the Americans. 

That summer, in General Cornwallis’s headquarters, James learned something that could determine the outcome of the entire war. Cornwallis was about to move his entire force to Yorktown, Virginia, near the mouth of the York River.

News of the plan passed from James to Lafayette and then on to Washington, who was still camped outside New York City. This happened just as France was sending a large fleet of ships to help the Americans. 

Washington saw an opportunity. What if his army could surround Yorktown by land while the French navy blocked an escape by sea? Cornwallis’s entire army would be trapped at Yorktown.

Was this Washington’s chance to outsmart the British? 

Could the Americans finally win?

“Washington did not really outfight the British,” a British officer who fought in the Revolution would later say. “He simply out-spied us.” James played an important role in that. He helped the United States win its freedom.

But James himself was not free. When the war ended, he was still enslaved by the Armistead family. In 1783, the Virginia Assembly passed a law granting freedom to enslaved men who had fought in the Continental Army. James had served as a spy, however—not a soldier. The law did not apply to him.

James knew he’d contributed as much, risked as much, as any soldier. He sent a petition to the Virginia government, describing his wartime service. Lafayette added a letter of support.

“His intelligences from the enemy’s camp were industriously collected and most faithfully delivered,” Lafayette wrote. “He . . . appears to me entitled to every reward his situation can admit of,” the young French general noted.

Finally, in 1787, the Virginia government granted James his freedom. He bought a farm near where he’d grown up and lived there with Sylvia and other family members. As a tribute to his friend and former commander, he took the last name Lafayette.

These two Revolutionary heroes met one last time, nearly 40 years later. In 1824, Lafayette sailed from France to tour the young United States. While giving a speech in Yorktown, Virginia, he spotted James in the audience. The Frenchman called out to the American, stepped into the crowd, and the old friends embraced.

James Lafayette died in 1830. He would have been 81 or 82, depending on his exact birthday, which is not known. But nearly 200 years later, his story is very much alive.

“James Lafayette’s story is an American story,” says Seals, the actor who portrays James at Colonial Williamsburg. “It belongs to each and every one of us.”

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

As Seals says, “American heroes of the Revolution look like all of us.”

“Washington did not really outfight the British,” a British officer who fought in the Revolution would later say. “He simply out-spied us.” James played an important role in that. He helped the United States win its freedom. 

But James himself was not free. When the war ended, he was still enslaved by the Armistead family. In 1783, the Virginia Assembly passed a law granting freedom to enslaved men who had fought in the Continental Army. But James had served as a spy, not a soldier. The law did not apply to him. 

James knew he’d contributed and risked as much as any soldier. He sent a petition to the Virginia government, describing his wartime service. Lafayette added a letter of support. 

“His intelligences from the enemy’s camp were industriously collected and most faithfully delivered,” Lafayette wrote. “He . . . appears to me entitled to every reward his situation can admit of,” the young French general noted. 

Finally, in 1787, the Virginia government granted James his freedom. He bought a farm and lived there with Sylvia and other family members. As a tribute to his friend and former commander, he took the last name Lafayette.

These two Revolutionary heroes met one last time, nearly 40 years later. In 1824, Lafayette sailed from France to tour the young United States. While giving a speech in Yorktown, Virginia, he spotted James in the audience. The Frenchman called out to the American and the old friends embraced. 

James Lafayette died in 1830. He would have been 81 or 82, depending on his exact birthday, which is not known. But nearly 200 years later, his story is very much alive. 

“James Lafayette’s story is an American story,” says Seals, the actor who portrays James at Colonial Williamsburg. “It belongs to each and every one of us.” 

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

As Seals says, “American heroes of the Revolution look like all of us.”