Lafayette and the American Revolution Essay

â€Å"He devoted himself, his life, his fortune, his hereditary honors,halls towering ambition. His splendid hopes, all to the cause of liberty. † Quince Adams once said about the Marquis De Lafayette. America would not have won the war without the help of Lafayette because he was an advisor and confidant to George Washington, he was a general that successfully led the soldiers, and he helped end the war and sign the treaty. The Marquis De Lafayette assisted George Washington throughout the Revolutionary War. When Lafayette first came to America, Washington was expecting IM to be a loud mouthed teenager. Surprisingly, the complete opposite of what Washington expected. Five days after Lafayette arrived, he got the chance to have dinner with George Washington. Almost instantly, they became friends, and from that point on, their friendship grew quickly. This friendship was much different than Washington many other relationships. In fact, people questioned how Lafayette got so close to Washington and how he got Washington to trust and rely on him In such a crucial time period to America. Some of Lafayette biographers have come up with a hurry that Washington saw Lafayette as the son he never had, and Lafayette found In Washington his long-lost father. Lafayette helped him even when It came to Just boosting up his confidence. He once said, â€Å"In my idea George Washington is the greatest man; for I look upon him as the most virtuous. † They also functioned well together; they would plan attacks together and give each other feedback on what could be improved. One of George Washington’s generals, George Than Bilabials explained, â€Å"Lafayette avoided the factions Jealous of Washington because he agonized that Washington was the Revolution and that should be reduced In power or replaced, the whole cause would collapse. † Lafayette saw this and immediately respected Washington for it. Due to Lafayette relationship with George Washington, he was able to become a commander with the help of of his new friend and general. Lafayette had never been in combat until he came to America; Just three months after his arrival, he had his first battle. He stood strong for a nineteen year old on his first mission towards the freedom of America at the Battle of Brandywine. His leg was wounded, but he did not seek any medical treatment until after an orderly retreat was organized. His bravery and actions In this battle led him to become a major general over Adam Stephens division. He was part of many successful battles and led his troops well. In Virginia, in the year of 1781 , Lafayette conducted hit-and-run guerrilla operations against forces and shadowed the army of Cornwallis. Later, Washington sent Lafayette and 2,000 troops just outside Philadelphia to be clear about the British intentions. The British mound this out and sent 5,000 troops to capture General Lafayette. Luckily he was very good at keeping his troops In line which let him hastily and skillfully extract his command to Washington. He did not just fight in battles, but Lafayette and Nathaniel Greene also went to Rhode Island to aid the colonists and expel the British from the colony. Not only did he come to fight, but he helped with funding. Lafayette served with no pay, and actually paid the equivalent of more than $200,000 of his own money for the salaries, uniforms, and other expenses for his staff and Junior officers. Along with helping in the war, Lafayette helped end it and sign the treaty. This was major thing he assisted with. If he wasn’t there they would not have won the last battle in Yorktown. He was able to get there earlier than the rest of the American force, so he spied on Britain and figure out some of their plans. Once Washington and everyone else got there, he helped set up plans that led to an unbelievable battle that led the Americans to victory. He said, â€Å"Humanity has won its battle. Liberty now has a country. † Lafayette had learned to love America and was happy hey had finally got the chance to have their own country in the end. The King and his father-in-law were against him helping and would not help him get there, so he acquired his own ship to travel to America. He was very grateful he went through all the trouble of helping this new country. When he traveled back to France, he helped convince the king in 1779, to send the French fleet north from the Caribbean to fight the British, as well as send more troops other places. By getting the French to Join, they were able to get so far into the war because France had the troops and money hey needed. This led up to them winning so many battles and soon the war. Lafayette got his friend Evergreens, from France, to help with the ending of the conflict between the two rivaling countries. America needed a loan and Lafayette convinced Evergreens to grant it to them. This got them the money for the treaty with Britain. Washington reported these efforts to Congress, saying, â€Å"During the time he has been in France he was uniformly manifested the same zeal in our affairs which animated his conduct while he was among U. S. , and has been, upon all occasions, an essential friend to America. † If Lafayette had not helped America in this heroic battle, we would not have won the American Revolution. He was a confidant to George Washington in all his complications. Though he had not been in any sort of combat until he came to help in the Revolutionary War, but yet he was able to learn profoundly fast and be a great general and leader to his troops that he managed. John Quince Adams addressed to the U. S. Congress, â€Å"He came to another hemisphere to defend her. He became one of the most effective champions of our independence. â€Å"