Hall of Fame
A selection of the important players on both sides of the American Revolutionary War
Marquis de Lafayette
Inspired by the American revolutionaries, the wealthy Marquis de Lafayette left France before he turned 20 years old, against the orders of the French king Louis XVI, to fight in the Revolutionary War. Despite not having any experience in battle, he was made a Major General in the Continental Army due to his status. After the Franco-American alliance of 1778, Lafayette returned to France to try and persuade Louis XVI to send further troops to fight. Securing this, he returned to America where he led forces at the Battle of Yorktown. After the war, he returned to France as a hero and was later instrumental in launching the French Revolution.
WILLIAM HOWE
In 1775, General William Howe led British troops at Bunker Hill and the following year was appointed as Commander in Chief of the British Army in North America. He captured New York and headed south, winning again at the battles of Brandywine and Germantown in 1777. However, his success was short-lived when he failed to destroy Washington’s forces at Valley Forge during the winter of 1777 and was later blamed for Burgoyne’s defeat at Saratoga.
HENRY CLINTON
A prominent member of the British army, Henry Clinton went to Boston in 1775 as second in command to General William Howe. Leading troops at Bunker Hill, Clinton also led two victorious campaigns in New York and Long Island. In 1778, Clinton replaced Howe as Commander in Chief of the British Army in North America. His failure to provide support to Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781 saw him blamed for the defeat, and he resigned his command.
JOHN ADAMS
John Adams served as a delegate in both the First and Second Continental Congresses. He quickly became well known for his support for independence and a key figure in making decisions that would have an impact on the success of the revolution. He voted for Washington to be made Commander of the Army, assisted in drafting the Declaration of Independence, and helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris. He went on to become the second US president.
THOMAS JEFFERSON
As a talented writer, Thomas Jefferson was made a delegate at the Second Continental Congress and was asked by John Adams to write a draft of the Declaration of Independence. He contributed to the US Constitution, with his Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom a forerunner to the First Amendment. Despite not fighting in the war, Jefferson’s gift as a wordsmith and politician saw him become an architect of independent America.
Charles Cornwallis
Although he served as a lieutenant general in the British arm
