Lafayette came to North America specifically to join the Revolution as a volunteer in 1777. He was already a military officer, like his father, and traveled with other French volunteer officers who were not officially sanctioned by the French crown.

Lafayette was not alone. Officers from all over Europe offered their service to the Americans. Some were rather dubious, others sought profit and glory. A recent piece in the journal Early American Studies by Eric Spall, "Foreigners in the Highest Trust: American Perceptions of European Mercenary Officers in the Continental Army," takes an in-depth look at these officers.