In this letter to his wife, the Marquis de Lafayette describes his impressions of America soon after arriving in the United States. Lafayette, a French nobleman, quickly became a trusted confidant of George Washington and an outstanding battlefield commander. In 1779, he returned briefly to France to seek additional aid for the American cause. He played a key role in the American victory at Yorktown in 1781.
Marie Paul Yves Roch Gilbert de Motier, Marquis de Lafayette 
