James Armistead Lafayette was born into slavery in Virginia, and prior to the war, he worked as a slave on a plantation.
Prior to the war, James Armistead Lafayette was a slave in Virginia, belonging to William Armistead, but was granted permission by his master to serve as a spy for the American forces during the Revolutionary War.
To obtain information about James Armistead Lafayette's life prior to the war, you can consult various sources such as history books, biographies, or online databases. It is said that prior to the war, he was born into slavery in Virginia around 1760 and served as a slave for William Armistead, who eventually allowed him to join the Revolutionary War as an espionage agent for the Continental Army.
