Revolutionary War Continental Army Officer, U.S. Diplomat. He joined General George Washington's staff as volunteer aide, served in every battle General Washington was in, including the Battles of Brandywine, Monmouth, Germantown, Savannah, and Charleston. He helped plan for the Siege of Yorktown. British troops surrendered on October 17, 1781, and Washington appointed Laurens as the American commissioner for drafting formal terms of the British surrender. On October 18, 1781, Laurens and the French commissioner negotiated terms with two British representatives, and the articles of capitulation were signed by General Cornwallis the following day. On August 27, 1782, at the age of 27, Laurens was shot from his saddle during the Battle of the Combahee River, as one of the last casualties of the Revolutionary War. Laurens died in what General Greene described sadly as "a paltry little skirmish" with a foraging party, only a few weeks before the British finally withdrew from Charleston.
Revolutionary War Continental Army Officer, U.S. Diplomat. He joined General George Washington's staff as volunteer aide, served in every battle General Washington was in, including the Battles of Brandywine, Monmouth, Germantown, Savannah, and Charleston. He helped plan for the Siege of Yorktown. British troops surrendered on October 17, 1781, and Washington appointed Laurens as the American commissioner for drafting formal terms of the British surrender. On October 18, 1781, Laurens and the French commissioner negotiated terms with two British representatives, and the articles of capitulation were signed by General Cornwallis the following day. On August 27, 1782, at the age of 27, Laurens was shot from his saddle during the Battle of the Combahee River, as one of the last casualties of the Revolutionary War. Laurens died in what General Greene described sadly as "a paltry little skirmish" with a foraging party, only a few weeks before the British finally withdrew from Charleston.
Bio by: Jan
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