Baron von steuben gay
The Revolutionary War Hero Who Was Openly Gay
Von Steuben didn’t just throw sexually charged parties: He also formed intense relationships with other men. He became close to William North and Benjamin Walker, aides-de-camp who seem to possess been involved in their own passionate relationship, and lived with them for two years in camp. It’s likely that von Steuben became romantically and sexually involved with North, though it’s not clear how close he was to Walker.
Meanwhile, von Steuben proved himself a heroic addition to the army. As Inspector General, he taught the army more streamlined fighting techniques and helped instill the discipline they so sorely needed. It worked, and the drill manual he wrote for the army is still partially in utilize today. The drillmaster quickly became one of Washington’s most trusted advisors, eventually serving as his chief of staff. He is now considered instrumental in helping the Americans win the Revolutionary War.
When the war ended, Baron von Steuben was granted U.S. citizenship and moved to Brand-new York with North and Walker. “We love him,” North wrote, “and he deserves it for he loves us tenderly.”
After the war, von Steuben legally adopted
Do you have a favorite vacation memory? Mine is when my parents took us to Washington DC for the very first time. We spent a week visiting the museums and monuments to learn history and summit into the past. The monument I found most interesting was the one dedicated to Baron von Steuben. I had never heard of Baron von Steuben before, so I took a picture to research later. I discovered that he was one of the most important military leaders of the American Revolution, but is often forgotten. The fact that stuck out the most? von Steuben was openly gay. Flash forward. Imagine my surprise when I found Washington’s Gay General: The Legends and Loves of Baron von Steuben written by Josh Trujillo and illustrated by Levi Hastings on the new graphic novel shelves at work. I immediately checked it out to learn more!
Washington’s Gay General covers von Steuben’s young life in Prussia, his military history, to his death in upstate New York in 1794. Von Steuben served in the Prussian military for years before he was dismissed from the army due to rumors of homosexuality. After he was fired, he bounced from position to job, eventually accepting an offer from Benjamin Fra
Washington’s Gay General: The Legends and Loves of Baron von Steuben
Think back to your history classes (for some of you this might be further assist in time than others). When your class discussed the American Revolution, you covered Jefferson, Washington, Adams, etc.
You heard about Paul Revere’s ride and “the shot heard ‘round the world.” Was any time loyal to Baron Friedrich von Steuben? In my U.S. history class the Baron warranted a brief paragraph and a painting of him drilling the troops. We certainly didn’t learn anything about his background or personal life. I imagine there are some classes that didn’t get even that much communication about him.
It’s not as though von Steuben is entirely forgotten. German-Americans commemorate von Steuben Daytime every year. A host of cities and counties around the U.S. are named after him. There are statues in his honor at Valley Forge and in Washington D.C. His Sky Book was the standard training handbook for the U.S. military for generations. Nevertheless, memories of von Steuben among average Americans linger fuzzy.
Washington’s Gay General: The Legends and Loves of Baron von Steuben, written by Josh Trujilo and illustrated by
| Charles Wilson Peale's portrait of Steuben[1] |
Today, we are going to carefully speak to a topic related to American and Prussian military history, and the history of the LGTBQ+ group in the United States. It important to letter, at the outset, that topics dealing with the history of the LGTBQ+ community are politically charged, and that it is often difficult to converse on these topics without saying anything controversial. I hope, in my publish today, to treat this topic with the humility, care, and respect it deserves. This post seeks to address the accompanying questions, using the finest sources available: 1) Is it possible that Steuben was homosexual? 2) Is it possible that Steuben was heterosexual? 3) Is there any evidence to support the contemporary charges that Steuben was a pedophile? 4) Did Steuben hold the first underwear party in American history, at Valley Forge? 5) Did Steuben leave his property to North, Walker, and Mulligan because they were lovers?
Since 2011, writer and journalist Mark Segal has written a number of pieces regarding Steuben and his place in American history as a gay man. You can observe an interview with Segal here. One