Gay generals
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 back 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 devoted to Baron Friedrich von Steuben? In my U.S. history class the Baron warranted a short paragraph and a painting of him drilling the troops. We certainly didn’t understand 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 celebrate von Steuben Afternoon 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 Cobalt Book was the standard education manual for the U.S. military for generations. Nevertheless, memories of von Steuben among average Americans remain fuzzy.
Washington’s Gay Frederick the Great is one of history's most well-known and adept military commanders. He's not Napoleon, but pretty damn close. The 18th-century Prussian king is credited with transforming a backwater patchwork of Baltic lands into a modern mention — all while fending off armies four times the size of his own. He was an infamous disciplinarian, a ruthless commander, and a military genius. He was the symbol of Prussian masculinity and militarism, and he was also most likely gay. Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives. SUBSCRIBE & Preserve From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the foremost of The Week delivered directly to your inbox. From our morning news briefing to a weekly Nice News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox. A 'Grecian' taste in love Frederick's sexuality isn't noteworthy by itself, but it's surprising that his affection for men was considered a matter of evidence in the ma 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 contain been involved in their own love-related 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 employ 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 Unused York with North and Walker. “We love him,” North 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 comprehend history and peak into the past. The monument I found most curious was the one assigned to Baron von Steuben. I had never heard of Baron von Steuben before, so I took a picture to investigate 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. Visualize 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 recent graphic novel shelves at work. I immediately checked it out to acquire more! Washington&#;s Gay General covers von Steuben&#;s young being in Prussia, his military history, to his death in upstate New York in Von Steuben served in the Prussian military for years before he was dismissed from the army due to rumors of homosexuality. After he was Subscribe to The Week
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The Revolutionary War Hero Who Was Openly Gay