How a gay man helped win the American Revolution and transform the American military forever.

[RBInMaine]

It's amazing that gay people serving in the military was ever an issue because a known gay man helped win the American Revolution, transforming the US military forever.

Baron Von Steuben, a German army officer thwarted by his own army for being gay, met Ben Franklin in France during the Revolution. Franklin had been told he was gay, but didn't really care. He saw him as an excellent soldier, which he was, and Von Steuben offered his expertise to the Americans. Franklin notified Washington, and Washington accepted the help knowing he was gay. Von Steuben sailed to America and transformed the rag tag army at Valley Forge into a well trained force, even with elite special forces. He published the "Blue Book" on army order and discipline, much of which is used to this day. He also improved camp conditions reducing disease.

Today, towns all over the country are named for him. There are parades in his honor. He remained in America, and became a citizen and lifelong friend of Washington.

So the next time some ignorant idiot bashes gay people or spouts nonsense about gay people not being able to do this or that, shouldn't serve in the military, etc. just say, "Did you know that a gay man played an absolutely critical role in helping America win independence with the full knowledge and blessing of George Washington who became his close friend?" (See below for the link to the entire article.)



http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nicholas-ferroni/american-military-history_b_1606530.html

[Eleanors38]

1. Thanks for this little-known fact about von Steuben

He was instrumental in the success of the Revolution, and I will mention his example to anyone who still indulges old & contrived myths about LGBT people.

[LuvNewcastle]

2. Thanks for the story, RB.

I remember hearing Baron von Steuben's name, but didn't know anything about him. I guess you could say that he helped to found the American military. History teachers should tell his story in their lessons; I think it's important.

[ArnoldLayne]

3. Steubenville,Ohio was named after him. He built Fort Steuben which then became known as the

infamous City of Steubeville where the notorious rape incident occurred last year.

[1StrongBlackMan]

15. I knew about how Steubenville, OH ...

Got it's name, we studied in elementary school history. But it's namesakes being gay was not mentioned in the lessons.

[JDPriestly]

4. K&R.

[nikto]

5. So it was Steuben who made the Continental Army...

Fabulous.

[theHandpuppet]

6. One of the most important things Von Steuben did...

... was to improve sanitation and reduce disease among the troops, which he did by ordering that all waste areas(including the human kind) be relocated downstream from the camps. Believe it or not, until Von Steuben came along the Continental troops were drinking, eating and bathing (well, when they did bathe) from the same waters they were using as toilets, along with their animals. This had led to widespread dysentery.

[arely staircase]

14. funny how things we accept as common sense today required expertise

a relatively short time ago.

[druidity33]

7. for those who won't go to HuffPo...

here's his wiki:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Wilhelm_von_Steuben





on edit:
the Wiki article barely mentions he's gay (at the very end) and they refer to it as an "Homosexuality Issue"...

[edhopper]

8. This is a wonderful, informative thread

It reminds me that all the RW "patriots" who don't understand the contributions of gay men and women have in this country, they also like to bash France a lot, not acknowledging that France is one of the only countries that has been our ally since the beginning and that we would not have won the revolution without them.

[xchrom]

9. du rec.

[mopinko]

10. hmm. there was a von stueben high school in chicago

a high school i say. they must not have known.
but then again, it was just closed last year. maybe someone found out.

[DamnYankeeInHouston]

11. Thank you for the wonderful hustory lesson.

[KittyWampus]

12. Excellent post. May I piggyback on this thread to mention a new book on Washington's spies?

It's called George Washingtons Secret Six.

Not trying to hijack the subject matter. Just a FYI for anyone interesting in history.

http://www.amazon.com/George-Washingtons-Secret-Six-Revolution/dp/159523103X

[RBInMaine]

17. Washington was notorious for using spies, fake letters, and all manner of espionage. He LOVED it.

[jwirr]

13. Thank you for the history lesson.

[WhiteTara]

16. Or that the army's core book was

written by a gay guy. That should make a few heads explode!

[Rowdyboy]

18. Absolutely fascinating. I had no idea von Stueben was gay and my BA was in American history

It never ceases to amaze me how little I actually know about this country's history.