Washington's Gay General: The Legends and Loves of Baron von Steuben

And yet another book found me. "Washington's Gay General: The Legends and Loves of Baron von Steuben" is a graphic novel biography, authored by Josh Trujillo and illustrated by Levi Hastings. 

["...the true story of one of the most important, but largely forgotten, military leaders of the American Revolution, Baron Von Steuben, who brought much-needed knowledge to the inexperienced and ill-prepared Continental Army. As its first Inspector General, Von Steuben created an organizational framework for the US military, which included writing the Blue Book guide that became the standard for training American soldiers for more than a century.

Von Steuben was also, by all accounts, a flamboyant homosexual in an era when the term didn’t even exist. Beginning with Von Steuben’s career in the Prussian Army, Trujillo explores his recruitment by Benjamin Franklin, his work alongside General George Washington at the Battle of Valley Forge, and his eventual decline into obscurity."]

History is told by it's victors. And more often than not, it is also white-washed and queer-washed, as in the case of oh so many, including  Baron von Steuben. All of his military aid and organization skills and leadership accomplishments here in the US was, as the graphic novel calls it, his third act in life. He completed SO much in his life, and his queerness was just an aspect of himself. An aspect history tried to wash and burn away. He was in a throuple (if not a fourple); he had naked cocktail parties, he had love affair with a prince (and the prince's brother--the king). "Baron Von Steuben is American's Founding Daddy."  Hell. Yes.

Granted, like many (maaannny) other founding fathers, von Steuben wasn't a 100% great guy. He was racist towards natives and the enslaved. He prayed on younger subordinates. He was constantly in debt, both monetarily and otherwise. This book doesn't wash those away either (his faults or the faults of George Washington or Thomas Jefferson). 

It's honest and true, like history should be.

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