Calling von Stueben 'openly gay' is an exaggeration. The comic isn't bad, but I think other sources (such as the wikipedia article) give a better perspective. Also, courtesy of said article,
Calling von Stueben 'openly gay' is an exaggeration. The comic isn't bad, but I think other sources (such as the wikipedia article) give a better perspective.
Also, courtesy of said article,
The Baron's willingness and ability to work with the men, as well as his use of profanity (in several different languages), made him popular among the soldiers.
Yeah "openly" implies he did not try/need to hide it but that is, sadly, probably not the truth of the matter. However it's still a cool story (though touched with a bit of tragedy for him likely...
Yeah "openly" implies he did not try/need to hide it but that is, sadly, probably not the truth of the matter.
Rumors followed him from Prussia to America that he was homosexual, but there never was an investigation of von Steuben and he received a Congressional pension after the war.
Von Steuben arrived in the United States with his 17-year-old secretary, Peter Stephen Du Ponceau, who is rumored to have been his lover.
However it's still a cool story (though touched with a bit of tragedy for him likely having to hide who he really was in public) and the art was fantastic, so thanks for posting @rkcr.
Calling von Stueben 'openly gay' is an exaggeration. The comic isn't bad, but I think other sources (such as the wikipedia article) give a better perspective.
Also, courtesy of said article,
Yeah "openly" implies he did not try/need to hide it but that is, sadly, probably not the truth of the matter.
However it's still a cool story (though touched with a bit of tragedy for him likely having to hide who he really was in public) and the art was fantastic, so thanks for posting @rkcr.