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Friedrich Wilhelm August Heinrich Ferdinand von Steuben (born Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin Louis von Steuben; September 17, 1730 – November 28, 1794), also referred to as Baron von Steuben (German: [fɔn ˈʃtɔʏbm̩]), was a Prussian military officer who played a leading role in the American Revolutionary War by reforming the ...
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- HISTORY Vault: The American Revolution
Baron Friedrich von Steuben was known for his bravery and the discipline and grit he brought to the American troops.
Gay men have always been part of the American military. In an era before gay marriage or open pride, military men fell in love, formed passionate friendships and had same-sex encounters. Due to social and official discrimination, though, most of their stories have gone untold. But in the case of one of the military’s founding heroes, homosexuality was always part of the story.
Baron Friedrich von Steuben, a Prussian military man hired by George Washington to whip the Continental Army into shape during the darkest days of the Revolutionary War, is known for his bravery and the discipline and grit he brought to the American troops. Historians also think he was homosexual—and served as an openly gay man in the military at a time when sex between men was punished as a crime.
American Revolution History
“Though his name is little known among Americans today,” writes Erick Trickey for Smithsonian, “every U.S. soldier is indebted to von Steuben—he created America’s professional army.”
It wasn’t easy: Three years into the Revolutionary War, the army was low on discipline, morale and even food. With his strict drills, showy presence and shrewd eye for military strategy, he helped turn them into a military powerhouse.
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Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben was a Prussian soldier designated inspector general of the American Continental Army.
Frederick William II (German: Friedrich Wilhelm II.; 25 September 1744 – 16 November 1797) was king of Prussia from 1786 until his death in 1797. He was in personal union with the prince-elector of Brandenburg and (via the Orange-Nassau inheritance of his grandfather) sovereign prince of the Canton of Neuchâtel.
In full: Frederick William Augustus, Freiherr von Steuben. Original name: Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin von Steuben. Born: September 17, 1730, Magdeburg, Prussia [Germany] Died: November 28, 1794, near Remsen, New York, U.S. (aged 64) Role In: American Revolution.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Sep 3, 2024 · Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin Steuben of Prussia, otherwise known as Baron von Steuben, was an aide to Frederick the Great. During the American Revolution, he offered his services to the American cause and was appointed inspector general of the Continental Army.
Dec 12, 2018 · On September 18, 1777, General Wilhelm von Knyphausen led British soldiers on a raid of Valley Forge, where American troops had built a handful of storage facilities.
