Baron von Steuben Transformed Continental Army While Living Openly With Young Male Companions

What was said

"When he died in 1794, he left them his estate. He adopted them, he made them his heirs, which was actually very common for gay men to do in the late 18th century. This was a way for you to establish a kind of formal relationship. So it worked out well for him. Worked out well for him and for them, actually."

The Prussian officer who professionalized the Continental Army at Valley Forge, Baron von Steuben, lived openly with two handsome young officers in their early twenties, Benjamin Walker and William North, whom he adopted as heirs. Historians note this was a common practice for gay men in the 18th century to formalize relationships. Despite arriving with suspiciously handsome young aides and being discharged from the Prussian Army under murky circumstances, his sexuality did not prevent him from becoming a founding father and American citizen.