Washington?s Gay General: The Legends and Loves of Baron Von Steuben

A graphic novel biography of Baron von Steuben, the soldier, immigrant, and flamboyant homosexual who influenced the course of US history during the Revolutionary War despite being omitted from our textbooks.

Author Josh Trujillo and illustrator Levi Hastings tell 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 Valley Forge, and his eventual decline into obscurity. In Washington’s Gay General, Trujillo and Hastings impart both the intricacies of queer history and the importance of telling stories that highlight queer experiences.

Josh Trujillo is a comic book guy based in Los Angeles. His work covers different genres, including superheroes, history, and children’s fiction. In 2020, he contributed to the Ignatz Award–winning Be Gay, Do Comics (IDW, 2020). Trujillo is also featured in the Eisner Award–winning Love is Love (IDW, 2016), benefiting victims of the Orlando nightclub tragedy, and the Ringo Award–winning Mine! (2018), benefiting Planned Parenthood. In 2021, he cocreated Aaron Fischer for Marvel Comics. Fischer, a gay runaway, takes on the mantle of Captain America. You can learn more about Trujillo, his work, and his dogs online.
Levi Hastings is an illustrator and cartoonist specializing in natural science, travel, and queer history. His clients include HBO, the Washington Post, BuzzFeed, the Nib, the Stranger, and a variety of other publications. He lives in Seattle.