Can NOT Get Over Palmer's Biography Of Von Steuben Calling Du Ponceau "callow" Fight Me On This Idc That

Can NOT get over Palmer's biography of Von Steuben calling Du Ponceau "callow" fight me on this idc that he was like 17 he was the most mature person on that boat

Annually returning to Tumblr just to giggle at cute and goofy art of a bunch of dead 18th century dudes. This app is peak.

OOO I found this crusty draft but I need to get back on AMREVBLR so...

(don't come at me I just wanted to post something oml)

One thing the whole Lams community gets fatally wrong is the relationship between Laurens and his father.

Sure, John and Henry had their differences, but they were actually fairly close. Gregory D. Massey even called John the favourite child!Was Henry a GREAT father? Heck no! But he did try, and he wasn't HORRIBLE at it. Just a bit forceful. Most of this fandom's hatred for Henry Laurens sparks from one thing: John's sexuality.

Yes, Henry Laurens was homophobic, and John Laurens was most likely a homosexual man. But we're forgetting that it was the 18th century. Homosexual acts were illegal, and you'd be arrested, severely punished, or even executed if you were found intimately with someone of the same sex, and definitely disgraced permanently. Period-typical homophobia really isn't the same as today's view. It's likely Henry had a slight guess that John wasn't interested in women, but you've got to understand how outrageous that was for the time. When John wrote to Henry about his wife, Henry was most likely relieved and stopped worrying about his son's sexuality altogether. Of course, Henry likely didn't know that John married her out of pity and just because he was a genuinely good lad.

A lot of media and fanfiction or just fan portrayals overall portray Henry as this cold, heartless being who despised his family with a burning passion, but that really isn't true. Henry mourned very deeply after John's death, and did the same after Eleanor, John's mother's death. He spent a lot of time with John, specifically in his teenage years when they were in London. Henry tried, he really did.

Henry DID put down his son's interests, however. It was clear from a young age that John was very interested in biology and plants, as well as art and medicine. If it wasn't for Henry, John would have likely become a painter, naturalist, or doctor after his career as a soldier. Yet, Henry pushed John to study law over his other subjects of interest, and so he did. This wasn't because these subjects were "gay" or "girly" as I've seen some people say. These really just weren't high paying or honorable careers for the time. Today a doctor would be very impressive. At the time, a doctor wouldn't have been seen majorly better than a maid. Is it wrong that Henry discouraged John from pursuing his interests and passions? Yes. Honestly, it is. But it's clear that Henry only wanted what was best for his son, even if he wasn't great at showing it.

Haven't made a Von Steuben post since it was our month :(

Guys I'm not special anymore people actually care about him😭😭

Welp time to post my drafts teehee prepare for rants

o no o no o nonono I've been replaced I've been replaced I've stayed off Von Steuben-blr for so long that I'm not #1 anymore oh no I used to be his #1 fan what am I gonna do oh no

my dawg

I have two types of Tumblr mutals

@dairsmuids @auroroboros1