Ensign is a junior rank of commissioned officer in the militaries of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name. When navies began, the junior naval officer took the same name.

Good commentary about Monhart’s role as well.

In the Royal Navy of this period one reason that officers where punished when caught with enlisted was that since since the refusing the advances of an officer was “mutiny”, a hanging offense, it was legally considered forcible-rape since the enlisted could not legally refuse ANY orders of an officer if iron-discipline was to be maintained.

That makes perfect sense. Fraternizing is/was treated as a crime because otherwise, an officer could exploit an enlisted guy up and down. And, barring clear ‘magnifying’ circumstances, the enlisted guy (Monhart) would be presumed innocent of whatever.

One aspect of this viewed from an 18th-centuruy P.O.V. is that while “rank hath it’s privledges”, there’s the issue of military discipline. In the Royal Navy of this period one reason that officers where punished when caught with enlisted was that since since the refusing the advances of an officer was “mutiny”, a hanging offense, it was legally considered forcible-rape since the enlisted could not legally refuse ANY orders of an officer if iron-discipline was to be maintained.

If it had been Enslin’s personal valet or servant…military or civilian…which officers of that period had to maintain their gear, cook, etc. in the field; and he hadn’t challenged his fellow officer-and-gentleman’ word and reputation there probably wouldn’t have been any court-martial. Perhaps just a word-aside in-private to be more discrete.

Eighteenth-century martial concepts of “honor” and “discipline” were deadly affairs, where nowadays similar incidents would be “merely” contentious or litigatous.

Fraterization among officers and inlisted men were forbidden in the States but Overseas we were buddies. Anything other than that though had to be “off base”. Actually, as far as I know, there were very little sexual activity among the men. Reasons were that we were kept very busy, there were no place to go “off base or out of camp”, and we were all buddies which means that
they were like brothers.

I am curious what a Navy Ensign was doing at Valley Forge

I wouldn’t read anything into it. The U.S. barely had armed forces in that war. Times were always desperate. To the extent there was a Navy, it would have been co-ordinating with Washington on supplies, activity, etc. Or Washington might have had refugees (so to speak) from a recently defeated Navy ship. Etc.

As for Baron Steuben, I’d read somewhere once that he was more ‘discreet’ he likely was, but then again I think he was too good.

And AGJ, you’re right, with fratrinzation rules in the UCMJ, DADT isn’t needed

ILC: Agreed, however an unofficial tolerance for homosexuals doesn’t mean that when it is officially known the same ‘rules’ apply. I doubt that Enslin would have been able to resign under those circumstances. It is interesting though that Burr & Washington showed some leniency given the punishments for sodomy at that time. That in itself may argue against Monhart being a young teenager as I surmise Burr & Washington might have come down harder if her were. Then again, perhaps one of the reasons we don’t hear about what happened to Monhart is that because of his possible young age he could be said to have been taken advantage of by an older man. Difficult to say and the dearth of further information is frustrating.

I wonder what would have been different if, upon being caught, Enslin had admitted it and offered to resign for fraternizing - rather than trying to trash another man’s (Maxwell’s) reputation and life.

von Steuben is an interesting example. Per Wiki, he was drummed out of Germany allegedly because he did it with underage boys. That would be not only fraternization, but pedophilia. (Or ephebophilia, as they were probably teenagers.) It was never proven… but… isn’t it odd that von Steuben came to the U.S., instead of defending his honor in (say) a duel? Now, once von Steuben is in the U.S., there are no reports of him doing it with underage boys. Perhaps he “learned his lesson”. Wiki talks about him having “intense emotional relationships” with two of his aides de camp. Aides de camp are officers and grownups, so, von Steuben then becomes an example of the 18th century tolerating gays who kept it semi-discreet, raised no question of perjury or fraternization or pedophilia, etc.

…some allowances…need to be made for Enslin’s perjury and… fraternization…

Indeed.