Indeed

I linked a George Will column about Gettysburg at right (sounds like it's time for another visit), but his paragraph about certain ... misconceptions ... people hold about the battle reminded me of a story...

I visited Valley Forge once; as with most of these monuments, there's an informative short film to watch before you tour the grounds. At one point they talk about the contributions of the Prussian General Friedrich Wilhelm von Stueben, well-known for introducing formal military training to the Continental Army. Pretty standard stuff for those of us who have studied the history of the war.

As the lights went up and we all filed out of the small theater, the woman in front of us exclaimed to her friends, loud enough for everyone to hear,

"von Steuben was Prussian? But I thought he was GEEERMAAAN!"

I didn't laugh out loud. Not until she was well out of earshot.

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