Enslin, Frederick Gotthold

On March 10, 1778, Lieutenant Frederick Gotthold Enslin became the first U.S. soldier court-martialed for “attempting to commit sodomy” with another soldier. His sentence was to be literally drummed out of the Continental Army by its regiments’ fifes and drums. Enslin was told “never to return.”

Lieutenant Frederick Gotthold Enslin was a Continental Army officer who the focus of one of three possible cases of sodomy documented in the Continental Army under General George Washington.[1] The case began with a charge against an ensign for slander against another soldier. At Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, in February 1778, Ensign Anthony Maxwell was brought before a court-martial charged with "propagating a scandalous report prejudicial to the character of Lieut. Enslin." Maxwell was ultimately acquitted of the charge.[1]

In March 1778, Enslin was brought to trial before a court-martial. According to General Washington's report: "...Lieutt. Enslin of Colo. Malcolm's Regiment tried for attempting to commit sodomy ..." Washington's secretary continues to describe the results of the trial: "His Excellency the Commander in Chief approves the sentence and with Abhorrence & Detestation of such Infamous Crimes orders Lieut. Enslin to be drummed out of Camp tomorrow morning...."[2]

The diary of Lieutenant James McMichael records the sentence being carried out on 15 March 1778:

March 15. — I this morning proceeded to the grand parade, where I was a spectator to the drumming out of Lieut. Enslin of Col. Malcom's regiment. He was first drum'd from right to left of the parade, thence to the left wing of the army; from that to the centre, and lastly transported over the Schuylkill with orders never to be seen in Camp in the future. This shocking scene was performed by all the drums and fifes in the army— the coat of the delinquent was turned wrong side out."[3]

He may be identical to "Gotthold Fried. Enslin" who arrived in Philadelphia on the ship Union from Rotterdam on 30 September 1774.[4] "Gotthold Friderich Ensslin" was christened the day after his birth in the Lutheran Church in Ober Kochen, Wuerttemberg, Germany on 11 August 1755, son of Johann Friderich Ensslin and Magdalena Elisabetha Venningerin.