General Baron Johan DeKalb The first official record of DeKalb
found in Weedon's Valley Forge Orderly Book, is dated November
22, 1777, when Washington ordered that "The Brigades commanded
by Generals Patterson and Learned are to form one division under
Major Genl. and Baron DeKalb." From December 19, 1777, until
June 28, 1778, DeKalb served as Major-General for the day
nineteen times as Washington had confidence in his integrity and
responsibility. Baron DeKalb was born in Hüttendorf, Germany on
June 29, 1721. After a good basic education, he was trained in
the military service of the French. He eventually became a
Knight of the Royal Military Order of Merit. In 1747 he became
brigadier-general under Marshall Broglie. During the French and
Indian War (1754-1763), he was sent to the colonies as a secret
agent to determine the attitude of the colonists toward the
British. He traveled extensively throughout the colonies, in
careful disguise, but once was arrested for spying. Because of a
lack of sufficient proo