Your Average Feral Racoon

To my recollection, Henry Laurens never outright discussed his views on queer people. A quick skim of The Papers of Henry Laurens also did not produce anything. Keep in mind that the queer culture of the 18th century was different than the world we know today. While most people today have an opinion on queer marriage, gender transition, and other queer topics, these weren't really topics of discussion to the same extent in the 18th century. We can certainly guess at what Henry Laurens's views on two men engaging in a romantic/sexual relationship might have been based on his Christian views, but it's not something that he likely would have ever discussed much outright.

In regards to Henry's view on his son John Laurens likely being what we would consider a gay man - again, there's not much to say. John was not "out," and any of his intimate relationships with men could be dismissed as the typical romantic friendships of the day. The closest thing we have to Henry commenting on this matter is the following quote:

Master Jack is too closely wedded to his studies to think about any of the Miss Nanny’s I would not have such a sound in his Ear, for a Crown; why drive the poor Dog, to what Nature will irresistably prompt him to be plagued with in all probability much too soon. - Henry Laurens to James Grant, in a letter dated October 13, 1767

So Henry seems to have noticed that almost-13-year-old John wasn't interested in girls, but he wasn't very concerned with the matter - he figured such attraction would come about soon enough.

Transitioning from genuine response to borderline crack theory here, I do find it interesting that there are multiple instances of Henry possibly recognizing John's attraction to men and just staying quiet/being mildly supportive about it (if you read way too into it). My points:

1. The above quote about John showing no interest in girls and Henry saying "that's ok, I won't push him into courting any girls."

2. "I purpose [Jack] shall go to Britain & there be first initiated at Winchester which I am told has greatly retrieved its character for Learning & discipline & from thence to such University as my friends who are better Judges than I am shall advise, among whom I am permitted to number Your Excellency & if nothing very cross interposes to hinder, either Jack or I or both will go to Augustine before he goes to England, but the Monkey insists upon being Major of the Clyster pipe." - Henry Laurens to James Grant, in a letter dated November 24, 1770. A clyster pipe was a device used in administering an enema, so this was a reference to John wanting to enter the field of medicine. But, as one might imagine, "clyster pipe" or "clystering" could be used as a sexual reference, particularly in regards to sodomy (Sex and the Eighteenth-Century Man: Massachusetts and the History of Sexuality in America by Thomas Foster includes a couple examples of this). That's probably not the connotation Henry was aiming for here, but also - why did he specifically reference enemas when he could have referred to any medical practice to get the point across? John also often copied his father's letters for writing practice, so imagine his reaction if/when he came across this passage.

3. Henry let John know that Francis Kinloch was going to be around, both in Geneva and at Army headquarters:

From a hint which Waag dropped at Bath tis expected by the freinds of the young Eatonian that he will find a freind in you at Genevé, tho none of 'em have Said a word to me on the Subject. - Henry Laurens to John Laurens, in a letter dated January 14, 1774. Francis Kinloch is the "Eatonian" (he had studied at Eton).

Your friend F. Kinloch will probably salute you in Camp this day sinnight, another friend of yours R. Berresford is in New York. - Henry Laurens to John Laurens, September 17, 1778

someone stalking me… someone who is obsessed with me… someone who is gross and violent over me…