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The FReeper Foxhole Profiles Baron Friedrich von Steuben - Jul. 19th, 2004
www.ushistory.org ^

Posted on 07/19/2004 12:00:16 AM PDT by SAMWolf



Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
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FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.


...................................................................................... ...........................................

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U.S. Military History, Current Events and Veterans Issues

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Friedrich Wilhelm Augustus von Steuben
(1730-1794)

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Baron von Steuben
Forging an American Army
Winter 1777-1778


Friedrich Wilhelm Augustus von Steuben
[The name he was primarily known in America by]
Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin von Steuben
[The name he was baptized with]
Friedrich Wilhelm August Heinrich Ferdinand
[The name he changed to]



Baron von Steuben, Major General, Inspector General & Drill Master, Continental Army


Von Steuben was born in Magdeburg fortress where his father was an engineer lieutenant in the military in 1730. Most of his adolescent years were spent in Russia, but with his father at the age of 10, they returned to Germany. He was schooled in Breslau by Jesuits and by the age of 17...was a Prussian officer in the military. He was a member of an infantry unit and a staff officer in the Seven Years War, later being made a member of the General Staff serving in Russia periodically. His service was commendable enough that he was eventually given assignment with Frederick the Great's headquarters. His experiences as a General Staff member in the Prussian Army gave him a wealth of knowledge that heretofore was unheard of, even in the British and French armies of the period. His training would eventually bring to the American soldiers the technical knowledge necessary to create an ARMY.


General von Steuben drilling the troops at Valley Forge (1777-78)
-- a pencil sketch


At the age of 33, in 1763, Steuben was discharged as a captain from the army, for reasons that are only speculative. The following year he received his "Baron" title when he became chamberlain at the Petty Court of Hohenzollern-Hechingen. He was the only courtier to accompany his incognito prince to France in 1771, hoping to borrow money. Failing to find funds, they returned to Germany in 1775, deeply in debt. Looking for work to reverse his fortunes, von Steuben tried employment in several foreign armies including Austria, Baden and France. He discovered that Benjmin Franklin was in Paris and that possibly, he could find work with the Continental Army in America.



Steuben traveled to Paris in the summer of 1777. As luck would have it, he was endorsed for service by the French Minister of War (Count de St. Germain) who fully realized the potential of an officer with Prussian General Staff training. Steuben was introduced to General Washington by means of a letter from Franklin as a "Lieutenant General in the King of Prussia's service," a certain exaggeration of his actual credentials. He was advanced travel funds and left Europe from Marseilles. On September 26th, 1777, he reached Portsmouth, New Hampshire and by December 1st, was being extravagantly entertained in Boston. Congress was in York Pennsylvania, after being ousted from Philadelphia for the winter and on February 5, 1778, Steuben was with them. They accepted his offer to volunteer, without pay for the time, and on the 23rd of the same month, Steuben was reporting for duty to General Washington at Valley Forge. Steuben did not speak English, but his French was such that he could communicate with some of the officers. Washington's aide-de-camp, Alexander Hamilton as well as Nathanael Greene were a great help in this area. The two men assisted Steuben in drafting a training program for the soldiers which found approval with the Commander-in-Chief in March.


Von Steuben (left) and Washington At Valley Forge


How did the men at Valley Forge become an ARMY? Steuben began with a "model company," a group of 100 chosen men and trained them...they in turn successively worked outward into each brigade. Steuben's eclectic personality greatly enhanced his mystique. He trained the soldiers, who at this point were greatly lacking in proper clothing themselves, in full military dress uniform, swearing and yelling at them up and down in German and French. When that was no longer successful, he recruited Captain Benjamin Walker, his French speaking aid to curse at them FOR HIM in English. His instructions and methods have a familiar ring, nor is this strange when we consider that much of what is done today stems from his teachings. To correct the existing policy of placing recruits in a unit before they had received training, Von Steuben introduced a system of progressive training, beginning with the school of the soldier, with and without arms, and going through the school of the regiment. Each company commander was made responsible for the training of new men, but actually instruction was done by selected sergeants, the best obtainable.



TOPICS: VetsCoR
KEYWORDS: americanrevolution; baronvonsteuben; biography; continentalarmy; freeperfoxhole; germany; prussia; valleyforge; veterans
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To: Darksheare

Morning Darksheare. How goes troll hunting?


21 posted on 07/19/2004 7:49:25 AM PDT by SAMWolf (The only thing shorter than a weekend is a vacation.)
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To: Valin
1938 Vikki Carr El Paso Tx, singer (Let it Please Be Him)

I had such a crush on Vicki Carr. :-)

22 posted on 07/19/2004 7:55:04 AM PDT by SAMWolf (The only thing shorter than a weekend is a vacation.)
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To: bentfeather

Good Morning Feather.


23 posted on 07/19/2004 7:55:27 AM PDT by SAMWolf (The only thing shorter than a weekend is a vacation.)
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To: Aeronaut

Good morning Aeronaut.


24 posted on 07/19/2004 8:00:54 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: E.G.C.

Good morning EGC.


25 posted on 07/19/2004 8:01:18 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: SAMWolf

Good thread today Sam. Von Steuben is another example imo, that there is proof Providence was involved in America gaining her freedom. The right man in the right place at the right time.


26 posted on 07/19/2004 8:03:24 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: The Mayor

Thank you and good morning Mayor.


27 posted on 07/19/2004 8:15:07 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: Darksheare

Good morning Darksheare.


28 posted on 07/19/2004 8:15:49 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: alfa6

Hiya alfa6.


29 posted on 07/19/2004 8:16:11 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: Professional Engineer

Neat flag-o-gram, thanks PE. I hope they find a way to stop the deterioration.


30 posted on 07/19/2004 8:17:32 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: Valin
Dumb Laws...
University City Missouri:
No person may own a PVC pipe


Where do they come up with these? Nevermind, I know....lawyers.
31 posted on 07/19/2004 8:19:50 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: bentfeather

Morning feather.


32 posted on 07/19/2004 8:20:08 AM PDT by snippy_about_it (Fall in --> The FReeper Foxhole. America's History. America's Soul.)
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To: snippy_about_it

Morning snippy!!


33 posted on 07/19/2004 8:31:45 AM PDT by Soaring Feather
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Comment #34 Removed by Moderator

To: SAMWolf

Haven't run into any yet.
But I've been away from keyboard for a bit.


35 posted on 07/19/2004 9:30:14 AM PDT by Darksheare (Show compassion, club a baby troll today!)
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To: snippy_about_it; SAMWolf

Morning.
As I told Sam, I was away from keyboard for abit.
Well, actually twice.
Once for half an hour to do battle with three huge paper wasp nests.
Final score: Darksheare 3 Wasps 0.


36 posted on 07/19/2004 9:31:24 AM PDT by Darksheare (Show compassion, club a baby troll today!)
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To: Matthew Paul

Holy cow MP!
What were they thinking, if it can be termed thinking?
Good luck over there.


37 posted on 07/19/2004 9:34:06 AM PDT by Darksheare (Show compassion, club a baby troll today!)
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To: snippy_about_it
The right man in the right place at the right time.

A European who understood the American spirit. Just like Pulaski, Kosciusko and Lafayette.

38 posted on 07/19/2004 9:38:35 AM PDT by SAMWolf (The only thing shorter than a weekend is a vacation.)
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To: snippy_about_it
No person may own a PVC pipe

It's a way to ban potato cannons. ;-)

39 posted on 07/19/2004 9:39:22 AM PDT by SAMWolf (The only thing shorter than a weekend is a vacation.)
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To: Matthew Paul
Erica Steinbach should get the status "Persona non Grata" in Poland, which means total ban on her entering Poland.

Good plan.

The President of Poland hasn't announced his stance yet. However, any development is expected any minute now

Let us know what happens

40 posted on 07/19/2004 9:41:40 AM PDT by SAMWolf (The only thing shorter than a weekend is a vacation.)
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