This article is about the American Revolutionary officer. For ships of the same name, please see the Von Steuben disambiguation page

Baron von Steuben

Friedrich Wilhelm Rudolf Gerhard August von Steuben, Freiherr von Steuben, (en: Frederick William Rudolph Gerald Augustus von Steuben, Baron von Steuben), (September 17, 1730 – November 28, 1794) was a Prussian army officer who served with George Washington in the American Revolutionary War and is credited with teaching American troops the essentials of military drill and discipline. The name Von Steuben can refer to: Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, a Prussian army officer who was an American Revolutionary War General. ... Download high resolution version (1109x1383, 307 KB)Engraving of Baron von Steuben, from the 18th century. ... Download high resolution version (1109x1383, 307 KB)Engraving of Baron von Steuben, from the 18th century. ... September 17 is the 260th day of the year (261st in leap years). ... Events Pope Clement XII elected September 17 - Change of emperor of the Ottoman Empire from Ahmed III (1703-1730) to Mahmud I (1730-1754) Anna Ivanova (Anna I of Russia) became czarina Births April 16 - Henry Clinton, British general (d. ... November 28 is the 332nd day (333rd on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1794 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Flag of Prussia (1894 - 1918) The Kingdom of Prussia existed from 1701 until 1918, and from 1871 was the leading kingdom of the German Empire, comprising in its last form almost two-thirds of the area of the Empire. ... This article is the current U.S. Collaboration of the Week. ... Combatants American Revolutionaries, France, Netherlands, Spain, Native Americans Great Britain, German mercenaries, Loyalists, Native Americans Commanders George Washington, Comte de Rochambeau, Nathanael Greene William Howe, Henry Clinton, Charles Cornwallis (more commanders) The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the American War of Independence,[1] was a conflict that...

Early Life

Steuben was born at Magdeburg, Prussia, the son of Wilhelm Augustine Steuben (1699-1783), a lieutenant of engineers. He accompanied his father to the Russian Empire when Frederick William I, King of Prussia and Elector of Brandenburg, ordered Wilhelm into the service of Tsarina Anna I of Russia. After the accession of Frederick II of Prussia to the throne, Steuben returned to Germany with his father in 1740. View of Magdeburg with the cathedral, from the tower of the Johanniskirche. ... Events January 26 - Treaty of Karlowitz signed March 30 - the tenth Sikh Master, Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa. ... 1783 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Official language Russian Official Religion Russian Orthodox Christianity Capital Saint Petersburg (Petrograd 1914-1925) Area Approx. ... Frederick William I of Prussia (in German: Friedrich Wilhelm I), of the House of Hohenzollern, (August 14, 1688 – May 31, 1740), often known as the Soldier-King reigned as King in Prussia (1713 - 1740). ... The crown of Anna Ioannovna Anna Ivanovna (In Russian: Анна Ивановна) (February 7, 1693 - October 28, 1740) reigned as Duchess of Courland from 1711 to 1730 and as Empress of Russia from 1730 to 1740. ... Frederick II of Prussia (January 24, 1712 – August 17, 1786) was a king of Prussia from the Hohenzollern dynasty, reigning from 1740 to 1786. ... Events May 31 - Friedrich II comes to power in Prussia upon the death of his father, Friedrich Wilhelm I. October 20 - Maria Theresia of Austria inherits the Habsburg hereditary dominions (Austria, Bohemia, Hungary and present-day Belgium). ...

Most of his adolescent years were spent in Russia, but the family returned to the Holy Roman Empire when he was 10. 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, and was later made a member of the General Staff, serving periodically in Russia. His service was commendable enough that he was eventually given an 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. The Holy Roman Empire and from the 16th century on also The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation was a political conglomeration of lands in Central Europe in the Middle Ages and the early modern period. ... Wrocław. ... The Society of Jesus (Latin: Societas Iesu), commonly known as the Jesuits, is a Roman Catholic religious order. ... Combatants Prussia, Great Britain, Hanover Austria, France, Russian Empire, Sweden, Saxony The Seven Years War (1754 and 1756–1763), some of whose theatres are called the Pomeranian War and the French and Indian War, was hailed by Winston Churchill as the first world war[1], as it was the first... Frederick the Great Frederick II of Prussia (Friedrich der Große, Frederick the Great, January 24, 1712 – August 17, 1786) was the Hohenzollern king of Prussia 1740–86. ...

Looking for Work

Statue of Steuben at Valley Forge

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 the title Baron 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, Steuben tried employment in several foreign armies including Austria, Baden, and France. He discovered that Benjamin Franklin was in Paris and that possibly, he could find work with the Continental Army in America. Recreation of a cabin in which soldiers would have lived at Valley Forge. ... Hohenzollern-Hechingen is a branch of the senior Swabian branch of the Hohenzollern dynasty, less known however than the Franconian branch which became Burgraves of Nuremberg and later ruled Brandenburg, Prussia and ultimately Germany in the centuries to 1918. ... For other uses, see Baden (disambiguation). ... Benjamin Franklin by Jean-Baptiste Greuze 1777 Benjamin Franklin (January 17 [O.S. January 6] 1706 – April 17, 1790) was one of the most prominent of the Founders and early political figures, inventor, and a statesmen of the United States. ... The Eiffel Tower, the international symbol of the city, as viewed from the Trocadéro This article is about the capital and largest city in France. ... Illustration depicting uniforms and weapons used during the 1779 to 1783 period of the American Revolution by showing four soldiers standing in an informal group General George Washington, was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army on June 15, 1775. ...

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 26, 1777, he reached Portsmouth, New Hampshire and by December 1, 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 Nathaniel 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. Marseilles redirects here. ... September 26 is the 269th day of the year (270th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 96 days remaining. ... 1777 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Location Location in Rockingham County, New Hampshire Coordinates , Government County Rockingham County City Manager John P. Bohenko Geographical characteristics Area     City 16. ... December 1 is the 335th (in leap years the 336th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: The White Rose City Coordinates , Government Country  State   County United States  Pennsylvania   York Incorporated  Borough  City  September 24, 1787  January 11, 1887 Mayor John Brenner Geographical characteristics Area     City 13. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Quaker City Motto: Philadelphia maneto (Let brotherly love continue) Location Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates , Government Country  State   County United States  Pennsylvania   Philadelphia Founded Incorporated October 27, 1682 October 25, 1701 Mayor John F. Street (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 369. ... February 5 is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1778 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Recreation of a cabin in which soldiers would have lived at Valley Forge. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... An aide-de-camp (French: camp assistant) is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state. ... Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757 – July 12, 1804) was an American politician, statesman, financier, intellectual, and founder of the Federalist Party. ... Nathanael Greene Nathanael Greene (July 27, 1742 (O.S.)–June 19, 1786), was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. ... Commander-in-Chief (in NATO-lingo often C-in-C or CINC pronounced sink) is the commander of all the military forces within a particular region or of all the military forces of a state. ...

In 1780 he sat on the court-martial of the British Army officer Major John André, who was charged with espionage. In the same year he took part, as a major general, in the siege of Yorktown, Virginia. After the war he received grants of land from several states, and finally Congress voted him a pension of $2,400. He became an American citizen in 1783. He never married and left his land to the two male soldiers that lived with him. A court-martial (plural courts-martial) is a military court that determines punishments for members of the military subject to military law. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Major John André John André (May 2, 1750 - October 2, 1780) was a British officer hanged as a spy during the American Revolutionary War for an incident in which he assisted Benedict Arnolds attempted surrender of the fort at West Point, New York to the British. ... Espionage is the practice of obtaining information about an organization or a society that is considered secret or confidential (spying) without the permission of the holder of the information. ... York Hall is a government building on Yorktowns historic Main Street. ...

Continental Army Training Techniques

He is considered one of the founding fathers of the United States Army. He was appointed inspector general, prepared a manual of tactics for the budding army, remodeled its organization, organized an efficient staff, and improved its discipline. Much of this led to the military organization structure as it is today. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Steuben training technique was to create a "model company", a group of 100 chosen men who 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, as one might expect 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, 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.

Warfare in the 18th century was a comparatively simple matter, once the battle was joined. Combat was at close range, massed-fire melee, where rapidity of firing was of primary importance. Accuracy was little more than firing faster than the opposing line. Much of the Regulations dealt with the manual of arms and firing drills. But battle was close-order drill, and speed of firing could only be obtained by drilling men in the handling of their firearms until the motions of loading and firing were mechanical. Firing was done in eight counts and fifteen motions:

• Fire! One Motion.
• Half-Cock — Firelock! One Motion.
• Handle — Cartridge! One Motion.
• Prime! One Motion.
• Shut — Pan! One Motion.
• Charge with Cartridge! Two motions.
• Draw — Rammer! Two motions.
• Ram down — Cartridge! One Motion.
• Return — Rammer! Two motions.

Complicated as they seem, the new firing regulations were much simpler than those used by foreign armies and they speeded up firing considerably. The bulk of the fighting in the Revolutionary War was a stand up and slug match. The winning side was the one that could get in a good first volley, take a return fire and re-load faster than its foes. Once the individual could handle himself and his musket he was placed in groups of three, then in groups of twelve, and taught to wheel, to dress to the right and to the left. Alignment and dressing the ranks was emphasized but only because proper alignment was necessary for smooth firing.

Another program developed by Steuben was camp sanitation. He established a standards of sanitation and camp layouts that would still be standard a century and a half later. There had previously been no set arrangement of tents and huts. Men relieved themselves where they wished and when an animal died, it was stripped of its meat and the rest was left to rot where it lay. Steuben laid out a plan to have rows for command, officers and enlisted men. Kitchens and latrines were on opposite sides ot the camp, with latrines on the downhill side. There was the familiar arrangement of company and regimental streets.

Perhaps Steuben's biggest contribution to the American Revolution was training in the use of the bayonet. Ever since the Battle of Bunker Hill, Americans had been mostly dependent upon using their ammunition to win victories. Throughout the early course of the war, Americans used the bayonet mostly as a cooking skewer or a tool rather than a fighting instrument. Steuben's introduction of effective bayonet charges became crucial. In the Battle of Stony Point, American soldiers attacked with unloaded rifles and won the battle solely on Steuben's bayonet training. The US Marine Corps OKC-3S bayonet A bayonet (from French baïonnette) is a knife- or dagger-shaped weapon designed to fit on or over the muzzle of a rifle or similar weapon. ... Combatants Province of Massachusetts Bay Kingdom of Great Britain Commanders Israel Putnam William Prescott Joseph Warren {Declined command} William Howe Robert Pigot Henry Clinton Strength 1,500 2,600 Casualties 140 dead 271 wounded 30 captured {20 POWs Died} 226 dead 828 wounded Bunker Hill was a battle of the... Combatants United States British Commanders Anthony Wayne Henry Johnson Strength 1,350 700 Casualties 95 killed, wounded and missing 63 killed 70 wounded 543 prisoners The Battle of Stony Point was a battle of the American Revolutionary War. ...

Statue of Steuben at Monmouth Battlefield State Park

The first results of the army training were in evidence by May 20, 1778 at Barren Hill and then again at Monmouth (ending June 28th). Washington recommended an appointment for Steuben as Inspector General on April 30th, and on May 5th, Congress approved it. It was Steuben serving in Washington's headquarters in the summer of 1778 who was the first to report the enemy was heading for Monmouth. During the winter of 1778-1779, Steuben prepared "Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States," also known as the "Blue Book." Its basis was the plan he devised at Valley Forge. The Battle of Monmouth was an inconclusive battle of the American Revolutionary War fought on June 28, 1778. ...

The following winter (1779-1780) his commission was representing Washington to Congress regarding the reorganization of the army. He later traveled with Nathanael Greene, the new commander of the Southern campaign. He quartered in Virginia since the American supplies and soldiers would be provided to the army from there. He aided the campaign in the south during the spring of 1781, culminating in the delivery of 450 Virginia Continentals to Lafayette in June. He was forced to take sick leave, rejoining the army for the final campaign at Yorktown, where his role was as commander of one of the three divisions of Washington's troops. He gave assistance to Washington in demobilizing the army in 1783 as well as aiding in the defense plan of the new nation. He became an American citizen by act of Pennsylvania legislature in March 1784 (and later by the New York authorities in July 1786). He was discharged from the military with honor on March 24, 1784.

He established residency in New York where he became a very prominent figure and elder in the German Reformed Church. His business acumen was not very keen, and he found himself in difficult financial condition once more. The primary reason was most likely the fact he was living off the prospect of financial compensation from the United States government which was unrealized until June of 1790 when he was granted a yearly pension of $2,500. His financial problems were not ironed out until Alexander Hamilton and other friends helped him gain a "friendly" mortgage on the property he was given in New York (about 16,000 acres). He died a bachelor in 1794, leaving his property to his former aides, William North and Benjamin Walker. Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757 – July 12, 1804) was an American politician, statesman, financier, intellectual, and founder of the Federalist Party. ...

Namesakes and honors

Steuben has a holiday, Von Steuben Day, which takes place in September in the United States. It has been reported as taking place on September 17, 19, and 24. It is often considered the German-American event of the year. Participants march, dance, wear costumes and play music, and the event is attended by millions of people. There is a parade on Fifth Avenue and a Volksfest (People's Festival) country fair in Central Park. The German-American Steubenparade has been taking place since 1957 in New York City. Von Steuben Day is held September 17, celebrating Baron Friedrich von Steuben, who arrived in the United States as a volunteer offering his services to General George Washington, and is generally considered the German-American event of the year. ... Flag Seal Nickname: The Big Apple, The Capital of the World[1], Gotham [2], Metropolis Location Location in the state of New York Government Counties (Boroughs) Bronx (The Bronx) New York (Manhattan) Queens (Queens) Kings (Brooklyn) Richmond (Staten Island) Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,214. ...

An account of a 19th Century visit to America by his German relatives may be found at Baron Von Steuben

Steuben's name was also given to some warships. In World War I the captured German ship Kronprinz Wilhelm was renamed as the USS Baron von Steuben, and in World War II there was the Dampfschiff (DS) General von Steuben, an ill-fated German luxury passenger ship which was turned into an armed transport ship during the war. During the Cold War, a US Navy submarine was also named for him, the USS Von Steuben. Combatants Allies: Serbia, Russia, France, Romania, Belgium, British Empire, United States, Italy, and others Central Powers: Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Ottoman Empire Casualties Military dead: 5 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total of dead: 8 million Military dead: 4 million Civilian deaths: 3 million Total dead: 7 million The First... This page is about the passenger liner Kronprinz Wilhelm, built in 1901, temporarily converted to a WWI warship in 1914, and broken up in 1923. ... The Dampfschiff (DS) General von Steuben (formerly called the München (after Munich), but renamed in 1938) was a German luxury passenger ship which was turned into an armed transport ship in World War II. The 14,600-ton liner set sail from Pillau in the bay of Danzig (now... The Cold War was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their military alliance partners. ... USS Von Steuben (SSBN-632), a James Madison-class ballistic missile submarine, was the second ship of the United States Navy to be named for the German army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. ...

Several locations in the United States are named Steuben, most of them in his honor. Examples include Steuben County, New York, Steuben County, Indiana, and the city of Steubenville, Ohio. Steuben is the name of several places in the United States of America: Steuben, Maine Steuben County, Indiana Steuben County, New York Town of Steuben, New York These were most likely named for General Friedrich Wilhelm Augustus Steuben, Baron von Steuben, a German military man who aided the colonials in... Steuben County is a county located in the state of New York. ... Steuben County is a county located in the state of Indiana. ... Steubenville is a city located along the Ohio River in Jefferson County, Ohio, in the United States. ...

Von Steuben Metropolitan Science Center is a public high school in Chicago, Illinois. Chicago (officially named the City of Chicago) is the third largest city in the United States (after New York City and Los Angeles), with an official population of 2,896,016, as of the 2000 census. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ...

Steuben is one of four foreign military leaders who assisted the American cause during the Revolution honored with a statue in Lafayette Square just north of The White House in Washington, DC. Presidents Park, located in Washington, D.C., includes the White House, a visitor center, Lafayette Square, and the Ellipse. ... This page is about the official residence of the President of the USA. For other White Houses see White House (disambiguation). ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United...