The Washington union., 1857-09-23
MONUMENT TO BARON sTEUBEN.


MONUMENT TO BARON SIEUBEN
The Germans recently held festival at Richmond,
Virginia to raise means to erect monument to the
memory of Baron Steuben. Such token OF remem-
brance is due to his great services. Contributions
in its aid ought not to be limited to any class OF our
people The entire Union owes him debt which
cannot be paid by simple monument. Though born
in the heart of Europe under an absolute king, he
was the true and unfinehing friend of liberty, and
pledged his life to her service in America, He had
been an adde-camp to Frederick the Great of Prus-
sa and had attained the rank of lieutenant general
in his army Sacrificing honors and emoluments in
his native land in l777, he to America and ten
derodh his services to Congress volunteer claim
ing neither rank compensation. he joined Wash
ington at Valley Forge. He was one of the best
drill officers in the army, and his system, afterwards
published constituted our manual of tactics down
to the war of 1872. He was of the most self
sacrificing men that lived. Congress made him in
spector general with the rank of major general. On
the surrender of Corvallis whose first offer to ca
pitulae was made to him, in order to extend civil
ties to the captured officers like others of his rank,
he sold his favorite charger to raise the necessary
means His watch went to relieve the sick and wound
ed of our army. Much of his pay disposed of in
the same manner. The money voted him by Congress
was expended in acts of charity or rewarding good
conduct among soldiers. His adherence of treason
was manifested by inducing soldier by the name OF
Arnold to change his name. That soldier and his
descendants known by that of the glorious
old soldier ''Steuben" After the war, Washington
and Hamilton secured him annuity of $4,000 from
the general government New Jersey gave him
farm Virginia voted him fifteen thousand acres of
land, which was located in Kentucky. New York
gave him sixteen thousand acres, situated north of
the city of Utica in the town of Remsen upon which
he resided at the time of his death, in 1895 Some
of his countrymen and settled with him upon
his lands, for whom he made provision in his will
which manifested the generosity and goodness of his
heart The residue of his estate he wled to Benja-
min Walker and William North, who had been his
aids. The latter subsequently attained eminence in
New York, and became successfully State and Uni
ted States senator and afterwards adjutant general
of our army General North's interest under Steu-
bens will, passed to Walker, and the rights of his
representatives have recently been acted upon in the
Pension Office In framing the provisions of his
feelings rather than the precedents emanating from
other minds He required his faithful servants to
bury him upon his estate but with caution and
crecy that should preclude the possibility of others
finding his remains. This injunction observed
by those of his household who loved and venerated
him and, to this day, the resting-place of his
mains is unknown to the public, unless certain re-
cent judicial proceedings in New York contain mate
rial error ......
Such was Frederic William Augustus, Baron Won
Steuben. He was patriot and true friend of Amer
lean liberty who sacrificed fortune and honor in
Prussia to serve the infant of liberty in dis
tant land He was as brave lived, and
as gentle as brave. His heart warm, true and
faithful, without selfish streak in it. All America
should join in erecting his monument and fathers
should recount on the family hearthsone his noble
virtues and his pure and unselfsh acts and urge
their imitation. When they have done 80, we hope
they will ask their sons if the know-nothing creed
should apply to such man. and to Lafayette, Kosci-
usko and the hundreds of others from foreign lands
who have done honor to themselves in serving lib
erty in our country.