The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-09-17
THE STEUBEN FESTIVAL
THE GRAFTON OF THE DAY.


gotten up in other asd larger cities The eloquent
address delivered by 0. HsiSRIcH Esq, will be ac-
ceptsble to all classes Of citizens, both for its
beauty and historical value, and therefore pub
lish il below:
Rsiow tftisens, Ladies and Gentlemen:
The highly honorable commission has been con-
ferred upon me, to welcome you who have assem-
bled here to-day, to cooperate in handing down to
posterity the memory of a man, whom we admire
as brave champion in the struggle for indepen-
dence of this, our adopted country. hearty well
come, then to you all. and also give here a sign
that German pride and German strength are yet
alive.
1he aim of this assembly, none of you will deny
it, etectuates stronger paptation of the heart of
every true German We assemble to-day. like our
forefathers, in Gods free nature to contribute our
mite to the erection Of such public monument
for posterity as our distinguished countryman de-
serves, for his truly brave mind, and his sacrifice
for the sake of that liberty which we now enjoy in
our adopted country And that he made himself
worthy of such distinction who can deny it, after
short glance only on the life of this valiant war
ror.
FREDERICK WILLIAM Won STEUBES was born in the
city of Magdeburg, in the year 1880. Ills father,
who was an engineer-officer in the Prussian army
destined him likewise for the military profession
lie passed his youth in the rough climate of kus-
sla, whittier his father sent soon after our he
ros birth. who there already became used to hard
ships and rough weather. Scarcely fourteen wears
of age, he served in the second Silesian war in
l14, as vosnteer, and although be entered the
army rs private he was, ten years afterwards
already nominated Lieutenant General
At "a later period, he fell into Russian captivity
| ana aiter he had recovered his freedom. he soou
rose to great authority, and exercised aud formed
the Russian army after the Prussan Military
school. After short career IS Court Marshal at
| the Court of iIohenzolern Hechingen, where the
court air seemed not to suit the honest and brave
warrior he found himself forced by intrignes of
q for ia aftar
| he had before accompanied his prince to France
as his Confdant In France he made the acapain-
lance OF the most influential persons the French
Court, and amongst them also that of the Anrrri-
can Ambassador. After the outbreak of the wnr of
| independence of the American colonies with Eng
| land, no efforts were spared, on the part of the
American Envoy in France, to gain for the sake uf
oerty the War-lke talents of sufficiently tried
countryman educa.ed in the most celebrated mill
| tary school, under Frederick the Great Scarcely
had he learned that the American Congress wanted
an experienced man TO form the different troops of
champions of liberty into a regular army when
| fully comprchending the greatness of the idea he
offered ms services TO franklin, the American AM
| basssdor in France at that time, by whom he was
| received with open arms. Without DELAY he de-
| parted for America, and after dangerous VOYAGE
he arrived at Portsmouth, New Hampshire on the
| llth day of December, III Everywhere he was
joytully received by the people, and crowned with
| honors; and receiving an order from Congress he
| forthwith repaired to Washingtons winters quar-.
| ters, Valley Forge
| Without delay, the position Of an Inspector
! General was conferred upon him. with the rank ut
Major-Generai, the highest position in the army
next to the Chief Commander. lie gained tile
| good will Of Washington and the affection of his
subaterns, developed Circumspcctive and peno-
| tTatlng activity, ana In short time transformed
| the single troops of cOuntrymen, fiOcked together
from all sides, into one army, completely exercised
after the Prussian system. And this army could
soon measure themselves with the English in re-
gard TO regularity; and, conscious. of the sublime
| idea for which they fought, they surpassed
The latter in bravery. But also by the wise ecnno-
my which Steuben introduced in the army, he soon
| gained important advantages over the English to
| the profit of the country, which had to dispose OF
| comparatively small means only.
| Having thus accomplished extraordinary things
| ard done more than many others it natural
| enough for him TO wish to command permanently
at lesst part of this army, entirely exercised hy
| him, and the provisory commander of which he
| had already been nominated. But Icy this demand
he excited the envy of the American officers, who,
! not without reasOn feared his superior talents
| and We here already the germs of part, whose
| impulses, stirred up by the same reasons a. then
up to this day, often try to lay hindrances in the
| way of the most gallant foreigners. His request
refused, and from displeasure Steuben came
very near Withdrawing entirely from the armv-a
| pride which may well be pardUDcd tue brave war
| riOr.
| Washington reports to Congress about this mat
| ter, the Goth of June, lis, follows:
| II AM extremely sorry that circumstances and
| the views of the Baron seem to have determined
| him to quit the service in which lie hitherto was
| and yet is so extraordinarily useful Justice and
affection obige me to testify that in every instance
he acquitted himself of the sundry affairs conited
| to him with much zeal and great ability, ST. that
| he can lay claim on my highest regard for him
| AS "a brave. untired, Circumspective and expert
euced officer. regret that his services must be
lost for the army, at the same time | consider il
| my duty to declare to Congress- without reserve,
that his demand for real and permanent position
~ commander in the army cannot be satisfied
without offending the feelings of great number OF
| officers whose rank aud merits are equally entitled
t. regard, and that the fulfilling Of the same would
produce much dissatisfaction and extensive evil
consequences. This is founded. however on no
| personal objections on the part of those officers
against the Baron. On the contrary. most of them
| whom heard speak of him, utter the highest es-
TEEN of his eminent military worth. 1t is founded
on reasons of another kind, which are too evident
| to need All explanation on my part. or which com"
to the end that such step would iujure them in
their most material rights and well founded
| pectatons. | fully convinced THAI these
| would be their thoughts about the matter. by
the effect produced by the short commandership
which entrusted to him only under
the peculiar mentioned circumstances The
strongest signs of dispeasure were noticeable on
this occasion
This document shows US that Washington es-
tr.med our Stenben very highly and that lac
wished ardently 10 see his merits acku0wl wledged-
But these words of the Father of Republic
written in his honest, open way. also show us that
population. Congress at last found an expeiient,
in reforming the general inspection, to procure to
Stouhen a wider aud more satisfactory sphere 0i
activity, and to give him independent position
in the army that he had to receive orders only
from Congress the Secretary Of War and from
the chief commander. In most the battles he
irurht himself and several times commanded
smaller divisions OF the army. Hisprincipai force,
however. was IN the council of war. His plans and
proposals wern the boldest and surest. and but
seldom any one ventured to contrasict him.
Among his principal deeds deserves 10 be men
toned the battle of Monmouth, on the 2Sth Of
july 177S, where he saved the honor Of the day
by ralIying the divisions of General Lee who were
retrcating In disorder, and by restoring the battle
array for final Victory. In the year l7Sl he war
commanding tho militia of Virginia. who had been
called together In hurry, and et the head OF
them he tried 20 resist the invasions of Generals
Arnold and Philip, who aised at tho entire ami
hation Of the corps of Steuhen. But although
he was sometimes driven to straits md had to
tain heavy losses. yet he frustrated the plan cf the
said Generals completely. In the month of Sep
tember, of the same year, he united his troops
with those Of Lafayette, and having the command
in the trenches before Yorktown he conducted the
siege artfully that he at last forced CORVALLIS
ana the English army to a decisive capitulation on
the 18th of October
The war being thus ended, and the entire indie
pendenee Of the United States being obtain ii,
Steuben's ambition was also satisfied. He saw him
self beloved and honored by all. Sundry offers for
a secured position in civil life having been made
him. he accepted that rendered hir, by the State Of
New York, and retired into private life, his health
having been much impaired by the long campaign.
From that time he was living on his plantation
which he had cultivated on l6000 rcres of the most
fertile land. presented TO him by thc said state
Congress having also secured &c him an animal
rent of 81 500 and there he died in the t4t year oi
his active life, on the 2sfh of No+emher. i.9i
highly respected and celebrated q. an accomplish
ei, noble rnindcd gentleman and true Republican
And may it be sad, TO the homer If this man and
TO the shame of many of our countrymen. he re-
mained true German In his manners and charac-
ter, at the time being most sincerely attached
to his adopted country and it's Institutions one
of his friends having associated with him ior hfteeh
years delineates with few words this noble char
|