The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-07-27

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An immense oonoourse of our citizens tho greater part
Of whom Of German birth descent assembled at
Arlington Springs, yesterday 10 participate in the cee
braon Ia honor OF the patriot and warrior Baron Sten
ben who LETT his native land and resigned lucrative
Offices home identity his fortunes with those of ths
American colonies in the darkest hours of the revolution
and to whose valuable services and military experience
their In that struggle may in uncomfortable
degree be attributed Before proceeding to describe the
of the day, will invite the attention Of
readers brief biographical fetch Of the whose
memory it is desired to perpetuAte by tho erection of
suitable monument
OF the early history OF Frederick William Augustus
Baron Steuben, nothing definite il known He born
In some part of Germany, about tho year ~ 80 and
first hear OF him in the service of Frederick the Great
King OF Prussia with whom he attained the rank OF aid
decamp He remained in the Prusan service until l76s
when he resigned and presented by the King with
canonry in the cathedral OF Hayeburg with salary
twelve hundred German forms After remaining tbs
establishment for fourteen years during which time
he held various offices under of the German princes
Baron Seuben went to Paris in April, 777 with the In
tenton of visiting London British noblsmen
with whom he had formed acquaintance Having
rived at Paris he sent note to the Count dc ST. German
the French minister Of war; estfyng desire to visit him
at Versailles The evening gentleman attached to
the court waited upon Steuben to inform him that st
Genain desired him not to to Versailles but to DO
the arsenal in Paris in the Of few days where
the Count wished to with him ON business Of
Importance Az Stcuben had project to execute.
any favor to ask of the Count there mystery In this
proceeding which he could not iathom. He attended
the appointed time and place. however, where all was
| planned.
The French ministers had watched with interest the
commencement of trouble in the English colonies
weaken the mower of the
aid the cvoutionists far they could without openly
/ compromising themselves with Engand-a result which
they desired to avoid until the colonts had given better
evidence of being able to maintain themselves in the
test With the priyy of the French ministry, and
money to considerable amount had been shipped to
America, and only mock opposition was made to the
wishes of many French officers, who DESTROYS Of
cnlisting personally in the struggle Aware of the
| weak points of the American army, they
| anxious to send over an officer Of experience who
might drill the undiscplned troops and introduce such
n system of tactics would enable them to contend
| against a weequippod and organized enemy. Steuben
peculiarly fitted for this purpose His military
perience known, and his talents undoubted
and accordingly St. German laid the project before him
in atering colos possible Steuben took the mat
ter consideration and introduced Dr. Frank
lin and Sas Deane, the American ENJOYS then In Paris
After some time the negotiations between them having
satisfactory termination, Baron Steuben resign
ed his several offices at home and embarked from Mar
settles for the United States the 26th of September
| under the assumed OF Monsieur de Franck After
a rough and dangerous passage, the ship arrived at
Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the LIST Of December
On their first communication with the shore, they
ceved the of the capture Of Brgoyne Of
happy to Steuben, it assured him that he had
not embarked in a desperate cause.
He wrote Immediately to Gen. Washington, enclosing
a copy of DIR. Franklns letter of introduction and
luestng permission to enter the American service ii
other arrangement could Immediately be made in the
capacity of volunteer. ~ could say moreover no
added, were il not for the fear of offending your mod
csty, that your excelency is the only person under
whom, after having served under the King OF Prussia
could wish to pursue art to which have wholly given
up myself intend to go Boston in few days. where
shall present my letters to Mr. Hancock, member Of
Congress- and there shall walt for your exceencys
| ders according to which i shall take convenient
measures.
| On the 9th of January IT'S, Washington replied to
this letter. and informed Steuben that 1t rested entirely
with Congress- to make suitable provision for him in the
army. He must therefore proceed to Yorktown, In
Pennsylvania, where that body was then convened lay
credentials before Them and receive their directions
for his future conduct The Baron accordingly SGT off
Yorktown where he arrived in February and having
delivered hs letters, recsived by the President of
Congress with every mark Of distinction The day after
| his arrival, committee of five members APP
| pointed 70 confer with him, who made favorable
| report to Congress That body voted their thanks
to Steuben for his disinterested offer, and ordered
him Immediately to join the army, which was then in
winter quarters at Valley Forge On his way to the
camp the citizens of Lancaster, many of whom were
Germans, of German descent, gave public ball in
honor of his arrival His reputation had preceded him,
and all ranks eager to and greet the distinguish
ed foreigner who had to devote his military skill
I to the of American freedom.
The condition of the continental troops during the
gloomy winter at Valley Forge too well known to need
description 1t wretched in the extreme Destitute,
they wcre of proper clothing subsistence discipline
had become relaxed and the soldiers, being collected
from different States had been trained to any uni
form system of tactics When the spring opened partial
supplies received and eves arrived In consid
cradle numbers To bring order out Of the general
fusion to reduce the recruits to homogeneous
with the old troops to accsom the whole to the utmost
precision Of movement and management of arms and to
yield punctious obedience to ORDERS the hard task
assigned to Baron Steuben He obliged to instruct
equally tho officers and - the former TO lead, and
the latter to follow IN intricate evoutions with which
all alike unacquaincd His difficulties increased
Also by his ignorance of the English language. At the
first parade the troops neither understanding the
mand nor being able to follow in movements to which
| they had not been accustomed fast getting into
| ~ that, lartotv Mall ap.f