New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-11
THE GRE1T DBILL SERGEANT.

II was ft and proper that the representatives or
the Steuben family should be invited to participate
In the Yorktown ceremonial Tho Baron Steuben
was one Of the foreign officers VIII, came TO the
sistance of our Revolutionary fathers, and who re-
NAMED an American citizen TO the close of his ife
lie was indeed great acquisition. Trained
In the martial school of Frederick the
Great. be had won his laurels at Prague and
at Rossbaoh and had risen to be an adjutant-
general in the Kings staff. He came 20 US
mt n dark period of the war, and his first
SCI vices were rendered amid the wintry want of
Valley Forge. He drilled roops as he only could
have drilled them. He thorough discipline
rian. aud his manual for tho army was approved by
Congress in 1879. lie was accomplished soldier
Of great knowledge and experience, and sometimes,
II is said, the clumsness Of his sorely tried his
temper His knowledge OF the English language
was limited, aud the tradition is that he sworo
very freely at the troops in German and
French. Once, when paticnlarly oxasperated, he
called out 70 ms aid: "Yenez, mon ami
Walker sacrez dc gaucherio of desc
badaudB-jo men puts plus-I can curse dem no
more" He was member Of the court martial
which tried and doomed Major Andre in 1850, and
In the same year he had command Of the troops in
Virginia and did good work in making matters un-
comfortable for Benedict Arnold. who was In cola
u,and of the British forces. Subsequently he was
attached to Iafaycttes division, and took part in
the siege IL Yorktown.
Major Ebenezer Denny. diarist OF the Revolution.
writing at " illiamsburgh September TO- 1891, says:
Baron Sleuben ID our great military oracle.
The guards attend the grand parade at al early
hour. where the Baron is always found waiting
with one or two aids horseback These mon
arc exercised and put through various ovolutions
and military experiments for two hours-many
officers aud spectators present; excellent school
tins. AZ length the duty of tho parade
comes on. The gu&ds are told OF; officer
take their posts wheel by platoons to the right
fine corps of music detailed for this duty, which
strikes up; the whole march on, saluting
the Baron and field officer Of the day. rs
they pass" We can here imagine the Baron IN his
element, his vigant eyes watching every move
ment and his voube tongue execratlng In mingled
French German and English every sign ofignorance
of Incidence and Of clumsiness. In separate com
mand he did not win much distinctions; indeed, he
did not have much chance, for his operations in
Virginia were brief, and were not very fortunate.
Congress, however, put high estimate upon his
services for in 1890 ii voted him a life annuity of
$4,000; and he had plenty OF land also voted him
by different States. Ncw-York gave him 10000
acres near Utica He transferred good deal of it to
his aids. Some of it ho himself improved, and ho
uFcu i1of
When Steuben was appointed Inspector there
seems to have been some fear that the underlined
duties of his Office might give rise TO dissatisfaction
and occasion embarrassment. Hamilton was appre-
hensive that "a fondness for power and importance.
natural to every man, might lead him to wish for
more extensive prerogatves in his department than
il would be for the good of the service to grant"
Yet Hamilton considered the Baron "a valuable
man. and thought that he ought to be treated
with all the Difference which good policy might
warrant" At times Steuben was very much discon-
tented aud almost resolved to quit the service. He
was particularly hampered by Lee and Miiiiin. or
he thought SO; but the matter was patched up by
sending him TO Rhode Island.
The Republic undoubtedly owed the services of
Baron steuben to French influences. He came TO
this country partly through the persuasions of st.
Germsin. Perhaps, soldier, he was ready for SER
vice in any honorable cause but he liked the Unit
ed States we'll enough to remain In them Cor the
rest Of his life. He gave the benefit OF his great
knowledgs and military experience, and it is paying
10 his memory no doubtful compliment TO say that