The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-06

brilliant military figure in two worlds
He was n soldier from boyhood.
Prussian by birth, he served with HI!
4 father In the War of l74d, and wa:
present at the siege of Prague. After
II many promotions In the army he wa:
made aide to Frederick the Great. tax
4 Ing part in the celebrated siege OF
i Schweidnitz. After retiring from the
army he was made grand marshal &c
the Prince of Hohenzollern, living with
comfort and dignity on an ample in
come.
In 1777 he met In Paris Count st
FGermain, the French Minister OF War
who tried to persuade him to come to
| America and help the army of Wash
ington, explaining that the great
weakness of the American Colonists
LAY in their ignorance Of military tao
tics and their want Of discipline AT
last Baron Won Steuben decided to
come. saying that his motive was ito
serve nation engaged in the noble
work of defending it's rights and lib
iseIlleS, ana aSkinS nelluer TlCIleS nor
| honors''
He Joined washington at Valley
Forge, where the tremendous task Of
disciplining and drilling an unframed
army presented itself to him. He began
at once and put new shape TO our
military system. He was kind, care
full and liberal toward the suffering
soldiery. In 177s Congress- acting upon
the instance of Washington, made
Baron Won Steuben nspector-g general
OF the army, with rank as major-gen-
eral The result was that he whipped
the ragged Continentals into magnifi-
cent lighting machine, which showed
the effects of his training in all sub
sequent battles.
Eventually. he took active part in
many battles. He was one Of the
court-martial which tried Major Andre. /
He was sent to Virginia with a sep
arate command to aid General Greene
In North Carolina. His forces were
greatly depleted by the sending of re-
Inducements from them to General
Greene. and when Arnold invaded Vir-
sinia General Won Steuben had but $50
men and was compelled to see the traitor
'avage the country before his eyes. He |
was at Yorktown when CORVALLIS |
being in the trenches /
when the proposition of the latter to |
,apitulate was received
After the Revolution he retired to
he country near Utica, New York,
where, on a sixty-acre tract, he built
simple log house. There, in l7s5, lie
lied. AS he wished. he was buried in
Ills military cloak and with the star Of |
honor that he always wore upon his
breast. Thirty farmers-and no others
were present at his funeral.
Baron Won Steuben was a truly great
patriot. With no motive but love of
liberty and sympathy for people
struggling for their. freedom, he left
life of honor achieved and income Sc
cured to struggle with raw and UNI
American soldiers, finally
shaping them into fine lighting trim.
His efforts In disciplining them and
in teaching tactics were of inestimable
worth to the Continental Army, and
We're powerful factors in its later sue
cess. Baron Won Steuben was great of
heart;- great German, greater Amer
lc st is well that the German
American citizens, of this country are
apoatstosdo him honor, for his splendid
service to a struggling nation set a
precedent to millions of his country
men who have followed his example
md crossed the sea to live for the
liberty and. strength of the American
lation.
HE EFFECT OF, DIVORCE ON chill
DREN.