Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-08

grcss could do. he believed, would be OF
more importance than what ne planned
for the army. Washington agreed with
him fully and won the heart Of tho high
tempered German so completely thaS
Steuben pledged his word that thence
forth he would talk no more OF resigninS
as arilimaster. but would center all his
energies on being useful, regardless OF
how little support Congress gave 10 his
suggestions. IL was at this time that no
prepared the Blue Book so long known
in the United States Army as Steueen's
regulations.
When the regulations got the ap-
prevail OF Congress. March -. lT79, he
lost no time in putting them in practice.
They embraced the substance OF nearly
all his plans SO often urged on Congress
Regiments were formed into battaiions.
each battalion consisting or dennits
humber OF men. Every man had TO be
accounted Tor. Seven hours were mol
lhougnt too long tor the inspection OF -
brigade OF three small regiments. Evety
musket had TO he examined, every cart
liuge counted. every article OF ciothin,,
eNhirited anu tested by has little book
II was the same with hospitals stores
laboratories, everything. System, order
system were the watchwords. Everything
vas clear. There could he no misunder-
standing. In the drill he had taken The
best or every system and nad discarded
what was poor. In the formation or the
light Infantry he invented drill anu
discipline that was new. IL was some
thing he had discovered from the Amen
can style of loose lighting In Indian wal
Iare. FREDERICK the ,sreat, wnen he SAW
steuhen's regulations, accepted the llsnI
infantry idea az once. All europe did 40
later on. but the crowning work of Stea-
pen tnat spring was the establishment of
system III minute written reports OF
regular Iorrn. covering the whore army
and embracing every department OF the
service
What Stenben saved the young republic
never can be computed. So wonderfully
did his system work that in one wear
only three muskets were unaccounted lcr
I'm the whole army. Ii seems strange to
picture steubea turning from this To
teaching the etiquette of receptions anu
court intercourse as he did woen tie
new french minister, luzernc, visited
camp.
In establishing his regulations Steuben
had done his great work How he served
in Virginia, what part he took In tn
siege OF Yorktown, is history, but how
poor he was when CORVALLIS surren-
dered only few persons knew. In the
exchange OF courtesies between the allies
and the English officers after the suipen-
der poor Steubcn was in distress Not q
dollar had he. Too proud TO borrow, and
looking upon II as disgraceful not to fol-
low the old-worid custom OF entertaining
the officers OF his rank who had been ua-
fortunate enough to be forced to sur
render, he solved the difficulty at last oy
selling his beloved war horse.
After the war he would have returned
TO Europe. but there was nothing TOR
him there His property and has annuits
were his nephews. 80 he determined TO
remain in the United states. TO Con-
gress he made application for such re-
ward As his services warranted. Con
gress treated him with scant courtesy.
FOR eight years it delayed action. Foo
struggle with poverty Then an annuity
OF $3.50 was settled upon him. New
York gave to him 10000 acres of land IN
Oneida county, which forms part OF the
township which now bears his name.
There he spent few months each year.
but his home he made in New York.
His house was opposite st. Paurs
Church. on the ground now occupied oy
the National Park Bank. No. 216 Broad
way. Virginia, Pennsylvania and New
Jersey followed the example of New York
and gave large tracts of land to him. Had
he been able TO turn the land into money
he would have been independent. but land
was plentiful and money scarce He
generous. he looked upon his old soldiers
as his children. 1t was q source OF grief
to him when he could not relieve the dis
tress Of those who were i'll or needy.
Through aiding them he often added 10
his own embarrassment.
-.
Honors came to him. but little money.
In 1851 he was made q regent OF the Uni
yersity OF New York and about the same
time he was chosen president OF the
German Society OF America He had a
good deal to do with planning the Nil
itary Academy at West Point. Once he
felt SO much aggrieved because his claims
against the government were ignored that
he proposed establishing a. colony In the
spanish territory on the Mississippi. but
Spain paid no attention to his request
for q grant OF land.
In November. 1194, while living In the
log hut that was his home when he was
on the land the state had given to him
near Utica he was stricken with paraly-
sis November % he died. Beside a
hemlock tree near the hut he was buried.
and there years after q surveyor laying
out a county road laid bare the comm OF
the drillmaster OF the revolution.
Copyright. 1870 by Richard spillans.'