The Washington herald., 1910-12-07

person that could be discovered any
] where.
| Man OF High Ideals.
The character Of Steuben betrays itsel
best in that remarkable letter which
he directed 10 the Congress soon after hi
arrival in America II reads: The only
motive have in coming TO this continent
| is the desire TO serve a people engaged II
such noble war for its rights and Ito
erty. ! ask neither title nor money. NJ,
one ambition Is TO win, with my blood
| the honor that my names may be found
among the defenders OF your freedom"
/ Congress accepted Steuben's offer witt
/ the heartiest thanks and conferred
| greater honors upon him than on any
/ other foreigner.
! The situation was desperate. Wash
/ ington's army only a few thousand
| strong, had taken refuge In Valley Forge
/ totally unfit for any action. as il had
/ neither food nor arms The soldiers
were without uniforms and tents. Crowd
/ ed together in a number Of rude log
/ houses. starving and suffering from cold,
they led most miserable life
/ To get an idea OF the general disorder.
one must read the descriptions 20 be
I 4r1iu ali 7tSI 4)fEsbtidt FAiNfH, low
| in possession OF the New York Historical
/ Society. The army" so he says. was
divided into divisions, brigades. and regi-
ments. the strength Of which had been
| fixed by Congress. But the constan,
coming and going OF the men, who were
bound for six or nine months only.
caused the words company. regiment
and division 70 mean nothing, and did
not furnish the slightest idea OF the
strength of the army"
Discipline Then Unknown.
Steuben mentions a regiment Of
thirty men and COMPANY consisting
OF only one officer.
Proper organization. regularity. and
discipline did not exist. Some regiments
had three. others five. eight or nine
sections The Canadian regiment had
not less than twenty-one sections. In
training every colonel followed his own
pet system; one preferred the English.
another the French. and the third the
Prussian system.
To make matters worse, the quarter
masters and commissioners were entitled
TO a certain percentage Of ali disburse-
ments for the army. OF course. they
were not backward in ordering all kinds
OF acquisitions for which there was not
the slightest need They also ordered
not the most economical. but the most
expensive. Nobody in the army kept ac-
counts. as that was left entirely to the
contractors who provided the goods, SO
naturally graft and corruption were pres
ent everywhere.
Results Soon Apparent.
As Steuben could not speak English
fiuently enough 10 deliver his commands
in that language, he had to rely on Col.
Walker as an interpreter. who translated
them from the French. But often. when
the commands were not followed 10 his
satisfaction or quickly enough, Steuben
began 10 swear in a jargon OF German.
French. and English. When the men of
that model troop had made some prog
ress. Steuben ordered them to train
groups of other regiments, and so ne be-
came able, by and by, TO arrange for ex-
ercises on a larger scale. Within a few
months he transformed the American
army into a machine which worked in
perfect order.
The results became apparent in the next
spring. when the Americans met the Brit
forced their retreat. Still greater success
Steuben achieved in the battle of Mon
mouth, when the divisions of Gen. Lee,
thrown into complete disorder by his con-
fusing commands. began 10 fee. In this
critical moment Washington and Steuben
appeared upon the battlefield. While the
former led his own troops in the firing
line. Steuben collected the fugitives,
formed them into divisions, and brought
them back 10 battle. The full success of
this difficult task saved the day. Col
Hamilton, who witnessed the efforts OF
Steuben, declared that never before that
critical hour had he realized the great
value Of military discipline. The greatest
effect Of the battle was that from that
day on the American army was aware of
being equal to the British troops.
Systematizes Army.
OF course, Steuben also directed his at
tention toward the reform OF the inner
management OF the army. He introduced
system and economy. and established such
rules for all branches as only an expert
soldier was able TO make. Everything was
submitted to the strictest inspection, and
for every expense or loss he demanded
LUZ dN%Ouul AS SlSubtn himself was a
model in punetuality and indefatigability:
as he had a great. benevolent character.
and personally saw TO ii that all men in
the service. as well as in the hospitals,
received proper care, he acquired. despite
his strictness, not only the attachment
of his officers and soldiers, but also the
unlimited confidence of George Washing
ton. IT would be unfair" so Washing
ton reported to Congress-, to be silent
any longer in regard to the great merits
OF Baron Steuben. His efficiency and
knowledge. as we'll as his tireless zeal,
force me to regard him as an enormous
gain for our army
often Led in Battle.
1t was only natural that Steuben should
have the desire to command In battle the
troops he had trained. Accordingly, Wash
ington frequently put Steuben at the head
OF troops with which he operated in the
South. and he took a leading part in the
siege of Yorktown, which ended with the
or CORVALLIS.
When, after the war, the army became
dissolved, Steuben remained in Office. as
his further services were regarded as in
dispensable for the interest Of the coun-