The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-12-08
yON STEUBEN MONUMENT" - ~.'v[ILED
GERMAN WHO HELPED IN REVOLUTION.

and he was escorted from the white
house by a troop of cavalry.
The German Ambassador, Count
Johann Heinrich Won Bernstorff in
addressing the assemblage, said:
Il highly appreciate the honor and
privilege of appearing before and
addressing this imposing gathering
after having had the pleasure of hear
ing the eloquent speech of the old
German stock who have found a new
home in this hospitable country, and
now form a natural bond of an ever
increasing friendship between Ger
many and the United States, have
come to Washington today to do hon
or to the memory of one of the most
distinguished their number at the
foot of his statue, which is also the
work of an American citizen of Ger
man descent. / am therefore very
pleased to be able to regard this mon
ument not only as one erected to the
memory of distinguished German
officer, who ably served this country,
but also as a monument to the un-
broken friendship which has existed
between Germany and the United
States since the birth of the people
of the United States as a nation. In
those days the Great King from
whom Steuben learnt the art of war
issued his order refusing transit
through Prussian territory to the
Hessian and other German troops
hired to fight against the colonists.
Frederick the Great was also one of
the first to recognize the independ-
ence of the colonies by concluding
treaty of commerce with the Unit
ed States. This monument will all
the more be a token of the old friend
ship existing between the two great
nations, as the United States con-
gress, besides munificently providing
for the erection of this statue, has
decided to present a copy of it to
the emperor. Here and in Germany
whoever regards one of the two mon
uments will be reminded of the anci-
ent ties of friendship uniting him
with his cousins beyond the ocean.
"Steuben was not an adventurer
purely seeking personal fame and
money. He had been a distinguished
officer in the Great Frederick's army
in which he was connected with the
quartemaster's department, and an
aide de camp to the king. He came
to America at the request of Benja-
min Franklin and with letter of in
PRODUCTION from him. Steuben him
self wrote to congress that the honor
of serving a nation engaged in the
noble enterprise of defending its
rights and liberties was the reason
that brought me to this continent.
Steuben Joined the American troops
during the gloomy winter at Valley
Forge and was soon afterwards ap-
pointed inspector general of the
army. The condition of the troops
at that time is too well known to
need description. Their inability to
sustain a contest against the organ
lied English soldiers had been taught
in a woeful lesson by the campaign
of 1916 in New York and New Jer
sey. 1t is recognized by all American
historians, that none of the foreign
officers rendered more important
services than Steuben did by organ
izing and disciplining the army, in
Producing a system of military tac-
tics and creating the engineer and
artillery corps. Educated in the best
school of war of his time, approved
and trusted by the Great Frederick
his services to his adopted country
were invaluable. Steuben succeed
ed in bringing order out of the gen.