The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-05-08

and company wae tnlnS uhkHOWh
There was a constant ebb and flow.
constant going and coming In every
company. Congress put three-months
men and six-months men and nine
months men in companies or regl-
ments haphazard. Sometimes regi-
ment was stronger than brigade.
Sometimes 1t contained only thirty
men and company but single cor
poral Leaves of absence and dismiss
ais were given by colonels and some
times by captains at will. For every
new campaign from 5000 to $500, mus
kets Were required to replace those
lost through negligence or carried away
by the men whose terms of enlistment
had expired. Muskets cost SIC. With
bayouets they cost SIS. 1t Is sad to
record that when Steuben turned his
attention TO reform this abuse he found
Congress and some OF tho major-gen-
erals hostile.
Sworc In Three Languages.
From early morning until late at
never to tire of drilling. He never
would let company depart until 1t
had thoroughly learned the lesson OF
the day. Sometimes he would get in
rage and would swear in German until
he had exhausted his stock OF express
sions suitable 10 the subject. Next he
would voice his opinion in bad French.
Then he would try English, but as he
had not progressed far enough In that
language to be fluent he would call
Duponceau and have him help ont.
But If Steuben had occasion for an
ger. he also had occasion for rejoicing
In May, 1I7s. two months after he had
begun drilling. the army gave an OK
Lsfayette's detachment cut off from
enemy. was able TO save itself by an
orderly retreat. There was no evidence
of the panic such as was shown at
Brandywine and Germantown. And
when Washington. anxious aboas La.
fayctte. ordered out the whole army
10 support the detachment OF the Mar.
quis, 1t was under arms ready TO
march, in fifteen minutes. Al Mon
mouth. too, Lees broken ranks rallied
and, despite heavy fire. wheeled into
line a calmly and precisely as If the
battlefield had been a parade ground.
1t was the voice Of Steuben they
heard.
! The drillmaster ceased his drilling
Temporarily and took command of a
division on the march TO the Hudson
in July, IT'S. When he returned to his
f
chagrined that Congress would not give
authority to him to carry out all the
! reforms he knew TO be necessary to
i the proper organization of the army.
I He talked to Washington of resigning
], the inspectors generalship. and asked
4 for command in the line, but Wash
4 ington soothed him and finally got
/ him to go to Congress to urge his
claims for reorganization. Congress
y granted some of his requests and de-
llayed action on others. and then took
4 advantage Of the unfavorable turn OF
4 affairs in Rhode Island to shelye the
whole matter temporarily by having
1 him ordered to that State to assist
General sullivan.
That duty performed. 5teuhen re-
turned to the work OF drilling. Long
and earnestly he put before Washing
ton the injustice of keeping him as
linspec tor general II he Was not permit
/ ted to carry on his work thoroughly
l Nothing that Congress could do, ne be
lieved would be of more Importance
than what he plannsd for the army
| Svalbinr,on AGREED with ;im fully
and won the heart OF the high temper
ed German so completely that Steubel
4 pledged his word that thenceforth ht
4 would talk no more of res;gninG as
4 drjlIrnn stcr lIt would ccntte al III
4 energies on being useful. regardless o.
how little support Congress gave e
his suggestions 1t was at this tiln'
that he prepared the blue BOOK So
long known in the United States Army
Jas Steuben's Regulations.
The Great Reform.
When the E"Regulations' got the ap
prevail of Congress on March ", l''o
he lost no time IN putting them ~ prac
lice. They embraced the substance
nehrly AL his slams 50 OFTEN ufseu ol
, Congress. Regiments We're formed ~
10 battallons, each battalion consist
/ ing of a definite NUMBER OF !,el'' s. ~
. cry man had to be accounted Tor HeV
: On hours were not thought too ions
: for the inspection of a brigade or thre'
/, small regiments. Every musket MAJ
to be examined, every cartridge count
!, ed, every article OF clothing eMhlpite'
and tested BIZ his little book wa
! the same with hospitals. stores. labora
tories, everything SYSTEM order, sy
4 stem were the watchwords, Ever!
. thints was e,et,r There could he II
\ misunderstanding In the drill ne lA
i aicr TN, heSt of#nverS NS'ei,i ~. ~
had discarded what was poor ~ ~
O formation Of the light infantry ne ~
vented Il drill and discipline ,hu, W. W..
3gr.,, II Vns snnelhimca We had DIS
. covered from the American style
q loose nghtlng in Indian warfare
! Frederick the Great when ne say ~,
Y Steuben's regulations accep'eu w
y light infantry idea NJ once
! An I,urope tlit so later on, litt ~
: crowuing work of Stelben that sprin
q WAS me establishment ut 4 system 9
i. minute written reports OF regula
IL form, covering the whole army an