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

embracing every department OF the
service.
What steubeu saved tie young re-
public never can be computed. SO
wonderfully did his system work that
In one year only three muskets were
unaccounted for in the whole army.
1t seems strange To picture Steuben
turning from this to teachiuE the ETH
quettc Of receptions and court inter-
course. as he did when the new French
minister. Luzerne visited camp
In establishing his regulations, Steu-
bon had done his great work How ho
served IN Virginia, what part he took
In tho siege OF Yorktown. is history.
but how poor he was when cornwalIls
'9rI 8dettl ouiy few persons kuew
In tho exchange OF courteslcs between
the allies and tho English officers az
ter the surrender poor Steuben WAS
in distress. Not dollar had H.. Ton
proud to borrow and looking upon 1t
as disgraceful not to follow the Old
World custom OF entertaining the Of
iicers OF mis- rank VINO mad been unfor-
tunate enough to be forced to surren-
der, lie solved the difficulty at last by
selling his beloved war horse.
Pence aud POVERTY.
After the war he would have re-
turned to Europe. but there was Moth
ing for him there, His property and
his annuity were his nephews. so he
determined TO remain in tho United
States. TO Congress he made appllca-
ton for such reward as his services
warranted Congress treated him With
scant courtesy. For eight years It de-
layed action For these eight years
Stcuben had a bitter struggle with
poverty. Then an annuity of $500
WAS settled upon him. New York gave
to him 5000 acres of land in Oneida
county, which forms part OF the town
ship which now bears his name. There
he spent a few months each year. but
his home he made in New York.
His house was opposite ST, Paul's
Church. on the ground now occupied
by the National Park Bank. 3lb
Broadway. 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 never
had married, but. big hearted and gen
crous. he looked upon his old soldiers
as his children. 1t was n source OF
grief to him when he could not relieve
the distress OF those who We're III
or needy. Through aiding them lie Of
ten added to his own embarrassment.
Honors came to him, but little mon
ey. In 1857, he was made regent OF
the University OF New York, and about
the same time he was chosen prisident
OF the German Society of America. He
had a good deal to do with planning
the Military Academy at West Point.
once he felt so much aEgrieved because
his claims against the government
We're ignored that he proposed cs,ap-
fishing colony in the Spanish terri
tory on the Mississippi, but Spain paid
) no attention to his request for a grant
of land.
In November. 1904. while living in the
log hut that was his home when he
was on the land the State had given 10
him near Utica. he was stricken with
!, paralysis On November q, he died.
! Beside ,hemlock tree near the hut he
! was buried and there years after q
: surveyor laying out county road lald
bare the coffin of the drillmaster of the
: Revolution.
], Copyright, 1910, by Richard spillaneo