The Drillmaster of Valley Forge: The Baron de Steuben and the Making of the American Army

Prior to reading Lockhart's Drillmaster of Valley Forge, I had been reading a great deal about the Prussian army of Frederick the Great, and how it came to dominate not only the European battlefields of the eighteenth century, but the minds of most military theorists of that time as well. As an American reader, then, the biography of Steuben, the man who brought Prussian military influences directly to the Continental Army, proved to be a compelling read indeed. One of Lockhart's themes is that Steuben could not have succeeded without the unusual combination of aristocratic persona and common familiarity with the American soldiers. He was himself a product of the Prussian machine crafted by Frederick, and therefore understood that fluid movement of masses of infantry and rapidity of fire were the keys to success in the European style set-piece battle. However, these were not Pomeranian peasants he was training, but citizens of a republic, and he possessed the insight to know the difference and tailor his command style accordingly. Lockhart's book is an entertaining and informative read about an important, if largely overlooked personality who nevertheless casts a long shadow over the history of the American army. I highly recommend it to anyone with a specific interest in the American War for Independence or a general interest in eighteenth century warfare.

The Drillmaster of Valley Forge: The Baron de Steuben and the Making of the American Army. Author: Paul Lockhart. 352 pages. 2008 I have long had an affinity for von Steuben which was kindled by the article: BARON VON STEUBEN AND THE TRAINING OF ARMIES in Military Review MAY1994. Von Steuben has enjoyed durability below the radar in US military history. He lacks the luster of Lafayette and because of his foreign origins his contributions have often been chipped away at or downplayed. Perhaps no greater proof is that his gravesite is in rural New York, modest, and seldom visited, yet still standing erect and sentinel like in the wilds of New York. This book is a very good basic introduction to the life and legacy of Major-General Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin Madrich Estonich Valvonet Candor von Steuben. Much of his life before coming to America was unknown to me. This book did a very good job of detailing his travails and travels. The murky path which brought him to America is documented as well. The book does a good job of covering von Steuben in the American Revolution. While one would expect a great deal of focus on his training of troops at Valley Forge and the impact of his regulations and Blue Book on the Army both past and present. The extent of his service after Valley Forge is often overshadowed by active frontline commanders like Lafayette, Greene, Wayne and others. Behind these men there lurked von Steuben drilling the recruits, organizing the rear areas, inspecting for standards and managing the reserves. Von Steuben's contribution in training and regulating has been steadily chipped away at by some historians who seek to minimize the role of foreign experts in the continental Army. Some have alluded to the systems and proposals by Conway and by Washington. While some of that material is interesting the simple fact is that they remained proposals while von Steuben did more than theorize. In terms of revolutionary legacy the Blue Book which was retained as the standard manual until the 1812 War is of prime importance. Its importance lies not in the steps o loading a musket or wheeling from column to line but rather in the sections which outlasted the weapons and techniques of the day. His importance is in the guidance to leaders and commanders that von Steuben offered. Von Steuben was schooled in a military system with roots in the legions of ancient Rome. Rather than simply transport that legacy and its methods to the new world, as some had tried, von Steuben adapted to the material and tradition he found among the native soldiery. This is reflected in his lectures and admonishments on troop leadership. The word love is far more common in the Blue Book than the word obedience. Von Steuben intrinsically understood that Americans chafe under Roman notions of obedience. That Roman and by extension European insistence on absolute, unconditional, and prompt obedience was antithecal to the inspirations and modes of the

The Baron De Steuben conned his way into the American army with false credentials concocted with the assistance of the American emissaries to France. This was necessary because foreign officers had become problematic in America at the time (1777) unless they possessed a large and undoubted expertise in war. Steuben possessed the expertise. He had unusual exposure to war from company officer to supreme command (the latter in a staff capacity) in the Prussian Army of Frederick the Great. He did not, however, possess the high rank and position that normally goes with such expertise. He was also broke, without influential connections and with no real prospects. Fortunately for Steuben the deception worked and he was smart enough to tell Washington the truth (mostly) about his real background. Equally fortunately, Washington recognized Steuben's abilities and had a use for them. Washington desperately needed his army to be trained and disciplined to the point that they could at least compete with the British Army in the open field and thought that Steuben could accomplish this minor miracle. Washington was right. Within about two and a half months at Valley Forge, he had trained the army sufficiently that they could undertake necessary basic maneuvers on the battlefield at a higher level than ever before. Over the next three years Steuben created a basic field/drill manual for the entire army and helped greatly in making the Continental Army actually a formidable force. The results helped to influence the French to commit to the American alliance. Late in the war Steuben had a reasonably successful career, under extraordinary handicaps, as a senior general in the field. He became an American citizen and ended his days here. This well researched and beautifully written biography, the first of De Steuben in many years, tells his story with verve and excitement as well as with accuracy. Steuben, who has a good claim to being the father of the American army, is very well served by this book. He would be pleased.

Author Lockhart has performed a valuable service in providing a very readable biography of Frederick William Baron von Steuben for anyone interested in the American Revolutionary War. The work covers von Steuben's life until his death in the Mohawk Valley in 1794 at the age of sixty-four. It is clearly sympathetic to von/de Steuben, and makes a firm case that von Steuben was much more important to the patriot cause than for just his work at Valley Forge for three months in 1778. If there is any fault to this book it is in the rather light treatment of the time for which von Steuben is famous -- the drilling of troops at Valley Forge and the creation of his Revolutionary War Drill Manual. However, that manual is available in paperback from Dover Publications as "Baron von Steuben's Revolutionary War Drill Manual, A Facsimile Reprint of the 1794 Edition." I recommend its acquisition by all parties interested in the detail that Lockhart skips over. The often dispargingly mentioned falsification of von Steuben's credentials that he used to gain acceptance by Washington and the Continental Congress is covered well by this book. It appears that von Steuben himself was not responsible for the deception, but he went along with Deane and Beaumarchais in order to obtain the his goals. As soon as possible von Steuben cleared the air with Washington and was able to establish himself with the Commander-in-Chief on an honest and forthright basis. The result was his eventual elevation to Inspector General at Washington's request. He became the embodiment of the American drean where an immigrant comes to the US and remakes himself into an important contributor in American history. Personally, my great-great-great-Grandfather was one of those men selected to form the "model company" for von Steuben to drill and then act as instructors/demonstrators to the remainder of the army. I felt this episode could have been covered more heavily. For example, the author fails to mention that the men of the model company were then added to Washington's Lifeguard and subsequently acquited themselves well in several later fights. The Lifeguard obviously became the premier unit for drills and parades and the example aspired to by the remainder of the army. Von Steuben was made a major general in the Continental Army and later served in a variety of capacities including the command of various troops in several campaigns. His record, particularly in Virginia in 1781 which he attempted to defend against the British forces under Benedict Arnold was solid but less than brilliant. Unfortunately, this campaign is not covered in detail, but since it is often overlooked in books on the Revolutionary War, to read about it at all was a boon. Perhaps a later edition could add the detail I would like to see on this campaign in which no one on the patriot side made a name for himself. Von Steuben himself clashed with almost everyone of importance in Virgi

I truly enjoyed this book. The writing flowed nicely and the quality of the scholarship was good. This is a standard biography of de Steuben that covers his life in great detail drawing upon a number of sources including many that are highly critical of the Barron. It was a "page turner" and the author strove to be even handed in his presentation of the sources available to him although his analysis of that evidence was heavilly slanted towards the Barron. The author's statements border on the hagiographic. This is, however, not a problem since he makes is very clear when he presents his own opinion and he includes all sources including those which are highly critical of the Barron. He also did a fine job of marshalling his evidence to support his assertions. That said, it was an entirely conventional biography without any very keen or deep insights. This does not stop me from giving him five stars however, because the writing is clear, the Barron has not been adequately "biographed" (is that a word?) prior to this book, and the life covers often overlooked portions of history and the American Revolution. This should be viewed as an introduction to the Barron and his work and times rather than a definitive text. It is a great jumping off point. I can unreservedly recommend this book to anyone interested in military affairs, the Revolution, or even the enlightenment period as there are interesting lessons and insights for all of these areas contained in the Barron's life.