Von Steuben Arrives at Valley Forge: The Drill Master Who Saved the Army
The Continental Army couldn't march in formation. Soldiers loaded muskets differently in every regiment. They didn't know how to use bayonets, so they threw rocks. Baron von Steuben arrived at Valley Forge in February 1778 and wrote a drill manual in French. His translator turned it into English. His assistant translated it into broken English the troops could actually understand. He trained one model company, then those men trained their regiments. Within months, Washington had an army that could stand against British regulars. A Prussian officer saved the Revolution with a pamphlet.
February 23, 1778
248 years ago
Key Figures & Places
Continental Army
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American Revolutionary War
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American Revolution
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Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
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Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
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American Revolutionary War
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Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
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Valley Forge, Pennsylvania
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Continental Army
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Germany
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Kingdom of Great Britain
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le doge de Venise Pietro Tradonico et le roi d'Italie Lothaire Ier signent un pacte dit Pactum Lotharii.
consécration du pape Innocent II.
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