Steuben, << STOO buhn or SHTOY buhn, >> Baron von (1730-1794), was a Prussian soldier who served in the American army during the Revolutionary War in America (1775-1783). He became responsible for military training and made the army an effective fighting force.
Steuben was born in Magdeburg, Prussia, and his given name was Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin. He served as a captain in the Prussian Army during the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763). He came to the American Colonies in 1777 and offered to help the Americans defeat Britain. George Washington, commander of the American army, made Steuben a major general and asked him to direct the army’s training.
Steuben quickly turned the undisciplined troops into a superb army. He personally drilled the soldiers in the basic principles of marching and of fighting with muskets and bayonets. He also commanded some American forces and fought the British at Monmouth and Yorktown. After the war, he enjoyed a comfortable retirement in New York state.
