Von Steuben Quotes

According to legend, because he spoke little English, von Steuben relied on a translator to chew out the men, frequently yelling, “Over here! Swear at him for me!” when his insults in French and German failed to achieve the desired results.

In fact, the parade scene in the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off memorably honors Von Steuben Day and the Baron’s German heritage.

Other Germans came not to settle but to fight beside the Americans, most notably the self-styled Baron von Steuben, a Prussian professional soldier who drilled the American troops at Valley Forge into a tightly disciplined, highly maneuverable army.

Soon thereafter, daily drills began, and during the winter of 1778, von Steuben wrote the Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States—a document that has been the foundation for the American military since it was first published.