| It was the summer of 1777 and General George Washington's forces had just suffered a series of humiliating defeats in the vicinity of Philadelphia. Washington decided to camp at
Valley Forge and engage in some serious rebuilding for the Army. His command was deficient in just about everything, from supplies to organization and training. Troops deployed as 13 separate state military forces instead of as a unified force; and the
soldiers were not standardized in either equipment or fighting techniques. Washington's biggest concern, however; was the Army's lack of training. In desperation he turned to Major General Fried rich W. A. Baron Von Steuben, a German military expert who
had volunteered his services to the Continentals. Under Washington's directive, Steuben became the Army's Inspector General; his mandate, to train the troops. Surveying his rag-tag, ill-fed, ill-clothed men for the first time, Steuben complained, "In
European armies a man who has drilled for three months is called a recruit; here in two months I must have a soldier." Despite the "Von" in his name, Steuben was not an aristocrat. Nor was the title "Major General" that he flaunted legitimate. He had indeed served in the Army of Frederick the Great, but it had been as an obscure captain. Steuben's exaggerations didn't matter; though, because he was a natural leader and good at training soldiers. The men of the Continental Army adored him, because Steuben respected them as genuine, uniquely American soldiers, rather than condescending to them as imitations of European troops. Steuben undertook three fundamental reforms. First, he made officers responsible for training their men. This delegation of authority strengthened loyalty between the ranks of men while improving everyone's military skills. Second, he standardized formations and drills, replacing a variety of European army texts with a specifically 'American" way of doing things. Third, and perhaps most crucial, he taught the Continental Army to march in columns of fours. Until Steuben arrived, many troops had a tendency to proceed to the battlefront in a disheveled line. Steuben also consolidated Continental regiments into standardized training battalions of 200 men each, making for an easier, faster; and more predictable deployment of troops to the front line. To disseminate his reforms, Steuben served as drill sergeant to a model company of officers. After drilling them personally he dispatched the officers to train the rest of the Army. He also put his training principles in writing. Steuben's Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States laid out drill regulations, tactics, and general military routine. Better known as the "Blue Book" it remained the official American military manual for 33 years. When Washington's Army broke camp the following spring, it was prepared to fight. The soldiers' newly acquired skills led them to victory and a vital lesson was learned: in order for an army to succeed, it must be well trained. The importance of training is still recognized today. |
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