Wikijunior:American Founding Fathers/Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben

Von Steuben

Who is this?

Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben

What did he do before that?

Steuben was schooled in Breslau by Jesuits and, by the age of 17, was a Prussian officer in the military. During the Seven Years' War he was a member of an infantry unit but served primarily as a staff officer. By 1761 he had risen to the rank of captain and was serving in the Prussian general headquarters.He trained the Army from 1778 to the end of the war in 1783, and his manual for training was in use until the War of 1812. The army was greatly reduced in size at the end of the war, and Steuben was one of many Prussian officers suddenly without work.

What did he do after that?

Steuben eventually settled on a small estate in the vicinity of Utica, New York, on land granted to him for his military service. He later assisted in the founding of the Society of the Cincinnati and was appointed a Regent for what evolved into the State University of New York. He never married and had no children. He is buried at what is now the Steuben Memorial State Historic Site.

How do we remember him today?

There are many things named after him including buildings, statues made in his honors, cities, and highschools.