Friedrich Wilhelm Rudolf Gerhard August, Freiherr von Steuben, a Prussian military officer, arrives at General George Washington’s encampment at Valley Forge on February 23, 1778 and commences training soldiers in close-order drill, instilling new confidence and discipline in the demoralized Continental Army.
Von Steuben, who did not speak English, drafted a drill manual in French, which Alexander Hamilton and Nathanael Greene then translated into English. The Prussian drill techniques he shared were far more advanced than those of other European armies, let alone those of the ragtag Patriots. The ego-crushing methods of modern boot camp were practiced among the shoeless soldiers of Valley Forge with remarkable efficacy. Most important for 18th-century battle was an efficient method of firing and reloading weapons, which von Steuben forced the Patriots to practice until it became second nature.
Von Steuben's drill manual, "the little blue book" was used as the standard U.S. military manual until after the Civil War with few changes.
The worldwide implications of the American War for Independence are made clear on February 17, 1782 as the American-allied French navy begins a 14-month-long series of five battles with the British navy in the Indian Ocean.
Between February 17, 1782, and September 3, 1782, French Admiral Pierre Andre de Suffren de Saint-Tropez, otherwise known as Bailli de Suffren, and British Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Hughes, commander in chief in the East Indies, engaged in four major battles in the Indian Ocean region: the Battle of Sadras on February 17, the Battle of Providien on April 12, the Battle of Negapatam on July 6 and the Battle of Trincomalee on September 3.
Please what is the source and information on the illustration used. I’d very much like to learn more about the actual graphic and about that Naval Campaign. Focussing too closely on just the American Colonial war for independence and ignoring the global aspects of the international trade and naval can give us a lopsided too-parochial view of our history.
Battle of Goudrour 1783
The image has NOTHING to do with the text ! This is a painting showing one of the key actions of the battle of...Copenhagen in 1801 - the young officer encouraging his men to fight is the young Peter Willemoes who was only 18 and he is commanding a floating battery. One can recognize a Danish red uniform to the extreme right. We're NOT in the Indian Ocean, but in somewhat cooler waters...
Apart from Suffren's portrait which is contemporary - the naval battle scenes were commissioned in the 1830s by King Louis-Philippe for th emuseum of the history of France housed in Versailles - the paintings are still there except for La Playa which is in the museum of French-American friendship in Blerancourt chateau, north of Paris. The Versaillles palace digital collections enable one to see them online...which is best as the rooms where they are located are usually not opened ! collections.chateauversailles.fr/#/query/81bcafab-0c6f-4706-b220-9d13dc64432c
Suffren
La Praya 1781
Battle of Tortola 1783
February 14, 1777, the U.S. Congress commissioned Benjamin Lincoln as a major general in the Continental Army, acting on recommendations from General George Washington. Previously a Massachusetts militia officer, Lincoln was elevated to boost the recruitment of New Englanders and was subsequently assigned to command, including a tenure at Bound Brook, NJ.
Key details about Benjamin Lincoln's appointment and service:
Commission Date: February 14, 1777 (with some sources citing February 19, 1777, for the formal appointment alongside other generals).
Following his promotion, he served under Washington in New Jersey before being sent to assist General Philip Schuyler in upstate New York.
Lincoln was highly regarded by Washington for his skills in organization and working with militia, and he played a major role in the Saratoga campaign, though he was severely wounded in October 1777.
He later served as the commander of the Southern Department, led the American forces at the Siege of Yorktown, and served as the first Secretary at War.
TRY REENACTING!
Do you want to fire a musket, help crew a cannon, or just enjoy an evening around the fire?
Our Units are excited to host folks who want to try out the hobby.
They will supply the necessary gear and clothing for you (and your family) to join us for a weekend reenacting the American Revolution!
What are you in for? Read our “What Re-enacting with the NWTA Looks Like.”