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25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good solid biograpy of the Barron (but don't expect too much), November 18, 2008
This review is from: The Drillmaster of Valley Forge: The Baron de Steuben and the Making of the American Army (Hardcover)
I truly enjoyed this book. The writing flowed nicely and the quality of the scholarship was good.
This is a standard biography of de Steuben that covers his life in great detail drawing upon a number of sources including many that are highly critical of the Barron. It was a "page turner" and the author strove to be even handed in his presentation of the sources available to him although his analysis of that evidence was heavilly slanted towards the Barron. The author's statements border on the hagiographic. This is, however, not a problem since he makes is very clear when he presents his own opinion and he includes all sources including those which are highly critical of the Barron. He also did a fine job of marshalling his evidence to support his assertions.
That said, it was an entirely conventional biography without any very keen or deep insights. This does not stop me from giving him five stars however, because the writing is clear, the Barron has not been adequately "biographed" (is that a word?) prior to this book, and the life covers often overlooked portions of history and the American Revolution. This should be viewed as an introduction to the Barron and his work and times rather than a definitive text. It is a great jumping off point.
I can unreservedly recommend this book to anyone interested in military affairs, the Revolution, or even the enlightenment period as there are interesting lessons and insights for all of these areas contained in the Barron's life.
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Prussian Drill Comes to Pennsylvania, March 12, 2009
This review is from: The Drillmaster of Valley Forge: The Baron de Steuben and the Making of the American Army (Hardcover)
Prior to reading Lockhart's Drillmaster of Valley Forge, I had been reading a great deal about the Prussian army of Frederick the Great, and how it came to dominate not only the European battlefields of the eighteenth century, but the minds of most military theorists of that time as well. As an American reader, then, the biography of Steuben, the man who brought Prussian military influences directly to the Continental Army, proved to be a compelling read indeed.
One of Lockhart's themes is that Steuben could not have succeeded without the unusual combination of aristocratic persona and common familiarity with the American soldiers. He was himself a product of the Prussian machine crafted by Frederick, and therefore understood that fluid movement of masses of infantry and rapidity of fire were the keys to success in the European style set-piece battle. However, these were not Pomeranian peasants he was training, but citizens of a republic, and he possessed the insight to know the difference and tailor his command style accordingly.
Lockhart's book is an entertaining and informative read about an important, if largely overlooked personality who nevertheless casts a long shadow over the history of the American army. I highly recommend it to anyone with a specific interest in the American War for Independence or a general interest in eighteenth century warfare.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Biography -- Very Readable, November 28, 2008
This review is from: The Drillmaster of Valley Forge: The Baron de Steuben and the Making of the American Army (Hardcover)
Author Lockhart has performed a valuable service in providing a very readable biography of Frederick William Baron von Steuben for anyone interested in the American Revolutionary War. The work covers von Steuben's life until his death in the Mohawk Valley in 1794 at the age of sixty-four. It is clearly sympathetic to von/de Steuben, and makes a firm case that von Steuben was much more important to the patriot cause than for just his work at Valley Forge for three months in 1778.
If there is any fault to this book it is in the rather light treatment of the time for which von Steuben is famous -- the drilling of troops at Valley Forge and the creation of his Revolutionary War Drill Manual. However, that manual is available in paperback from Dover Publications as "Baron von Steuben's Revolutionary War Drill Manual, A Facsimile Reprint of the 1794 Edition." I recommend its acquisition by all parties interested in the detail that Lockhart skips over.
The often dispargingly mentioned falsification of von Steuben's credentials that he used to gain acceptance by Washington and the Continental Congress is covered well by this book. It appears that von Steuben himself was not responsible for the deception, but he went along with Deane and Beaumarchais in order to obtain the his goals. As soon as possible von Steuben cleared the air with Washington and was able to establish himself with the Commander-in-Chief on an honest and forthright basis. The result was his eventual elevation to Inspector General at Washington's request. He became the embodiment of the American drean where an immigrant comes to the US and remakes himself into an important contributor in American history.
Personally, my great-great-great-Grandfather was one of those men selected to form the "model company" for von Steuben to drill and then act as instructors/demonstrators to the remainder of the army. I felt this episode could have been covered more heavily. For example, the author fails to mention that the men of the model company were then added to Washington's Lifeguard and subsequently acquited themselves well in several later fights. The Lifeguard obviously became the premier unit for drills and parades and the example aspired to by the remainder of the army.
Von Steuben was made a major general in the Continental Army and later served in a variety of capacities including the command of various troops in several campaigns. His record, particularly in Virginia in 1781 which he attempted to defend against the British forces under Benedict Arnold was solid but less than brilliant. Unfortunately, this campaign is not covered in detail, but since it is often overlooked in books on the Revolutionary War, to read about it at all was a boon. Perhaps a later edition could add the detail I would like to see on this campaign in which no one on the patriot side made a name for himself. Von Steuben himself clashed with almost everyone of importance in Virginia, including Governor Jefferson, and although he evaded defeat, was unable to accomplish much in defense of the state. This campaign severely damaged him politically, but von Steuben retained the Washington's good opinion.
In short, there is much good information here on more individuals than just von Steuben. In many respects he made important contributions to the forming of a disciplined army -- one that was able to stand up to the British. The author does an excellent job in covering the ground, and has added to the available literature on the Revolutionary War.
This book is highly recommended.
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