Friedrich Wilhelm August Heinrich Ferdinand von Steuben, also referred to as Baron von Steuben, was a Prussian military officer who played a leading role in the American Revolutionary War by reforming the Continental Army into a disciplined and professional fighting force. His contributions marked a significant improvement in the performance of American troops, and he is subsequently regarded as one of the fathers of the United States Army.Born into a military family, Steuben was exposed to war from an early age; at 14 years old, he observed his father directing Prussian engineers in the 1744 siege of Prague. At age 16 or 17, he enlisted in the Prussian Army, which was considered the most professional and disciplined in Europe. During his 17 years of military service, Steuben took part in several battles in the Seven Years' War (1756–63), rose to the rank of captain, and became aide-de-camp to Prussian King Frederick the Great, who was renowned for his military prowess and strategy. Steuben's career culminated in his attendance of Frederick's elite school for young military officers, after which he was abruptly discharged from the army in 1763, allegedly by the machinations of a rival.Steuben spent 11 years as court chamberlain to the prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen, a small German principality. In 1769, the Duchess of Wurttemburg, a niece of Frederick, named him to the chivalric Order of Fidelity, a meritorious award that conferred the title, Freiherr, or "free lord"; in 1771, his service to Hollenzollern-Hechingen earned him the title baron. In 1775, as the American Revolution had begun, Steuben saw a reduction in his salary and sought some form of military work; unable to find employment in peacetime Europe, he joined the American war effort through mutual French contacts with American diplomats, most notably ambassador to France Benjamin Franklin. Due to his military exploits, and his willingness to serve the Americans without compensation, Steuben made a positive impression on both Congress and General George Washington, who appointed him as temporary Inspector General of the Continental Army.
Appalled by the state of American forces, Steuben took the lead in teaching soldiers the essentials of military drills, tactics, and discipline based on Prussian techniques. He wrote Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States, which remained the army's drill manual for decades, and continues to influence modern U.S. army manuals. Steuben also addressed widespread administrative waste and graft, helping save desperately needed supplies and funds. As these reforms began bearing fruit on the battlefield, in 1778, Congress, on Washington's recommendation, commissioned Steuben as Inspector General with the rank of Major General. He served the remainder of the war as Washington's chief of staff and one of his most trusted advisors.After the war, Steuben was made a U.S. citizen and granted a large estate in New York in reward for his service. In 1780, he was elected a member of the American Philosophical Society, a learned society that included most of the nation's most prominent founding fathers.
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Some of their strengths
Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Smart, Sophisticated, Passionate, Intuitive, Altruistic, Energetic, and Intelligent.
Smart and Sophisticated
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben is someone who is a smart, sophisticated, and organized person who displays kindness and grace in every day interactions, and who also has a passionate soul. A person who is known for being a good partner.
Passionate and Intense
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben well know them as someone who can be passionate, proud, and intense, like the sun or a blazing fire.
Altruistic and Innovative
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben as someone who is altruistic, inventive, energetic, and socially-conscious.
Who is inventive, open-minded and inquisitive, optimistic and cooperative, and who loves working together with others.
Emotionally Intelligent and Intuitive
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben is someone who tends to have strong emotional intelligence and intuition, and who can be a catalyst of change for others.
They are also someone who is altruistic, tolerant, and sophisticated, and who tends to be a perfectionist who is always working to try and make everything and everyone better.
Altruistic and Purposeful
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben tends to be someone who has a desire to be of service to a higher calling and who is always trying to perfect things. Who can be practical and polished, reserved and methodical, and who tends to trust internal judgment before trusting anyone else at face value.
Some of Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben's challenges
While Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben can be Difficult, Perfectionist, Complicated, Brusque, Indecisive, Unrealistic, and Anxious.
Difficult and Perfectionist
One of Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben's key challenges is that they are someone who can be difficult and too much of a perfectionist.
Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben must also exercise caution as they can have difficulty dealing with responsibility, authority, or criticism.
Anxious and Inflexible
Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben is someone who can be high-strung, impatient, and inflexible, who can be "penny wise and pound foolish", have poor listening skills, and who can be intolerant of people who share a different world view.
Critical and Bossy
Finally, Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben also can be too focused on the small details of life, try to control whatever is happening, and be finicky and demanding.
