Existing comment:
The statue is of General Friedrich von Steuben.
Training for Victory:
Like a drill sergeant, Inspector General Friedrich von Steuben trains eyeball to eyeball with a company of Continentals. This model company must serve as an example to the rest of Washington's army.
The Grand Parade, here at the center of the encampment, is the only terrain expansive enough for drilling massed brigades. In simulated battle, Steuben sends troops back and forth across rough ground, preparing for the impending campaign against the British.
Steuben stressed bayonet drill. Before this time, the Americans had never been trained in close fighting. Yet bayonet charges decided the outcome of most battles in the 18th century.
The Grand Parade:
Cannon smoke clouds the field below. A roar of muskets crisscrosses the Grand Parade as thousands of double-ranked troops perform a feu de joie ("fire of joy").
To celebrate the signing of the French Treaty of Alliance, General Washington reviews the troops of the entire encampment May 6, 1778. The Grand Parade becomes a showplace for the newly trained and disciplined Continental Army -- a tribute to Baron von Steuben's intensive drilling.
The signing of the Treaties of Commerce and Alliance with France was a major step toward victory. For the first time, a major power officially recognized the independence of the United States, assuring a steady flow of foreign aid. France soon became Great Britain's open enemy. |