Our 250th American Anniversay

At a time of division and lack of enthusiasm for the great American Experiment, let us focus on the history of what made this possible..

Watch this video about the fake General.

In a time 250 years ago, a Prussian Captain was elevated to the rank of General. Baron von Steuben is famously regarded as the “fake general” of the American Revolution. [1]

A former Prussian Army captain who washed out of the military and fell into poverty in Europe, he was recast by Benjamin Franklin in 1777 as an experienced lieutenant general and a high-ranking officer in order to impress the American rebels. Despite his falsified rank and lack of a noble background, the ruse was highly successful; upon arriving at Valley Forge, von Steuben’s intense training and standardized drills transformed George Washington’s ragtag Continental Army into a highly disciplined fighting force. [1, 2, 3, 4]