Camp Liquor Chest of Baron von Steuben

Liquor Chest
18th Century
Wood, Metal, Glass, Paper & Wool

This 18th century camp liquor chest belonged to American Revolutionary War hero Major General (Baron) Friederich Wilhem Augustus Von Steuben (1730-1794).

Von Steuben, a Prussian Army General, was recommended to Benjamin Franklin as a person who could organize and discipline the soldiers.  Steuben arrived at Valley Forge as an unpaid volunteer in February of 1778 and a month later was appointed Drill Master of the Continental Army.  He was known to curse and yell at the soldiers, often through an interpreter, until they fell in line. He is known as the father of general military drill instruction.  Von Steuben served for the rest of the war in this role. Afterwards, he became an American citizen and settled in New York City.

Continental Army officers were expected to provide their own tables, chairs and other household decorations while quartered in local homes. This chest was designed to be a mobile piece of furniture to accommodate the constant movements of the army.  It contains hand blown gilded glass decanters, pourers, and drink ware. The chest is lined with handmade German paste paper.

Gift of Mary Fuller
1920.04.001

Tour

Frederick William von Steuben was born in 1730. Born a commoner, he joined the Prussian army at 17. While serving during the Seven Years’ War (1756-1763), he was promoted to captain and became an aide-de-camp to Frederick the Great. Peacetime cuts to military spending led to his being discharged from the army once the war ended. He began to use the title of Baron when he took a position as a chamberlain in the principality of Hohenzollern-Hechingen. Deeply in debt, von Steuben looked for positions in foreign armies. 

His credentials were exaggerated when he came to America. Although he had only risen to the rank of Captain in the Prussian army, he was presented to the Continental Congress as a lieutenant general, due to a mistranslation. Von Steuben presented Congress with a letter from Benjamin Franklin, who von Steuben met in France, vouching for his military skill and exaggerating his closeness with the Prussian King Frederick the Great. In addition to being impressed by his skills, Congress liked that von Steuben agreed to be paid only if the Patriots won the war. 

Baron von Steuben arrived at Valley Forge in February 1778. At the time, Washington’s forces were plagued by supply shortages. Local farmers and merchants were more willing to supply British troops, since the British could pay in hard currency, as opposed to the Continental Army, who paid in mainly devalued paper currency or IOUs. Weather also greatly affected the troops’ supplies- although the winter at Valley Forge was not the coldest winter of the war, frequent rain turned the roads used for supply lines to mud, making it very difficult to deliver the much-needed goods. Many soldiers deserted at this time. In addition, poor sanitary conditions coupled with malnutrition resulted in almost 2,000 deaths. Even with the poor camp conditions and lack of supplies, von Steuben was impressed by the Continental forces’ resilience. He is quoted as saying “No European army could have held together in such circumstances.”

George Washington was impressed by von Steuben, and appointed him Inspector General. The army had little formal training. Different officers relied on different drill manuals, so there was no cohesive way to command. In this position, von Steuben scrutinized the condition of Washington’s forces and formalized the training for all soldiers. He drilled the soldiers on how to quickly reload their muskets, fight with bayonets, and march in close formation. He streamlined and simplified many exercises, as well as redefined the duties of many officers. Von Steuben wrote his drills in French, and they were translated into English by Alexander Hamilton and John Laurens. These instructions, later titled Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States, were used by the U.S. Army until 1814. Von Steuben also worked to improve sanitation: he reorganized the layout of the camp to separate cooking areas and latrines and ordered daily cleanliness inspections, which drastically reduced illness, as well as instructing the army to keep strict supply records and perform periodic inventory inspections. 

Von Steuben was highly respected by soldiers- unlike most officers of the time, he worked with soldiers directly, showing them how to do the drills himself. Von Steuben also made an effort to learn the name of every soldier he worked with, even if he couldn’t communicate directly with them due to the language barrier. 

Why did von Steuben have a liquor chest?

Officers in the Continental Army had to provide their own furniture when quartered in local homes or encampments. Campaign (or camp) furniture was designed to be easily portable. This camp liquor chest highlights the important role alcohol played in 18th century society. 

It was widely believed that drinking alcohol was healthier than drinking water. In some cases, this could be true, since most cities lacked proper sanitation and water supplies could easily become polluted. colonial Americans drank around 3 times more than Americans today; soldiers during the Revolution were even given whiskey or beer as part of their rations. Von Steuben was well-known for his entertaining, and frequently hosted dinner parties.

Where is this chest from?

Analysis of the glass revealed that it is a potash-lime-silica composition, with a high percentage of potash. Similar glasses were produced in Maryland in the late 18th century. However, there are also similar examples from Bohemia, so it is unclear if this set was manufactured in America or Europe. The chest itself is lined with handmade German paste paper. Von Steuben may have brought the chest with him from Prussia, or purchased it when he arrived in America.

The British finally surrendered in 1781, at Yorktown, Virginia. But America’s journey to independence wasn’t over; the former colonies now had the hard work of forming a new nation, and choosing a new leader.