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Primary sourceLetter12 March 1773

Letter from Montpellier

Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben · 12 March 1773

A handwritten French letter by Steuben from Montpellier in 1773, from his earlier career as court chamberlain before his American service.

This letter, written and signed by Steuben, documents his pre-American career as a European court official.

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Handwritten letter in brown ink on aged paper, dated Montpellier 12 March 1773 at top right, addressed 'Monsieur' and written in French in cursive script. It is signed at the bottom right with a closing phrase and the name 'de Steuben'.
Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, Letter from Montpellier, 12 March 1773.

About this source

What it is

This handwritten letter in French was written by Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben from Montpellier, dated 12 March 1773, while he was travelling in France as court chamberlain to the Prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen. It is signed "de Steuben."

Why it matters

This letter documents a lesser-known period of Steuben's life, years before he became famous as a general in the American Revolutionary War. It shows him working in a European court role, and gives a glimpse into his life and connections before he crossed the Atlantic to help train the Continental Army.

Look closer

  • What can you tell about Steuben's position and travels just from the way this letter is written and signed?
  • Why might historians find a letter like this valuable, even though it has nothing to do with the American Revolution?
  • What parts of the letter are hard to read, and how might that affect what we can learn from it?

This letter is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Friedrich von Steuben on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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