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Secondary sourceSculpture1914 (dedicated); photographed 2021

Steuben Statue, Utica, New York

J. Otto Schweizer · 1914 (dedicated); photographed 2021

A bronze statue in Utica honoring Steuben as a Revolutionary War general and chief of staff to Washington.

This statue commemorates Steuben's role as Revolutionary War general and chief of staff to George Washington.

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Green patinated bronze statue of a standing man in a tricorn hat and cloak on a granite pedestal inscribed MAJOR GENERAL FRIEDRICH WILHELM BARON von STEUBEN, surrounded by flower beds and trees in a park.
J. Otto Schweizer, Steuben statue, dedicated 1914, Utica, New York. Photograph 2021.

About this source

What it is

This photograph from 2021 shows a bronze statue of Major General Friedrich Wilhelm Baron von Steuben, standing on a granite pedestal in Utica, New York. The statue was sculpted by J. Otto Schweizer with support from the German Alliance of Utica and stands along Memorial Parkway.

Why it matters

The statue honors Steuben as the Prussian-born general who trained the Continental Army and later served as chief of staff to George Washington. His military manual, used by the U.S. military for decades, shows his lasting influence. The monument was dedicated in 1914, the same day Germany entered World War I, an unfortunate coincidence given the anti-German sentiment that followed in the United States.

Why it matters

  • Why might Utica's German-American community have wanted to fund this monument?
  • What does the timing of the dedication in 1914 add to the story of how Steuben was remembered?
  • What choices did the sculptor make in depicting Steuben, and what do they emphasize?

This sculpture 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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Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States

Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben · 1779

Oil portrait of an 18th-century man with powdered gray hair, wearing a dark blue coat with gold epaulettes and gold-yellow waistcoat, a red sash and star-shaped order badge, against a dark background.Painting

Primary source

Baron Frederick William von Steuben

Charles Willson Peale · 1780

Large painting of a battlefield scene with a grey, stormy sky. On the left, British redcoat troops stand in lines beside a white flag. On the right, American troops in blue and buff stand beside a striped flag. In the center, a mounted commander on a white horse, with a figure in red uniform walking in front, faces the lines.Painting

Secondary source

Surrender of Lord Cornwallis

John Trumbull · 1819

Oil portrait of an older man with white powdered hair in a dark navy coat with gold epaulettes and tan high-collared lapels and waistcoat. He wears orange-and-red decorations and a star-shaped order on his chest and holds a sword hilt. Behind him are trees and a distant river with sailboats.Painting

Primary source

Major General Friedrich Wilhelm Augustus, Baron von Steuben

Ralph Eleaser Whiteside Earl · 1786

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'.Letter

Primary source

Letter from Montpellier

Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben · 12 March 1773

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