The Drillmaster of Valley Forge Audiobook By Paul Lockhart cover art

The Drillmaster of Valley Forge

The Baron De Steuben and the Making of the American Army

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

The Drillmaster of Valley Forge

By: Paul Lockhart
Narrated by: Norman Dietz
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $17.62

Buy for $17.62

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel
The image of the Baron de Steuben training Washington's ragged, demoralized troops in the snow at Valley Forge is part of the iconography of our Revolutionary heritage, but most history fans know little more about this fascinating figure.

In the first book on Steuben since 1937, Paul Lockhart, an expert on European military history, finally explains the significance of Steuben's military experience in Europe. Steeped in the traditions of the Prussian army of Frederick the Great---the most ruthlessly effective in Europe---he taught the soldiers of the Continental Army how to fight like Europeans. His guiding hand shaped the army that triumphed over the British at Monmouth, Stony Point, and Yorktown. And his influence did not end with the Revolution. Steuben was instrumental in creating West Point and in writing the "Blue Book"---the first official regulations of the American army. His principles have guided the American armed forces to this day.

Steuben's life is also a classic immigrant story. A failure in midlife, he uprooted himself from his native Europe to seek one last chance at glory and fame in the New World. In America he managed to reinvent himself---making his background quite a bit more glamorous than it really was---but redeeming himself by his exceptional service and becoming, in a sense, the man he claimed to be.

©2008 Paul Lockhart (P)2008 Tantor American Revolution Americas Military & War Politicians Politics & Activism Revolution & Founding United States

Editorial reviews

In the late 1770s, his promising military career aborted, Baron de Steuben uprooted himself from his native Prussia and landed in America, where he schooled its troops to fight in the European manner, thereby influencing the outcome of the Revolutionary War. Norman Dietz's smooth, clear delivery make this biography easy to follow, and his energy never flags. He gives a straight narration, rather than adopting different voices or accents, which suits a text that is long on description and short on dialogue or quotations. This is a fine introduction to a significant player in Revolutionary War history, and Dietz makes it a listening experience even nonmilitary buffs may enjoy.
Fascinating Biography • Clear Writing • Excellent Narration • Forgotten Hero • Interesting Insights • Detailed Portrayal
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
A friend of mine recommended this book after I told him that I enjoyed Team of Rivals and a book on Ulysses Grant, but was looking for something easier to bite off. I think the 13 or 14 hours of narration are just right to get a clear picture of Steuben's long journey into and through the Revolutionary War. The author seems to strike a fair and accurate balance on what Steuben's strengths and failings were. There is very little on Steuben's sexuality and rumored partying (so FYI if that's what you're looking for; I would be curious to know of the veracity of sources for some other more sensationalized recountings I've seen online). The book sticks almost entirely to his deeds and personality, save a paragraph or two on the circumstances of why he was kicked out of the Prussian army.

Narrator's voice I find is very relaxing but also keeps me engaged to material that can be dry at times.

Interesting side story to US History

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
If you want to learn more about the men of the America Revolution this is a good book that looks at the baron. Probably under rated by his commands around him because he was a Prussian and because of his ego but I high recommend the book.

Evan's Review

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
It's a good book about the military and political aspects of his life. However, it comes down very hard against the gay thing. Which is in contrary to just about every other thing I've ever read about him. it's hard to know if the author is simply correct, or if they have a bias. Reading between the lines, the random strange things that happen do seem to make much more sense if it was about a man and his partners/ex's than a bunch of guys looking after their odd old general.

It is a bit of a rush through the second half of the war, but that's probably more a side effect of his role in it. The effect on Valley forge though is front and centre. including the idea "if any random from Europe could have taught this stuff. why wasn't it already done."

The politics and his issues with Jefferson and Laffiette were things I wasn't aware of and was good to hear. including how everyone so overly romanticised militia at the time. It does tend Into hero worship of Washington, but it's hard to find books that don't.

Good book, odd in places though

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The service the Baron rendered the United States is immeasurable. This book reveals much about the upbringing that formed the man, commander, leader. The info is concise, but not overwhelming. “Easy listening”.

von/de; who cares

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
As a revolutionary war re-enactor I studied the topic of "the drill" in detail. My recreated unit was one of those retrained at Valley Forge by the Baron's efforts, so we had many other references to rely on. This book is the best popular history of the man & his impact on our Revolution. Well written/spoken.

A thoughtful study of Da' Baron

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
nothing it was interesting and fact based many notable mentions Washington and Hamilton north mostly

history

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Interesting insight into a key figure of American history. His sexual past completely glossed over and could have added another layer of complexity to the man.

Forgotten Hero

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Though it was not a nail-biter or page-turner this book was full of surprises for me, revealing many things that I thought I knew about the Revolutionary War were not quite true. These kept me going through tedious parts of the story, which I listened to at 1.4 speed.
The narration handled the many foreign names of participants very well. The delivery was smooth, and even, without a great deal of voice inflection—-but enjoyable nonetheless.

Solid and worthwhile for the history buff, and a story with numerous surprises!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Great work. The book is fast-paced and well done. You understand 18th century life and culture. He helps make sense of why things were done a certain way-- for example why soldiers stood in long lines and blazed away at one another. Get the book, you will not be disappointed.

Buy the book

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Well done. I learned a great deal about someone I knew and heard nothing about. It's a shame schools don't teach the stories of history rather than the dates of history as it is much more interesting.

The Drillmaster of Valley Forge

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews