New monument will honor
von Steuben at Monmouth
BY DAVE BENJAMIN
Staff Writer
For the first time, the area where the Battle of Monmouth was fought on June 28, 1778 will have a statue of a man who played an important role in the success of the Continental Army that hot summer day. A monument honoring Gen. Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben will be unveiled at 2 p.m. May 15th, Armed Forces Day, at Monmouth Battlefield State Park, Route 33, Manalapan.
"The monument, a tribute to Gen. von Steuben, one of the greatest heroes of the United States War for Independence, is a gift to the people of New Jersey arranged by the Steuben monument committee," said Siegfried Bette, a member of the committee.
Committee member August H. Daesener III, added, "There’s nothing out there. It’s just green fields, but this is considered one of the more major battles and it was a turning point. For me it’s important because this is our local history. People know everything about Gettysburg, but most people have no clue about what went on in Freehold, Manalapan and Englishtown."
Daesener noted that the United States Military Manual is based on everything von Steuben taught the American soldiers at Valley Forge, Pa., during the winter preceding the battle.
"Every time you see one of our kids make a nice salute or execute a right face or about face or march in a nice straight line, that is what von Steuben taught those men in Valley Forge," said Daesener. "He did it in French and it was translated into German and English and vice versa."
In 1996, the members of the Steuben Society of America’s Peter Muehlenberg Unit, of Clark, Union County, began to look into ideas which might revitalize its dwindling membership. Under the direction of Paul Bette, committee chairman, the unit drafted the idea of creating a monument for von Steuben, the patron of the Steuben Society of America and of the German-American community.
Little recognition was previously given to "The Baron," although there is a significant German-American population in New Jersey, Bette said.
Monmouth Battlefield State Park was chosen as the site for the von Steuben monument based on the fact it was at the battle that the American troops under the command of Gen. George Washington stood face to face with the finest soldiers of the British army. During the battle, the American Gen. Charles Lee retreated. Lee was subsequently rebuked and sent to the rear by Washington.
Von Steuben was given the command. Washington ordered von Steuben to rally the troops behind the line of battle and turn them back again. In a very short time von Steuben marched three brigades into the firing line. After another hour, the British were repulsed.
During the night, the British withdrew from the battlefield and continued on their way to New York. Some experts believe Monmouth was a turning point in what turned out to be the colonies’ successful bid for independence.
With the knowledge that the battlefield had no monuments or markers to honor those who fought the battle, the Steuben Society set its sights on building a monument in honor of von Steuben.
During the spring of 1996, the Steuben-Monmouth Monument Committee joined with the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield to bring the project to fruition within 10 years. Rich Walling represented the Friends and became vice chairman of the joint committee.
The original concept was to have von Steuben on his horse as he would have appeared during the Battle of Monmouth. The general was one of the first to encounter the British during the battle as he galloped from what is now Overlook Hill toward the direction of awaiting American troops near the Old Tennent Church. The statue was estimated to cost $250,000.
In April 1996, the Steuben Monument Fund received its first major donation from Hermine Graber, the first principal donor to the fund. After the project was advertised in German-American newspapers across the country, donations began coming in from as far away as Germany and Hawaii.
In 1998 the project received the full support of the National Council of the Steuben Society of America.
In 2000, the Lakewood Maennerchor, a German-American singing society, Howell, hosted the first fund-raising dinner which raised more than $18,000. Other organizations began to contribute toward a $1,000 target which would afford them the recognition of principal donorship.
Once a significant portion of the funds had been raised, the committee began its search for an artist to undertake the project. Based on the financial prospects, the monument was scaled down to a standing version as opposed to the original equestrian design.
In 2002, the committee contacted Johnson-Atelier of Mercerville, which created the Vietnam veterans memorial in Holmdel. In 2003, Johnson-Atelier announced that it would cease operations in 2004. Fortunately for the committee, in 2004 Johnson-Atelier was able to complete the von Steuben project within budget and on time for the committee.
With the unveiling of the statue, two main goals of the project will be achieved: building public awareness of a Revolutionary War hero and beautification and interpretation of the battle site.
Due to the increase in membership in the Steuben Society of America, the Molly Pitcher Unit No. 54 of Howell was revived and reinstated in 2001.
Among the dignitaries who have been invited to the unveiling of the monument are Department of Defense Inspector General Joseph Schmitz and Thomas Wuelfing, consul of the Federal Republic of Germany.