Frederick William Augustus Steiben, baron, an American soldier, born in Magdeburg, Prussia, Nov. 15, 1730, died near Utica, N. Y., Nov. 28, 1794. He was educated at the Jesuit colleges of Neisse and Breslau, and became a cadet in an infantry regiment in 1747, an ensign in 1749, and a lieutenant in 1753. In 1757 he distinguished himself at the battles of Prague and Bossbach, in 1758 was appointed an adjutant general, and was in the battles of Kay and Kunersdorf in 1759, in the latter of which he was wounded. In 1762 he was made adjutant general in the king's staff. He was a member of Frederick's select academv of young officers who were under his special instruction; and after the siege of Schweidnitz, in which he participated, the king presented him with a valuable lay benefice. At the close of the seven years' war he accompanied to several courts of Europe the prince of Hohenzol-lern-Hechingen, who in 1764 made him grand marshal and general of his guard. In 1777, while on a visit to France, he was induced by the count St. Germain to go to America. Ik-arrived at Portsmouth, N. H., Dec. 1, and immediately wrote to congress and to Gen. Washington, tendering his service as a volunteer.

Shortly afterward he went to York, Pa., where congress was in session, was directed to join the army under Washington, and during the winter arrived at Valley Forge. On May 5, 1778, he was appointed inspector general with the rank of major general, and in June he was at the battle of Monmouth. He prepared a manual for the army, which was approved by congress in 1779, and introduced the most thorough discipline. In 1780 he was a member of the court martial on the trial of Major Andre. In the same year he was placed in command of the troops in Virginia, and in January following was active in harassing the British forces under Benedict Arnold. In the summer he was attached to Gen. Lafayette's division, and took part in the siege of Yorktown. In 1700 congress voted him a life annuity of $2,500. Several of the states passed resolutions acknowledging his services, and voted him tracts of land. New York presented him with 16,000 acres near Utica, forming a township called from him Steuben, where he passed the remainder of his life, giving portions of the land to his aids, and leasing the remainder.

His life has been written by Francis Bowen in Sparks's "American Biography," and by Friedrich Kapp (New York, 1860).