STE1TBEN, FREDERIC WILLIAM AUGUSTUS, Baron, a general of the American revo lutionary army, was b. at Magdeburg, Prussia, Nov. 15, 1730; educated at the Jesuits' colleges of Niesse and Breslau; and at the age of fourteen served as a volunteer under his father at the siege of Prague. In 1747 he was appointed cadet of infantry, and in 1758 had risen to the rank of adjt.gen. He was wounded in the battle of Kun ersdorf, and in 1761 was conducted as a prisoner of war to St. Petersburg, but was shortly after released. The following year he was appointed adjt.gen. on the staff of the Prussian king, effected important reforms in the quartermaster a department, and superintended an academy of young officers selected for special military instruction. At the close of the seven years' war, lie traveled in Europe, and was appointed grand marshal and general of the guard of the prince of Hohenzollern-Hechingen. Being on a visit to Paris in 1777, where the cause of the American rebellion was favored by the government, he was invited by count St. Germain to go to America. He arrived at
Portsmouth, Virginia, Dec. 1, 1777, and offered his services to gen. Washington, which were joyfully accepted; and he joined the army, then in the most deplorable condition, at Valley Forge.. He was appointed inspector-general, prepared a manual of tactics for the army, remodeled its organization, and improved its discipline. He was one of the officers who composed the court-martial at the trial of maj. Andre. In the campaign of 1780 he had a command in Virginia, and was on the staff of gen. Lafayette at the siege of Yorktown. As generous in character as he was capable as an officer, he spent his whole fortune in clothing his men, and gave his last dollar to his soldiers. Congress made tardy reparation, and in 1790 voted him an annuity of $2,500, and a township of hind in the state of New York, both of which he divided with his fellow-officers. He died on his estate near Utica, N. Y., Nov. 28, 1794. See Sparks's American Biog raphy, and a life by Friedrich Kapp (New York, 1860).