"REGULATIONS FOR THE ORDER AND DISCIPLINE OF THE TROOPS OF THE UNITED STATES"
Scarce and important book, "Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States", by Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben (New York: Greenleaf's Press), 1794, tenth edition, 95pp. 12mo., bound in brown leather boards, the first drill manual for the United States Army. Commissioned to train troops at Valley Forge, von Steuben first formed a model drill company of 120 men who were in turn to train further companies until the entire army was trained under the same procedures as the first company of troops. Following this exercise, Steuben published his drill instructions in a manual that was published in 1779 and widely distributed throughout the Continental Army. The book contains clear and direct instructions for marching, loading and firing weapons, assembling for inspection by officers, setting up encampments, and the expectations of each rank in all of these situations. The book also contains eight fold-out diagrams, each illustrating a particular practice discussed by von Steuben. This guide, commonly referred to as the "blue book", remained the official manual for the U.S military until 1812. Some bumping to the corners, expected spine and edge wear, one fold-out torn, and an ink ownership inscription on the front flyleaf, else very good.