Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben of Prussia and John Paul Jones of Virginia were foreign-born Patriots who essentially founded the American military.
Von Steuben, a veteran of European warfare, whipped the Continental Army into shape at Valley Forge after demoralizing losses coupled with hardships at the encampment nearly broke the Army. Von Steuben’s training and leadership not only rebuilt the Army as a formidable and energetic fighting force, but the Continentals fought the British to a draw at Monmouth. Jones, the first commissioned captain in U.S. history, disrupted British commerce, munitions shipments and slave trading from New England to the West Indies. He also stunned everyone by seizing a British ship-of-war off the English coast in an attempt to sway British public opinion on the war. Von Steuben Day and Jones’ magnificent sarcophagus at Annapolis are living testaments to their achievements.
Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
• Seven Year’s War veteran
• Continental Inspector General
• Wrote "Regulations of for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States"
• Division commander in Southern Army
• Veteran of Monmouth, Yorktown
• Von Steuben Day is celebrated in September in the United States, and three naval vessels, Steuben Field at Hamilton College and Steuben County in Indiana and New York are named in his honor. Statues of von Steuben stand at Valley Forge, at Monmouth Battlefield State Park and in Washington, D.C.
John Paul Jones
• Veteran of New Providence, West Indies, Isle Royal, British Isles
• Captured enemy vessels Drake, Serapis
• First commissioned captain in U.S. history
FORGOTTEN FOUNDING FATHERS TOURNAMENT BRACKET
Round 2
Washington Bracket
1. George Mason 88%
- John Witherspoon 12%
*
- Frederick Muhlenberg 38%
2. William Penn 62%
Jefferson Bracket
1. Nathanael Greene 75%
- Edmund Randolph 25%
*
- John Carroll 20%
2. Richard Henry Lee 80%
Madison Bracket
1. Roger Williams 71%
- Isaac Shelby 29%
*
3. Henry Knox 55%
- Roger Sherman 45%
Franklin Bracket
1. John Jay 86%
- John Dickinson 14%
*
- John Paul Jones
- Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben
FFFs and match-ups are determined by my interpretation of who I believe were the 32 greatest FFFs. Personal politics, favoritism and reader response was NOT a factor in selection or seeding. As for the tournament itself: each match-up will be conducted every 24 hours with a synopsis written by yours truly and readers can determine using the poll function who the winner should be for that match-up; there is no #1 overall seed; FFFs retain their seeds throughout; the winner of the Washington bracket will face the winner of the Jefferson bracket, and the winner of the Madison bracket will face the winner of the Franklin bracket; after having the first tie, I've decided the higher seed will win ties. I am not voting nor will I pick sides in discussion. I wish I could somehow do a more rigid time duration period for each round but there’s no guarantee I’ll be on a computer or awake at that time so I’m gonna say polling lasts until I post the next match-up, or roughly 24 hours later. Readers may choose whichever FFF contestant they wish, but the point of the tournament is to select the greatest Forgotten Founding Father — the most influential, most important, most impactful, who contributed the most to the Revolution and/or seeds of American liberty. Please read the original diaries in addition to the information provided above so you have all the information before voting. Have fun!