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"Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States" book advertisement in the Hampshire Gazette

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On June 6, 1787, the Hampshire Gazette announced that Baron Friedrich Von Steuben's book on troop regulations and military administration was for sale at the Gazette office. Neither a Baron nor a general, Steuben had extensive troop training experience in the Prussian army. He had played an invaluable role in the training of the Continental Army in the winter of 1778 at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. Streamlining, simplifying and modifying existing practices, Steuben transformed General Washington's army into a disciplined, reliable force with strong esprit de corps. In 1779, Steuben published his Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States, often referred to simply as, "The Blue Book." In its eighth edition by 1785, its contents would have been familiar to veteran officers of the Continental Army, including Daniel Shays.

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