<P> Von Steuben arrived at Valley Forge from France on February 23, 1778 with a letter of introduction from Benjamin Franklin . Washington saw great promise in the Prussian and almost immediately assigned him the duties of Acting Inspector General with the task of developing and carrying out an effective training program . Von Steuben was a drill instructor who was full of energy . Von Steuben taught the soldiers how to aim muskets accurately, charge with bayonets, and maneuver together in compact ranks . </P> <P> Numerous obstacles threatened success . No standard American training manuals existed, and von Steuben himself spoke little English . Von Steuben trained the soldiers using German and French, along with some broken English, while Secretary Pierre Duponceau translated his orders into English . Undaunted, he drafted his own manual in French . </P> <P> Von Steuben's aides often worked late into the night, translating his work into English, which was titled Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States and more colloquially known as "The Blue Book ." The translations, in turn, were copied and passed to the individual regiments and companies that carried out the prescribed drill or military parade the following day . "The Blue Book" remained the official American military training guide until the War of 1812 . </P> <P> Von Steuben shocked many American officers by breaking tradition to work directly with the men . One officer wrote of von Steuben's "peculiar grace" as he took "under his direction a squad of men in the capacity of drill sergeant ." From dawn to dusk, his familiar voice was heard in camp above the sounds of marching men and shouted commands . Soon companies, regiments, and then brigades moved smartly from line to column, column to line, loaded muskets with precision, and drove imaginary redcoats from the field by skillful charges with the bayonet . </P>

Describe the conditions that continental soldiers faced during their winter at valley forge