You’ve confused Baron von Steuben with General Patton, who insisted that World War II combat soldiers wear neckties. What von Steuben taught the Continental Army was how to drill and maneuver— critical skills in warfare at the time — and he did that amazingly well despite all sorts of deficiencies of equipment and organization. The proof was in a grand review in the spring of 1778, when units up to brigade size did their evolutions very well for the benefit of General Washington and guests. Even better, the Continental Army held its own that summer in the Battle of Monmouth Courthouse, in part because of the training led by von Steuben. The British never seriously engaged the Continental Army in the middle or northern colonies again.

Von Steuben learned something from the experience himself. In Europe, he said, it was sufficient to tell the soldier what to do. In America, he said, you had to explain to the soldier why he should do something, and then he would do it.