At Valley Forge in the winter of 1777-1778, Acting Inspector General von Steuben saw that many Continental officers gave their men different drills. Drills are practice exercises. Using different drills meant the men might become confused in a real battle. Von Steuben wrote new drills for the whole army. He wrote them French. His aide-de-camp, Pierre Ettienne Duponceau, and George Washington's aides-de-camp, Alexander Hamilton and John Laurens rewrote them in English. General George Washington would read the drills and make changes. They gave each lesson to the officers one at a time. Then the officers or their helpers made their own copies. Then van Steuben and the officers would use the drills with the men.