Regulations for the Order and Discipline of the Troops of the United States
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.