Sep. 5th, 2014 12:26 pm
How to *really* celebrate Von Steuben Day
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Capt. Peter S. Duponceau, aide-de-camp to Baron von Steuben:
Once, with the Baron's permission, his aids invited a number of young officers to dine at our quarters, on condition that none should be admitted that had on a whole pair of breeches. This was, of course, understood as pars pro toto; but torn clothes were an indispensable requirement for admission[.]...Instead of wine, we had some kind of spirits, with which we made 'salamanders'; that is to say, after filling our glasses, we set the liquor on fire and drank it up, flame and all.