hessian soldiers in the american revolution
By HENRY J. RETZER. Only a few came from the southern German states. Fusilier Regiment Erbprinz:1st Div., Long Island, Fort Washington, Yorktown. [28] Most of the prisoners were sent to work as farmhands.[29]. Hessian military service was notably strict and demanding, emphasizing iron discipline through draconian punishment. Much has been made of the fact that seven thousand French soldiers and nineteen thousand French seamen assisted the United States in the siege of Yorktown, but we have … Most infantrymen were chasseurs (sharpshooters), musketeers, and fusiliers. The term “Mercenary” is also misleading. The chaplain records that General Howe pardoned the Jaeger officer and issued an order that "the English should treat the Germans as brothers." There were Brunswick troops with Burgoyne at Saratoga, and troops from Hesse and Anspach-Bayreuth with General Howe during the Philadelphia Campaign. Notwithstanding their reputation as skilled and disciplined fighters, many British soldiers shared the American distrust of Hessians, who often spoke little or no English and were perceived as crude and barbaric. Conflict between and among these nations led to the creation of professional armies, which were consequently experienced a… They were hired mercenaries, used by the British to fight American colonial forces. [8][9] Whereas Prussia relied partly on mercenaries from other German states, Hesse-Kassel employed only Landeskinder, native men. Hessians also served in Nova Scotia for five years (1778–1783), where they protected the colony from American privateers, such as during the 1782 Raid on Lunenburg. German prisoners were subsequently treated well, with some volunteering for extra work assignments, helping to replace local men serving in the Continental Army. Benjamin Franklin, “The Sale of the Hessians,” (1777). [4] The added manpower and skill of German troops is credited for greatly sustaining the British war effort, but it also outraged colonists and increased support for the Patriot cause. [15], The characterization of Hessian troops as "mercenaries" remains controversial over two centuries later. Many of these budget cuts came from the army in order to maintain the powerful navy that Britain relied on to protect its empire. Typically these were officially Lutheran, making them traditional allies of other Protestant nations. This page was last edited on 8 May 2021, at 10:22. When the Revolution began, Britain needed trained soldiers to fight not only in North America, but also throughout its empire. The British Army that fought in the American Revolutionary War was So they stayed. The revenue from renting the army to the British equaled roughly 13 years' worth of taxes,[6] allowing the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, Friedrich II, to reduce taxes by one-third between the 1760s and 1784. [18] Canadian military historian Rodney Atwood notes that, contrary to some Patriot propaganda and perceptions, Hessians would not have been considered mercenaries at the time, but rather auxiliaries. The Baron fought in the American Revolution, particularly on, United States Declaration of Independence, German troops fighting on the British side, The Capture of the Hessians at Trenton, December 26, 1776, Hesse-Hanau Troops in the American Revolutionary War, Musketeer Regiment von Trümbach (later von Bose (1779)), "Hessians: The Best Armies Money Could Buy", "Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949", "Col Franz Carl Seitz (1719–1782) – Find A Grave Memorial", Herbert M. Bahner and Mark A. Schwalm, "Johann Nicholas Bahner – From Reichenbach, Hessen To Pillow, Pennsylvania", "Revolutionary War – The Hessian involvement", 16 November 1776, he captured Fort Washington, "Chapter XXV: The Hessians in New Jersey", The Hessians and the other German auxiliaries of Great Britain in the revolutionary war, The German Element in the War of American Independence/5 German Mercenaries, Johannes Schwalm Historical Association website, Historical Project: Letters by a Hessian Officer, Diary and letters covering the role of Hessian troops in America, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hessian_(soldier)&oldid=1022081105, Hessian military personnel of the American Revolutionary War, German units in British service in the American Revolutionary War, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Attached to but not incorporated into the, Oberst Franz Carl Erdmann Freiherr (Baron) von Seitz – led the regiment in the. [4] The use of "large armies of foreign mercenaries" was one of the 27 colonial grievances against King George III in the United States Declaration of Independence, while the Patriots The Hessian soldiers who fought for the British in the American Revolution did not come to the New World of their own free will. [36] About 5,000 German troops, most of whom had been press-ganged or conscripted in their countries of origin, opted to settle in either the United States or Canada. The Jäger and other soldiers from Hessen-Kassel who fought in the American Revolution would become the best soldiers who fought in the French Revolutionary Wars, using the skills and tactics they employed successfully fighting the American Revolutionaries. By 1777, the British used them mainly as garrison and patrol troops. 3500 remained in the new United States of America, and the rest selected to settle in Canada, mostly in the French-Canadian … In May 1782 upon the departure of Lieutenant General Knyphausen, Lossberg replace him as the commander of the Hessian troops in North America. used the deployment of Hessians to support their claims of British violations of the colonist's rights.[5]. The outraged Hessian replied: "I am a German and you are a shit." [7] German states varied considerably in size and wealth, and several came to rely on their troops as an economic resource, especially since sustaining a standing army was costly. The British hired Hessian troops for combat duty in several eighteenth century conflicts, but they are most widely associated with combat operations in the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). The Hessians were an important part of the Revolutionary War, but who were the Hessians, and why were these German soldiers fighting for the British? “These German soldiers fought for the British in the Revolution and many of them deserted near the end of the war, settling in Canada or indenturing themselves to Americans. About 30,000 German soldiers fought for the British during the American Revolutionary War, making up a quarter of the troops the British sent to America. [26], Americans, both Patriot and Loyalist, often feared the Hessians, believing them to be rapacious and brutal mercenaries. During the American Revolution, Fort Frederick saw service as a refuge for settlers and as a prison camp for Hessian and British soldiers. The Soldiers: V. From Germany To America: VI. Hessians played a key role in the Revolutionary War. Show your pride in battlefield preservation by shopping in our store. diss., Florida State University 2007, p. 123-124, Colonel of the Hesse Cassel Garrison Regiment Von Seitz – see Hessian (soldiers). This was followed by an impromptu duel with hangers, in which the Englishman received a fatal wound. The presence of German prisoners of war in Reading, Pennsylvania, during the Revolutionary War has been covered by various authors since Andrew Schaaber in 1910 (“The Hessian … [22] Many of the princes were closely related to the House of Hanover and were comfortable placing their troops under British command. They included jäger, hussars, three artillery companies, and four battalions of grenadiers. Hesse-Kassel manufactured its own weapons and uniforms, and its textile industry was so prosperous from supplying the military that workers could afford to buy meat and wine every day. "[19] Hessian troops served in America on official duty from the armed forces of Hesse-Cassel and Hesse-Hanau. Field Jäger Corps:This unit or detachments thereof fought in every Hesse-Cassel operation. "A Hessian conscript's account of life in garrison at Halifax at the time of the American Revolution". Preserve 108 Acres of the Most Important Unprotected Battlefield Land! The young soldier was one of the about 20,000 German-speaking troops, collectively referred to as "Hessians," hired by King George III to help defeat the American Revolutionaries. Thus, Hessians could serve on opposing sides of the same conflict. Most of the infantry were chasseurs (sharpshooters), musketeers, and fusiliers. After the war ended in 1783, some 17,313 German soldiers returned to their homelands. In the Battle of Trenton, the Hessian force of 1,400 was quickly overwhelmed by the Continentals, with only about 20 killed and 100 wounded, but 1,000 captured. Many of the Germans who were captured during the war were held around Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Officers were usually well-educated, and in contrast to most European armies, promoted on the basis of merit. An assortment of Hessians fought in the battles and campaigns in the southern states during 1778–1780 (including Guilford Court House), and two regiments fought at the Siege of Yorktown in 1781. Most of the infantry were chasseurs (sharpshooters), musketeers, and fusiliers. (At the time, Germany was not a unified country but a collection of individual states that shared a … The rest … Their first engagement was less than two weeks later, in the Battle of Long Island, the first major battle in the war. While the German troops were well paid, they did not receive any bonuses for service with Great Britain. Known for their discipline and martial prowess, around 30,000 Germans fought for the British during war, comprising a quarter of British land forces.[3]. Your tax-deductible gift will help us to preserve this irreplaceable twice-hallowed ground at Gaines' Mill and Cold Harbor — forever. Throughout the war, reports of plundering by Hessians were said to have galvanized neutral colonists to join the Patriot side. They were highly trained soldiers and had a “take no prisoners” attitude. Fusilier Regiment Erbprinz, later (1780) Musketeer Regiment Erbprinz (, Grenadier Regiment von Rall, later (1777) von Woellwarth; (1779) von Trümbach; (1781) d'Angelelli (, 2nd Battalion Grenadiers von Block (later von Lengerke), 3rd Battalion Grenadiers von Minnigerode (later von Löwenstein), 4th Battalion Grenadiers von Köhler (later von Graf; von Platte), Garrison Regiment von Bünau (Garrisons-Regiment), Garrison Regiment von Huyn (later von Benning), Garrison Regiment von Stein (later von Seitz; von Porbeck), Garrison Regiment von Wissenbach (later von Knoblauch), Leib Infantry Regiment (Leib-Infanterie-Regiment), Musketeer Regiment von Mirbach (later Jung von Lossburg (1780)), Musketeer Regiment von Wutgenau (later Landgraf (1777)), First Dragoon Cavalry Regiment (1804–1812, red jacket); change to the First Light Dragoon Cavalry Regiment (1812–1816, blue jacket), Second Dragoon Cavalry Regiment (1805–1812, red jacket); change to the Second Light Dragoon Cavalry Regiment (1812–1816, blue jacket), Hesse-Cassel Artillery corps (Artillerie-Korps). Without the added strength of the German troops, the British war effort would have been seriously hampered. [34], Many Hessian prisoners were held in camps at the interior city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, home to a large German community known as the Pennsylvania Dutch. [17] By contrast, British historian Stephen Conway referred to them as "auxiliaries". Camp Security is the last remaining prisoner of war camp in the United States that has not been swallowed up by development. Between 40 and 50 percent of the German troops did not return home. Knyphausen gave the honor of requesting the American surrender to Colonel Johann Rall. In the eighteenth century, Germany was not a unified nation as we know it today; instead, various smaller Principalities, Duchies, and Counties were loosely organized under the declining Holy Roman Empire. Sign up to receive email updates about our Warrior Legacy programming for veterans, active duty military and their families. Hessian Soldiers and Organizations in the American Revolution (1775-1783) Hessian regiments that deployed to America and fought there during the American Revolutionary War included: Hesse-Cassel: (12,805 troops) They were led by Baron Oberst Franz Carl Erdmann von Seitz, who is commemorated in a church in Halifax.[24]. The Battle Of Long Island, August, 1776: VII. Apparently, this was a prerequisite for the English to show them any affection. In July 1758, during the course of the Seven Years' War, most of Hesse-Kassel, including its capital, was occupied by a French army under Charles de Rohan, Prince of Soubise, which easily overcame the home defence force of 6,000 Hessian militiamen. The Hessian soldiers once again proved themselves among Europe’s best. After the Seven Years War (French and Indian War), Britain demobilized in order to alleviate the massive debt caused by the war. In the two centuries leading up to the American Revolution, the continent was characterized by constant warfare, and military manpower was in high demand. Great Britain maintained a relatively small standing army, so it found itself in great need of troops at the outset of the American Revolutionary War. The First American President: Setting the Precedent, African Americans During the Revolutionary War, Preserve 28 Acres at Two Critical Eastern Theater Battlefields. The term "Hessians" refers to the approximately 30,000 German troops hired by the British to help fight during the American Revolution. Other contingents came from Brunswick (4,300), Ansbach-Bayreuth (2,353), Anhalt-Zerbst (1,119), and Waldeck (1,225). During and after the American Revolution of the 30,000 Soldiers supplied by six German principalities, an estimated 6,000 men were discharged or deserted from the ranks, and quite a number returned later from Germany. At White Plains, Hessians under Leopold Philip de Heister hammered the American lines until they broke. Colonel Rall later commanded the Hessian garrison at Trenton that was defeated and captured, with Rall himself mortally wounded. Of those men, approx. This order began to have influence only when "our Germans, teachable as they are" had learned to "stammer a little English." The history of the German auxiliaries, who fought for Great Britain in the Revolutionary War, has not received from American writers the amount of attention which its importance would seem to deserve. In the two centuries leading up to the American Revolution, the continent was characterized by constant warfare, and military manpower was in high demand. A total of 29,875 German troops fought alongside British troops in the Revolutionary War, of which 16,992 came from Hesse-Kassel and 2,422 from Hesse-Hanau. Following two sieges of Cassel, in 1761 and 1762, the capital was retaken, which constituted the last military action of the war. For troops from other German states who fought in the American Revolution, see, German soldiers contracted by the British in the American Revolutionary War. "[19] While not formally incorporated into the British military, Hessian troops were paid the same wages as British soldiers.[20]. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. Federal Identification Number (EIN): 54-1426643. [6] Overall, Hessian troops were considered superb fighters, even by their opponents. They included jäger, hussars, three artillery companies, and four battalions of grenadiers. When the Revolution began, Britain needed trained soldiers to fight not only in North America, but also throughout its empire. By 1762, 24,000 Hessians were serving with Ferdinand of Brunswick's army in Germany. Line infantry was armed with muskets, while the Hessian artillery used the three-pound cannon. Initially, the typical regiment was made up of 500 to 600 men. This index includes all immigrants coming to America, including Hessian Soldiers who remained in America. “The Hessian Jägerkorps in New York and Pennsylvania, 1776-1777.”… Only those whose occupation was considered vital to the country could be exempt. The contingent from Waldeck, for example, was drawn from a principality army based on universal conscription, from which only students were exempt. Records are listed in alphabetical order by surname and include: … He served in [Newport] from 1776 until 1779 and played a decisive role at the [Battle of Rhode Island]. Please note that the locations and events listed on our itineraries do not reflect any potential closures due to COVID-19. The area was ideal because of its Distance from the fighting, and large German-speaking population. Winthrop P. Bell, ed. By early 1778, negotiations for the exchange of prisoners between Washington and the British had begun in earnest. Germany was not yet a unified nation, but a collection of several hundred states loosely organized under the Holy Roman Empire. Hessian soldiers played a large role in the American Revolutionary War. Importantly, this included the Kingdom of Great Britain, whose king, George III, was also the Prince-elector of Hanover in the Holy Roman Empire. The use of foreign soldiers was not unusual in 18th-century Europe. [10] The military was the dominant force in the country. In most of these wars, Hesse-Kassel was never formally a belligerent. Soldiers were paid relatively high wages, and their families were exempt from certain taxes. When the war clouds of the American Revolution began to gather, Great Britain turned to the German states to provide much needed manpower. Protocol I (1977) to the Geneva Convention defines a mercenary as "any person who ... has not been sent by a State which is not a Party to the conflict on official duty as a member of its armed forces. [6] American historian Edward Jackson Lowell lauded Friedrich II for spending British money wisely, describing him as "one of the least disreputable of the princes who sent mercenaries to America".[12]. They were allowed to fight in their own units with their own uniforms and flags and under their own leadership. Soubise ordered his troops to live off the land, take high-ranking hostages, and extort payments of cash and produce, with the intention of forcing Hessian troops to withdraw from the war. Ingrao, Charles. Between 1706 and 1707, 10,000 Hessians served as a corps in Eugene of Savoy's army in Italy before moving to the Spanish Netherlands in 1708. After the war, many POWs never returned to Germany and instead accepted American offers of religious freedom and free land, becoming permanent settlers – one of which was the fifth great grandfather of American actor Rob Lowe. The American Battlefield Trust and our members have saved more than 53,000 acres in 24 states! Fusilier Regiment von Ditforth:1st Div., Fort Washington, White Plains, Newport, Charleston. [2] The term is an American synecdoche for all Germans who fought on the British side, since 65% came from the German states of Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Hanau. "'Barbarous Strangers': Hessian State and Society during the American Revolution", Krebs, Daniel. The camp was opened in the summer of 1781. [16] American historian Charles Ingrao describes Hesse as a "mercenary state" whose prince rented out his regiments to fund his governmental expeditures. The elite Jäger battalions used the Büchse, a short, large-caliber rifle well-suited to woodland combat. [6], The Hessian military became a major source of economic strength. The American Battlefield Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Eighteenth-century jurists distinguished mercenaries as those who served a foreign prince as individuals, whereas auxiliaries served their prince and were sent to the aid of another prince. Their troops entered the British service not as individuals, but in entire units, with their usual uniforms, flags, equipment, and officers. Sign up for our quarterly email series highlighting the environmental benefits of battlefield preservation. Most were natives of the Duchy of Brunswick or from surrounding areas. Sign up to receive emails with our resources for educators to support their work – in the classroom and online. In addition to fighting in North America, German troops saw action in other parts of the British Empire, most notably Hanoverian troops at the Great Siege of Gibraltar. Hessian troops included Jägers, hussars, three artillery companies, and four battalions of grenadiers. This database can help to quickly identify with which principality a Hessian Soldier was associated. One American woman spoke to the Hessians of her reappraisal of them after the battle, as they refused to take part in any plundering: "she saw very plainly there was no truth in what people [21] Other German princes relied on long-service voluntary enlistment supplemented by conscription when numbers fell short. [9][11] A self-styled enlightened despot, he also oversaw public-works projects, administered a public welfare system, and encouraged education. It was compiled from various record types, such as original passenger lists and diaries, or as in the case of Hessian Soldiers, compiled lists . Lieutenant General Friedrich Wilhelm von Lossberg, as Colonel led the von Lossberg Regiment (Alt) at the [Battle of White Plains] and [Fort Washington]. Steven Schwamenfeld. [27], The Hessians captured in the Battle of Trenton were paraded through the streets of Philadelphia to raise American morale; anger at their presence helped the Continental Army recruit new soldiers. The American Battlefield Trust is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. German troops saw combat during the War of Spanish Succession from 1701-1714 fighting for Prince Eugene of Savoy (Italy) and during the Jacobite Rebellion in 1715 fighting for Great Britain under George I. These were the British soldiers … While the enduring image of the Hessian in the American Revolution is of the towering grenadier with the tall pointed cap known as a mitre, Hesse-Kassel furnished the British with regular line infantry, mounted hussars, artillery and even rangers or Jägers. Every purchase supports the mission. Although frequently referred to by scholars as mercenaries, Hessians were legally[2] and politically distinguished as auxiliaries; unlike mercenaries, who served a foreign government on their own accord, auxiliaries were soldiers hired out to a foreign party by their own government, to which they remained in service. Fusilier Regiment von Knyphausen: 1st Div., Long Island, White Plains, Fort Washington, Trenton (captured; reorganized elements fought a… Stay up-to-date on the Trust's battlefield preservation efforts, travel tips, upcoming events, history content and more. Conflict between and among these nations led to the creation of professional armies, which were consequently experienced and well trained. While its troops remained members of the Hessian military, and even fought in their national uniform, they were hired out for service in other armies, without their government having any stake in the conflict. In the midst of the War of the Austrian Succession in 1744, 6,000 Hessians were fighting with the British army in Flanders, whilst another 6,000 were in the Bavarian army. Hessian and allied forces attempted to liberate their homeland, but were repulsed at the Battle of Sandershausen on 23 July. Their societies saw them as anything… German unification finally came a century later, in 1871. However, morale was generally high, and soldiers were said to take pride in their service. Döhla fought from New York to Virginia and kept a diary of his experiences along the way. Hessians comprised approximately one-quarter of the forces fielded by the British in the American Revolution. The result was a resolution, believed to have been drafted by Thomas Jefferson, offering fifty acres of land, freedom to practice their religion, and civil liberties to … Methods of recruitment varied according to the state of origin. [32] These men were both hunted by the British for being deserters and by many of the colonists as a foreign enemy. Like most auxiliaries of this period, Hessians served with foreign armies as entire units, fighting under their own flags, commanded by their usual officers, and wearing their existing uniforms. To alleviate this, the princes of the small German states often hired out their armies to supplement their income. Hessians proved decisive to the British victory, and subsequently fought in almost every battle that year. The American Declaration of Independence, written roughly a year after hostilities broke out, condemned King George III of "transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to [complete] the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation."
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