YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

Eichelbuger Bequest 1893

mtoticd J£etw$+
la. 19.

Q
THE

German Allied Troops

IN THE

North American War of Independence,

1776-1783,

TRANSLATED AND ABRIDGED FROM THE GERMAN OF
MAX VON EKLKING,
Captain Saxon-Meiningen Army; Member of the Historical Society of New York.

J. G. ROSENGARTEN.

ALBANY, N. Y.:
JOEL MUNSELL'S SONS, PUBLISHERS,
1893.

The German Allies in the American
Revolution, i 776-1 783.

By MAX VON EELKING,
Captain in the Saxon-Meiningen Army, and Corresponding Member of the Historical
Society of New York.

"SUUM CUIQUB."

Translated (and Abridged) from the German.

Note. — Published in Hanover, in 1863, in two volumes, of> pp. 379 an(J PP-
271, this book still remains full of interesting details as to tpe German troops
serving in America. Leaving out all that relates to the geneifal history of the
Revolution, there is much that is likely to have value for special students of
American history, and to them these pages are submitted as a bontribution that
cannot but serve to give a better idea of the actual facts of the pfart taken by the
German soldiers in the British army, in the struggle for Americai« independence,
than can easily be gathered from other sources.

PREFACE.

It is now just eighty years* since the German
troops returned home from the seven years' war
beyond the Atlantic, in which they had fought as
allies of England against the great American rising.
They are known as the German Allied or Subsidiary
Troops. Since that long and hard-fought war, the
Union, with passing exceptions, has enjoyed the
blessings of a long peace. Now a new war is raging ;
this time the sword is not drawn against a foreign
power, but between hitherto sister states — their own
flesh and blood. Again Germans are fighting, just
as before throwing their weight in the balance, now
not for a foreign interest, but for their own. Even
if nearly a century has elapsed between the first
great war and that now being waged, the careful
observer will find much resemblance between the
war of that day and the present war. Let us look,
however, at the subject we have in hand. While we
find in other campaigns in which German soldiers
*The original was published in Hanover in 1863.

8 Preface.
have taken part the results gained by them more or
less fully described, there is wanting, in the most
marked way, the history of the share they took in
the war of the American Revolution. There has
been plenty of time to fill this void, but hitherto it
has not been attempted in any complete form. In
the literature of Germany it has appeared only in
separate accounts in historical works and periodicals.
Even this proportionately brief material is not only
small in bulk, but is, for the most part, either of
particular portions of the forces engaged, or from
ignorance, or by accident, it is erroneous. The ab
sence of any complete or impartial story is noteworthy
in the present wealth of German history. Hitherto
the archives in which the original documents were
preserved have been jealously closed to the world.
There is, however, abundance of other material in
the journals and correspondence of the principal
leaders, of officers and private soldiers, who shared in
the war. Most of them wrote with no expectation
that their pages would ever be made public, and
plainly put down what was seen and what was heard.
The value to be ascribed to such material is to be
seen in its use in modern works on the history of
recent wars. To gather such material has been no
light labor. Much was lost, much in family papers

Preface. 9
not willingly given to strangers. The reader will see
in the following pages what has been obtained in
various parts of Germany and from various sources.
It has been the aim of the author to give a general
view, avoiding repetition, and emphasizing the part —
a subordinate one, of course — taken by the German
troops, but allowing the German writers to tell their
own story, even when it differed from the recognized
English and American authorities. He has sought
to protect and restore the good name and credit of
German soldiers, ruthlessly attacked on all sides for
their share in the American Revolutionary War.
Hard indeed was their situation — denied the privilege
of fighting for any national cause at home, they were
reproached for taking part in a foreign war, although
they did so in strict obedience to the orders of their
military and civil superiors, at risk of losing health,
discipline, and even honor, and it is only right that
their deeds should speak for them and give the true
version, even at this late day, of their share in the
events here described.

MANUSCRIPT AUTHORITIES.

A. Hessian: (i) Journal of Captain v. Miinchhausen,
from the time of his appointment as Howe's Adju
tant, 18 November, 1776, to 22 May, 1778.
(2) Correspondence of Col. v. Heeringen, Capt. Bur-
meister, and other Hessian officers.
(3) Journal of an expedition under General Clinton
to the Southern Colonies, from 18 December,
1779, to 8 August, 1780.
(4) Diary of Captain Friedrich v. d. Malsburg, of the
v. Ditfurth Regiment, from February, 1776, to
16 November, 1780.
(5) Diary of Captain v. Dinklage, of the Guard Regi
ment, from 14 January, 1776, to 29 May, 1784.
(6) Journal of the most noteworthy incidents of the
Hereditary Prince Regiment, begun in February,
1776, when it went to America, ended May, 1784,
on its return to Marburg, by Regimental Quar
termaster L/Otheisen.
(7) History of the Fusilier Regiment v. Lossberg, in
a diary, begun 1776, down to 1783, kept by the
Hessian Lieutenant Biel (Rail's Adjutant).
(8) Diary of Lieutenant Wiederhold (of Rail's Regi
ment), afterwards Captain of v. Knyphausen's
Regiment, from 7 October, 1776, to 7 December,
1780.

12 Manuscript Authorities.
(9) Diary of the voyage of the 8th Hessian Recruit
Transport to America, from 10 April to 28 Octo
ber, 1782.
(10) Journal from the arrival of the French Fleet in
Rhode Island, 1779, to 22 May, 1784, by a Hes
sian officer.
(11) Journal of Lieutenant Riiffer, from 1 March,
1776, to 28 December, 1777.
(12) Species facti of the surprise and capture of three
Hessian Regiments, v. Knyphausen, v. Lossburg
and Rail (now Wollwarth) , 26 December, 1776.
Philadelphia, 19 March, 1778. Schaffer.
(13) Species facti of the surprise and capture of Rail's
Brigade at Trenton, 26 December, 1776, espe
cially Rail's (now Wollwarth's) Regiment ; by
J. Matthaiis (Major).
(14) Report of the capture of Rail's Brigade in Tren
ton, 26 December, 1776. Phila., 20 March, 1778.
Baum, Staff Captain, Knyphausen's Regiment.
(15) Reports of Captains of Engineers Pauli and
Martin and Lieutenant Biel, on the events at
Newport.
(16) Report of a Hessian officer of the surprise at
Trenton.
(17) Letters of Lieut. Henkelmann, of Seitz's Regi
ment, to relatives at home, and some extracts
from his diary.
(18) Letters of Adjutant Henel.
(19) Letters of Captain Ries, of Lossberg's Regiment.
(20) Letters of Sergeant Flockshaar.

Manuscript Authorities. 13
(21) Part of a diary of non-commissioned officer Cas
per Recknagel.
(22) Diary of non-commissioned officer Reiiber, of
Rail's Regiment, from 1 January, 1776, to 29
December, 1783.
(23) History of the Yager Battalion, by Capt. Mahl-
burger. [A few copies only lithographed.]
B. Brunswick : (1) Papers left by Lt.-Gen. v. Riede
sel at Eisenbach.
(2) Journal of the Brunswick Troops, from 22 Febru
ary, 1776, to 15 January, 1779, kept by Quarter
master-General Gebhardt.
(3) Journal of Col. v. Specht, from the voyage to the
capitulation at Saratoga.
(4) Correspondence of Major Cleve, Riedesel's first
Adjutant, and Captain Tunderfeld.
(5) Journal of Captain Ranzau, from 8 April, 1777,
to 29 August, 1778.
(6) Journal of Schuler, from 15 May to 20 June,
1776.
(7) Journal of the voyage from Portsmouth to Quebec,
and from there to the Southern Colonies, and
thence of the return to Europe, by C. v. Schuler,
known as v. Senden. [The journal begins 23
June, 1776, and ends April, 1781. An extract
was printed in 1839, in the "Journal for Art,
Science and History of War," vol. 47. Schuler
v. Senden died a Prussian General of Division.]
(8) Journal of the Field Chaplain Melzheimer.

14 Manuscript Authorises.
(9) Journal of Major Cleve of his imprisonment, 1779.
(10) Journal of the Voyage to America and of Three
Campaigns there, from 15 May, 1776, to 10 Oc
tober, 1783, including the return to Wolffenbiit-
tel, by Frederick Julius v. Papet, First Lieuten
ant of the v. Rhetz Regiment, and, since 20 No
vember, 1777, Brigade Major of the German
Troops in Canada. [Two stout volumes.]
(11) Journal of Corporal Scheither.
C. Waldeck : (1) Short Description of the Journey
and Campaign of the Third Regiment to Amer
ica, from 20 May, 1776, until its return in 1783,
by Carl Philipp Steuernagel, Quartermaster of
the Regiment, of Captain Teutzel's Company.
(2) Diary of the Third Waldeck Regiment, by Ph.
Waldeck, Chaplain.
D. Ansbach-Bayreuth : March, route and description
of the most remarkable events in America, by
John Conral Dohla, of Zell — described to a for
mer companion in arms. [Dohla was a school
teacher.]
E. Anhalt-Zerbst: History of the Zerbst Regiment
in the English service during the American War.
[This Ms. gives the history of the Regiment
from 1776 to 1793. The part relating to the
war in America is from the diary of a member
of the regiment who took part in the events it
describes.]

THE TREATIES.

The American armies were recruited by the help
of liberal promises. Twenty dollars and one hun
dred acres of land were guaranteed every private and
non-commissioned officer. Recruits could be got
only by bounties and pay. The Germans were used
to being sent outside their own country to serve
under foreign flags, but the money paid for their ser
vices went to their sovereigns. Those sent to Amer
ica brought home much useful knowledge of actual
war, and the Hessians and Brunswickers, who had
fought in America, were among the best soldiers in
the German army during the wars of the French
Revolution. Their operations in America were
closely followed at home; newspapers and journals
were filled with their letters.
A Hessian officer who had served as adjutant
with Donop and Knyphausen, wrote afterwards :
" No one found fault with our going into the Brit
ish service for pay," and none of the officers
or men complained. There were many volunteers,
especially in Hesse, among them v. Ochs, later Gen
eral, and in the letters home, from soldiers and offi
cers, there was no complaint, but all showed a thor-

t6 The Treaties.
oughly German spirit of discipline wherever they
were ordered.
When England found its need of allies, it natur
ally turned to its old comrades of the Seven Years'
War. Hesse Cassel and Brunswick were first
approached. George the III. wrote to their princes
— the wives were both English princesses — and
offered not only a subsidy for their troops, but
treaties of alliance and protection, for it was easily
to be anticipated that France would side with the
rebels and threaten Germany. The troops from
Hanover were sent, five battalions, to Gibraltar,
relieving English soldiers sent to America. Hesse
Hanau and Waldeck joined the other German allies.
Toward the end of 1775, Col. William Faucit, of
the Guards, came to Germany to make the Treaties
for the allied forces. On January 9, 1776, that with
Brunswick was signed, on the 15th that with the
Hessian government, and on the 5th of February
that with Hanau ; that with Waldeck had been made
in London on April 25, 1775. Hesse Cassel agreed
to supply fifteen Regiments, each of five Companies,
four Grenadier Battalions, two Yager Companies,
and some artillery, in all 12,500 men. Brunswick
promised a corps of 4,000 men, four Infantry, one
Dragoon, Regiments, one Grenadier, and one Light
Infantry Battalion. Hesse Hanau promised one In
fantry Regiment and some artillery, in all 900 men ;
Waldeck, one Regiment 750 strong.
The three treaties were printed at Frankfort and

The Treaties. 17
Leipsic in 1776, and in the Parliamentary Transac
tions, Nos. 17 and 18. For each man England
agreed to pay thirty marks hand money, one-third
one month after the execution of the Treaties, the
balance within two months. For every man killed,
wounded or captured, or made unserviceable by
wounds or sickness, a like sum was to be paid, and
like provision was made for those lost in sieges or
by infectious disease or on shipboard, but for desert
ers no compensation was to be made.
To meet the heavy expenses of so quickly equip
ping so large a force, England paid in advance for
two months, besides all the transportation from the
first day's march. The Brunswick Treaty provides
that the subsidy should begin to run from the date
of its execution at the rate of 64,500 German thalers,
as long as the soldiers received pay, and when that
ended, it was to be doubled, and this 129,000 thalers
should be paid for two years after the return home of
the troops. They were to take an oath of service to
the King of England, thus putting them under
double allegiance to their own sovereign and to that
of Great Britain. Their own princes were to supply
equipments and keep up the standard by new re
cruits, and were to maintain their legal control over
their subjects. Food and clothing were to be sup
plied just as to the British army. The forage money
paid to the officers was a handsome addition to their
regular pay. Gen. v. Riedesel, who was of an eco
nomical turn of mind, was said to have saved 15,000

1 8 The Treaties.
thalers from this source on his return to Brunswick.
This was the tenth treaty of the kind that Hesse
had made since the seventeenth century. The King
of England pledged himself, in case of great loss in
any regiment, to equalize its strength as best he could
with the others. With Brunswick and Hesse Cassel
he specially agreed to employ their soldiers only in
the North American Continent, and not in the un
wholesome West Indies. It is not easy to ascertain
the exact amounts paid by England to Germany
under these treaties, for the details were kept secret,
although the public approval by Parliament annually
shows that the following were about the amounts
thus voted, viz..:
Hesse Cassel, eight years, . . . ^"2,959,800.

Brunswick, " . .
Hesse Hanau, " . .
Waldeck, " . .
Ansbach-Bayreuth, seven years,
Anhalt-Zerbst, six years, . .

750,000.343, 130-
140,000.
282,400.109,120.

As these subsidies were to continue for two years
after the close of the war, that would be ^1,150,000.
The bounty for 20,000 men at £6, would be ^120,000.
The Artillery received an additional ^28,000, and the
annual subsistence cost ^70,000. Altogether, with
additional allowances, ^850,000 annually must have
been paid to the German princes for their soldiers,
out of which, of course, they paid the expense of
equipping, keeping their arms, etc.

The Treaties. 19
The Treaty with Hesse Cassel was even better for
that prince than that with Brunswick or Hanau, and
Cassel received yearly ^50,000 more than it ever got
before for the same number of its soldiers.
Baron v. Schlieffen made a special visit to London
on behalf of Cassel — he was an old soldier, had served
in the Seven Years' War in command of Hessian
troops, and was Adjutant of the Duke of Brunswick,
and was as good in using his pen as with his sword ;
his Memoirs have been highly commended by later
historians. When he went to London, the only man
in the English Ministry he knew was Lord George
Germain, who, as Lord Sackville, had been discredited
by his conduct in the Seven Years' War. Schlieffen,
however, gained such a foothold with the Secretary
of State, Lord Suffolk, that he was able to recover for
Cassel ^40,000, an old claim for hospital moneys
spent in the Seven Years' War.
An offer of an additional sum, as compensation
to Cassel for Schlieffen's services in rescuing the
great magazine at Osnabruch, and thus helping to
win the victory at Minden, was refused, but he
secured for himself the honor of maintaining his
independence and personal honesty, and for his
native country a welcome increase of the growing
reserve in its well-stocked treasury.
The later debates in the British Parliament "often
turned on the avarice of the German princes in
thus securing the payment of old claims, in addi
tion to the liberal amounts paid for the subsidies

20 The Treaties.
given by treaty ; but it must be borne in mind that
England was in the position of asking for help, and
the Germans were not offering it, so that of course
the latter were justified in making the best terms
they could.

CHAPTER I

The German Princes, who had promised their help
to the King of England, after the execution of the
Treaties providing for subsidies, completed the mili
tary organizations and prepared them for their long
journey. The Elector of Hesse, Frederic II.,* whose
arsenals were well filled, and whose troops were always
ready, was the most active, and by the end of Febru
ary his Regiments were in Cassel, prepared to start.
As the departure of the troops depended on the
arrival of the transport ships, the time of waiting
was used in exercising the soldiers, in reorganiza
tion, and in preparing the recruits and the men who
had joined after a long leave of absence. In spite
of the weather, the men were drilled daily, often in
deep snow. Every effort was made to adopt the
English system ; the Grenadier companies, which
had been distributed among the Musketeer and
*[Note I. — The Elector Frederic II., then 6fty-six years old, was not unpop
ular in his country, which he had enriched by many benevolent institutions and
by others for art and science. He is unjustly reproached with avarice — a charge
which belongs to his son and successor. As he gave the largest contingent for
the allied army sent across the Atlantic, and derived the greatest pecuniary ben
efit, he drew down on himself the most reproaches, which often exceeded his
deserts. He was better than his reputation. He died soon after the War, in
I785-]

22 The German Allies
Fusilier battalions, were formed in four independent
bodies. A Grenadier Regiment was organized of
men picked from the different infantry regiments,
and as good riflemen were in demand by the English
authorities, the Yager battalions were increased. The
Regiments, according to the English system, were
very weak — each with an average of 633 — and in the
reports, etc., the same force is sometimes described
as a regiment, sometimes as a battalion ; the propor
tion of officers was unusually large.
Each Infantry Regiment had
21 Commissioned Officers,
60 Non-Commissioned Officers,
5 Non-Combatant Officers,
22 Musicians,
525 Men.
Each Grenadier Battalion had
16 Commissioned Officers,
44 Non-Commissioned Officers,
1 Non-Combatant Officer,
20 Musicians,
420 Men.
Each Yager Company had
4 Commissioned Officers,
12 Non-Commissioned Officers,
1 Non-Combatant Officer,
3 Musicians,
105 Men.
Each Artillery Company had
5 Commissioned Officers,

In the American Revolution. 23
14 Non-Commissioned Officers,
1 Non-Combatant Officer,
3 Musicians,
129 Men.
The Hessian Corps, at the outset of the War, had
a strength of 12,054 men, besides staff, engineer,
supply train and servant men. It consisted of
15 Infantry Regiments,
4 Grenadier Battalions,
2 Yager Companies,
2 Field Artillery Companies,
and was organized in two Divisions and four Brigades.
Gen. v. Schlieffen, the Commander-in-Chief, was
very earnest in his entreaties to be assigned the com
mand, but the Elector chose Lt.-Gen. Philipp v. Heis-
ter, an old officer who had served with distinction in
the Seven Years' War.
Owing to want of transportation, only the First
Division, under Gen. v. Heister, was sent forward —
it consisted of the Guard Regiment, the Prince
Charles Regiment, the Hereditary Prince's, Knyp-
hausen's, Lossberg's, Ditfurth's, Donop's, Trum-
bach's, Mirbach's, the Grenadier Battalions of Rail,
Bloch, Minnigerode, and Linsingen, a Yager Com
pany, 138 strong, and a Field Battery, 242 strong.
The Elector inspected the Regiments and reviewed
them as they marched out in the presence of a large
crowd, which cheered them heartily. It was not until
February 29th that they finally left, and Rail's Regi
ment not until March 6th. On the ioth of March

24 The German Allies
the First Division marched through Bremen past
great numbers of spectators. On March 21st and
2 2d, the troops were mustered into the English ser
vice by Col. William Faucit, and on the 23d the
loading of the transports began, lasting until April
15th. The quarters were very crowded, and each
man had a small mattress, a pillow and a woolen
coverlet, and every six a wooden spoon and a tin cup.
The food consisted of peas and bacon on Sundays,
four pounds for six men ; soup, butter and cheese on
Mondays ; four pounds meat, three pounds meal, one-
half pound raisins, one-half pound suet, for pudding.
This was repeated on Wednesdays and the rest of
the week. Every six men received daily four cans of
small beer and a cupful of rum, often increased by
an exchange for bread and cheese.
On the 1 6th, Gen. v. Heister went on board the
Commodore's ship " Elizabeth," and owing to the
lack of transportation, he was obliged to leave Rail's
and Mirbach's regiments, and 154 men of Knyp-
hausen's, behind. On the 17th the fleet set sail —
forty-four vessels under Commodore Parker. On the
26th it reached Portsmouth, where the English troops
already on other vessels, gave them a hearty wel
come. On the 28th divine service was held — in
accordance with the German piety of the time, every
soldier had a prayer book in his knapsack, and men
and officers were in the habit of daily pious exercises.
The English authorities urged the instant depart
ure of the German division, but Heister tried hard

In the American Revolution. 25
to secure delay until all his troops were in hand, but
he was obliged to yield. On May 6th, the fleet,
under Admiral Hotham, consisting of 150 sail, finally
got under way ; the convoy consisted of six men-of-
war and two cruisers. There were 12,500 troops on
board, of which 7,400 were Hessians.
The voyage was long, tedious, stormy and uncom
fortable. There was a duel between Lieut. Klein-
schmidt and Capt. v. d. Lippe, in which the latter fell.
On August 17th, the fleet reached Sandy Hook,
and found there the rest of the German division, just
arrived. Twelve men only were lost on the passage,
but many were sick with scorbutic diseases. The
Germans were heartily welcomed, and gave glowing
descriptions of the harbor of New York and the
adjacent country.
The first order was to remove all silver from the
uniforms, just as the British had already done, to
lessen the risk of the American riflemen, whose un
erring aim was greatly feared.
At the time of the arrival of the German troops,
affairs stood about in this position. On the 18th of
April, 1775, the first blood had been spilled at Lex
ington, followed by armed rising everywhere. In the
North, Gen. Carleton, with a small force, formed the
right wing ; he had resisted an attack on Quebec dur
ing the winter, and was preparing to drive the Amer
icans back. In the South, in Carolina, the left wing
was under Clinton, sent to co-operate with Parker's
fleet, but did nothing effectual there. Howe, who
4

26 The German Allies
had received the general command in place of Gage,
recalled, was in command of the center, and by orders
from England, evacuated Boston, up to that time the
only place on the northern coast held by the British.
He left March 17th, 1776, and sailed to Halifax,
but on receipt of the news of the arrival of fresh
forces from Europe, he left Halifax, on June nth,
and on the 29th reached Sandy Hook. His plan was
to establish himself in or near New York, and to
unite all his forces. He went to Staten Island, with
about 9,000 men, and there waited the return of Clin
ton from the South and the arrival of the force com
ing from England.
The line of operations, stretching from Canada to
South Carolina, was out of all proportion to the
strength at hand, and there was no possibility of any
united plan of action or mutual support. The two
commanders were brothers. Richard, Lord Howe, the
admiral and viscount, the elder, was active, energetic
and able, and had gained credit and experience in his
service ; he looked with undisguised contempt on the
rebels now in arms. Sir William Howe had fought
with credit in the old French War, and was one of the
ablest and most experienced general officers in the
British army ; he was very unlike his brother in
manner — much gentler and kinder — but was not as
energetic and active ; indeed, showed a carelessness
and negligence, even in weighty matters, that were
inexcusable. The elder brother was sober and self-contained ; the

In the American Revolution. 27
younger social and pleasure-loving — forgetting his
military duty in the excesses of the table and other
dissipation. He had his mistress at his side and his
table was open to all. He encouraged others to the
same sort of life, and was easily influenced by his
boon companions. These qualities made him popu
lar — were looked on as chivalric — and even a Hes
sian officer said that Gen. Howe was worth more than
an army.
The British government thought that the two
brothers would work in perfect harmony, and took
credit for their selection.
Gen. Howe, on the arrival of his new forces, set on
foot his plan for driving the enemy from Long Island
and New York. The Hessians were assigned their
part. The Brigade of v. Stirn was ordered to relieve
the Thirty-fifth and part of the Fifth English regi
ments, and take position well forward on the shores
of Staaten Island, separated from the enemy's advance
posts by a narrow strip of water. The Brigade was
posted along the shore in small detachments, the
Guard Regiment at Amboy Ferry ; the camp was
placed in two lines, but it had to be moved to the
rear, to escape the American riflemen, and the Artil
lery under Lieut. Grenke threw a few shot into Am
boy to quiet the enemy.
The width of the water was a little over three hun
dred paces, and the Americans gathered on their side
to watch the German soldiers, who were now for the
first time in sight. One of the Hessians said that

28 The German Allies
few of the rebels were in uniform ; most of them
looked like a mob, hastily gathered together.
The arrival of the German allies had spread no
little alarm among the Americans. The Germans
were greatly feared, and many of the inhabitants
had abandoned their homes, flying to New York and
leaving in their houses many articles of value. The
soldiers were quartered in these houses and were very
coolly received. Orders were given to behave with
great propriety, for the hope of reconciliation was
still cherished. When the inhabitants found that
they were kindly treated, the soldiers were well
treated and many sick- and wounded were well cared
for. The general comfort and prosperity of the
country, little the worse for the war that had been
waged, was a constant subject of praise among the
German troops.
Gen. Howe, with 35,000 soldiers, well in hand,
out of a total force of 55,000 soldiers, including
16,968 Germans, and 28,000 sailors, decided to
drive the enemy from Long Island, where they
were entrenched at Brooklyn. Separated by the
Narrows from Staaten Island, a mile's width, well
occupied by the English Fleet, and from New York
by the East River, of about the same width, the
Brooklyn Heights commanded three roads — that on
the left to Bedford, that in the center to Flatbush,
that on the right to Gowan's Bay. The Heights
were strongly held by Washington's best troops,
under Gen. Greene, one of his best generals.

In the American Revolution. 29
On the 2 ist August, the Hessian Grenadiers were
transhipped, and brigaded with the Yagers, under
Gen. Donop, as an advance. The Americans aban
doned the shore, after setting fire to some barns.
Lord Cornwallis was detached with the reserve and
the advance under Donop and six guns to Flatbush,
with orders not to attack if that place was held firmly.
Cornwallis took position at Gravesend and sent Do
nop forward, and as he moved up, the 300 Riflemen
withdrew, followed by a few cannon balls.
On the 23d, in the morning, the right wing of the
advance was attacked, but when a battery was brought
up, the Americans fell back. Another attack was
attempted in the afternoon, some of the soldiers
pushing into the village and setting fire to some
houses ; but a battery soon drove them back. On
the 25th, a strong force, with guns, renewed the
attack, but were again repulsed by the Artillery.
The Hessian Yagers had a little rest on the 24th
and 25th, but were again attacked on the morning of
the next day — and after resisting it, when Cornwallis
wanted to withdraw them, Donop begged to be allowed
to stay and to entrench his position.
On the 25th August, Gen. v. Heister and his Hes
sians were moved from Staaten to Long Island. Only
Lossberg's Brigade, consisting of the Guard Regi
ment, that of Prince Charles, Ditfurth's and Trum-
bach's, with the Fourteenth British Regiment, and
the convalescents and recruits, remained.
Gen. v. Stirn was assigned the First Brigade — the

30 The German Allies
Hereditary Prince's, Donop's and Mirbach's Regi
ments. The troops had moved forward on the middle
road to Flatbush, Cornwallis took his position on the
right wing, and the line extended from the Narrows
to Utrecht and Gravesend.
The Americans held the Heights strongly, their
right flank stretching from Brooklyn to the mouth
of the Hudson, in front Gowan's Bay, with the left
flank on Wallabout Bay.
On the 26th, Heister detached Col. v. Heeringen,
with 306 men and a battery, as an advanced post for
the left wing ; the American riflemen made an attack,
but were driven back by the artillery. In the even
ing, Clinton led his troops on the road to Bedford, to
seize a pass which he thought strongly held. He
learned by his own advance — from a captured Amer
ican picket — that the road was clear, and sent a bat
talion of light infantry to hold it. Behind him was
the main body of the British force, under Lord Percy;
the Second, Third and Fourth Brigades, the Forty-
second Regiment, and sixteen batteries, and Gen.
Howe himself.
At dawn the troops moved forward, to turn the
American left. A small body of American militia
abandoned the heights, to avoid being cut off, and it
was with difficulty that the British force was pre
vented from attacking the entrenchments, and with
drawn to a hollow under the American works. Heis
ter, with the center, engaged the enemy on the Flat
bush road, so as to make a demonstration, while the

In the American Revolution. 31
main attack on the American left was being made.
Donop asked and received permission to lead his
Yagers and Grenadiers in the first assault on the
Heights at Guiana. Heister, at the first report of
guns on his right, moved forward. The Grenadiers
were placed in three sections, well forward, with the
Yager company of Wreden in advanee. Mirbach's
brigade had to cover the left flank.
The troops moved up the Heights in good order,
flags flying, bands playing, the men pulling the guns
through the woods. When the troops reached the
Heights, in spite of a fire that did little harm, they
were put in position. The Americans were driven
out, while the German soldiers pursued them. Col.
v. Heeringen . reported that the enemy had strong
defences of all kinds, but their riflemen took a quar
ter of an hour to load, and the Germans overwhelmed
them by rapid firing and drove them with the bayo
net. The Yagers of the left wing pushed into the
American camp and captured the Americans in bands
of 50 and 60 men. Col. Hand was in command, but
Gen. Sullivan hurried forward, only in time to be
struck by the British Dragoons, followed by Clinton's
Light Infantry of the right wing.
The Americans were cut off and under fire on both
flanks, but fought obstinately, at great disadvantage
and with heavy loss. It was believed by them that
the Hessians gave no quarter, while the Hessians,
angered at the useless resistance, after firing only
once, used the bayonet, drove the enemy into the

32 The German Allies
woods and swamp, and only a few were able to get
through to their own lines.
Mirbach's Brigade, on the left, took part in the
action. Rail's Regiment wheeled from the center,
through a narrow road, only to be attacked by a little
body of 50 Americans ; their flag was captured and,
throwing down their arms, they surrendered ; a sub
altern seized the flag and was about to hand it to Col.
Rail, when Gen. v. Mirbach came up and seized it.
Rail cried out, " My Grenadiers took it and they shall
have it," and after a sharp exchange of words, it was
left with the Regiment, and on a report at head-quar
ters, Rail was made Brigade Inspector.
On the left, Gen. Grant was directed not to make a
serious attack, but to engage the American forces.
He had the Fourth and Sixth Brigades, the Forty-
second Regiment, two companies of New York Pro
vincials, and ten guns. He seized the outposts at
midnight, and when he heard the heavy fire on his
right, made an attack in earnest, driving Lord Stir
ling, the American commander, between two fires —
that of Cornwallis on his left, moving forward with
the reserves, and cutting off the retreat to Gowan's
Bay — so that Stirling, surrounded on all sides, was
forced to surrender ; giving his sword to Gen. v. Heis
ter, to avoid the British commanders.
Admiral Parker, under orders from Howe to attack
the American shore batteries, with six men-of-war,
succeeded, in spite of wind and tide, in bringing one
ship within range.

In the American Revolution. 33
Howe reports the American loss at 3,500 killed,
wounded and captured, and among the last, three
Generals — Stirling, Sullivan and Udell, or Wood-
hull ; three Colonels, four Lieutenant-Colonels, three
Majors, eighteen Captains, forty-three Lieutenants,
one Adjutant, eleven Ensigns, and 1,011 men, besides
fifteen guns — of which the Hessians took seven — and
ten found in the works ; the Hessians alone took one
flag and five guns and 520 prisoners, among them
Gen. Sullivan and 35 officers. Sullivan was captured
by three Fusileers, in a field of corn, trying to escape
by hiding there.
Heeringen said : " Sullivan is a lawyer, who has
served in a very humble capacity, but he is a man of
genius. Among the so-called Colonels and other
officers, many were tailors, shoemakers, barbers and
base mechanics. My men would not let them pass
as officers. On searching Sullivan, I found Wash
ington's orders, showing that there were 8,000 of his
best troops there, ordered to hold the Heights at all
hazards. " The British loss of 150 killed and wounded was
due rather to their disorderly attack than to the
bravery of the enemy. I have not found one of the
captured officers who ever served abroad. They are
mere rebels. Lord Stirling is no lord at all, although
the perfect counterpart of Lord Granby. Gen. Put
nam is a butcher.
"The rebels desert in great numbers — Colonel,
Lieutenant-Colonel and Major leaving, with all their
5

34 The German Allies
men. The captured standard was brought by 60
men, who begged for their lives. Hardly one regi
ment was uniformed or armed — every man has his
own fowling-piece. Stirling's Regiment was in blue,
with red facings, and consisted of three battalions,
mostly Pennsylvania Germans. They were fine, tall
fellows, with good English guns and bayonets. This
regiment met an English regiment, but the latter,
taking them for Hessians, did not fire, and this cost
the life of Col. Grant, some of his officers, and 80
men. The English then completely destroyed the
American Regiment. The Artillery consists of
wretched iron guns, badly served, and mounted on
ship's carriages."
The Hessians lost Capt. v. Donop, Major Pauly,
and a Lieutenant, with 23 men. The Germans com
plained that, as no horses were brought over, the
field and staff officers were at a disadvantage, and
were obliged to carry guns to protect themselves from
the American riflemen. The. men had to give up
their heavy uniforms, and soon learned to adjust
themselves to the trying hot weather.
The English forces engaged numbered about
15,000, the other half being left on ship-board and
on Staaten Island, while the Americans had 8,000
men in their works, under Sullivan, and 5,000 in the
lines around Brooklyn.
Greene was to have • commanded, but owing to his
sickness Sullivan succeeded him, knowing little or
nothing of the plan and ignorant of the necessity of

In the American Revolution. 35
holding the pass at Bedford, or of the condition of
the works on the Heights.
Here, for the first time, the European and the Amer
ican tactics were sharply contested. The American
lines were too long, not properly supported, and cov
ered by heavy detachments of sharpshooters, to no
great advantage in the end.
The British and Hessian troops developed their
strength in heavy columns and drove the thin lines
back with the bayonet. When the left wing of the
rebels was driven from the Heights, it broke in the
swampy ground below, and was turned by Clinton
with great disorder.
Hessian blood was here first spilled on American
soil. The Germans learned that they had met a new
method of fighting, quite unlike the old prescribed
fashion in vogue in Europe. The Americans cried
out against the bloody pursuit of the Hessians and
their refusal to accept a surrender. The dread of the
Germans grew from a belief that they would give no
quarter. It was reported that over two thousand reb
els had been slaughtered in cold blood. The Hessians
retorted that a hostile band, after surrender, had fired
on their captors, and by this violation of German
usage had brought on their own heads an angry
return. Col. v. Heeringen, in his report to Col. v. Lossberg,
said : " The English gave little quarter to the enemy
and encouraged our men to do the same thing." He
complained that Col. John (?) with a Pennsylvania

36 The German Allies
regiment, cut off from the main body, fired on the
Hessian Grenadiers when resistance was hopeless.
The fact that Rail's Regiment captured a body of
the enemy and did them no harm, showed rather the
fear the rebels felt, while the Germans expressed the
greatest contempt for an enemy which had shown, in
this first conflict, so little genius for war.
Lieut. Riiffer, in his diary, says many of the rebels
refused to surrender when it was offered them, for
their officers had told them that they would be
hanged. The captured rebels were employed in dragging
guns to the ships, but this was rather from want of
horses, than as a mark of contempt. Howe treated
the captured officers with great politeness, and Stir
ling and Sullivan were his daily guests at his table.
The Americans anxiously waited for daybreak,
fearing an attack on their lines, which, with their
reduced force and the shattered confidence of their
men, they could not hope to resist. Howe opened a
cannonade on the morning of August 27th and began
to fortify his camp, but the rain interfered. He had
neglected to put men-of-war in the East River, to cut
off the retreat of the Americans. When at last, on
the 29th, he ordered this to be done, a thick fog cov
ered land and water, and the retreat, ordered by
Washington, after a Council of War, was success
fully effected, and on the morning of the 30th
Donop's and Lossberg's Regiments occupied the
abandoned lines.

In the American Revolution. 37
Heeringen had, on the night between the 29th
and 30th, through Lieut. Zoll, reported to Howe the
retreat, and the two Howes, the General and the
Admiral, came to his quarters to decide what next to
do. Men-of-war were ordered to the other side of
Manhattan Island, and lay so near New York that
the people in the streets could be seen and even the
color of their clothing distinguished.
Eleven guns, much ammunition and food were
found; the Hessians seized over a hundred horses
and three hundred head of cattle. They found, too,
an order stating that against such an enemy as the
Hessians, resistance was impossible, and nothing
was left but retreat.
The English regretted not having accepted Heis-
ter's offer to attack the American lines on the 27th,
when he reported an opening on the left of their
fortified camp.
Gen. v. Heister, with two Hessian brigades, occu
pied the abandoned Heights of Brooklyn, and Donop,
with the Grenadiers and Yagers, seized Bushwick.
Howe moved his head-quarters to Newtown, while
Hellgate and Flushing were occupied. The English
made every arrangement to secure New York, and
the Americans were loath to yield it. So near were
the lines that one day, when Washington was
inspecting his outposts, a Hessian Captain of Artil
lery opened fire, and with the third shot, the little
band soon disappeared.
Howe erected batteries in the rear, and put the

38 The German Allies
men-of-war in front of New York, and on the evening
of September 13th, five large English men-of-war
moved past the forts, under fire from the batteries,
to the point chosen for a landing. Commodore
Hotham brought flat-boats and gallies to the same
place, and six transports brought troops, under a
heavy fire. To distract attention, on the morning of
the 15th, three frigates and a schooner went up the
Hudson as far as Bloomingdale, drawing the fire of
all the guns within range. Under the fire of five
men-of-war and of the English and American bat
teries, the first division was landed, including the
Hessian Grenadiers and Yagers, in the reserve, led
by Donop.
The point selected was at Kip's Bay, although
preparation had been made at Stuyvesant's Cove and
Harlem ; so that there was little resistance, and the
Americans hurriedly retreated to Kingsbridge, aban
doning bag and baggage in their flight.
The Hessians pushed on to New York. Donop
went with the advance into a wood where the Ameri
can sharpshooters were posted ; as these fell back,
five were taken. Donop wanted to drive the enemy,
but Howe ordered him to occupy the high ground on
his right, just when Col. von Block discovered the
enemy on his left. Not to have his left turned, he
kept his position and advised Col. v. Minnigerode of
it. When Donop received this report, he left von
Block's battalion and moved with the rest of his force
to the right, on the road from Kingsbridge to New

In the American Revolution. 39
York, to seize the high ground. Although fortified,
he found the position abandoned, and the force that
had left it was in the ditches in front of the wood.
When they found themselves cut off, they offered to
surrender, but just then Block's battalion opened
fire on them from the other side, and as it was
returned, the rebels escaped, leaving only one
Colonel, six other officers and 50 men as prisoners,
while the Grenadier battalion lost two killed and six
teen wounded. About 3 p. m., Donop was relieved
by British troops, and after moving forward four
miles, bivouacked. The Americans had made so
little resistance that Washington was enraged by his
vain efforts to rally them.
The second division, under Grant, with Mirbach's
brigade, landed at Turtle Bay, and drove the enemy,
who made one stand, through Gowan's Pass to Morris's
Heights. Washington at once gave orders to evacu
ate the city.
On the 15th of September, the invading force was
posted, with its right on Horen's Hook, on the East
River, its left at Bloomingdale, on the Hudson, where
Donop was drawn up.
The Americans held the heights on both sides of
Kingsbridge, and on the west side of the Hudson.
New York was in the rear of the British-German
army, and horses were obtained on requisition, espe
cially for the Hessian officers.
The Americans lost 20 officers, 300 men and 74
guns, with ammunition and many supplies. On the

4° The German Allies
retreat, a company of Hessian Yagers led the pur
suit, capturing a battery of five guns, and taking
post at John's House.
On the 15th, Admiral Lord Howe received a depu
tation of three Congressmen — Franklin and Adams
were of the number — at the Hessian Camp at Amboy
Ferry, and Col. von Wurmb gave his quarters for
the meeting.
Howe was reproached for allowing Putnam to
escape, and for not capturing the city and Washing
ton's army at one blow.
On the 1 6th of September there was a sharp fight,
the Americans sending a strong detachment from
their lines to attack the British left, and then falling
back, in order to draw the enemy into the woods,
where a reserve of 3,000 men was posted, to attack.
Col. v. Donop, with the Yagers and v. Linsingen's
Grenadier battalion, pushed forward, sending Block's
and Minnigerode's battalions around to seize the road
to Kingsbridge.
The Americans fell back, before the advancing
Germans, who lost eight men wounded, among them
Lieut. Hinrichs ; and Donop pitched his camp at
Bloomingdale. Col. Donop, in his report to Gen. Heister, said that
his two regiments had saved Gen. Leslie from the
results of a serious blunder in pushing his men into
the woods, without any support. Captains Wreden
and Lorey were particularly distinguished.
The enemy lost 300, the English 14 dead and 78

In the American Revolution. 41
wounded. Lieut. Hinrichs wrote many descriptions
of the scenes he witnessed, and these were published
in the principal German newspapers.
Stirn's brigade, consisting of the Knyphausen,
Lossberg and Rail regiments, remained on Long
Island, under command of Col. v. Heeringen, a brave
old officer, who died and was buried in a Brooklyn
church-yard. The troops left on Staaten Island suffered for want
of supplies, and were in daily fear of an attack,
reported to them by loyalists and deserters. Fre
quent efforts were made by the rebels to land, and
although successfully resisted by constant vigilance,
the inhabitants were continually sending news to
the rebels, while living under the protection of the
Hessians. Congress issued^ proclamations making
tempting offers to officers and soldiers to abandon the
British flag and become American land-owners and
citizens, but these met with little response.
On the 17th September, the Hessians had a sharp
contest with the Americans at Amboy Ferry. A two-
masted American vessel was driven from its anchor
age and went ashore ; the Americans tried to get it
off with boats, but Col. v. Wurmb brought up his
guns and opened fire, driving the Americans off, and
the vessel was taken by the Hessians.
The Americans brought down some twelve-pound
ers to the shore, but they Were soon silenced by the
Hessian artillery. Howe thanked them in general
orders. 6

42 The German Allies
On the 20th and 21st, the inhabitants of New
York and the garrison were alarmed by the outbreak
of fire in wooden houses in different parts of the
town, and a third of the houses were burned before
the troops could put out the fire. Disorderly mobs
had started the fires, and their preparations were
found in various places, while the crowd hooted the
soldiers as they worked to put out the flames, and
cheered as the tower of St. Paul's fell into the burn
ing church. The mob charged the sailors of the fleet
with having started the conflagration. Donop says,
in his diary, that it was planned by Col. Scott, of the
American forces, once a lawyer, who had forty des
perate men employed in putting incendiary material
in the houses of fugitive royalists, and that the whole
plan was found when Scott was arrested.
As soon as Gen. Howe was established in New
York, he authorized the publication of The Royal
American Gazette.
On the 14th October, orders were issued to the
troops to be ready to move, and the next day, at 5 A.
M., Lossberg's brigade, the Guards, Prince Charles'
and Ditfurth's regiments, left Staaten Island, to join
the rest of the army. In the evening, the advance,
under Donop, went on board the transports ; v. Trum-
bach's regiment was left on the island, with orders
to join an English detachment of 200 men posted at
Fort Dalrymple. Captain Parker had command of
the four vessels on which the troops were embarked,
and was kept by head winds at anchor off Bushwick.

In the American Revolution. 43
The officers were warmly welcomed at the houses of
the loyalists living in the neighborhood. The ves
sels moved up to the northern end of the island, and
were so near the shore that Capt. Parker ordered the
officers to keep the curtains drawn before the cabin
windows, lest the Americans should fire on them.
The hostile camp was in plain sight. Two frigates
guarded the fleet ; the other vessels were protected
by pickets, and all were kept ready.
The secret of the object of the expedition was at
first kept even from the officers, but finally it was
found out — to leave two British brigades and Stirn's
Hessians in the garrison at New York, and the lines
before Harlem, under Lord Percy, while the rest of
the army was to be landed in Westchester county, to
cut the Americans off from Connecticut — their only
line of retreat and source of supplies — or oblige them
to abandon their strong position.
On the 15th October, at 6 A. m., the vessels sailed
on, passing undisturbed by fire from the American
lines, although they were so near that the officers
could be distinctly seen on both sides. After touch
ing at Frog's Neck, and finding that the Americans
had cut the only bridge leading to the main land, the
troops from Staaten Island, including Mirbach's brig
ade, the Hessian Grenadiers and Yagers, were brought
in boats, a landing was made at Pell's Neck, under
cover of the men-of-war and gunboats, engaged with
the Americans ; Stirn's brigade was brought up and
the Americans retreated, the British taking up their

44 The German Allies
position with the left on East Chester and the right
on New Rochelle.
The Americans lost one lieutenant-colonel killed,
a major wounded, and 50 dead and wounded. Tents
and baggage being left on the vessels, the troops
were obliged to camp in the open air on a sharp
autumn night.
On the morning of October 19th, the Guard regi
ment was posted on a hill near New Rochelle, on the
high road from New York to Boston, and the line of
retreat to Connecticut and Boston was cut off by the
British army. Washington, fearful that his forces
would be entirely surrounded, led them off the island,
leaving only a garrison at Fort Washington, and took
up a new position, with his right on Valentine's Hill,
his left on White Plains, his front on Bronx River.
His long line forced him to divide his army into four
corps, connected by outposts and patrols.
On the morning of the 20th, the English light
infantry, the Hessian Yagers, Rail's brigade and the
English Grenadiers moved forward and drove a small
American force back into their entrenchments.
On the 2 ist, Capt. v. Malsburg, of Ditfurth's regi
ment, was ordered to guard head-quarters. Gen. v.
Heister, with his two Hessian brigades and one Eng
lish, took up a position vacated by advancing the
right wing to White Plains. The Rangers, a body
of loyal Americans, under Lieut.-Col. Rogers, seized
Mamaroneck, on the right, and successfully resisted
an attack of the American forces, losing 17 killed

In the American Revolution. 45
and wounded, 36 prisoners and one flag, but inflict
ing much heavier loss on the rebels.
On the 2 2d, fresh forces were brought up, the Sec
ond Hessian Division under Knyphausen, and the
Waldeck regiment, just arrived, after leaving Cassel
early in May, and reaching New York October 18th.
They included Wutgenan's, Mirbach's, Rail's Gren
adier, Stein's, Wissenbach's, Huyne's and Bunau's
regiments, the Fourth Grenadier battalion, and the
Second Yager company, under an able officer, Capt.
Ewald. Among the English reinforcements were
the Sixteenth Light Dragoons, but so badly were the
cavalry organized that Washington offered a reward
of $200 for every dragoon captured with his horse.

CHAPTER II

The British government had not transports enough
to carry all its forces, native and foreign, across at
once, and this had to be done piecemeal, and for this*
purpose Dutch and other ships were hastily hired at
high rates, but in very bad condition. The second
fleet of transports carried to America, Hessian and
Waldeck troops. Little Waldeck had a prince with
love and experience of war — he had served in Austria
and was a lieutenant-general in the Dutch army, and
had three regiments ready to serve for pay on any
foreign service. His third regiment was soon ready,
and inspected by the prince and his court ; his mother
gave the soldiers a handsome present for a farewell
entertainment, but the native workmen had a sharp
fight with the soldiers and the recruiting officers.
The regiment marched away on the 20th of March,
1776, and the last farewell was a promise that all
who returned should be taken to their homes in car
riages. It consisted of a Grenadier company, 134
strong, and four musketry companies, each 130 strong,
two three-pound guns and 14 artillerymen, and with
a staff of 16, counted in all 684 strong.
The Colonel was v. Hanxleden, the Adjutant Lieu-

48 The German Allies
tenant Stierlein, the Captains Hacken, von Horn
Alberti, Pentzel. On its march, it was escorted by
the Waldeck sharpshooters, in their green uniforms,
to prevent desertion and keep order, but some of the
old soldiers took offense at this precaution and suc
ceeded in evading it. After a tedious march to Bre
men, the men went on board the transports, which
finally set sail on June 3d, and on the 20th were in
Portsmouth, where the Brunswick, Hesse Hanau and
Hessian divisions were all gathered.
The Waldeckers received from their prince each a
hymn book, in addition to the prayer book given him
as part of his regular outfit.
It was not until July 20th that the fleet of 64 sail
finally started from Portsmouth, where the vessels
had been forced to wait for a favorable wind. A fire
on one of the ships was the principal incident of the
voyage, but fortunately there was no loss of life and
no serious harm done.
On the 1 8th October, the fleet reached New York,
and on the 24th the troops joined the force under
Gen. v. Heister, at New Rochelle. On the 25th
Howe ordered a reconnoisance, and Captain Ewald
here gave the first proof of his efficiency and received
Howe's praise, with a caution not to be so rash and
venturesome, for his daring advance caused a sharp
loss. Washington was reported to be falling back,
and Howe, anxious to force a battle, sent, on the 25th,
two columns, leaving Knyphausen to protect the rear
and keep open communication with the garrison in

In the American Revolution. 49
New York. The Hessians, under Heister, were the
left column, while the Hessian Grenadiers and Yagers
were in the right, under Clinton.
A sharp attack was handsomely repelled by Knyp-
hausen's division. Rail's regiment had a skirmish
and drove back the Americans, and a Hessian Gren
adier captured by them was taken to Washington,
who, according to Capt. v. Malsburg's diary, urged
him to join them, and when the man refused, gave him
a guinea and sent him back to rejoin his regiment.
Washington took up a strong position, and Howe
sent Donop in advance, while Rail was on the left,
and had the lines of the enemy felt, in the effort to
turn them.
The two armies faced each other ; Rail and Donop
moved their troops and made great fires, and in vari
ous ways tried to exaggerate their apparent strength,
on the night before the battle of White Plains.
The Hessians and the Waldeckers lost heavily in
the operations between October 9th and 28th — 13
killed, 63 wounded and 23 missing. The Hessian
artillery was especially commended, and Lossberg's
regiment lost in the action 50 in killed and wounded.
At the most trying time, two of its officers especially
distinguished themselves, and Baumeister, Heister's
adjutant, mentioned them, as well as others, as par
ticularly notable for their bravery.
Both armies strengthened their lines, and Howe
made frequent plans for attack, but one after the
other was given up. Tired of the long delay, the
7

5° The German Allies
soldiers often committed excesses, and the Waldeck
regiment was especially embittered by the loss of
some wine and spirits belonging to the American
General Lee, captured by them, but, by Howe's order,
emptied on the roadside ; this, at a time when the cold
weather was very trying, naturally made the men
angry. Warned by a deserter, Washington withdrew still
further northward into the mountains, leaving many
houses of the royalists in ashes, to mark his line of
retreat. Donop, supported by Rail and Stirn, was
ordered to seize the American works, but was forced
back until the evacuation was completed. The Hes
sian officers praised the skill shown in the abandoned
defenses, and were surprised that they were so easily
given up.
Howe determined to take Forts Washington and
Lee, on the Hudson, and Knyphausen was sent in
the advance in that direction. Much adverse criti
cism was expressed by the Germans as to Howe's
want of ability in this operation, and still more that
he had given up his plan of advance to Albany.
Howe made the Hessian Captain v. Munchhausen
his adjutant, as a mark of respect for the Germans.
Ditfurth's regiment had the honor of drawing the
first fire from the guns of Fort Washington. The
Waldeckers took possession of Fort Independence,
abandoned by the Americans in their retreat, with its
12 heavy guns, and 62 guns were left in other works.
In Fort Washington there was a garrison of 3,000

In the American Revolution. 51
men, under Col. Magraw, who rejected Howe's sum
mons to surrender. Howe ordered an attack in four
columns ; Knyphausen, on the left of the Americans,
having the hardest task, while the frigate Pearl was
to support him with its fire.
Knyphausen, on November 17th, issued his orders
for the attack ; the Yagers and 40 Grenadiers, under
Captain Bornin, to lead, followed by 160 men under
Col. v. Borbeck, and then the Grenadier battalion of
Kohler, and those of Wutgenan, Lossberg, Rail,
Knyphausen, Huyne, Biinau and Waldeck. Prepar
ations for assault were ordered in great detail. In
the morning, at half-past five, Knyphausen advanced,
his right under Rail, his left under Schmidt, Donop
in the advance of the former, v. Medern of the latter.
At seven o'clock the firing began, and the advance
was well on its way, when Howe ordered Knyphau
sen to wait the movement of his other wing. At 1 1
A. m., the order to attack was finally carried into oper
ation, and the outworks were gallantly seized, while
the Americans were crowded into the fort itself.
Captain v. Hohenstein, who spoke both English
and French, was sent by Rail to summon the fort to
surrender, and at once moved forward with a white
flag, presented his terms, and gave half an hour for
their acceptance, and at the end of that time, Knyp
hausen received the flags, and the garrison, 2,870
strong, 44 guns, and large supplies of all kinds, were
the result.
When Captain v. Malsburg was looking around,

52 The German Allies
after taking possession of the works, he was welcomed
by a rebel soldier, who claimed acquaintance in Ger
many, and pointed out a number of Germans serving
in the American army. The four regiments surrend
ered to the regiments of Rail and Lossberg. The
Hessians lost, in the attack, more heavily than any
other of the English troops — killed 53, wounded 273
— while the total American loss was 53 killed and 15
wounded. Knyphausen was congratulated by Howe and Heis
ter, and Fort Washington became Fort Knyphausen,
as a special compliment to its captor. The Hessians
themselves were not at all satisfied with Howe's
delays, which cost them a large part of their loss.
The wounded were sent to Harlem, where Captain
v. Griesheim was in command ; the Hessian brigade
of Schmidt garrisoned Fort Washington, and the
Waldeck regiment Fort Independence.
With the fall of Fort Washington, Fort Lee became
useless, as alone it could no longer bar the passage of
the Hudson. Washington had already given orders
to evacuate it, when, on the 20th, he received news
that the allied forces had made a landing two miles
up the river — Donop led the three battalions of Hes
sian Grenadiers and the Yagers. Cornwallis com
manded the force and handled it so skilfully that it
made good its hold on the Jersey shore, seizing the
road from Bergen Point to Orange, before the rebels
had any guess at their plan. The two Yager compa
nies were in the advance, one on the left, the other, on

In the American Revolution. 53
the right, led by Captain Ewald, who found the rebels
retreating from the fort; instantly notifying Corn
wallis, he was greatly surprised on receiving orders
to fall back, and while Cornwallis waited to order the
advance in force towards the fort, the rebels completed
their retreat, and not a man was left to be taken with
the fort.
The Americans saved only two guns, leaving even
their tents, and their kettles hanging on the fire ; 32
guns, 7 mortars, 400,000 rounds of ammunition, 432
tents, and provisions for 5,000 men for three months,
were all left, along with 73 sick, out of a garrison of
2,000 men.
Cornwallis pursued the Americans through Eliza
beth to Brunswick, Donop often under fire, as he led
the advance, or covered the flanks. Rail's brigade,
consisting of his own regiment, Knyphausen's and
Lossberg's, started under orders to go to the Dela
ware, and on the way were heartily welcomed by the
inhabitants, mostly Holland settlers and good loyal
ists. The Hessian Grenadiers and Yagers were in
the right column, which Cornwallis led to Princeton.
Howe was with Donop, in the advance. Rail's brig
ade left Lossberg's regiment at Brunswick, to be
relieved by the Waldeck regiment. The advance
suffered from the fire of the American sharpshooters.
Howe, on arriving at Trenton, was urged by some
of its loyalist citizens to hurry up his troops and cap
ture the retreating Americans before they could cross
the Delaware, but Howe went with the Yagers to

54 The German Allies
reconnoiter the open ground, and soon drew the fire
from 37 guns, mounted on the other shore, losing 13
men. Miinchhausen especially commends Howe's
coolness under this heavy fire, and his own good for
tune in receiving, in place of an old horse, disabled
as he rode by Howe's side, a fine English horse,
which Howe gave him.
Miinchhausen made vain efforts to find a passage
for the troops, for while Washington held the front,
Lee threatened the rear and captured 700 head of cat
tle and 1,000 sheep.
On the nth, Donop, with his Grenadiers and
Yagers, was sent on the left bank of the Delaware,
to go as far as Philadelphia, collecting boats, but
without result, while his movement was sharply
watched by the Americans, who had sent 13 gallies,
with 36-pounders, up the river, which was completely
commanded on both shores. Rail's brigade had a
rough march from Brunswick to Princeton, bivouack
ing in the snow, without shelter, and the regiments
were ordered to find winter quarters in Trenton,
while Donop went to Bordentown and Burlington.
Miinchhausen declares that the Germans were
anxious to cross the Delaware and capture Philadel
phia. Howe, however, had gone to New York and
formed his lines, with the left on the Hudson and
the right on the East river, about a mile in front of
the city. The mob had again set fire to many of the
best houses and churches, while the garrison was
quartered in other churches, and in Fort St. George

In the American Revolution. 55
and in wooden barracks. The party feeling ran high
in the city ; its civil government was in loyal hands,
and the Germans found evidences of luxury and hos
pitality in the well-furnished houses on Queen street
and Water street, where the rich merchants then
lived ; but their hope of being quartered there was
disappointed by Howe's orders to them to move in
another direction. Many of the churches were used
as prisons for the captured rebels. The city was
divided into seven sections, and a mayor, with seven
councillors and seven aldermen — loyalists, of course
— had charge of the civil government. Many of the
citizens were supplied with arms and employed as
militia, to guard the city.

CHAPTER III.

While Gen. Cornwallis was driving the enemy
before him through New Jersey, Howe suddenly
ordered him to halt. Instead of pursuing his advant
age, he decided to go in the other direction, and an
important part of his force was sent to Rhode Island,
where for three years it was practically useless. The
harbor of Newport had some value, but it could have
been taken just as well after Cornwallis had com
pleted his successful campaign.
In the expedition to Rhode Island, the Hessians
were about one-half the force — including Huyne's
brigade, the Guard regiment and a part of Lossberg's.
Sixty transport vessels, mostly supplied by the East
India Company, were divided in three portions, each
convoyed by three men-of-war. They left New York
November 27th, and on the 7th December anchored
off Prudence Island. No vessels were in Newport
harbor, but the red flag flying from all the defenses
gave notice of an obstinate resistance.
On landing, the troops were surprised to learn that
the Americans had gone, the night before, to Bristol
and Providence, carefully carrying off 30 guns, and
leaving only a few cattle, captured by Prescot. The
8

58 The German Allies
Prince Charles and Ditfurth regiments occupied the
town just in time to prevent its being set on fire.
Two Yager companies were organized in each of the
Hessian regiments, to serve as light infantry.
Newport then had 1,100 houses, and in those of the
rich and well-to-do families, there was great luxury.
Soldiers were quartered in the houses of those who
had gone away, and few of those who stayed behind
gave the soldiers a very hearty reception. The great
want was wood, and the Hessian soldiers were sent
to Shelter Island to secure a supply. There the fear
of the Hessians was found to be exaggerated, but
the negroes and Indians were soon reconciled to the
soldiers. Six Hessian regiments were sent to join Cornwal
lis, and the Lossberg regiment was left in Newport.
Huyne's brigade was sent out on the island, and on
January 22d drove off a landing party of Americans,
and with its battery nearly sunk the galley which
brought them over. Another attempt, on March
15th, was equally ineffectual.
On April 2d, Lord Percy gave up the command
and returned to England. A Hessian officer wrote
home that he was an active soldier and a great friend
of the poor and distressed, but that his hope of recon
ciling the rebel colonies to the mother country had
been rudely disappointed.
The spring clothed the island with a beauty of veg
etation that charmed the German soldiers, who appre
ciated the kindly welcome of the Quakers and Bap-

In the American Revolution. 59
tists, and of the women of all sects. The Guard
regiment was sent off on May 6th, and one of its
officers said that almost all the women shed tears,
good rebels as they were. This was part of the rein
forcements sent to New jersey, to help atone for the
wretched close of the campaign, in the surprise and
defeat of the Hessian regiments at Trenton, through
the unpardonable neglect of their commander. It
was not only the only disaster of the kind during the
whole war, but another complexion would have been
given to the struggle if this unfortunate affair had
not strengthened the rebels and disheartened the
loyalists. When Lord Cornwallis was in New Brunswick,
Gen. Howe, turning the command in New York over
to Gen. Heister, came to Cornwallis' head-quarters
and ordered him to push his force to the Delaware.
Cornwallis turned the command over to Gen. Grant,
and returned with Howe to New York, to prepare for
a visit to England, on leave.
On December 8th, Donop reached the Delaware,
just as the last American soldiers had crossed the
river, and they saluted him with a few shots. Gen.
Grant assigned the winter quarters of the Guard reg
iment in New Brunswick, and of Donop's brigade in
Bordentown. Rail came with his brigade, and 50
Hessian Yagers under Lieut, v. Grothausen, 20 light
dragoons and six field pieces, to Trenton, on the
14th December. He had asked for this post and it
was given him for the bravery he had shown at

60 The German Allies
White Plains and Fort Washington. Howe had
promised his and the other Hessian regiments which
had distinguished themselves, the best of winter
quarters. The American forces were dispirited and discour
aged; and discontent, mutiny and desertion would
have distressed a man of less decision than Wash
ington, and led to an early failure of their efforts to
secure independence.
The English troops, on the other hand, were eager
to move, and Howe neglected to make use of his
opportunity. His fancied security led to careless
ness, and men and officers had no fear of an attack
from the American army.
Trenton was then a village of 130 houses, sur
rounded by woods, divided by the Assanpink, a
branch of the Delaware, into an upper and lower
town, connected by a stone bridge.
On the road to Princeton, there was a woody
height, commanding the place. It was so near the
river, that the Americans, from the other side, could
fire on it. Another creek, Draw-Creek, also crossed
by a stone bridge, was on the road to Burlington and
Bordentown, where Donop lay with his Hessians. At
the bridge, there was an outpost of 12 men, with a
non-commissioned officer, detached from the main
guard of 70 men and one officer in the town. North
ward, .on Pennington Hill, was another outpost of 20
men, strengthened at night by a Yager picket of 15
men. The regiments were so quartered that Rail's

In the American Revolution. 61
and Lossberg's were in the northern part of the town,
Knyphausen's in the southern, with some of the men
in the houses scattered on the other side of the
bridges. At night the companies must occupy cer
tain houses, two or three men together, as outposts,
from which to give the alarm, in case of attack ; their
arms, in good weather, were piled outside the houses,
guarded by two or three sentries.
These were the only precautions which Rail took
in such a dangerous situation and so near the enemy.
Neither his flanks nor his rear were protected, nor
did he attempt to connect with Donop, and a sentry
was rarely posted. He himself was very negligent,
rarely visiting his posts or his sentries, and this neg
ligence soon spread throughout his force.
Every where there were rumors of an attack by
the Americans, and the negroe servants especially
seemed to know of such a plan ; it was first hinted
and then told warningly to Rail, but all in vain,
and his conduct was such a riddle to his more
watchful officers, that some of them spoke to him
on the subject.
Major v. Dechow, an old and experienced soldier,
suggested that an outwork be thrown up to guard
against a sudden attack, and offered to build it, with
the help of Lieut. Wiederhold. Rail's refusal was
"very rude — ending with "Let them come. What,
outworks ! We '11 meet them with the bayonet."
Major v. Dechow answered calmly, " It won't cost
any thing, and if it does no good, it can do no

62 The German Allies
harm." Rail, however, repeated his refusal, and
turned away, laughing.
Later on, Dechow spoke to him of the supplies,
and of fixing on a place to which they could be
brought in case of an attack; but Rail answered,
" Don't talk to me of supplies ; the rebels are not
coming, and if they do and take me, they may take
my last wagon ; let every wagon go where it suits."
Old and experienced Major Matthaus inquired if it
would not be well to place a detachment at Penning
ton, to protect the right flank, and to send a patrol
to Johnson's Ferry, on the river; but Rail would
not listen to them, and to other officers who agreed
in these suggestions — asking if they wanted the
detachments to be taken.
The Americans at times crossed the river, and
pushed on so as to cut the communication with
Princeton. When Rail sent a despatch to Leslie, in
command at the latter place, the two dragoons car
rying it were attacked and one of them killed, in a
wood, by a party of American sharpshooters. When
the survivor returned with the news, Rail sent a
command of three officers and one hundred men,
with a gun, in the worst weather, to carry the des
patch, which could have been easily sent by fifteen
men. The English laughed at the Hessians when they
found that all this force was used to carry a des
patch. Rail, instead of making better use of this
occasion for a reconnoisance, ordered the command

In the American Revolution. 63
to return at once, and during the trying night
march, many of the men fell out on the way.
Donop had begged Rail to entrench himself, and
to send strong patrols between Trenton and Borden
town ; but Rail answered the Captain of Engineers
Martin, who came for the purpose, that " It was
unnecessary ; the rebels were a bad set ; " and later
he said, " The enemy had landed several times on
this side, below the bridge, and had been quietly
allowed to withdraw, but now he was ready for them ;
he hoped that Washington himself would come over,
that he might be taken prisoner." Martin reported
this when he was captured at Horen's Hook, August
29, 1778.
The measures taken by Rail consisted of sending
every morning, after December 23d, two hours before
daybreak, a detachment with two guns, under a staff
officer, to the south end of the town, and standing
guard for two hours at the office of the surgeon, and
then returning. For this the pickets were taken
from the right wing, where the Pennington Hills
were situated, thus leaving the north side entirely
unprotected. Rail insisted that there was no dan
ger, and thus walked into the pitfall which Wash
ington had dug for him.
After much pressure, Rail sent out a patrol, on
the 24th December, of 200 men, under Major Mat-
thaus, to Pennington ; the latter divided his force,
one-half, under Captain Steding, going to Johnson's
Ferry, on the Delaware ; the other, Matthaus took

64 The German Allies
towards Pennington. He was soon followed by Rail
himself, with the British dragoons. In a couple of
hours Steding rejoined Matthaus and the return was
then quietly made. Nothing was seen of the enemy.
There had been a few shots from the other side of
the river, and Matthaus thought he heard a drum in
a wood. The officers looked on their situation and Rail's
conduct as very serious. The staff officers of Loss
berg's regiment determined to write to Gen. v. Heis
ter, but their letter was too late. Lieut.-Col. Scheffer
worried himself sick in his anxiety.
Gen. Grant was as negligent as Rail ; for when the
latter wrote to him of sending a detachment to Maid
enhead, to ensure better communication between
Trenton and Princeton, Grant made a rude reply
and spoke contemptuously of the rebels, declaring
that he could hold the Jerseys with a corporal's
guard. However, he ordered Leslie to send a patrol
from Princeton, and Rail one from Trenton, of twenty
or thirty men, every two or three days. The first
patrol from Leslie came to Trenton on the 24th, with
a message from Leslie to Rail, that he must be on
the lookout, for Washington was preparing to cross
the Delaware, and would attack one or the other.*
Rail received other warning, too. Shortly before
the 26th, two American deserters came in and reported
that Washington had issued four days' rations to his
* Reuber says, in his diary, that Leslie sent three English regiments,
which halted in front of Rail's quarters; but he at once sent them back.

In the American Revolution. 65
men, and that it was reported that he was about
crossing the Delaware, to attack Trenton.
On the morning of the 24th, a citizen of Trenton
named Wahl [sic] called on Rail and warned him
that he would be attacked and ought to be on his
guard. Rail replied, laughing, " Let them come,"
but sent out neither a patrol nor a spy — made no
preparation ; not even choosing a point for assem
bling or a line of retreat. His six guns, instead of
being distributed, were in front of his quarters on the
market square, as if for show.
On the evening of the 24th, the two pickets on the
north side were suddenly attacked, and in the fight
six men were wounded. The Americans withdrew.
In the town, the force was under arms, but when
Rail heard the result, he simply ordered the outer
picket to be strengthened by an officer with ten men,
and thirty men with an ensign were sent to the point
where the enemy had retreated. Hardly had they
gone two miles, when they were ordered back. Rail
allowed the regiments to disperse, ordering only his
own, which was on duty that day, to remain in their
barracks. He himself went to an evening entertain
ment, thinking the attack was that which Leslie had
warned him of, and that it was all at an end.
It was Christmas eve, dark and stormy — and the
Hessians were to receive an awful Christmas present.
When the officer with his ten men reached his post,
he put seven on picket and ordered them to march
carefully over the prescribed line.
9

66 The German Allies
The morning of the 25th was half an hour begun,
the last sentry had returned and reported all quiet,
and as the Yagers had withdrawn their night guard,
the officer in advance did the same thing. It was a
wretched, stormy night — raining and snowing — and
the driving storm forced the men to seek shelter
wherever they could find it.
No one expected an attack — the officer himself had
just come out of a little house, when the enemy came
in sight, and all were taken prisoners ; for the men
had just left their guns on the rack, and the sentries
were looking for shelter. The officer took the Amer
icans, at first, for his own patrol, but suddenly dis
covering the truth, cried out, " The enemy ! " The
attacking force fired three times before the picket
could seize their arms and fire, and on all sides, as if
out of the earth, the enemy came in force, surround
ing the picket ; which, however, succeeded in retiring,
firing. In Trenton the alarm was sounded with bugles and
drums. Lossberg's regiment was the quickest to
gather, and the company of Capt. v. Altenbockum,
which lay in the outer row of houses, took position
across the street in front of its quarters, and as the
retreating pickets fell back, gathered them up on its
right ; the captain, however, to prevent being cut off
— for he heard firing on the other side — drew nearer
to the rest of the regiment.
Meanwhile, part of Rail's regiment, which was on
duty that night, came up. After a while, Col. Rail

In the American Revolution. 67
arrived, on horseback and in great excitement. The
officer of the post first attacked went up and gave his
report. Rail asked how strong was the enemy. The
officer replied that he could not say positively, but
three battalions came against him and he saw two
more come out of the woods.
By this time they were surrounded. Rail rode up
to the front of his regiment and halting there, cried
out, " Forward, march ! advance ! advance ! " But it
was impossible to resist the strong attack of the
Americans, with his disorganized little band.
The Americans pushed forward with their guns and
attacked the colonel's quarters. The battery posted
there opened fire, but was soon captured. The Gren
adiers threw themselves wildly on the enemy and
recovered their guns, but Rail moved off to the right,
in an apple orchard, to attack the enemy on the road
to Princeton, and was met with a hot fire.
Lieut.-Col. Scheffer, in command of the Lossberg
regiment, ordered an advance, to try to break through
and join Rail.
The Americans had come in increasing force into
the city and fired from houses and gardens. Rail hit
upon the idea (some said in order to recover the bag
gage left in the town) of returning and retaking the
place. He pressed on with his two regiments, cry
ing out, " All who are my Grenadiers, forward ! "
but was met by a destructive fire.
The Hessians could do nothing with the bayonet,
for there was no enemy in mass or line in sight — the

68 The German Allies
deadly bullets came from the riflemen behind walls
and trees, out of windows and doors, under cover. It
literally rained balls and cartridges. The guns of
the Hessians were made useless by the wet weather,
and their fire became steadily weaker, while that of
the Americans became stronger. The artillery, too,
was unlucky ; the guns with Rail's regiment fired
only six times, when men or horses were disabled ;
those of the Lossberg regiment were left in a marsh.
Order was soon lost, men left their ranks, and the
two regiments were all confused ; many officers were
killed or wounded ; Rail himself fell from his horse
with two wounds and Lieut.-Col. Scheffer took com
mand. Of Lossberg's regiment only five, of Rail's
only four officers, were left ; Lieut.-Col. Brethauer
was wounded.
Lieut.-Col. Scheffer advised with Majors v. Han-
stein and Matthaus and they agreed that the only
thing left was to cut a way out. Under continuous
fire, they drew the two regiments out of the town,
on the road to Maidenhead ; but the bridge was cut
off by the Americans in two lines, with their artil
lery, forming a half circle around the town, so that
it was impossible to break through. To avoid a fur
ther useless loss of blood, the rest of these regiments
surrendered. Very much the same was the course of affairs in
the southern part of the town. Here Knyphausen's
regiment lay ; on the alarm, it rallied and formed in
front of the quarters of Major v. Dechow, on the

In the American Revolution. 69
Princeton road. The major waited for orders, and
as the fire increased, detached a company to ensure
the communication between the town and the bridge,
and another to hold the entrance from Princeton.
With the three remaining companies he moved off
toward the upper town, to support the regiments
attacked there. As he got part way, Rail rode up
and ordered him to move to the left, to the church,
and hardly had he moved in that direction before
Rail's regiment came back, driven by the heavy fire
of the enemy. Here Rail tried to draw off into an
orchard, to protect his men from the destructive fire ;
the Knyphausen regiment followed and was joined
again by its two detached companies.
When Rail went forward to attack with his two
regiments, Major v. Dechow, who saw there was no
hope, again fell back, in order to get to the bridge,
and hold it, or, if it was taken by the enemy, to
recapture it and, if possible, maintain communication
with Donop.
Just at this important point, Dechow was severely
wounded. At the same time, the two regimental
guns stuck fast in a marsh, and valuable time was
lost in halting to drag them out. When the regi
ment at last moved forward, it came out on unknown
ground, through a deep hollow, and finally on a hill
covered with trees, behind which the creek flowed.
Here the regiment halted. Staff-Captain Baum went
in advance to consult the major, but as he came in
front of the regiment, instead of the major he met

70 The German Allies
Captain v. Biesenroth, who told him that the major
had ridden over the hill to make a favorable surren
der with the enemy, as the two other regiments had
already been captured and the bridge taken. Both
officers disapproved the major's conduct, and con
sulted as to some way of breaking through. To
force a passage over the bridge was impossible, and
they tried to get across the creek. Capt. v. Biesen
roth, as senior, took the responsibility. The staff-
captain was the first to spring into the water, fol
lowed by the non-commissioned officers, so that when
they got over, they could carry over the colors and
thus save them. The water Was up to their necks
and the opposite bank was so steep that it was hard
to get up. Others crossed at better points. Some
succeeded ; more, however, fell on the way. At the
same time, those who had crossed found that the
enemy's guns were posted on the opposite hill, in
front of the regiment, so that it was cut off and cap
tured. The part that had crossed reached Princeton.
The English cavalry and the Yagers were also there.
They had escaped by fighting their way through, but
Lieut, v. Grothausen was reproached with having
retreated too soon. . \
In two hours, all was over. Col. Rail had paid
with his life the penalty of his carelessness, and left
a dark shadow on his hitherto glorious career. Death
had saved, him from answering for his neglect, for
Miinchhausen says that if he had not lost his life, he
would have lost his head. He died as a brave sol-

In the American Revolution. 71
dier ; when he fell from his horse, two old non-com
missioned officers raised and supported him ; just
then Washington came up and the two regiments
presented arms. Pale and covered with blood, Rail
surrendered his sword. In a few broken words, he
begged Washington to be kind to his men, and Wash
ington promised that he would, and in a friendly and
sympathetic way tried to console him. He had the
dying man carried to the house of a well-to-do Qua
ker family and commended him to their care.
Before Washington left Trenton, in company with
Gen. Greene, he visited the dying man, and both
generals expressed their respect and regret. Rail
again asked that his captured men be kindly treated
and their effects returned to them, and this was
sacredly promised.
Rail died the same evening and was buried with
due ceremony in the Presbyterian church-yard. One
of the officers of Lossberg's regiment said that he
died gladly, rather than outlive his honor.
Little can be said in defense of Rail. The night
before the attack he had been carousing, and he was
still in bed when the first shots were fired. Lieut.
Biel, his regimental adjutant, had been up since five
o'clock, and on hearing the firing, hurried to the
colonel, but could hardly waken him, much less get
him to act. Biel hastened to the main guard, where
Lieut. Sternickel was posted with 40 men, and sent
him, with all the force he could spare, to support the
picket. Hurrying back to the colonel's quarters, he

72 The German Allies
found him in his night-shirt, lying on the window ;
to the question, " What 's the matter? " the adjutant
asked if the colonel had not heard the firing, and
Rail answered that he would come at once, and was
soon at the door, in uniform.
Biel said later, at the investigation, that Rail paid
no attention to his duties, and only cared for his
pleasure. The adjutant had to attend to the corres
pondence. One post the colonel had never visited,
and he never advised with his officers. He worried
officers and men by all sorts of annoyances and kept
300 men always on duty. The men were worn out,
and he neglected to give them time to clean their
arms. When Major v. Dechow called his attention to the
want of shoes and asked him to order them from New
York, Rail replied, " That was nonsense ; he would
lead the brigade in bare feet over the ice to Philadel
phia, and if Major Dechow did not want to share the
honor, he might stay behind."
When Major v. Hanstein asked if there were to
be good winter quarters in Trenton, Rail answered,
" Oh ! we '11 get those in Philadelphia."
On the other hand, Rail was a warm friend and
good comrade. Biel wrote home that he " mourned
his death ; that his bravery at Fort Washington had
secured the command at Trenton from Howe. He
was more a friend than a commander." Another
officer wrote in his diary, " Rail was a good soldier,
but not a good general. He had courage to execute

In the American Revolution. 73
the boldest things, under orders, but wanted cool
presence of mind to take the necessary measures at
such a time as the attack at Trenton."
Gen. v. Schlieffen says that Rail showed the great
est courage in his early campaign, under Orloff, as
volunteer in the Russian war with the Turks, but
paid with his life the penalty of underestimating the
enemy at Trenton.
He fancied that his name alone would keep him
safe. There is a report that Rail was betrayed by his
host, a Dutchman named van Dassel, who brought
four strangers to a supper given by Rail on Christ
mas eve. When Rail woke up, van Dassel fired at
him, but missing him, hit the servant who held Rail's
horse. The four strangers were said to have been
American officers. Van Dassel was seized by Em
merich, the leader of the Hanau volunteers, and sent
to New York.
A few days before the attack Rail was visited by
some men who said they had property near Trenton
and wanted his protection. They, too, were officers
from Washington's camp, who were gathering infor
mation for him.
Tradition says that Rail surrendered to his own
uncle, who had emigrated many years before, from
the Pfaltz, and was then a colonel in the American
army. The Hessians showed in this critical affair all their
old courage and fought as well as possible. If they
had been better led, no such bad fortune would have
10

74 The German Allies
followed. Rail either lost his head, or would not
retreat before the enemy he despised. As his well-
disciplined troops rallied promptly, he had time to
pass the bridge, to get into the open country, and to
fall back to Donop's quarters. Instead, he pressed
forward to attack the Americans and failed, and while
he was thus engaged, leaving the place, it was occu
pied from the other side. When he changed his plan
and tried to regain the town, he was between two
fires, and lost a regiment entirely.
There was no good leadership ; no combination.
The Hessians fought as long as they could — not to
save themselves, but as a duty, which they fulfilled
to the last minute. The enemy recognized and
acknowledged their bravery.
Washington, in his report of December 27th,' to
Congress, said : " The advance guard made a slight
resistance, and, considering their number, held their
position as long as was possible, and in retreating
kept up fire from the cover of the houses. We saw
the troops form promptly, but from their movements
it was clear that they were uncertain what to do."
Another American officer commends the bold resist
ance of the Hessians, and says they were in a position
where the bravest soldiers had to yield.
But for the detachment posted on the north, not a
man could have escaped — and this was left there by
accident ; for the order was to relieve it every morn
ing and double the force on the south. Major v.
Dechow, who was officer of the. day on the 25th,

In the American Revolution. 75
failed to give the necessary orders ; when it was
reported to him that the two guns assigned his com
mand were ready to move, he said he did not need
them, and the horses were unharnessed, and the ruin
was all the more complete.
At Burlington, where Donop stood, Cadwalder made
a demonstration, not intending to attack, but only to
prevent help being sent to Trenton. Donop, gener
ally so cautious, allowed himself to be led on and
followed the Americans to Mount Holly. He pur
sued with the greater part of his force — the Forty-
second regiment, the Grenadier battalions of Linsin-
gen and Block, and a Hessian Yager company under
Captain Ewald. The last-named officer had already
turned the left flank of the enemy, taken two light
guns, and cut off a hostile force which had crossed
the stream that divides Mount Holly in two parts.
When Donop heard the cannon at Trenton, he
recalled Ewald, and so the latter was obliged to lose
his captures.
Donop drew his detached forces together at once,
and tried to reach Crosswicks, so as to keep open the
road to Princeton, where Gen. Grant had a force.
To cover his retreat, he left Ewald with a rear guard
of 90 men — Scots, Grenadiers and Yagers — and with
positive orders to hold the place until the last man
had fallen, and at all hazard until midnight. The
task was a difficult one ; the inhabitants were bitter
enemies of the royal cause, and Ewald knew that
arms and ammunition were hidden in the village —

76 The German Allies
the native population could use them at any minute
on his little band.
There were two bridges which made the approach
of the enemy easy. Ewald showed his energy and
readiness by the way he acted. He covered the
bridges and the nearest houses with straw, and then
summoning the leading people, told them that the
moment there was any outbreak he would set fire to
the place. As Mount Holly was a well-to-do village,
and the shops were full of valuable goods, his pre
caution was effective, and he remained undisturbed
until midnight, then withdrew and joined Donop at
Crosswicks. Ewald had no intention to burn the
village, but his threat enabled him to hold it quietly.
The loss of the Hessians at Trenton was 17 killed,
78 wounded, 84 officers, 25 musicians and 759 enlisted
men prisoners — in all, 963 ; besides the Yager bat
talion, 398 men escaped. Major v. Dechow died in
Trenton, soon after, of his wounds. Lossberg's regi
ment suffered most; it lost 27 killed and wounded —
Captains v. Benning and Riese, as well as Lieutenant
Kimm, were killed ; Captain v. Altenbockum, Lieu
tenants Zoll and Schwabe wounded. Many of its
officers were left sick or wounded in New York, and
it brought to Philadelphia only 199.
The Americans lost only two killed, two frozen,
and four or five wounded.
If Washington's plan of a surprise had been car
ried out, it would have cut off those who did escape,
and might have ensured the capture of Donop,

In the American Revolution. 77
although he was more watchful than Rail. Wash
ington had divided his force into four bodies ; one, of
2,500 men and 20 guns, he led on the evening of the
25th, across the river nine miles above Trenton.
Once over, he detached Gen. Sullivan, with a strong
force, to go around and to attack Trenton on the
south. Gen. Ewing was ordered to cross the Dela
ware a mile below Trenton, to seize the bridge over
the Assanpink, and to cut off the retreat of the gar
rison to Bordentown. Gen. Putnam was to cross,
with Gen. Cadwalader, at Burlington, and make a
feint attack on the lower posts of Donop's command,
so as to prevent help being sent to Rail. The two,
however, were prevented by the heavy ice from cross
ing all their force.
Gen. Putnam could only send Col. Griffin, with 500
militia, across — much too small a body to meet Do
nop's 2,000 men — so he was ordered only to hold
them and prevent their going to Trenton. The plan
succeeded, and Donop followed the retreating enemy
to Mount Holly, twelve miles from his own position
and eighteen from Trenton.
The misfortune that befell the Hessians is not due
to Rail alone, but to the British generals, who sepa
rated their forces at such distances. The outposts
had neither the necessary communication with one
another, nor sufficient supports. Howe acknowledged
this in his report of December 20th, to Lord Germain,
in which he said " The troops are scattered too much,
but the loyal inhabitants of Burlington and Mon-

78 The German Allies
mouth county want protection." Others reproached
him with sending the Hessians so far into the coun
try, when, through their strange language and the
rumor of their cruelties, they were so much hated.
The fact was, that they were more feared than hated
— and this was shown by the greater kindness shown
to the captured Germans by the natives.
The Hessians who were so hardly treated by the
fortunes of war at Trenton, had a bitter experience
in the sudden change from victory to defeat and im
prisonment. In Cassel it was reported that of 8,000 men, only
800 had escaped, and the whole of Germany was
stirred up by the news.
The bitter feeling of the Americans against Eng
land and her allied troops might well cause harsh
treatment of the prisoners, and this was sometimes
the case, but there were many instances of kindness.
During the fighting, a body of soldiers moved for
ward and formed with their flag ; Washington, who
thought it was to make further resistance, ordered
his men to prepare to fire, when one of his adjutants
called attention to the fact that the flag was reversed,
in sign of surrender. Washington rode up and
received the salute, and, after saying a few kind
words, ordered an escort to take the prisoners safely
across the river. The officers, twenty-four in all,
were left in a little ferry house, while the men, with
little food or clothing, were taken to the other side.
In the morning, they were all taken to Newtown,

In the American Revolution. 79
where the other prisoners filled the churches, prison
and other buildings. Col. Weedon was in command,
and showed much kindness. The officers were
paroled and quartered in private houses. They paid
their respects to Lord Stirling, who had been taken
by the Hessians at Long Island and exchanged.
They had treated him very kindly, and he tried to
return it. He said, " Your Gen. Heister treated me
like a brother, when I was his prisoner, and I will do
what I can for you." He took them to Gen. Wash
ington, who invited many of them to dine with him.
He was a very gracious host, and at table told one of
the Hessian officers that the American force was 6,000
men, with 14 guns and two howitzers. He received
the Hessian officers with great courtesy. A Hessian
officer says in his diary : " His countenance is not
that of a great hero ; his eyes have no fire, but a
friendly smile when he speaks inspires love and
affection. He is a courtly man of fine aspect, pol
ished and somewhat restrained ; says little, has a
shrewd look, is of middle height and a good figure."
Among the officers there, was the one who had been
at the first outpost attacked and gave the order to fire
on the Americans. Washington was particularly
attentive to him, praising his conduct, but spoke of
the unfortunate Rail with the greatest consideration
and sympathy, and took no notice of the somewhat
harsh criticism by the young officer of his com
mander. In Lieut. Widerhold's diary he says : " On
the 28th we dined with Gen. Washington. He did

80 The German Allies
me the honor of talking with me about the battle at
Trenton, and when I said frankly that we had man
aged things badly, and that we ought not to have
been captured there, he asked what I would have
done. I pointed out the mistakes on our side, and
how we could have escaped, and he praised me for
this and for my watchfulness, and for my stout
resistance with my handful of men. He also gave
me leave to go on parole to Trenton to collect my
effects left there in the retreat."
The prisoners did not stay long in Newtown, but
were sent on the 29th and 30th to the southern prov
inces — the officers being separated from their men.
The prisoners were sent to Virginia, as yet not the
scene of any hostilities, their journey being through
Philadelphia, and five wagons being given to the offi
cers. Great crowds gathered at every place to see
the dreaded Hessians, whose reputation had spread
far and wide. Many expected to see wild robbers
and murderers, with terrible angry faces — devils in
human form — and beheld only neat soldiers, preserv
ing, even in their misfortune, cleanliness, order and
discipline. They were looked upon with astonish
ment, and sometimes with real or affected anger, and
then they were abused and even stones were thrown
at them.
In Philadelphia, many of the officers paid their
respects to old Gen. Putnam on New Year's day, and
were received in a very friendly way. One of them
says : " He gave each of us his hand and we must

In the American Revolution. 81
drink a glass of Madeira with him. He may be an
honorable man, but only the rebels would have made
him a general."
The officers were escorted to Baltimore and were
assigned to the village of Dumfries. They began
their march on January 18th, escorted by Lieut. Lin-
denberger, a German, a cabinet-maker by trade. The
Potomac was frozen so that wagons could cross it.
The country was wild and woody, the journey very
severe, owing to rain and bad roads.
On the 24th, they reached Dumfries. The inhab
itants are described in the letters of a German officer
printed in Schlozer's Correspondence, as very hospit
able. The German officers were involved in the
quarrel over the exchange of Gen. Lee. Washing
ton thought Lee was hardly treated in having a sen
try posted before his door. As Howe would not
accept Washington's terms of exchange, nor yield to
the threat of reprisal, in March, 1777, the six staff
officers of the Hessian prisoners at Dumfries were
put under sentries, too. This lasted until August,
when the British Gen. Prescot was captured in Rhode
Island. As he was of equal rank with Lee, their
treatment was improved, and on the 27th August
they were released from close confinement.
When the British fleet appeared in the Chesapeake,
the imprisoned Hessians were sent from Dumfries
and Lancaster, where the enlisted men were quar
tered, some 80 miles further inland, to Winchester, a
place of 150 houses, mostly wooden, where the officers

82 The German Allies
were quartered in hotels. At the end of September,
Congress decided to send the officers to Staunton, a
hundred miles south of Winchester, and to send 300
of the men to the latter place ; but as it was reputed
to be a very poor place, the officers petitioned Con
gress to be sent to Fredericksburg, and on the 30th
September, they were ordered to Millerstown, to wait
the answer. There they found it impossible to get
quarters for twenty-eight officers, and some were sent
to Stowentown[?].
On December 8th, Congress granted the request
to go to Fredericksburg. The Hessian officers had
gained the confidence of the Americans, so that each
was allowed to choose his own time to go there.
Some went by way of Dumfries and renewed acquaint
ance with old friends there. On the 13th, they were
all in Fredericksburg, and as quarters could not be
found there for the whole number, some went to Fal
mouth, an attractive village on the other side of the
Rappahannock, and found the stream and its shores
very romantic and attractive.
At the end of February, the Hessian and British
officers were allowed to go on parole to Philadelphia,
to be exchanged by Gen. Howe.
The enlisted men left New Frankfort on the ist of
January, 1777, and on their way were frequently
threatened with violence by the mob.
Corporal Reuber says, in his diary : " Big and lit
tle, young and old, looked at us sharply. The old
women cried out that we ought to be hanged for

In the American Revolution. 83
coming to America to rob them of their freedom;
others brought us bread and wine. Washington had
ordered our American guard to march us through
the whole city [of Philadelphia?], but the mob was
so rough and threatening that the commander said,
1 Dear Hessians, we '11 go to the barracks,' and then
drove the mob off."
Washington quieted the people by posting a notice
in which he said the Hessians had not come volunta
rily, but under orders, and they should be treated as
friends, not as enemies. This had the best result,
and the prisoners were loaded with food and every
kindness shown them. Each man received a pound
of meat, with bread and vegetables, daily.
On the 8th of January, the men were taken to
Lancaster, where they worked during the summer
on the farms. Congress paid them in money the
value of their rations, and the farmers gave them
their meals and pay besides ; but any one who
allowed a Hessian prisoner to escape was fined two
hundred paper dollars. The non-commissioned offi
cers remained in Philadelphia.
On the king's birthday, June the 4th, the British
troops imprisoned in the barracks at Lancaster cele
brated the day with great excesses, finally driving
off the guard of fifteen men, and were only subdued
when a regiment and some guns were brought up
and, opening fire, killed and wounded some of the
prisoners. The Hessians kept quietly out of the fracas, and

84 The German Allies
were all the more kindly treated by the Americans,
but greatly abused by the English.
On the 25th of August, an English fleet landed
men on the Elk river, and the prisoners were ordered
further into the interior, but as there was no time to
collect the men scattered on the farms, many of them
escaped altogether — there were 300 Hessians. The
prisoners reached Baltimore September 30th, where
they were as badly received as in Philadelphia, but
the commander of the escort gave the signal to rally
to their defense and marched the prisoners out of the
town, and at a safe distance had food and camp equip-
page brought to them. When the Virginia border
was reached, the Pennsylvania escort refused to go
any further, fired off their guns and went home.
The escort from Winchester had not arrived, and the
American commander was left with his prisoners in
a wild country ; but he had won their confidence, and
he went on alone to Winchester to hasten the escort,
leaving them for three days to follow on the prescribed
route, and when the American captain finally joined
them again, with the Virginia escort, there were all
the Hessians, and only a few of the British prisoners
had gone. The American was so pleased that he
treated every Hessian to brandy, while the British
looked on. The fugitives were nearly all captured
and surrendered to the authorities. At Winchester,
the American commended the Hessians so warmly
that they were quartered in private houses, while the
British were put in prison, and the Hessians had six

In the American Revolution. 85
hours of freedom daily, while the British could not
go out without a guard.
On August 26th, 1778, the prisoners marched back
to Philadelphia, reaching there on October 14th, then
on the 2 2d going through Trenton, reaching Prince
ton and Brunswick on the 28th, where they were
exchanged and received by a British commissary and
sent to the Hessian camp on Long Island.
"At last," writes Reuber, " we were once more with
our fellow Hessians. What pleasure and joy thus to
be free from slavery ! "

CHAPTER IV,

The Brunswick troops marched, like the Hessians,
in two divisions. The first left Wolfenbiittel on the
morning of February 22, 1776, consisting of
The Dragoon regiment under Lieut.-Col.
Baum,  336 men.
The Grenadier battalion, under Lieut.-
Col. Breymann,  564 "
The Infantry regiment, " Prince Freder
ick," Lt.-Col. Pratorius,  680 "
The Infantry regiment of Col. v. Ried
esel, Lt.-Col. v. Speth  680 "
The general staff,  22 "
Total,  2,282 "
The command was given to Col. Frederick Adolph
von Riedesel, Freiherr of Eisenbach, a good and
experienced soldier, who had fought as officer of
Hussars and adjutant of the Duke of Brunswick in
the allied army in the Seven Years' War, and won a
name for himself. He enjoyed the well-earned con
fidence of his sovereign, the confidence of his supe-

88 The German Allies
riors and the love and obedience of his men. He
belonged to a wealthy old family, which is still
respected. In addition to the detail given in Eelking's Life of
Riedesel, many facts of interest are found in the
diary of Brigade-Major v. Papet, in two volumes,
coming down to the return to Germany.
The troops marched through the city of Brunswick
with a great display, reviewed by the reigning duke
and by his brother Ferdinand, the hero of the Seven
Years' War. With an army of 12,000 men, Bruns
wick found in the English money paid for its troops
the only way to avoid bankruptcy, and yet the duke
hesitated to agree to the English terms. He died in
1780. The Hannoverian Gen. Braun welcomed the
Brunswick force on its arrival in Hannover, and Col.
Faucit, of the British army, mustered it into that
service. Riedesel received his commission as major-
general. During the whole march, there was not a single
desertion. For the numerous recruits, there were
two daily drills. With the general staff and 77 sol
diers' wives, there were in all 2,367 Brunswickers on
board the ten vessels anchored in the Elbe. Two
hundred and fifty Hannoverian volunteers, for differ
ent British regiments, went along, under Lieut.-Col.
Scheiter. Gen. v. Riedesel went on the " Pallas," and on the
26th March the fleet set sail, anchored on the 28th at
Portsmouth, where on the 30th four vessels joined

In the American Revolution. 89
with the Hesse Hanau regiment, 760 men, under Col.
v. Gall. It was the Crown-Prince's regiment, for the
crown prince of Hesse was also the count of Hesse
Hanau, and carried on a law-suit for twenty-eight
years with his father, as to their claims. The father,
born in 1743, was a lover of art and science, owned a
fine library, and needed the English money to help
support his two extravagances — building and mili
tary. The son succeeded his father in 1783 and died
in 1 82 1, leaving an evil reputation on account of his
avarice and his severity.
The English fleet welcomed the troops with every
honor. Gen. Phillips, with part of the English artil
lery, and Gen. Burgoyne, also embarked for Canada,
thus making a large fleet. Gen. v. Riedesel received
^5,000 from the English commissariat.
The fleet consisted of 30 sail, including the two
frigates, Juno and Blonde, as convoys, each carrying
36 guns. On April 3d it sailed, and was joined at
Plymouth by six transports, with the Twenty-first
Scotch Fusilier regiment. On the 20th it met the
English fleet of 40 sail, with the Irish regiments on
board, going to Canada.
On May 12th, land was seen, and on the first of
June Quebec was reached. Gen. Riedesel went ashore
and returned with orders from Gen. Burgoyne — who
was in command during the absence of Gen. Carle
ton — to leave the Dragoons and Prince Charles' regi
ment to strengthen the Quebec garrison, while the
rest of the troops went on to Three Rivers. There

90 The German Allies
Gen. Riedesel paid his respects to Governor Carleton
— one of the ablest and most popular of the British
officers. He had entered the service in 1742, and
was now about fifty years old. In 1759 he was quar
termaster-general of Wolf's army. He had been
wounded at the battle of Quebec, was brigadier-gen
eral in the expedition to Havannah, and after the war
was made lieutenant-governor of Quebec. He was a
man of great honesty and unselfish, winning the
love and confidence alike of his men and of the
Canadians. Riedesel noted and reported to his sovereign the
strained relations between Carleton and Howe — the
former cold, calm and stoical, the latter proud and
intoxicated by the favor and confidence of the king
and his ministers, claiming all the credit for himself.
On June 6, Lieut.-Col. Baum disembarked, with the
troops to be stationed at Quebec — then a place of 1,500
wooden houses, for it had suffered greatly in the late
war, and Carleton had demolished 500 houses in the
suburbs, to protect the town from a surprise. The
north side was covered by fortifications of earth and
wood, in great decay. They were renewed and armed
with some eighty iron guns and some mortars, mostly
taken from old men-of-war.
The year before, Carleton had been hard pressed
to resist the American attack under Montgomery and
Arnold — the former had fallen, and Arnold withdrew
on receiving the news of the arrival of more British
troops.

In the American Revolution. 91
Carleton, on arrival of the Germans, determined
to send them to the relief of Montreal, still besieged
by the Americans, and Gen. v. Riedesel received com
mand of a corps, consisting of the Riedesel and Hesse
Hanau regiments, the Brunswick Grenadier battalion,
the British regiment of McLean, a division of Cana
dian troops, and a band of Indians. He was to move
up the south shore from Three Rivers, while Bur
goyne went, with an English force, up the north
shore. The German general was not a little astonished at
the Indian force, for he knew nothing of their cus
toms or way of fighting, and had heard only bad
reports of both. They were Abenakis, Iroquois,
Utawas and Hurons, and to show their fiery temper
they had painted their eyelids red, and smeared their
new uniforms with red as a mark that they were to
fight for life, or to the death. They were armed with
long shot-guns and sharp knives, to use in taking
scalps. On the 7th of June the expedition started, reaching
Trois Rivieres on the nth. Here they learned of
two skirmishes, on the 8th and 9th, in which Lieut.-
Col. v. Speth, with part of Riedesel's regiment, had
taken part. The Americans, with a force of 1,500
men, had made an attack on Frazer's corps of 300,
and were making preparations to surround it. Their
guide was a royalist, who led them so far out into the
forest, that Frazer had time to bring reinforcements
from the fleet and turn the American position.

92 The German Allies
The Germans now formed the left wing of the army
and the whole force advanced to Montreal, which the
Americans abandoned, and on the 15th the Twenty-
ninth (British) regiment took possession of the city
and island. The German troops marched to Ver-
geres (or Verches), where Carleton had his head
quarters, until he moved to Montreal, and Riedesel
then put his force in cantonments.
On June 26th, Carleton established himself at
Chambly, where the Americans, on their retreat, had
burned a well-built fort. Fort St. John had also been
abandoned by the Americans, and both were now
rebuilt. The English plan was to move the northern army,
under Carleton, to Lake Champlain, drive the Amer
icans out of the forts, and push on to the Hudson.
A southern corps, under Lord Howe, should move up
the Hudson from New York and join the other at
Albany. Col. St. Leger was to make a diversion, by
going to the right from Oswego to the Mohawk val
ley and so to Albany, to rejoin the main body. He
was to engage Schuyler's force of Americans, take
Fort Stanwix, and destroy the other forts on the Mo
hawk — thus, if successful, cutting off the northern
from the southern provinces, and ending the war.
The British worked hard at getting ready boats for
transportation across Lake Champlain, and the Amer
icans, under Gen. Gates and Gen. Arnold, increased
their fleet and strengthened their defenses, Crown
Point and Ticonderoga. News from Europe and the

In the American Revolution. 93
southern provinces came slowly to Canada, letters
from Germany were often eight or ten months on the
way, and of the Second Brunswick division nothing
was known.
The troops under Riedesel suffered greatly from
sickness, due to the trying climate, in spite of his
efforts to secure them fresh vegetables and good food.
He lost a few by desertion, but the officers amused
themselves and exchanged civilities. Burgoyne was
a guest at a great dinner on the birthday of the Duke
of Brunswick.
The German soldiers were trained in the American
method of target practice and fighting in loose order.
Riedesel, was slow to give up his old preference for
the methods he had seen at home, but finally saw the
advantage of the new system.
Col. v. Speth, on August 12th, took a detachment
of 200 men to St. Johns, where a depot of supplies
was established. On August 31st, Captain v. Pausch
came with the Hesse Hanau artillery, to La Prairie —
six light guns, four officers and 126 artillerymen. In
the night, between the 4th and 5th of September,
Riedesel received word that 5,000 Americans in 400
boats had landed above Isle aux Noix, and at once
returned from Montreal, but the Americans had with
drawn, and Col. Breymann was sent, with his Grena
diers, to establish a camp near Fort St. John, while a
camp at Savanna was fortified, and in addition to the
Hanau artillery, six English guns were served by the
German artillerists.

94 The German Allies
The German corps under Riedesel consisted of the
Grenadier battalion and the Riedesel and Hanau reg
iments, 1,300 strong.
The English corps consisted of over 6,000, includ
ing 1,000 Indians and Canadians, while Col. St. Leger
was to form a separate corps.
The Second Brunswick division having reached
Quebec on the 17 th of September, the Dragoon regi
ment was, at Riedesel's request, added to his force,
and 390 boats were assigned to him to transport his
command.

The Second Brunswick division, under Col. v.
Specht, consisting of the regiments of v. Specht
and v. Rhetz, the Light battalion of v. Barner and a
Yager company, had embarked at Stode on May 30th.
Specht, in his journal, says that the men came
very gladly. With the division, came Quartermaster
Bar and Chaplain Kohli — the latter volunteering,
and giving up a comfortable position in the church.
At Plymouth, it joined the Second Hessian divi
sion and the Waldeck regiment. The transport fleet
consisted of 19 sail, convoyed by two men-of-war, the
Amazon and the Garland. Sailing on May 26th, it
reached Quebec September 14th. The supply of pro
visions was so small and so bad that 19 men died and
131 were sick of scorbutic diseases.
Gen. Carleton pushed forward the advance, so as to
escape the early winter. On September 23d, Briga-

In the Ameifcan Revolution. 95
dier Fraser received orders to move, with the force
assigned him, from Isle aux Noix to Riviere la Colle
and there establish a post. The head of his column,
consisting of Indians, Canadian and English volun
teers, went to Point au Fer.
On the 28th, the German brigade were ordered to
Isle aux Noix, and 103 boats were assigned for their
transportation. Gen. Burgoyne established his head
quarters there, by order of Gen. Carleton.
Riedesel had not yet gathered together all his Ger
man troops, and only on October 13th did the second
division reach Fort Chambly, and earlier in the month
the Dragoon regiment got to Sorel. Many loyal Can
adians joined this column, most of them in their ordi
nary costume — a long, white oversuit, a long shot
gun, a powder-horn and a knife at the side, and a
pocket-full of ammunition ; their little baggage in
two-wheeled carts.
Gen. Burgoyne led the First English brigade, con
sisting of the Ninth, Twenty-first, Thirty-first and
Forty-seventh regiments, with the German brigade
as its left wing, the Grenadier battalion and the regi
ments of v. Riedesel and Hesse Hanau.
On the night of the 4th of October, Gen. Carleton
sailed with his little fleet to Point au Fer. His neph
ew, Captain Carleton, moved up the left bank with
his Indians, and Captain Fraser led another corps of
Indians and Canadian volunteers.
Gen. v. Riedesel received orders to remain at Isle
aux Noix until the arrival of the Second English

96 The German Allies
brigade under Powell. New works and magazines
were erected, and supplies brought from St. John.
Gen. Carleton burned with impatience to meet the
enemy on the water, and on October ioth received
news that the Americans were at Great Island, and
at once started to capture them. The dark and foggy
night favored their escape, but of 16 vessels with 100
guns only five small boats reached Crown Point —
some were taken, others beached and burned ; the
men escaping to the woods. Gen. Arnold was in
command and showed great courage, but v. Riedesel,
in his journal, reports that he set fire to his boats in
such haste that he did not remove the wounded, and
they were burned to death — their cries being heard
above the crackling of the flames and the noise of the
guns. On the 12th, a boat reached Isle aux Noix with
eight wounded men, a British naval lieutenant and a
drummer of the Hanau artillery, which had taken
part in the fight. Lieut. Foy, of that force, had
saved a twelve-pound battery and put it on Captain
Pausch's boat, with a loss of two killed, two drowned
and a number wounded.
On that day, Gen. v. Riedesel received orders to
move, with his five regiments, to Riviere la Colle,
relieving the English brigade, taking ten days' pro
visions, and sending a Brunswick Yager company by
land on the west side.
On the 15th, Burgoyne ordered the Brunswick
force to Point au Fer, leaving a staff officer and 300

In the American Revolution. gj
men at Riviere la Colle to forward provisions, while
Burgoyne advanced with his first division.
On Carleton's advance, the Americans had retreated
from Crown Point, after setting fire to the works,
and they were still smoking when the allied troops
entered, on the 14th. Carleton established his head
quarters there, and on the 20th Gen. Burgoyne came
on the " Washington," one of the vessels captured
from the Americans, with orders to go into winter
quarters. The Germans were posted from Trois Rivieres to
Chambly, on the west bank of Lake St. Peter, between
the St. Lawrence and Richelieu rivers. The Hanau
artillery was ordered to Montreal, and the other forces
distributed in different villages. The ground covered
by them was necessarily very extended— the Bruns
wick troops over thirty-three German miles. German
head-quarters were established at Trois Rivieres, the
smallest of the three Canadian cities, with 250 houses,
1,200 inhabitants, an Augustinian convent and an
English barracks for 500 men.
On October 2 2d, Carleton moved his troops to the
assigned posts for the winter, abandoning the fort at
Crown Point, for want of material to provide quarters
for the garrison. The Americans had established a
permanent camp at Ticonderoga — their force had
diminished from 10,000 to 7,000, so weak that Briga
dier Fraser, with a small force, drove 150 oxen from
under the entrenchments without a shot. The troops
were quartered in the houses of the inhabitants, with
13

98 The German Allies
as much regard as possible to their comfort and that
of the owner*. All seigneurs, cures, captains of mili
tia, and post houses, were exempt. The soldiers
received every thing free, and had no right to ask for
any thing more without paying for it. The men were
obliged to cut wood in the forest, but the landlord had
to bring it to the house. Each man received daily
one-half pound of meat, half fresh, half salt, bread
and necessary vegetables for soup, etc. The troops
were kept in strict discipline, and on leaving the offi
cers were obliged to give a strict account of their
conduct. On December 7th, orders were issued from head
quarters at Montreal, assigning points where the
troops could rally, and giving them orders to be
constantly ready to move. The loss during the win
ter was a small one, three officers and 83 men cover
ing that of the Brunswick division up to the middle
of November. The winter opened mildly, and was
long spoken of as the German winter ; not a shot
was fired and the men fished and hunted for amuse
ment. At the end of February and beginning of
March the German force was inspected by Captain
Foy, and Gen. Carleton expressed his satisfaction
with their good condition and exemplary conduct.
By the end of December, eight feet of snow lay on
the ground, and warm clothing had to be supplied to
protect the men, who showed great endurance.

1777-
CHAPTER V.

With the new year, Great Britain looked for more
help to break the revolt of its colonies. A New York
newspaper reported that more troops were to be got,
and that the following negotiations had been com
pleted, with
Wurtemberg for  3,ooo men,
Hesse Cassel  2,500 "
Mecklenburg  3>ooo "
Ansbach Bayreuth  1,000 "
Sachse-Gotha  2,000 "
while Russia had refused very tempting offers. Of
the German courts only Hesse Cassel, Hesse Hanau
and Ansbach Bayreuth would come to terms, and the
following were fixed on, viz. :
Hesse Cassel  I3,467 men,
Hesse Hanau  1,080 "
Brunswick  4>300 "
Ansbach Bayreuth  1,285 "
Waldeck  670 "
A total of  20,802 "

100 The German Allies
Hesse Cassel and Hanau were to lend their Yagers
as light troops.
Parliament voted for this year further subsidies of
five million pounds, of which
Hesse Cassel was to get  ^33^,932
Brunswick  149,720
Hesse Hanau  18,181
Ansbach Bayreuth  39,588
Waldeck  I7,37o
The Artillery  26,053
For Provisions, etc  4I,427
Hesse Cassel was also to receive ^"6,617 for extra
subsidies, and Hesse Hanau ^1,013 — and the artil
lery was also to get an additional payment for the
past year. For the Yagers sent the year before,
Hesse Cassel got  ^36,728
And for the Artillery  I3,973
Hesse Hanau, for its Artillery  3,383
And for an additional Yager regiment . . . 16,326
Lord Howe offered to every American volunteer
ing for two years in the British army, as an officer,
200 acres, as an enlisted man, 50.
The recruiting for the Hessian Yager corps went
on well during the winter of 1776-7. Only experts
were taken, and they were to be well paid and cared
for. After giving each man a Louis d'or, as the
volunteers grew less, the premium grew higher — for
foreigners, four Louis d'or ; for natives three, and for
each recruit, one. A recruiting office was opened in
Waldau, near Cassel, under Captain Romstadt. The

In the American Revolution. 101
men were not forced ; all enlistments were voluntary.
The Yagers received better pay, were free from work
on the forts, etc., and were well armed and well
clothed. Hesse Hanau sent a Yager corps, 500 strong, in
four companies, under Col. v. Kreutzberg; Hesse
Cassel two new Yager companies, under Major v.
Priischenk. Once embarked — after nine of the Hessians had
been formally betrothed — storms scattered the fleet,
and one vessel was taken, with its 60 Hessian Yagers,
by an American cruiser, and brought to Boston ;
some were exchanged at the close of 1778, others not
until the end of 1780.
The Markgraf Alexander, of Ansbach Bayreuth,
made a treaty with the British government, providing
for a subsidy for six years, in return for two regi
ments, 1,100 strong, one from Bayreuth, the other
from Ansbach, with light infantry and artillery in
due proportion.
This was the prince who, in 1791, ceded his little
territory to Prussia, and spent the rest of his life in
England, where he married Lady Craven, dying there
in 1806. He was a kindly man, who did his best to
relieve his land from the heavy burthen of debts
imposed on it by his predecessors.
The Bayreuth regiment, 600 strong, under Col. v.
Voigt, consisted of five companies, including one of
light infantry, one of Grenadiers, and one of artillery
— in its ranks was Dohla, whose diary is full of inter-

102 The German Allies
esting details. The prince reviewed the regiment at
his capital, Ansbach, where it was joined by the
Ansbach regiment, Col. v. Eyb, who commanded the
brigade. Characteristic is the fact that all went
well on the march, until the men were put on boats
on the river Main, and then finding themselves
uncomfortably crowded, and believing that they were
to make the whole journey to America in the same
close quarters, they broke out into open disorder and
left the boats, declaring that they had sworn to serve
on land, but not on water. The people around gave
them wine, and the soldiers wandered away in all
directions. The light infantry stuck to their colors,
and tried in vain to force the fugitives back into the
ranks. There was sharp firing and noisy disorder
for several hours, until the Grenadier company, under
Capt. v. Eckert, charged on the scattered men and
finally brought them back, with a loss of 40 men in
the Bayreuth regiment.
The prince himself hurried to meet the soldiers,
reassured them and accompanied them part of their
further journey. The charges of cruelty made
against him by recent sensational writers, are met
by the fact that Dohla, one of the soldiers, in his
Diary, published in 1811, dedicated to one of his
comrades, Holper, mentions nothing of the kind.
The prince made handsome gifts to the men to
procure comforts for their voyage, and supplied them
with tobacco and food and liquor, in addition to the
regular supply from the British commissariat. One

In the American Revolution. 103
pound of meat, two pounds of bread, vegetables, rice,
meal and wine, with beer and brandy at cost, were
good rations, and a special transport, laden with food,
accompanied the fleet, and at Portsmouth fresh stores
were laid in before starting to cross the ocean.
The German light troops soon rivalled the Ameri
can riflemen in their sharpness in learning to make
use of the advantages of the ground and to avail
themselves of every opportunity to gain a knowledge
of the movements and strength and plans of the
enemy. Desertion among the Americans was greatly on
the increase, and a Hessian officer wrote that almost
daily bands of thirty to forty — in one day, indeed,
266 — came into the British lines, some of them
bringing their officers along by force.
Brunswick and Amboy were held by the British,
but the Americans threatened them on all sides —
Cornwallis was too weak to take the offensive, and
Howe remained quiet for six months, while an infe
rior enemy, only twenty-five miles from his head
quarters, constantly disturbed his outposts.
At the outset, a large part of the population of
New Jersey was loyal, but the British generals
changed this by their harsh methods — punishing
alike men of all opinions, in their effort to destroy
all supplies that might fall into the hands of the
Americans. At first, the Germans were charged with cruelty,
but it was found that they were strictly acting under

104 The German Allies
orders, and in the attack on Trenton, an order was
found from Gen. Howe to Col. v. Donop, directing
the destruction of all supplies that might fall into
the hands of the enemy.
Donop and Ewald were good disciplinarians, and
their troops were not nearly so much given to excesses
as the American militia.
Tired, at last, of a wearisome and trying defensive,
Cornwallis decided to act on the offensive, and on
April 1 2th attacked the enemy at Bound Brook.
Captain Ewald, at the head of a small detachment,
drove the force in front of him into a field fort, which
was finally taken by a larger body from the rear.
At another time, near Raritan Landing, he captured
a force much larger than his own, by a clever coup de
main. His example so influenced his men, and all
under his orders, that there were numerous instances
of great personal gallantry and brilliant feats of arms,
which won the applause alike of friend and foe.
While Howe and the o^her high British officers
had enjoyed their winter at ease in New York, the
troops on the border had been sorely tried. The
Waldeck regiment, with a detachment of dragoons,
occupied Elizabeth during the hard winter and suf
fered greatly. On January 5th, a detachment of 55
men, under Capt. Haak and Lieut. Heldring, was
taken, and soon after another of 30 men was cap
tured. Withdrawn in January to Amboy, the post
was almost nightly alarmed, and it was not taken to
Staaten Island until the end of June.

In the American Revolution. 105
Howe waited for reinforcements and for orders from
London, which ordered him to capture Philadelphia
and make the southern provinces the seat of war.
He asked for 15,000 men and ten men-of-war to carry
out the plans, was promised the half, but got 3,000.
On June 3d, the reinforcements reached New York,
among them some hundred Hessian light infantry —
a much-needed addition — and some German artillery
men. The whole British force was rated at 24,700 —
enough, said Miinchhausen, to drive off the rebels,
but not to go right on into the heart of the country.
Howe's plans — or want of them — were sharply
criticised by the Germans serving under his com
mand. The capture of Philadelphia was his first
business. From the 8th to the nth of June, he
drew together at Amboy his forces — British, Hes
sian, Ansbach Bayreuth and Waldeck troops, includ
ing the Guard and Prince Carl regiments, from New
port; later on, the Germans were placed in an
entrenched camp on Staaten Island. His force now
joined that of Cornwallis at Brunswick, leaving the
Ansbach Bayreuth, Waldeck and Fifty-fifth British
regiments, under Maj .-Gen. Campbell, at Amboy.
On the 14th, the army moved from Brunswick in
two columns, one under Cornwallis, with Col. v. Do
nop leading, the other under Heister. The former
drove the enemy before him, under Gen. Stirling,
but the Americans held their main line and Howe
did not venture to attack. He retreated to Amboy
on the 2 2d, and Washington sent a large part of his

106 The . German Allies
force in pursuit, which attacked Cornwallis, who,
with the Hessian and Ansbach troops, resisted and
then drove the enemy ; the Ansbach light troops,
under Capt. v. Grammont, showing great courage
and skill.
Howe had thrown a pontoon bridge across to
Staaten Island, when he learned the welcome news
of the American advance. He prepared at once to
move against them, sending Cornwallis with the
right wing, Donop in the advance, Howe with Heis
ter, with the left, to unite and attack the left of the
Americans, and seize the heights which they had
abandoned. Howe detached four battalions, with six guns,
under Cornwallis, who struck the American force.
Vaughan's brigade next joined in the attack. It
included the Hessian battalion, made up of the
remains of Rail's brigade, after its defeat at Tren
ton, and was under Lieut.-Col. Kochenhausen — and
later under Lieut.-Col. v. Schick and Col. v. Loos —
and was attached first to Donop's and then to Stirn's
brigade. The Americans, after a long fight, were driven in
disorder back to the hills, with heavy loss — Minni-
gerode's battalion alone capturing two new guns and
eighty prisoners, and its commander received a deco
ration from his prince, who, on receipt of Knyphau
sen's report, in September, sent him the reward,
which was received in New York in the spring of
1778.

In the American Revolution. 107
Capt. v. Dinklage, in his diary, says the German
loss was a small one. The want of gunners was
made good later by the arrival of 164 artillerymen.
Washington at once withdrew to his former strong
position, but the British had one substantial gain in
the capture of a large amount of fresh provisions.
Howe made a very favorable report to Lord Ger
main of the conduct of the German forces engaged
in this operation. He withdrew to Amboy and gave
up his plan for crossing the Delaware, to avoid hav
ing the American army in his rear. They pressed
him sharply near Amboy, and a strong force was
sent out on a reconnoisance towards Elizabeth —
including 300 Hessian (Yager) light cavalry, which
had just arrived, but, like the Brunswick dragoons,
without horses, which were to be supplied in Amer
ica ; but as this could not be done, they served as
infantry. In New York, Gen. v. Knyphausen commanded,
succeeding Heister, who went back to Cassel, nom
inally on account of his age and infirmities, but
really because he could not get on with Howe. With
Heister went Col. v. Block and Col. y. Horn, Lt.-Col.
v. Schreyvogel, and some invalid officers and soldiers.
He was treated with due honor, sailing on a British
transport of 10 guns, escorted by a man-of-war. He
reached Cassel in October and died there on Novem
ber 19th. Born in Homburg, Hesse, in 1716, the son
of a Hessian captain, he served in his native army
and later in that of France, then returned to that of

108 The German Allies
Hesse, fought in the Seven Years' War, was aid to
the crown prince of Brunswick, and was respected
alike as a man and a soldier.

CHAPTER VI.

Howe gave up his plan to march through New
Jersey to Philadelphia, and secretly arranged new
plans with his brother, the admiral — leaving Clinton
in New York, with 600 men. He had 18 regiments
of infantry, and of his 16,000 men, over 4,400 were
Germans. A part of the Hessian light troops were
mounted, but the officers could hardly get the nec
essary horses.
On July 23d, the fleet of 264 sail started on an
eastwardly course, in six divisions ; the fifth and
sixth carried the Hessians. Taking a southerly
course, it reached the mouth of the Delaware on the
30th, but going seaward again after a severe storm,
on August 15th it anchored off Gape Charles, in
Chesapeake Bay, and after a violent storm, reached
the head of Elk, where the forces were at length
disembarked. The army numbered 17,000 men, divided into two
corps ; one he led, the other, Knyphausen. Howe
had three Hessian Grenadier battalions, and the
Hessian and Ansbach Yagers ; in all, 9,000 men,
Knyphausen had Stirn's brigade, and, with the Brit
ish troops, 8,000 men. A capture of some tobacco-

no The German Allies
laden vessels gave the men a welcome addition to
their scanty supplies.
On the morning of the 28th, a small knot of Amer
ican officers were seen reconnoitering, and Washing
ton was recognized at their head. Howe started with
3,000 men in pursuit, and captured two officers, who
belonged to the volunteer corps of the Marquis d'Ar-
mand ; one, v. Uchtritz, was a former officer in the
Saxon army, who had resigned, to find his fortune
in America.
On September ist, Knyphausen advanced, reach
ing Iron Hill on the 3d, and the advance, under Corn
wallis, with the Hessian and Ansbach light infantry,
met the enemy, six hundred strong, under General
Maxwell. There was a sharp struggle, in which Capt. Wre-
den and Lieut.-Col. Wurmb led their men bravely,
finally driving the enemy, with a heavy loss.
Howe praised Wurmb and his officers, and men
tioned them in a general order, and gave the men
a handsome money reward for their gallantry at
Crutchley's Mill.
On the 3d, the two columns united at Newark, and
on the 9th again moved separately — Knyphausen
going to the left, to the Brandywine, where Washing
ton held a strong position, his left at Chadd's Ford,
his right at Dilworth. The passage of the stream
was covered by two batteries of light guns, and part
of Maxwell's corps was posted in support. General
Armstrong was two miles below, to defend another

In the American Revolution. in
ford. The American force, besides the militia, was
17,000 strong.
The serious nature of the struggle was fully rec
ognized — the British risked being cut off from the
fleet and their supplies ; the Americans the loss of
Philadelphia. Knyphausen was ordered to march,
with his division, to Chadd's Ford, and to attack, but
not in force, the enemy's left, while Howe and Corn
wallis turned his right ; this done, Knyphausen was
to make a vigorous forward movement, simultane
ously with the main body. He marched early on the
nth, and at ten a. m. met a body of 600 riflemen;
these he drove back, but they were reinforced and a
warm engagement ensued. Knyphausen then moved
up the rest of his column on the right and left, the
Hessians holding the center. The advance consisted
of the English Light Infantry and a hundred men of
the German Guards, under Captain Le Long, and,
followed by the main body, they moved steadily for
ward and attacked the Americans with the bayonet,
and under a heavy artillery fire finally, about n A.
m., drove the Americans across the Brandywine.
After keeping up the appearance of action with
growing impatience, Knyphausen finally heard the
signal that Howe had completed his movement, and
at once moved forward, driving Maxwell and Wayne,
with the loss of five guns, until they retreated to
Chester. Part of Knyphausen's force moved to the
left and struck a part of the enemy's right, which
had been broken by Howe.

112 The German Allies
Cornwallis had gone to the left, on the Lancaster
road, crossed both branches of the Brandywine, and
formed three columns for attack — in the first the
Guards, the British Grenadiers, the Light Infantry,
and the Hessian and Ansbach troops ; in the second,
the Hessian Grenadiers and the Fourth brigade ; the
third was to act as reserve. The advance was formed
of the Hessian and Ansbach Yagers and a force
under Ewald.
The movement was easily made across the Brandy
wine — although Ewald says that a hundred muskets
and two field pieces could have held them all day, or
forced them to find another ford higher up — and mov
ing around the enemy's right flank, came in on the
rear of the Americans. After four o'clock the attack
was made and successfully, and Howe followed it up
with repeated bayonet charges. The English Gren
adier battalion and the German Grenadiers lost their
track in the thick woods and did not take part again
in the action.
Night was beginning, and as Howe had no news
from Knyphausen, he decided not to continue the
pursuit. Ewald, to his great regret, was obliged to
see a force of the enemy quietly fall back in safety,
when, with a regiment and a gun, he could have cut
it off. While Howe's two forces had succeeded, it was
without any concert of action or knowledge on either
side of what the other had done.
Washington reported his defeat to Congress, while

In the American Revolution. 113
one wing of his army retreated to Chester and the
other to Philadelphia.
The Hessian Yagers and Grenadiers, and the Ans
bach Yagers, and the Hessian Light Cavalry, just
mounted, won great praise for their gallantry. The
Hessians lost Capt. Trautvetter, Lieuts. Dupuy, v.
Triimbach, v. Lissingen, and v. Baumbach ; and the
Ansbach Light Infantry lost Lieut, v. Forstner, and
many men killed and wounded. Of the eleven guns
taken, there were three Hessian guns that had fallen
into the hands of the Americans at Trenton.
Captains Ewald and Wreden were decorated, and
Bickel was promoted to be a commissioned officer, for
their distinguished actions.
Howe did not know how to use his victory, and
neglected to turn it to advantage by prompt pursuit.
Lotheisen, a regimental quartermaster, says in his
diary, that in Philadplphia he was told that the Amer
icans fled in such disorder that an energetic pursuit
would have captured enough to have put an end to
the war.
The British were so careless in their advance that
it was only owing to Ewald's activity that the Amer
ican rear-guard failed to drive off in disorder the
advance of the pursuing column.
The German military criticism was well expressed
by Gen. Ochs, a Hessian who, as a subaltern, had
taken part in the battle : " Washington was right to
fight for his capital, and that not under its windows,
but at a good distance ; but he was wrong in trying

114 The German Allies
to put his raw troops forward to fight experienced
soldiers on a footing of equality."
Howe remained idle for two days, his patrols gath
ering prisoners, and on the 13th moved to Wilming
ton and later to Chester, where the troops lay until
October 21st.
Finally, on the 18th, Knyphausen moved towards
Philadelphia, and after joining Cornwallis, the col
umn crossed the Schuylkill and drove off Wayne's
force. Col. v. Donop was ordered to cross French
creek, and sent Capt. v. Westenhagen, who drove the
enemy so gallantly as to earn Howe's special praise.
On September 25th, the enemy moved in two col
umns to Germantown, and Cornwallis, with six Brit
ish and two Hessian Grenadier battalions, went to
Philadelphia and at once threw up batteries on the
land and water front.
The British army was weakened by detachments
sent in various directions, and Washington, who was
in camp on Skippack creek, sixteen miles from Ger
mantown, decided to make an attack.
The British line had its left on the Schuylkill, its
center and head-quarters in Germantown. Knyp
hausen commanded the left, with Stirn, Gray and
Agnew. Col. v. Wurmb covered the front of the left
wing with his Yagers, at the mouth of the Wissahi-
kon. Gen. Grant commanded the right wing, with
its advance thrown well forward.
At 3 A. m. on the 4th of October, the British out
posts on the right wing were sharply attacked and

In the American Revolution. 115
finally driven back into the village, where they took
refuge in a stone house [Chew's], which they bravely
defended, refusing all demands to surrender, and giv
ing Gen. Grant time to bring up his main body,
while the Americans became confused and disordered.
Howe himself was promptly on hand, hurried up
the Grenadiers of Minnigerode and Donop's regi
ment, placing a force on the left flank, which was
also threatened.
Cornwallis brought reinforcements from Philadel
phia and joined in the pursuit of the retreating
Americans. While Howe speaks slightingly of this engage
ment, the Hessian officers, in their diaries, describe
it at considerable length. Lotheisen says : " Miinch
hausen, of the Guards, was adjutant-general for
Howe, and gave the order to the Guards and Do
nop's regiment, which were under arms, to march to
Germantown, where heavy firing was heard. He
acted on his own responsibility in doing so — and
wisely, for on their arrival the Americans fled, were
pursued for three or four miles, the two guns taken
in Germantown were re-captured ; " and Dinklage,
in his diary, speaks of the good fortune of his regi
ment, the Guards, losing next to nothing, but help
ing to secure the substantial result.
In the " History of the Hessian Light Battalion,"
it is claimed that the promptness of the Hessians
saved the army and turned a defeat into a substan
tial victory.

116 The German Allies
The English — both generals and historians — fail
to do justice to the German troops.
Col. v. Wurmb, unlike the British officers, kept
strong patrols out on his front and repelled an attack
of the Americans.
Howe almost lost his head — he had, it was said,
ordered a retreat to Chester, and it was rather a sur
prise than a battle, which was only saved from becom
ing a serious disaster by the prompt gallantry of the
German troops. Howe's carelessness was the cause
— he neglected to pay any attention to Ewald' s warn
ing, through Col. v. Wurmb, of a report of an attack
by the Americans, and refused to credit a like story
told by a captured American.
Howe had made a bad choice for his camp, refused
to pay attention to the Hessian warning, and had no
connection with his fleet, as the American fleet still
held the Delaware.
Washington had attacked in four columns ; two
he directed on Germantown, the third between Ger
mantown and Philadelphia, to cut off Cornwallis
from reinforcements ; the fourth was to take him in
the rear. The heavy fog interfered and prevented
the successful execution of the plan. Detachments
were sent to New Jersey, to establish batteries and
attack Fort Mifflin, on Mud Island.
' On October 21st, Col. v. Donop went on his unlucky
expedition to Red Bank. The object was to get con
trol of the Delaware and open it for the British fleet,
so as to secure free communication with the army.

In the American Revolution. 117
Reedy Island was on the Jersey shore, and Fort
Mercer stood on it. Col. Christopher Green, a very
capable officer, had been sent there by Washington,
with a force of Continental troops.
Opposite, on the Pennsylvania side, was Fort Mif
flin, on Mud Island, separated from the main land
by a narrow channel, and strengthened by war ves
sels, floating batteries, etc. Some works were thrown
up against it and manned by Hessians.
The Americans made several attacks, but were
always repulsed by Capt. v. Stamford, with the Gren
adier battalion of v. Linsingen.
The English commander determined to seize Red
Bank, and gave the order to Donop, an intelligent
and bold soldier, and his force included the three
Grenadier battalions of v. Linsingen, v. Minnigerode
and v. Lengerke, Mirbach's regiment, which had been
ordered up from Wilmington, four light companies,
including Wangenheim's, a dozen cavalrymen, some
artillery and two English howitzers.
Donop recognized the heavy task entrusted to him
and asked in vain for more artillery, but Howe said
that if Donop could not take the fort, the British
would. Donop was angry at this reply and sent back
word that the Germans had courage to do any thing,
and to his associates he said : " Either that will be
Fort Donop or I shall be dead."
On October 21st he left Philadelphia for the last
time, made a round-about journey, riding with some
artillery officers to reconnoiter. He found that he

118 The German Allies
could approach the fort through a thick wood on
three sides undiscovered. The fort was a pentagon,
surrounded by a high embankment, and thirty paces
in front of the glacis was a strong slashing. A small
hill beyond was held with a redoubt. The works
were quite extensive.
Donop placed the eight-pound guns and the two
mortars on the right, and in support, Minnigerode's
battalion and the Light Infantry ; v. Mirbach's regi
ment in the center, v. Linsingen's battalion on the
left ; v. Lengerke's battalion and some Yagers on the
Delaware, to guard against a landing and to protect
his rear. Before each battalion there were sappers
and a hundred men carrying hastily-gathered fas
cines, led by a captain.
Donop, at 4 p. m., sent a summons to surrender,
with a threat of no quarter, if it was refused, and
received a reply that the fort would be held to the
last man. As the report was that very few men were
seen in the fort, Donop decided to attack at once, and
made a stirring address, to which the men replied :
" We '11 change the name from Fort Red Bank to
Fort Donop ; " and put himself, with his officers,
sword in hand, at the head.
They charged gallantly, but soon found their road
broken by deep ditches, and could move only singly ;
they were met with a sharp fire in front and flank
from a covered battery and from two vessels in the
river. Still the troops pressed on ; v. Minnigerode
had taken the outlying redoubt by storm ; the Amer-

In the American Revolution. 119
icans at first gave way, but soon stood fast, and
before their fire Donop and Minnigerode and many
other officers fell, casting dismay on their men.
Col. v. Linsingen succeeded to the command and
did all he could to restore order ; but the Hessians
fell back in disorder. Dead and wounded were aban
doned, and v. Linsingen brought the little remnant
off under cover of the night, and on the next after
noon reached Philadelphia.
The fault lay with Howe, who had refused Donop's
request for more artillery, had not supplied the nec
essary utensils for a siege — not even sending storm
ing ladders or any means of scaling the walls — had
taken no means to learn the nature of the position,
and had, as usual, shown too little respect for the
enemy. Col. Greene had wisely acted on the suggestion of
the French engineer, Capt. Duplessis, in withdrawing
from the unfinished outwork and concentrating his
strength in the fort itself — thus, too, misleading
Donop, through the report of the small force that
held it.
After the repulse, when the officers came out, Du
plessis heard Donop's cry for help and at once took
care of him. The Americans buried 180 and cap
tured over a hundred wounded.
The Hessians lost 650 in all — among them Col. v.
Schieck, Capt. v. Bojatzky, Lieuts. Riemann, Dupuy,
v. Wurmb, Hille and v. Offenbach ; Col. v. Donop,
Capt. Wagner, Lieut. Heymel, and many slightly

120 The German Allies
wounded ; while the Americans reported their loss
as 32.
The wounded were tenderly cared for by the Amer
icans — Donop, especially, was treated with attention.
He died October 29th, in his thirty-seventh year, and
was buried with military honors. His death was
greatly mourned, both in the army and at home.
Ewald says, in his " Essay on the Service of Light
Troops," the attack was entirely unexpected, and if
made promptly and in the right way, on both fronts,
would have been successful.
Howe determined to gain the fort at any price ;
sent to New York for reinforcements, gathered at
Staaten Island a fleet of 40 transports, with 4,000
men, among them the Bayreuth regiment, and abun
dant supplies, under convoy of two men-of-war, which
reached the Delaware on November ioth, joined one
division of Howe's fleet at New Castle, 150 sail, and
the other at Chester, 200 sail, while the admiral's
great 98-gun ship rode proudly at their head, as they
moved up the stream, opening a heavy fire on the
fort, and for three days and nights pouring in an
unceasing storm of shot and shell.
The Americans abandoned the fort at Mud Island
when it was in ruins, crossed the river and retreated
to Red Bank, while the British troops were landed
and joined Cornwallis in preparation for an attack.
Every thing was ready, when, on the night of the
20th, the Americans abandoned and blew up their
forts and ships.

In the American Revolution. 12 1
Cornwallis sent out troops in pursuit, but finally
withdrew again across the Delaware and returned to
Philadelphia, entering the city with great military
display on the 27th, and taking up position on the
fourteen redoubts which covered the approaches on
the land side. The Hessians were on the Schuylkill
front, the main body quartered in the houses on the
Neck, in a region reminding them of their native
country. The Americans tried to tempt the Germans to
desert, and Gen. Putnam issued a proclamation in
German, to which Captain Emmerick, commanding
a German-loyalist volunteer corps, replied in a man
ner worthy of a German soldier and patriot.
Emmerick had fought bravely in the Seven Years'
War, and after the peace, had settled in America.
At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, he
returned to Germany, raised a volunteer corps for
service under the British flag, and showed courage
and skill in his conduct. In 1809 he took a leading
part in a conspiracy against Jerome Bonaparte, king
of Westphalia, and was executed. His name is still
piously cherished by his countrymen as a sacrifice to
his love of liberty.
Howe spent the winter with his army in Philadel
phia, once making a reconnoisance in force towards
Chestnut Hill, Whitemarsh and Edge Hill, trying
to find a place to attack the American lines, and at
another time across the Schuylkill, leaving Knyp
hausen in command ; but Washington held his posi-
16

122 The German Allies
tion at Valley Forge and prevented any real advance.
Howe was greatly blamed for not using his strong
force, well equipped and supplied, against the weak
body of the Americans, suffering from want of the
necessaries of life. Occasional exchange of shots,
and some slight skirmishes, were the only active
service. On April 2 2d, Gen. Clinton relieved Gen. Howe
of his command. Clinton himself had been in New
York, with a force too small to do more than resist
American attacks, such as that of Sullivan, in which
the German troops were warmly praised for their
gallantry. Chaplain Waldeck, in his diary, says that one of
the captured officers had two brothers serving with
the loyalist provincial troops.
Cornwallis divided his force into four corps, to be
sent each in a different direction through New Jer
sey, to capture cattle — as fresh food was growing
scarce — and drive the Americans off.
Cornwallis himself, with Gen. Campbell and the
Bayreuth and Waldeck Grenadiers, under Captain
Seitz, and other troops, crossed from Staaten Island
and moved rapidly through Elizabeth, when he struck
Putnam's corps and drove it some distance, capturing
500 head of cattle and 1,500 sheep. Seitz covered
the rear as it withdrew to New York.
In September, two new Hessian Yager companies
and some Bayreuth recruits joined their regiments.
Among the new arrivals was the young v. Ochs, a

In the American Revolution. 123
volunteer, who subsequently became a general, and
has left some interesting recollections of his experi
ences in America.
In October, the Bayreuth and Waldeck regiments
were embarked on transports, to go up the Hudson
to Burgoyne's relief, but soon after starting, came the
news of Burgoyne's surrender, and the Waldeck reg
iment disembarked at Fort Knyphausen.
A detachment of the Bayreuth regiment, under
Capt. v. Eyb, was forced to land and fight its way
back to Kingsbridge, to escape the fire of the Amer
icans from the shore.
Finally, the Waldeck regiment was sent to Staaten
Island for the winter, and the Bayreuth regiment to
the Delaware.
Gen. Clinton himself led a force, partly English,
partly German, including the Hessian Grenadier bat
talion of Kohler, the Ansbach Grenadiers and Triim -
bach's regiment, and the Hessian Yagers, and landing
at Stony Point, marched across country and made a
simultaneous assault on Fort Montgomery and Fort
Clinton, commanded by General James Clinton and
General George Clinton. After a hard day's fight,
both were taken — the two commanders and most of
the garrison escaping, but leaving a hundred guns, a
large supply of provisions and ammunition, and
burning their ships at anchor.
The Ansbach Grenadiers and their Captain, v.
Eckert, won Clinton's special praise. Eckert was
desperately wounded and died in New York.

124 The German Allies
Lieut, v. Bentheim, of the Hessians, also fell, and
the German soldiers, always favorites of Clinton's,
were particularly commended by him for their brav
ery in this brilliant operation.
Razing the forts to the ground, throwing the guns
and supplies, that he could not carry off, into the
Hudson, he withdrew safely to New York.

CHAPTER VII

After a long and severe winter, Gen. Carleton
began preparations for the campaign from Canada,
which Gen. Burgoyne had planned in London, look
ing to the union of the two armies at Albany.
Gen. Carleton sent out small bodies of Indians to
try to gather news of Howe's army, but with little
success. Gen. Riedesel, in a letter to the Duke of Bruns
wick, wrote that neither Carleton nor he had the
slightest idea of Howe's plan, or of the whereabouts
of his army.
Burgoyne arrived from England in May, but with
no orders, other than one giving him the command
of all operations outside of Canada, thus setting aside
Carleton, who, in spite of his successes, was no favor
ite at court — he had asked for 30,000 men to carry
out the plan which Burgoyne was ready to undertake
with the small force in hand.
Even Howe was junior to Carleton, and Riedesel
saw in this a reason for passing over Carleton in the
choice of a leader.
Carleton transferred the command to Burgoyne,

126 The German Allies
and helped him in every way to prepare for the cam
paign, and Burgoyne promptly consulted Riedesel.
Carleton was to retain in Canada a force of Bruns
wick and Hesse Hanau troops, under Lieut.-Col. v.
Ehrenkrook. Burgoyne was to take 3,600 Germans
in his total strength of 8,000 men.
In June, a fleet of 39 sail brought German recruits
and the wife of Gen. v. Riedesel, with her three little
children. Her memoirs are among the most inter
esting and well-authenticated personal narratives of
the war, and have endeared her name to many read
ers of many nationalities.
The army rendezvous was at Cumberland Head ;
the German corps, in two brigades, the left wing ; the
first brigade, under Col. v. Specht, the regiments of v.
Riedesel, v. Specht, and v. Rhetz ; the second brig
ade, under Col. v. Gall, the regiments Prince Fred
erick and Hesse Hanau. The Grenadiers, the Light
battalion and the Yagers, under Lieut.-Col. Brey-
mann, were the reserve, and the Dragoons were the
escort at head-quarters.
The army was moved by boats across Lake Cham
plain in gallant array, while the Indians moved by
land. Burgoyne gave their chiefs a formal recep
tion, and the Germans were formally welcomed as
brethren. At Crown Point the army landed, and
there found two German families, settled there for
many years. The Brunswick chaplain baptized two
of the adults, who had for years been without the
benefits of the church.

In the American Revolution. 127
Burgoyne handed the command over to Riedesel,
while he pushed forward with the advance, under
Fraser. Fort Ticonderoga. was at last uncovered, with its
two main works, Fort Carillon and Fort Independ
ence, and an old French redoubt, all well manned
with eight and six-pounders, and the old French
lines, but the Americans, with their small force, had
wisely made their defense within much less ground.
Fort Independence had one thirty-two-pounder, six
heavy guns, and twelve in its outworks — and pali
sades and ditches, with an outwork ; while a floating
bridge connected the two forts, protected by heavy
chains. Heavy batteries protected both shores. The
garrison of 3,500 men, under General St. Clair, an
experienced soldier of the Old French War, was well
supplied, and the French had named the fort a " cul
de sac," so strong was it by nature and by its defens
ive works.
On July ist, the army moved forward in two col
umns, the left under Riedesel, the right under Phil
lips. Breymann was with the reserve, and the German
Dragoons were in the advance. At the first landing
of the leading four German regiments, so little pains
was taken to prepare a camp that the men were lost
in the woods, and only by morning could they join
their colors.
Gen. Phillips, following Fraser's advance, engaged
the American outposts, while Riedesel moved at once
against Fort Independence.

128 The German Allies
During the delay in preparing to attack, an Amer
ican reinforcement, 800 strong, in spite of the Indi
ans, entered the fort.
Captain Gerlach, with a hundred men, was sent on
a reconnoisance, to cut off the line to New Hamp
shire. A battery was placed on a hill commanding
both forts and bridge, and the Americans soon aban
doned their strong position — Riedesel seizing Fort
Independence and placing Breymann's corps there,
and Fraser occupying Fort Carillon.
Eighty guns, 1,500 small arms, 5,000 tons of flour,
200 oxen and great stores of all kinds, showed with
what precipitation the Americans had withdrawn.
The negligence of the Americans to defend Sugar
Hill was heavily punished by the loss of this import
ant post, which the French had defended at the sac
rifice of 2,000 lives.
Riedesel was at once ordered in pursuit by land
and the rest of the army by water — leaving the
Brunswick regiment as part of the garrison to hold
Ticonderoga. Riedesel moved rapidly forward and soon found
Fraser engaged. He put his Yagers into action and
gave Capt. v. Geisan orders to turn the right flank of
the enemy. They soon relieved Fraser, who heartily
thanked Riedesel, his old friend in many hard-fought
actions during the Seven Years' War in Germany.
Capt. Schottelius was commended, with the other
officers, for gallantry in their first engagement.
A Brunswick Grenadier officer reported that of the

In the American Revolution. 129
enemy, 2,000 strong, over 200 were captured — Brig
adier v. Specht says 297.
Riedesel learned the advantage of the American
method of fighting in open order, and issued orders
to his officers to practice their men in this new sys
tem, thus adding a useful lesson to the strict Ger
man discipline.
Burgoyne decided to move directly to the Hudson
and then to Albany. Riedesel ordered his officers to
procure pack horses and relieve the men from the
weight of their baggage during the severe marches.
American loyalists reported at the German head
quarters, on July 2 1 st, that the Americans had aban
doned Fort George. Riedesel and Burgoyne had a
long council at Skenesborough, where the Americans
had burned the fort and magazine and mills, and
destroyed their arms and provisions. Fifty German
soldiers were left there to keep open communication
between the army in its advance and the magazines
at Ticonderoga.
The Americans abandoned Fort St. Anna and Fort
Edward and had taken up their position at Stillwater,
on the Hudson.
The Hesse Hanau regiment was left at Fort St.
Anna, to forward much-needed supplies and establish
bakeries and other means of furnishing food for the
half-famished men.
August 3d, Burgoyne at last received and returned
messages, from and to Gen. Howe, and expectation
was aroused of an early general engagement.
17

130 The German Allies
In the papers of Gen. Schuler von Senden there
is a report of the general complaint of the route
chosen by Burgoyne and of the unnecessary hard
ships inflicted on his men by the hard march through
the wilderness.
To get a supply of cattle, Burgoyne ordered the
Brunswick Lieut.-Col. Baum to make a hurried march
to Bennington, partly to gather supplies, partly to
make a diversion in favor of Col. St. Leger's move
ment on Fort Stanwix, by preventing Arnold from
sending reinforcements.
Riedesel protested against the operation as being
too late — he had suggested it in July — and as made
by too small a force. He reported to the Duke of
Brunswick that he hardly recognized his own plan,
so much was it altered.
Baum was ordered to seize at least 1,300 horses,
and the Brunswick Dragoons were ordered to go with
him to ride the horses that he was to capture. They
were utterly unsuited for the rapid march necessary
for success. They were equipped with long, heavy
riding boots, with big spurs, thick leathern breeches,
heavy gauntlets, a hat with a thick feather ; at their
side a strong sabretasch and a short, heavy carbine,
while a big pig-tail was an important part of this
extraordinary costume. The poor Dragoons had
already been the laughing-stock of the army, and
now they were to carry their supplies with them.
Baum's corps was to consist of 200 Brunswick
Dragoons, 40 Light Infantry, 60 Canadians, 140

In the American Revolution. 131
Indians, and Col. Peters' force of no men, but these
were replaced by men from the regiments of his left
wing and Breymann's corps. Two Hanau guns,
under Lieut. Bach, were added. Of the 551 men,
374 were Germans — 360 Brunswick infantry and 14
Hanau artillerymen.
Baum marched on August nth, from Fort Miller,
with Burgoyne's final orders to go direct to Benning
ton. On the 12th, he met an American force and
captured eight men, and took a magazine. He soon
reported to Burgoyne that Bennington was defended
by a force of from 1,500 to 1,800 Americans, but so
loyal that they were likely to retreat. His next
message to Burgoyne was for reinforcements, and
Burgoyne at once sent orders to Riedesel to order
Breymann up — he was thirty miles off.
Instead of help coming, Baum saw the Americans
advancing in strong force, and although assured by
Major Skene that they were loyalists who would join
him, and allowing them to get in his rear and to cut
him off from the Canadian volunteers, Provincials
and Indians, posted on a neighboring hill, he found
himself sharply attacked. He held out for two
hours, when his ammunition gave out, he was
severely wounded, and finally surrendered.
Col. Stark, the American commander, praised the
Germans for their stout resistance.
Breymann was on the way with 333 Brunswick
Grenadiers, 288 of Baum's Light Infantry, and 21
artillerymen, with two field pieces, under Lieutenant

132 The German Allies

ftv'

Spangenberg. He sent Captain v. Gleissenberg for
ward with the advance guard of 60 Grenadiers and
Chasseurs and 20 light infantry, and then followed
quickly, but soon met a large force, at first taken for
loyalists. His men fought well, until the ammuni
tion was exhausted, and then, obliged to abandon his
guns, he withdrew, with a heavy loss. Captain v.
Schlagenteuffel, with 29 Dragoons, were the only
Brunswick soldiers that escaped. Baum died of his
wounds and was buried, with military honors, in
Bennington. English and Americans both blamed the Germans
for this disaster, but Baum and Breymann had acted
in strict pursuance of their orders, and Burgoyne
himself commended th'e personal bravery of both
officers and men.
The Americans were greatly delighted with their
success, and soon gathered a force estimated at about
14,000, while the English lost so heavily by deser
tion' that Burgoyne ordered the Indians to shoot
every deserter, and to scalp, too.
Supplies were very scarce — a Brunswick officer
wrote home : " The army is fed with bread made of
flour sent from England and with meat salted there,
and the difficulty of getting food brought to the front
is incalculable."
Riedesel took position, with the regiments v. Rhetz
and Hesse Hanau, seven miles from Fort Edward, to
open communications with the magazines.
Early in September, Riedesel received word from

In the American Revolution. 133
Gates of the loss of a number of Germans, shot down
in what was thought to be a revolt, but turned out to
be only an effort of the prisoners to escape from a
falling building.
Lieut.-Col. v. Kreutzburg, who was with St. Leger,
reported that the so-called victory at Oriskany was
very doubtful, and, through Col. v. Gall, gave a very
bad account of the condition of affairs on the Mohawk.
Many of the Indians had left Burgoyne and those
from St. Leger then came to the main body, but were
of little real help. The American army was strong
in numbers and position.
Burgoyne at last advanced, the Germans forming
the left wing, and after they had crossed the bridge
over the Hudson, it was broken, thus cutting the last
tie with Canada. The army was reduced from 10,000
to 6,000, with a very small supply of provisions. The
20 Brunswick Dragoons — all that were left — were
mounted, but on very poor footing, for they were in
need of every thing. Capt. v. Schlagenteuffet was
in command of this, the only cavalry in the army.
Riedesel had shown his sense of the risk to be run
in the advance, by sinking two boats at Fort Edward,
to be raised and used in case of a retreat.
Burgoyne ordered an advance on the 15th of Sep
tember, in three columns — the Germans the third, on
the left. The route was on the high road from the
Hudson to Stillwater. Breymann's corps was the
rear guard and had orders to cut the bridges as soon
as the army and its supplies were all across.

134 The German Allies
Burgoyne took the regiments of Specht and Hesse
Hanau, under Col. v. Gall, and six guns, and moved
forward to reconnoiter. No advance guards, or patrols
or pickets, had been sent out — he wanted to strike
the rebels on the head. Riedesel and the other gen
erals were with him ; 200 men went on to open the
road and build bridges ; the force moved a couple of
miles, then went into camp until roads could be cut
through the thick woods, bridges built and entrench
ments thrown up ; a further advance was made and
still nothing was seen or learned of the enemy ; on
moved the army, and nothing could be heard from
one wing to the other.
Burgoyne's advance guard was sharply engaged on
the 19th, and when Riedesel heard of it, he reported
his disposition of his force — his own regiment, with
Pausch's two six-pounders, in support of v. Specht's
regiment, which protected the advance guard and
workmen. Two Indians reported that an American regiment
was advancing from the left. Burgoyne sent Riede
sel orders to attack the enemy on the right, and he at
once ordered Col. v. Specht to hold the position on the
river, and with the advance, under Capt. v. Freders-
dorf, went forward until he had reached a position
from which he could see the American army in posi
tion and the two forces contending for Freeman's
Farm, which was held now by one, now by the other,
of the two armies. The Americans were well pro
tected ; the English in the open, and their supports

In the American Revolution. 135
not within effective distance — the Americans six
times bringing up fresh troops from the woods that
covered them. The English ammunition was nearly
exhausted, their force heavily wasted.
Riedesel at once moved on the right flank of the
enemy, then joined Burgoyne, and Pausch promptly
brought up his two guns, which Riedesel posted in
support of the English line, already wavering under
heavy fire ; sending his own regiments against the
American position, forcing them to fall back, while
Breymann successfully repelled an attack on the
right. The Germans had thus, for the second time, saved
the English, and followed up their success by pursuit
of the retreating Americans, until Burgoyne ordered
them to stop — much to the discontent of the troops,
and, according to Gen. Schuler v. Senden, simply
because he did not know how to avail himself of the
advantage gained for him, and the opportunity of
gathering supplies from the rich country in his rear.
The English bivouacked on the field, where Gen.
Arnold had necessarily abandoned most of the Amer
ican wounded.
Not only did the Germans fairly win the honors of
this engagement, but Madame v. Riedesel and the
ladies with her worked hard to bring succor to the
wounded and dying, and thus earned the gratitude of
the men for their courage in the midst of the horrors
that follow a battle.

CHAPTER VIII.

The general officers rode over the ground on the
day after the battle, September 20th, to find a good
position. A redoubt was thrown up on the right,
with Breymann's reserve to protect it. On the left
was a hill which commanded the whole valley ; the
Hesse Hanau regiment was posted there.
Burgoyne pitched his camp between the English
and German troops, Riedesel placed his on the height
on the left. Posts and batteries were put at the open
ings of the line, a deep ditch protected the front, and
heavy trees were cut down to cover the approach from
all sides. Pickets were posted well out, and the
bridges were defended with earthworks.
The Americans soon converted their position into an
entrenched camp, so near that every sound could be
heard in both camps ; but the British were altogether
unable to ascertain the strength of the enemy, which
successfully prevented any effective reconnoisance.
On the 2 2d, Burgoyne received despatches from
Howe, and reported to Riedesel that Clinton was
moving to attack Gates. Burgoyne determined to
18

138 The German Allies
remain for eight days, the time for further news from
the south, and kept his men at work strengthening
his camp.
The Americans did the same thing, and sent out a
small force that captured the cattle and guards of the
English^. Riedesel sent Captain Gerlach across the Hudson
to reconnoiter, ascertain the strength of the enemy,
the feasibility of getting away with the artillery, or
of an attack on the enemy's right. Gerlach returned
the same night, with a report that by help of the
bend of the river he had got to the rear of the ene
my's right, but that he could see nothing, except that
their camp was in two lines, the river on their rear,
no bridge, but fords through which patrols passed.
Daily attacks were made by the Americans on the
outposts, but by cutting down the woods, preparations
were made to resist them successfully. Hardly any
patrol was sent out without losing some of its men.
Provisions ran short, sickness rapidly increased, dis
cipline diminished under growing hardships, deser
tion increased, in spite of the dreadful punishment
inflicted on the deserters recaptured.
Burgoyne was daily losing popularity and confi
dence. He did his best to strengthen his magazine
and protect his supplies, but on October 16th was
obliged to reduce the daily rations to a pound of
bread and a pound of meat. The men did not com
plain, and Riedesel was glad to find how patient they
were.

In the American Revolution. 139
The eight days taken by Burgoyne for news from
Clinton had long passed, and he finally took counsel
with Riedesel. An enemy four times his strength,
in front of him, their position quite undiscoverable,
the winter fast approaching — he proposed a flank
movement around the left of the Americans and an
attack on their rear, leaving 800 men to protect the
camp, and it was inspected to see if it could be held
for three or four days, but the result was very unsat
isfactory — the works were too far apart — and it was
decided that if the attack could not be made in one
day, it would be better to abandon the camp, cross
the Hudson, renew connection with Lake George,
and open it with Clinton. This was Riedesel's sug
gestion and it was approved by the other general
officers, but Burgoyne would not hear of a retreat.
On October 6th, the Americans made an attack on
the left wing with 600 men and retreated in good
order. On the 7th, Burgoyne ordered 1,500 men to be
sent on a reconnoisance, but the Americans met it
with a sturdy resistance. Lieut.-Col. Speth, with 300
Germans, in the center, supported by the v. Rhetz
and Hesse Hanau regiments, had the brunt of the
fight, and Captains v. Fredersdorf, v. Gleissenberg
and v. Dahlstierna, and Ensign v. Geyling, were
among the wounded, the two Hesse Hanau guns
were lost, and the whole detachment barely escaped
capture. Breymann and Speth did their best to
resist the attack on their position, and Speth, with

140 The German Allies
some other Brunswick officers, fell into the enemy's
hands. The Americans fell back just when they had the
key of the position and could have inflicted infinite
injury by the capture of the magazine and supplies,
although their attack was marked by a bravery that
won the applause of the German officers.
At last Burgoyne gave orders for a retreat, and
Riedesel was to lead the advance, abandoning about
800 sick and wounded, while preparations were made
to cross the Hudson, when Burgoyne suddenly ordered
it to go into bivouac, and after a day's delay, and
abandoning his camp equipage, tents, etc., again
moved forward, while Burgoyne made himself com
fortable in his old quarters, Schuyler's house, in
spite of Riedesel's earnest warning.
The Americans still pressed on, and Burgoyne,
after setting fire to Schuyler's house and other build
ings, found his retreat threatened on all sides, his
boats and provisions captured, his force under fire,
his outposts captured or driven in, and three batteries
posted in the rear of his army, his supplies cut off,
his troops losing courage and discipline, and the out
look hopeless.
Madame Riedesel and her children set an example
of courage in this hour of trial that inspired all who
saw her.
At last Burgoyne called Riedesel and v. Gall and
his English brigadiers into council. Riedesel advised
abandoning guns and baggage, and pledged himself

In the American Revolution. 141
to bring the army to Lake George. His offer was
accepted and he urged an instant departure. Delay
followed delay, and finally Burgoyne countermanded
the order to move.
The next day, the 13th, all was lost. Another
council was called, to which regimental commanders,
too, were invited, and all agreed that to cut their way
out would be a bloody sacrifice, but they were ready
to make it. Burgoyne declared that it was too late.
He took upon himself the responsibility — for which
Riedesel thanked him — and opened negotiations with
Gates for the surrender, which finally was agreed
upon on the 16th.
Of the 5,800 men included in it, 3,500 were still
able to bear arms, and of these the Germans counted
2,43i- Riedesel prepared a memoir, in both German and
French, which on the 18th of October was signed by
the brigade and staff officers of his command, to be
submitted to the Duke of Brunswick and the public.
In it he said that his reputation had been sacrificed
by others. His friends at home were full of respect
and pity and expressed their full confidence.
St. Leger had, in the force he took against Fort
Stanwix, the Hesse Hanau Yager company, under
Lieut. Hildebrand, sent from Hanau in May, 1777,
and landed in Canada in June and at once sent on
this expedition. He lost tents, guns and supplies,
and found his way back out of the wilderness as best
he could.

142 The German Allies
Burgoyne was received with great courtesy by
Gates, who had on his staff Col. v. Weissenfels, born
in Konigsberg and long in the Prussian service.
Riedesel, by his wife's help, saved the flags of his
regiments and returned them safely to Brunswick.
He encouraged his men and acquitted them of all
blame for their misfortunes. The actual surrender
was made with the greatest consideration for them.
In Schlozer's Correspondence is a letter from a
Brunswick officer describing, in a good-humored way,
the contrast between the American army and that
which surrendered to it.
The British forces marched by slow stages to Bos
ton, with the loss of only a hundred deserters from
the German troops. Madame v. Riedesel shared her
husband's hardships.
The regiment Prince Frederic had been left at Ti
conderoga, and was reinforced by 150 recruits on the
day of the American attack, and successfully repelled
it, as well as a second demonstration by a large force,
thus saving Canada and the large magazine of sup
plies gathered for Burgoyne's army from sharing his
cruel fate.

CHAPTER IX.

The German prisoners were encamped on Winter
Hill, in wretched barracks, built in 1775 for the
American troops engaged in the siege of Boston,
badly supplied with even the necessaries of life, offi
cers and men stripped of their personal effects — Gen.
v. Riedesel even lost all of his, although guarded at
night by the militia, who perhaps helped to take it —
and robbed of thirty horses, their private property.
In violation of the terms of surrender, by which the
officers were promised quarters suited to their rank,
three and four were crowded into miserable corners,
and Gen. v. Riedesel had to pay heavily out of his
own pocket for lodgings in a tavern at Cambridge.
The promises of improvement in the quarters and
care of the prisoners were violated. Officers and men
did the best they could. The poor fellows were sup
plied with shoes that cost four silver dollars, at the
expense of the officers, who shared their resources
with them.
The camp was surrounded by sentries, who forbade
all intercourse with Boston, while the officers were
allowed on parole a limit of a mile and a half in other
directions.

144 The German Allies
Gen.. Heath was in command in Boston — a selfish,
rough, rude man, who hardly hid his hatred for the
prisoners in his charge. He paid a formal visit to
the generals, and invited them to dine with him in
Boston. He promised them, in his general order,
humanity and kindness, but took no trouble to show
them any.
The other German prisoners were scattered through
out Massachusetts, in private families, and the sol
diers had to work for their food and clothing.
The winter was a very severe one, every effort was
made to induce the men to desert, and especially to
get those who were skilled artisans to benefit the
Americans by their industry. Every device was
adopted to get them to slander their comrades and to
forget their duty. Some of them did, indeed, profit
by the change, and found brilliant rewards for their
new citizenship.
Gen. Riedesel and his officers did what they could
to hold their men, but of course had no means with
which to make their condition endurable.
Riedesel secured a comfortable house in Cambridge,
belonging to a refugee loyalist, and as he was only a
mile and a half from Winter Hill, paid daily visits to
the soldiers, doing all he could for them. His health
was greatly broken by the hardships and exposure
of the last few trying months. Some of his officers
had secured comfortable quarters, but they were con
stantly annoyed by the rudeness and brutality of the
American officers. Riedesel established discipline in

In the American Revolution. 145
the camp of the prisoners, and secured them the pro
tection of their own officers.
The Commissary department was entrusted by
Gen. Heath, at Riedesel's request, to a special officer,
Massereau, who made use of every means to enrich
himself at the expense of the poor German prisoners.
The guinea, which Congress had fixed at 28 shillings,
was taken at 90 shillings in paper, and the prisoners
could only get the paper at this rate for their gold, or
silver; the profit was the share of the commissary
and the authorities at Boston.
While the British desertions, to the end of Decem
ber, were nearly 400, the Germans lost only 20.
By the end of January, a much-needed supply of
clothing came from New York, to help the men bear
the cold weather.
After many efforts to secure the terms promised at
the surrender, Congress finally, in the close of March,
formally disapproved of them and refused to be bound
by them.
The British, too, treated the Germans unfairly, for
while many of the officers of the English force were
exchanged, not a single German officer was, and
Riedesel appealed to Washington, who gave him a
kind answer, but reminded him that it was a matter
belonging entirely to Sir William Howe. He bribed
Massereau with 30 guineas, so as to secure better care
for his men.
Burgoyne's release, in April, was conditioned on a
deposit of $40,000, and this was made in food and
19

146 The German Allies
supplies sent from Rhode Island, to the great benefit
of the half-starved prisoners of war. Gen. Burgoyne
thanked the Germans, through Riedesel, for their
services, and promised to report their good conduct
to the King of England on his return home.
Riedesel kept his men in good condition by con
stant exercise, frequent inspection, reviews and other
employment, to protect them from the evils of idle
ness. He and his wife were greatly annoyed by the
rude hostility of the Boston men and women of all
classes, and even by threats of personal ill usage.
He gave his men leave of absence for fixed periods,
that they might go into the country and do farm
work, both for their health and the little wages they
could earn. By April the British had 655 men, the
Brunswick force 116, the Hesse Hanau troops 41, off
on leave on this plan.
Congress made a formal proclamation, inviting the
Germans to desert, and Riedsel protested against it
as an abuse of the position of prisoners of war, had
the proclamation torn down, and the agents who were
trying to persuade the men to desert put out of the
camp, and the American officer in charge approved
his course, saying that the proclamation was intended
only to reach the soldiers in the field.
Lieut.-Col. v. Speth, on account of ill health, was
allowed to go to New York, and on his way visited
the German prisoners — giving, in a letter of April
28th, a sad account of their condition, starved, sick,
ragged, hopeless and despairing.

In the American Revolution. 147
Near Boston there were repeated examples of ill-
treatment — a young Brunswick soldier of the Rhetz
regiment, in trying to protect his wife, was brutally
killed by half a dozen militiamen, and no punishment
was ever meted out to them.
Gen. Riedesel loyally supported Gen. Phillips in
his protest against the ill-treatment alike of English
and German prisoners, and refused any favor that
Gen. Heath showed him and his men. The good
supplies sent from Rhode Island were taken by the
Americans, who replaced them with their own very
poor food, thus inflicting new distress and misery on
the unhappy prisoners. Fifty Brunswick soldiers
died in four weeks, from the results of bad food and
intense summer heat, and the hardships consequent
on frequent changes of quarters.
The sight of the British fleet off Boston threw Gen.
Heath and the Americans into a state of excitement,
and awakened in the prisoners a hope of release,
but Howe's plans were all a succession of failures,
although he really meant to do something for the
men. As the winter again approached, Burgoyne sent an
officer with the promise of a supply of clothing, etc.,
from Canada via New York, but while it was daily
expected, Gen. Heath issued an order that the men
were to go to Virginia, a march of 650 miles, through
a country full of hostile inhabitants, with no provision
for health or comfort. Clinton had refused to supply
the prisoners, and as Boston was heavily taxed to

148 The German Allies
feed the French troops, it was thought best to send
the prisoners southward, where food was more abund
ant, and where the climate would not be so severe for
them. The Germans were not a little discouraged at the
necessity of a long march into a new region. They
moved in three divisions, on successive days — the
first included the Grenadiers, the Dragoons, and the
Rhetz regiment, led by Major v. Mengen ; the second
the regiments of v. Riedesel and v. Specht, led by
Brigadier v. Specht ; the third consisted of the bat
talion of v. Barner, the regiment of Hesse Hanau,
and the Hanau artillery, under Brigadier v. Gall.
Major Hopkins was the commissary given to the
Germans on their march.
Riedesel accompanied the first division for a time,
and then returned to Cambridge for money.
The journey was tedious and trying, and the men
found great difficulty in getting shelter or food in the
thinly populated country through which they moved.
Often bivouacking in the woods, without tents or
cover, exposed to frost and rain, their condition was
a wretched one.
At Salisbury, Gen. Riedesel sent them $70,000 in
paper money, which he had secured at Boston on his
personal responsibility.
Arrived at Fishkill, on the Hudson, Washington
paid them the compliment of his presence, but he
also gave them a strong guard, lest Clinton should
carry out his threat of releasing them by force — for

In the American Revolution. 149
which purpose he had sent some frigates and troops
up the Hudson, hoping to find an opportunity to
force the post at Peekskill, and, with the help of roy
alist citizens, release the prisoners — but nothing of
the sort was attempted.
At Newburg, Gen. Riedesel succeeded in sending,
through Washington's head-quarters, money to sup
ply the officers with forage for 165 days, and shoes
and stockings for the men.
In December, they passed through New Jersey and
Pennsylvania — and at Lancaster met a curious recep
tion ; the story had spread that the King of England
had given Lancaster to Gen. v. Riedesel as a reward
for his services and that he was now come to take
possession. The people were greatly excited, and it
took some time to convince them of the truth.
On the last day of the year, they reached Virginia,
and celebrated New Year's eve in a wild wood, with
snow a foot deep, with no shelter and little protection.
By the 15th of January, they got to Charlottsville,
where they were finally followed by Riedesel, who
had travelled slowly, accompanied by his wife and
children. General Gates, who had succeeded to the
command of Boston, did every thing to make their
journey comfortable, and showed them the greatest
courtesy. In March, 1779, Riedesel reported to the Duke of
Brunswick the particulars of their change of quarters
from Massachusetts to Virginia.
Riedesel lived like a native farmer, built a block

150 The German Allies
house, with furniture made on the spot, worked at his
own garden, had horses and cattle, and his wife made
a capital housewife. The heat was oppressive, and in
a short visit to Frederick Springs for relief, he made
acquaintance with some of Washington's family.
Few officers were left with the soldiers at Char
lottesville, the former being mostly sent to Rich
mond — it was thought by them with a view to leave
the men free to be persuaded to desert and find new
and profitable employment in America. Riedesel
appealed to Congress and to all others in authority
in vain, and, instead of redress, got only evasive
answers. In June, the long-delayed baggage arrived from
Canada, but in very bad condition, so that officers
and men were really very little better off as to
clothing, etc.
In September, Washington sent Riedesel word that
he was to be exchanged and should go at once to New
York. Turning the command over to Col. Specht,
he did what he could for the future comfort of his
soldiers and started, with his family and staff and
servants, making 16 in all, and 20 horses and a num
ber of wagons. His journey was interrupted by an
order from Congress to go to Bethlehem, Pennsylva
nia, where he was detained for six weeks, with great
discomfort — he was suffering, his children were sick,
his wife was about to be confined, and he was not
allowed even to go to Philadelphia.
When he finally arrived in New York, Clinton

In the American Revolution. 151
informed him that the exchange had not yet been
effected. ,
Riedesel wrote to the Duke of Brunswick, asking
to be allowed to return to his command in Virginia,
if the exchange was not completed. He said that in
Georgia the British had 1,500 prisoners, and in New
York 400 officers, all working hard for an exchange,
and that Washington and the army were anxious for
it, but Congress was constantly interfering to pre
vent it, and in a way that showed that no reliance
was to be placed upon its promises.
When Riedesel arrived in New York, he found a
number of Brunswick soldiers who had escaped and
wanted to rejoin their colors, but no one would care
for them. Some 50 Brunswick and Hanau soldiers
had enlisted with a Captain v. Diemar, formerly in
the Sixtieth British regiment, who was trying to raise
a volunteer Hussar force, and who was thanked by
the Count of Hanau for his kindness to the men, who
were supplied by him with clothing and money after
their hardships in rejoining their comrades.
After Riedesel's arrival in New York, a partial
exchange was made, including 67 officers, with 149
servants, and 113 non-commissioned officers, leaving
only 906 men at Charlottesville, and of the Hanau
forces, 16 officers and 40 servants were allotted for
exchange, leaving 296 men behind. The large pro
portion of servants was a pretext for getting the non
commissioned officers exchanged. Deprived of officers
and non-commissioned officers, the men stood stoutly

152 The German Allies
by their colors, and resisted the temptations held out
to them to make their homes in America, with all the
rewards offered.
The men made thmselves comfortable in their tem
porary barracks, surrounded themselves with gardens
and such comforts and occupation as they could pro
vide, built a church — with a graveyard, fitted up a
theatre, had constant visitors from far and near, and
made new life in the desolate little country village.
The men were left for eighteen months without
pay, and Congress deliberately repudiated the terms
of the convention under which they had surrendered.
Washington stood up stoutly for their rights, but
La Fayette justified Congress, on account of English
examples of bad faith, particularly at the surrender
of Klosterseven, in the Seven Years' War.

CHAPTER X.

The British ministry was ready to make every
effort to end the war in 1778. Parliament voted it
all the money needed for fresh allies, and Col. [now
General] Faucit again went to the Continent to spend
it for the soldiers he hoped to get there. But the
reports from America were not of a kind to encourage
new supplies, and the only prince who agreed to give
his subjects for the British cause was the sovereign
of Anhalt-Zerbst. The Elector of Hesse refused to
send another corps, and was only finally persuaded
to allow the voluntary enlistment of some companies
of light infantry.
The Opposition, in and out of Parliament, were
active in exciting hostility to these efforts to increase
the force sent to America.
It was said that Russia was to lend 24,000 men,
Switzerland 10,000, and the Emperor of Fez and Mo
rocco 24,000 Moors, and that other smaller Asiatic
sovereigns had promised their help.
The net result was that there went from Cassel 220
recruits and 23 Yagers, under three lieutenants and
one ensign, and from Hesse Hanau and Ansbach 660
20

154 The German Allies
men, at the end of February, to complete the force
already pledged.
In Parliament, the Opposition hurled contempt on
the German princes and their troops ; but Lord Suf
folk retorted : " Who saved the kingdom from a
French invasion in 1748 ? Who resisted the French
from 1752 to 1762, and helped England to save Han
over, Brunswick and Hesse from submission and to
win at last a satisfactory and honorable treaty? Who
have enabled the British to hold their own in Amer
ica ? The German soldiers, who to-day are said to
be worthy of no good word."
The German princes took every occasion to reward
their officers and men, by conferring orders and dis
tinctions on those who were reported as showing
unusual bravery.
On May nth, 1778, Gen. Howe announced that
he was about to return to Egland, and would be suc
ceeded by Sir Henry Clinton. On the 4th, he had
held a review of the Hessians in Philadelphia, when
seven regiments and fourteen batteries and the Yager
corps were commended for their splendid appearance.
Only twice during the war was such a force, so well
drilled, seen together. The occurrence is specially
mentioned in a manuscript history of the Hessian
Yager corps, by Capt. Mehlburger.
Festivals followed, one after another. On the 18th
of May, the brothers Howe were made the special
guests of a great display arranged by young MajorV.
Andre, called the Meschianza.

, In the American Revolution. 155
On the 20th, the corps of Lafayette, reported to be
6,000 strong, showed itself across the Schuylkill, and
a great part of the British army was sent out, in three
columns — the right and left to cut off their retreat,
the center to march through Germantown and attack
at once. The whole affair was a failure. The left
column saw 3,000 men recross the Schuylkill, with
the loss of only ten prisoners and hardly a shot fired
— although a good many were drowned. After a
rest of two hours, the British marched back again.
The force sent to Germantown was made up of
English, Hessian and Ansbach troops. The brigade
of Wolwarth was left in Philadelphia — it was after
wards known as v. Bose's, its new commander.
The Yagers moved on the 19th and 20th, through
Germantown to Whitemarsh. The complete failure
was said to be due rather to the incompetency of an
English general than to the treachery to which he
attributed it.
On the 24th, Howe embarked with all the honors
due his rank. Before going he made special acknowl
edgment to Wreden and Ewald of the services ren
dered by them and their light infantry.
Clinton, who succeeded Howe, was deservedly pop
ular with the German soldiers, for he spoke their
language, had served in Germany during the Seven
Years' War, and had been adjutant to the Duke of
Brunswick ; so that he and the Germans were friends
of long standing.
He prepared at once to evacuate Philadelphia, which

156 The German Allies
was threatened by a strong French fleet, reported to
be at the mouth of the Delaware.
Dinklage, in his diary, on June 3d, noted that for
eight days there had been great excitement — every
thing put on board the ships ; merchants and many
families already embarked ; the streets, from being
like a fair, were empty ; all trade ceased, except the
sale by auction of furniture set out in the streets ;
most faces were sad and anxious, but a few showed
their hope of better things.
The fleet of 51 sail, with a convoy of men-of-war,
carried away the cavalry and the South German
regiments, 3,000 in all, to reinforce New York and
Newport. On June 15th, Stirn's and Loos' brigades were
sent, with the baggage, through New Jersey, cross
ing at Gloucester, and camping at Haddonfield, where
the rest of the army joined them on the 18th.
As the fleet sailed out of the river, the passage was
barred by sinking old hulks. The sick and wounded
were left behind, with a letter from Clinton commend
ing them to Washington.
The movement of the British force across the river
was largely made in open boats, but the Americans
carefully avoided any interference with the retreating
force. On the 19th, the army moved on, in two columns,
one under Cornwallis, the other under Knyphausen.
With the former were the Hessian Grenadiers and
the Guards ; with the latter, the two Hessian brig-

In the American Revolution. 157
ades; v. Stirn and v. Loos, the Hessian and Ansbach
light infantry, the Pennsylvania and Maryland loy
alists, and the West Jersey volunteers.
On June 28th, the rear guard was attacked at Mon
mouth, and the advance, under Knyphausen, was
also threatened, but he forced his way through.
Clinton found the enemy in large force on his
flanks, and finally ordered an attack, driving the
Americans from their first and second positions, but
stopping when he found he had to deal with Wash
ington and 20,000 men. He had effected his pur
pose — his baggage trains were in safety, his army
concentrated. The Hessian and Ansbach light infantry, under
Wurmb, had been particularly distinguished by their
conduct during this trying retreat, where, for three
long weeks, they had been constantly under fire from
the pursuing force. Lafayette and Pulaski had given
them no rest, either day or night, and the Hessians
had abundant opportunity for examples of personal
valor and military ability.
A young Hessian subaltern, v. Ochs, who had
joined as a volunteer in the past September, was so
conspicuous that he was at once recommended for
promotion, although he did not receive his new com
mission until two years later, September, 1781, when
Wurmb made him his adjutant. This was the sol
dier who, later in life, as General v. Ochs, wrote his
memoirs, in which he dwells on the useful lessons he
had learned in the American war.

158 The German Allies
Captain Ewald, too, was particularly thanked by
Clinton. General Knyphausen showed great skill in pro
tecting the baggage train, which stretched out over
a line of twelve miles in length. With all his other
cares, he was careful to save his old comrade, Gen.
v. Steuben, who owed his life to Knyphausen's com
mand to his men not to fire, when Steuben exposed
himself at close quarters.
Clinton's army was only about 13,000 strong, but
with the baggage it covered almost fourteen miles, so
liberal was the allowance of personal effects — for
British officers then moved with an unlimited supply,
including mistresses, servants, etc., etc.
When at last the army reached New York, on the
8th of July, it had lost heavily by sickness and deser
tion — Ewald attributes both to the great hardships
of this summer retreat.
The Ansbach and Bayreuth regiments were safely
landed on Long Island on June 20th.

When France declared war against England in the
spring of 1778, it changed the plans of the commander
in America, for the French fleet was a new factor.
Clinton decided to strengthen Newport, and sent
there, in July, a fleet of seventeen transports and two
frigates. The troops landed in Newport, when the
German soldiers were sent to Conanicut. The sup-

In the American Revolution. 159
ply of provisions was very scanty and the men were
put on short rations.
In New York, little was done, and Col. v. Emme
rich undertook a surprise of Putnam's force, which
ended very disastrously in the loss of 50 prisoners,
and in the constant threat of attack that kept his
force at King's Bridge in a state of alarm at all
times. Soon after Clinton's arrival in New York, the
French fleet appeared off Sandy Hook, where Lord
Howe was guarding the entrance.
The French sailed July 19th, in such haste that,
instead of weighing their anchors, they cut their
cables, and suddenly appeared off the coast of Rhode
Island. On the night of August 3d, a great fire in New
York destroyed many warehouses and 64 dwellings,
and a few days later a stroke of lightning exploded
the powder on a vessel lying in the harbor and shat
tered many of the houses on shore.
In September, a fleet arrived from England, with
500 Hessians and 200 Ansbach and 100 Waldeck
recruits. While the troops were idle in New York, watching
the movements of the fleets, as they came and went,
the Yagers (light infantry) and Col. Emmerich were
busy doing outpost duty beyond King's Bridge, con
stantly engaged with the pickets of Washington's
force at White Plains.
An adventurous young Frenchman, Armand, for-

160 The German Allies
merly an officer of the French army, at the head of <a
force of trained sharpshooters and Indians, was con
stantly looking for occasions to harry the British
force. Emmerich, strengthened by Ewald, was able to
give a good account of his force.
Ewald, in his book on Outpost Duties, dwells on
his success in outwitting the Indians and giving them
a lesson which deprived them of much of the terror
they had once inspired in the Germans.
The Americans reproached the English for the use
of savage allies, but were themselves glad to get the
help of the Stockbridge Indians, who lost heavily in
these successive engagements.
On the 23d of September, leaving their baggage
in New York, the British army in New York moved
out, one column, under Cornwallis, going southward
across the Hudson into New Jersey, the other, under
Knyphausen, across King's Bridge into Westchester
county, — this force included four Hessian Grenadier
battalions, the Guard and v. Donop's regiments, and
some light infantry ; the Crown Prince's and v. Wis-
senbach's regiments followed in supporting distance.
Passing Fort Independence, it advanced to the Phil-
lipps house, where Knyphausen made his head-quar
ters until October ioth. His left and Cornwallis'
right were separated by the Hudson, and communi
cation was kept up by boats without difficulty.
On September 30th, Lieut.-Col. v. Wurmb sent out
his pickets as usual, between Dobbs' Ferry and Tar-

In the American Revolution. 161
rytown, and then ordered Capt. v. Donop, with 70
infantrymen and 20 mounted Yagers, on a foraging
expedition. Donop sent Lieut. Bickel on his left to
the Hudson, and Lieut. Mertz, with the mounted
Yagers, on his right. The latter soon came across
some American cavalry, and Donop hurried forward
to his support, but Mertz was captured, with quite a
severe loss, before the force sent by Donop could come
to the rescue, and Donop himself had to retreat to a
hill and look out for his own safety.
Early in October, the regiment of v. Seitz was
ordered to Halifax, and the officers were handsomely
entertained by Clinton. It embarked on the man-
of-war Delaware, but as this frigate waited for the
fleet which Admirals Byron and Parker were taking
against the French, it was not until the 19th that
the fleet of 100 sail started.
Instead of a cruise of three or four days, it was not
until November 13th that Halifax was reached, and
between bad weather, an unseaworthy ship, and a
scanty supply of provisions, the German soldiers
found this one of their worst experiences.
Clinton organized another expedition for the south,
to seize Savannah, which was full of supplies for the
American army, and weakly garrisoned. He sent
the two Hessian regiments, v. Wissenbach and v.
Triimbach, with other troops, making in all a force
of 3,500 men, which sailed on November 27th, in a
fleet under Commodore Parker, and reached Savan
nah on the 29th of December.
21

1 62 The German Allies
The German regiments took part in the attack on
the American defences, which were soon captured,
with a heavy loss on the part of the Americans, who
at once abandoned Savannah, and the Hessian regi
ments were quartered there.
Augusta was soon afterwards taken, and attempts
made to capture Charleston, but without success.
The v. Wissbach regiment was particularly distin
guished by its capture of an American man-of-war,
the Rattlesnake, of 16 guns, in Stono Ferry. On
board of her were found guns and flags taken from
the Hessians at Trenton. The former were at once
handed over to the v. Wissenbach regiment, and the
latter were returned to it on its arrival in Cassel.
This fact is mentioned in the diary of Reuber, a
non-commissioned officer, but he gives no explan
ation of how these flags, etc., happened to be on a
man-of-war. The v. Triimbach regiment was also very heartily
thanked for its good and efficient service in this try
ing campaign.
At the close of the year, various promotions led to
a number of changes in the Hessian regiments. In
October, v. Bose, commanding the v. Triimbach regi
ment, was made major-general, and Col. v. Kospoth,
of the Elector's — formerly v. Wutgenau — regiment,
was also made a major-general, and the lieutenant-
colonels, Kohler, Kurtz and Bremer, were made
colonels. The winter of 1778 was spent quietly at Newport.

In the American Revolution. 163
The arrival of the French off the coast of Rhode
Island aroused the forces there to new activity.
On July 26th, the " Falcon " brought news from
Lord Howe and Gen. Clinton, to Gen. Pigot and
Commodore Brisbon, that the French fleet had sailed,
under Admiral d' Estaing, and might be looked for at
any time.
Preparations were at once made for them, and the
next day the fleet was seen off the entrance to the
harbor, in stately array — twelve line-of-battle ships
and four frigates, under the French flag, stretched
from Point Judith to Brentdn's Neck.
At the same time, intelligence came that danger
threatened on the land side, for reports were received
that the four New England provinces were organiz
ing an army for the conquest of Rhode Island.
The Ansbach-Bayreuth regiment was brought
over from the island of Connanicut, leaving only 50
men on duty there, marched through Newport and
encamped at Windmill Hill.
Three ships of the French fleet sailed up the East
or Second (or Seconset) River, but meeting a heavy
fire from the batteries on the shore, came to anchor
off Sachuest Beach.
On the morning of the 30th, the French line-of-
battle ships passed the batteries on Connanicut and
moved up Narragansett Bay.
The 50 Ansbach-Bayreuth soldiers left on Con
nanicut evacuated their post, after destroying their
guns and ammunition, and rejoined their regiments.

164 The German Allies
The British frigates lying in the bay took shelter
under the shore batteries, and the French opened
communication by water with Providence, which soon
sent out a fleet of small American vessels.
The three French frigates again sailed up the East
River and anchored in front of the battery at Fog-
land Ferry, where the company of the Ditfurth regi
ment was stationed at Black Point.
The English men-of-war first sought shelter under
cover of the batteries and were then set fire to and
exploded in majestic splendor. Capt. v. Malsburg
was in command on the land and saw the impressive
spectacle. He was shortly reinforced by the Biinau
regiment, which was afterwards relieved by the Ans
bach regiment.
The British lines were strengthened, and supplies
obtained by gathering into Newport all the live
stock from the island, leaving only one cow for each
household. Eight British men-of-war were burned and thirteen
sunk, in Narragansett Bay, to save them from the
French fleet, as it swept on in its strength.
On the 6th of August, Newport was in a state of
siege, and on the 8th the French fleet sailed, with its
eleven men-of-war, for the harbor, trying to force an
entrance under fire, and the remaining British frig
ates and an East Indiaman were burned, while the
troops were drawn together near the town, but the
sight of Howe's fleet altered the plans of the French
and modified those of the British commander. The

In the American Revolution. 165
Bayreuth regiment was sent three miles out of town,
to meet a rumored advance of the American army.
On the morning of the ioth, Howe's fleet was in
sight, but instead of a great sea fight, the two fleets
were next seen sailing away.
The American forces retreated after hearing that
the French fleet had sailed away.
On the nth, the Bayreuth regiment took position
on Tammany Hill, covering the left flank of the
British line.
Three captured American officers reported that an
army of 20,000 men, under Sullivan, Greene and
Lafayette, was coming to cooperate with the French
in the capture of Newport.
On the 15th, the American camps on Honeyman's
and Beckham's Hills, some five miles from the town,
were plainly seen. The British lines were strength
ened with ten main batteries and natural and artifi
cial defences connecting them.
On the 17th, the Americans opened fire, and on
the 19th the two lines were sharply engaged, while the
Americans strengthened their position and showed a
determined front — evidently counting on a prompt
return of the French fleet.
Threatened in front and rear, the British position
was evidently one of great peril. The French fleet,
reduced to n vessels, again came to anchor off Point
Judith. The British tried to strengthen the spirits
of their men — now deserting in large numbers — by
reports that Clinton had defeated Washington's army

1 66 The German Allies
and was on his way to the relief of Newport, sup
ported by Howe's fleet.
On the 2 2d, the French fleet, finding that the Brit
ish were still in undisturbed possession of Newport,
sailed for Boston, to repair damages.
The Americans still pushed forward their prepara
tions for a regular siege, opening fire from five bat
teries, but the British replied with great energy, and
on the 27th three British frigates sailed into New
port harbor, with the welcome news that Gen. Gray.
was on his way from New York with 3,500 men on
transports. The Americans withdrew a great part of their bat
teries to the main land, leaving only three in position
on the island.
A general attack by the Americans on the 29th
was expected, and Gen. Pigot, hearing that they had
evacuated, sent out a force of 2,000 men, including
the Ansbach and Bayreuth regiments, to reconnoiter.
The advance consisted of 147 men, of different Hes
sian regiments, under Capt. v. Malsburg. He says,
in his report : " The commanding general ordered
me to follow the retreating enemy, attack them
wherever found, burn the houses of any residents
that give false intelligence; reinforcements should
be promptly forwarded."
Moving out the west road to Redwood Hill, Mals
burg attacked the enemy in its redoubts and driven
back, again renewed the attack on the right and
drove the Americans from their position. Stopping

In the American Revolution. 167
only to secure help for Capt. Noltenius, who was
severely wounded, v. Malsburg pressed on, driving
the Americans before him, receiving a slight wound,
but keeping on for five miles, until he reached the
last American position, when — the supply of ammu
nition being exhausted — Malsburg put his men
under cover behind a protecting wall.
The Americans opened fire from Barrington Hill
with three batteries, and Lieutenant Murarius was
wounded by it. Malsburg sent him to the rear, and
then ammunition coming up, as well as some artil
lery, renewed the attack, but found the force against
him too strong for his small command.
Gen. v. Lossberg arrived at this time, with four
Hessian regiments, and sent the Bayreuth and v.
Huyne regiments forward to his support.
The Americans, too, were largely reinforced, and
outnumbered the British, who finally fell back.
Malsburg had been engaged from 7 o'clock A. m.,
until 4 p. m., but could not get reinforcements fast
enough or numerous enough to help him maintain
his advance.
The Americans kept up a heavy fire from their
batteries, and finally, on the 31st, were safely with
drawn to the main land. Their abandoned position
was promptly occupied by the Ditfurth and Elector's
regiments. Malsburg, in his diary, reports the loss of the
Huyne regiment as 87, including Capt. v. Schallern
and Capt. Wagner ; the latter died of his wounds

1 68 The German Allies
on the field and was buried with military honors in
Newport. The other German regiments sustained
heavy losses and were awarded great praise for their
conduct. On September ist, the British fleet arrived in New
port, with 72 vessels, carrying 4,500 men, Gen. Sir
Henry Clinton in command. He issued a general
order thanking the troops, especially the Germans,
for their gallant defense.
Clinton soon left, and later on Pigot was relieved
by Prescott, while the command of the fleet was
transferred by Lord Howe — who returned to Eng
land — to Admiral Byron, who in turn sailed on the
28th of September.
On October 12th, 400 men of the Ansbach-Bay
reuth regiment, including 100 light infantry, arrived,
as well as Major v. Dieskau, of the Royal Guards.
They had left Ansbach on the 29th of April, were
at sea twenty-two weeks, and many of the men had
to be sent to hospital on their arrival in New York.
Major v. Dieskau returned to Europe, with Lieuts.
v. Wagner and v. Molitor, on the 17th of November
having received their discharge.
On November 28th, the Ansbach-Bayreuth reg
iment returned to Newport. The Landgraf (Elec
tor's) and Ditfurth regiments were quartered in the
south end of the town, in the houses vacated by the
inhabitants. The v. Huyne regiment was quartered
on the East road, the v. Biinau on the West road.
The winter was a very severe one ; several of the

In the American Revolution. 169
Hessian soldiers were frozen to death ; supplies of all
kinds were very scanty, for the French fleet had cut
off communication with the main land.
On January 1, 1779, rations were reduced, and
changed so as to eke out the small supplies. Later
in the month, recruits and convalescents came for
the Ansbach-Bayreuth regiment, and with them Dr.
Schopf, of Ansbach, afterwards well known by his
work on his travels in North America. Provisions
and fuel grew steadily scarcer, until the arrival of
the great fleet with supplies from Ireland enabled the
men to be properly fed ; but many of them suffered
from scorbutic diseases, due to their bad food. The
loyalist volunteers from time to time brought in sup
plies of fresh meat, but always at great risk, for the
Americans meted out to these loyal countrymen very
heavy punishment for their treason.
Major v. Reitzenstein became lieutenant-colonel
of the Ansbach regiment, and Capt. v. Seitz, of the
Grenadiers, became major, and Capt. v. Molitor was
given command of the Bayreuth Grenadiers.
On June 25th, the two Hessian regiments were
sent to the force with which Gen. Tryon was to harry
New England. During that month, some of the
German soldiers were employed making hay, for
which they received an extra allowance of three
English pistareens from the British commissariat.
In October, Rhode Island was suddenly evacuated,
the fruit trees being given to the soldiers, that they
might lay in a supply of fresh fruit for the journey.

170 The German Allies
Many royalists sailed with the fleet of 102 sail, under
convoy of three men-of-war. The march out of New
port was a very striking one. Fichtelberger says, in
his diary : " All the houses were closed, by General
Prescott's order ; not a man or woman was allowed
to look out of the windows or to be on the street ; the
patrols were directed to enforce this, under penalty
of firing at those whose curiosity might tempt them."

CHAPTER XI,

At the opening of the spring of 1779, the usual
reinforcements were sent out from Germany. On
March nth, the Ansbach-Bayreuth recruits were
shipped on three boats down the Main to Hanau and
then with the Hanau recruits down the Rhine to Dor-
trecht. Later in March, the Hessian recruits were
sent by the Weser to Bremen. The whole force,
numbering 1,300, was shipped on the 23d of May,
in a great fleet, under Admiral Arbuthnot, consist
ing of twenty line-of-battle ships, six frigates, two
bomb ships, and three hundred transports.
The troops in New York had a hard winter, with
scanty supplies, until a fleet brought a fresh supply
of provisions, and poor quarters, into which the men
were crowded still more after a fire had destroyed
many houses, for they were still mostly of wood.
The forces outside the city, at Kingsbridge, were
better off, for they had comfortable huts, nine for
each company, and each officer had his own, all sur
rounded with gardens in which flowers and vegetables
were grown. The huts of the subalterns had two
rooms, those of the captains three, with windows ;
behind the huts were stalls for horses, pigs, chickens

172 The German Allies
and other stock ; so that every thing had a peaceful
look. Early in February, Gen. v. Bose arrived from
Newport, and resumed command of his brigade, and
preparations were made for an early resumption of
hostilities. Gen. Tryon received orders to take an armed force
into Connecticut, including the Guards and Emme
rich's volunteers. The detachment marched at night
and the next day fell upon an American force, drove
it from its position, disabled the guns, carried off
supplies, burned the village, and retired safely, after
a hard march of 65 miles in 40 hours, with no loss,
except an old powder cart, abandoned in the mud.
Early in May, the German soldiers left their win
ter quarters and went into camp beyond Kingsbridge,
between the Phillips house and East Chester.
After the loss of Fort Montgomery and Fort Clin
ton, Washington had established forts at Verplanck's
Point and Stony Point, about 60 miles from New
York, thus cutting off the Hudson and barring the
northern and southern colonies.
Clinton determined to break this barrier, and only
waited the return of the British fleet from Virginia,
with reinforcements. He brought the Hessian Crown
Prince's regiment from Long Island to the Hudson,
and with the v. Knyphausen and Lossberg regiments
it constituted the v. Hachenberg brigade.
On May 30th, the fleet sailed up the Hudson, and
anchoring off the Phillips house, disembarked the

In the American Revolution. 173
troops for the expedition, making a force of 5,000
men — of which the German contingent included the
Guards, the Grenadier battalion of v. Linsingen, and
400 Hessian and Rhenish Yagers. The Prince
Charles regiment had come with the fleet from the
south. Although it counted 70 sail, large and small,
and 140 flatboats, there was hardly standing room on
deck. Clinton himself led the smaller division of his
troops, which included 100 Hessian Yagers, under
Capt. v. Lorey, while there were 300 in the other
division, under Gen. Vaughan. The fleet kept up
the river — Vaughan, with his division, landing to
attack Fort Lafayette ; Clinton somewhat further up,
opposite Stony Point.
The Americans abandoned their unfinished works
during the night, after setting fire to them. Clinton
at once took possession, and put some heavy guns in
position, with which to open on the fort across the
river. Vaughan attacked from the land side, the Hessian
Grenadiers being in his force, while the guns opened
from across the river, and the American garrison of
three officers and 70 men, surrendered the unfinished
Fort Lafayette, and with it three guns.
Clinton returned to New York, leaving the troops
in their position, and the forts were strengthened,
ditches dug, the orchards and other trees cut down, a
garrison of 1,200 men, well supplied, left in the forts,
and the rest of the force brought back to New York.

174 The German Allies
Gen. Wayne at once recaptured Stony Point, and
Clinton returning, again evacuated it. On his way
up, his 50 mounted Hessians, under Capt. Rau, met
and dispersed an equal force of hostile cavalry.
While Clinton operated on the Hudson, General
Tryon undertook a second invasion of Connecticut,
hitherto little disturbed by the war, in the hope that
Washington would abandon his strong position on
the Hudson, to come to the relief of the harried citi
zens. Tryon had only 50 Hessian Yagers in his
force of 2,500 men, with which, in nine days, he
burned New Haven, Fairfield and Norwalk, return
ing to New York after a loss of 150 men.
The Americans took their revenge by an attack,
on the 1 8th of August, on the British outpost at
Paulus' Hook, to which Capt. v. Schallern, with 50
Hessians, had been ordered. Summoned to surren
der, he successfully resisted, with 30 soldiers, the
attack of a much larger force, and held his post until
it was reinforced.
In May, 1779, Clinton sent a second expediton
southward — this time to Virginia. The fleet, under
Admiral Collier, consisted of six men-of-war and
twenty-two transports, carrying, among other troops,
the light infantry of the German Guards and the
Hessian regiment Prince Charles. Landing without
resistance, Norfolk and Portsmouth and Suffolk were
taken and first stripped of all stores and then burned,
with 130 large and small vessels, laden with much-
needed supplies for Washington's hard-pressed army.

In the American Revolution. 175
In September, the strong French fleet, under
d'Estaing, unexpectedly appeared off the mouth of
the Savannah river, and both sides prepared for the
siege. The French landed and put in position 53
guns and 14 mortars, and on October 4th opened
fire. D'Estaing had landed 5,000 men, and Ameri
can militia hastened to join him, while Lincoln
brought his force, making a total strength of 10,000,
the French on the right, the Americans on the left.
Opposed to the former were the regiments v. Triim
bach and Wissenbach ; behind the palisades and tra
verses, in the center, were the two Hessian regiments.
Count d'Estaing soon wearied of regular siege
operations and on the 9th of October did what he
ought to have done at the outset, decided to attack
by storming the fort, and was finally driven back,
with heavy loss.
Col. v. Borbeck, who commanded the Hessians,
was warmly praised for his share of the defense.
The French and Americans soon parted company,
each charging the other with the failure at Savannah.
Clinton came, with fleet and troops, to capture
Charleston, and sent transports to Savannah, with a
year's supplies. The Hessians suffered from food
and climate and complained bitterly of both.
The regiment of v. Triimbach was sent to Charles
ton, and that of v. Wissenbach, later v. Knoblauch,
remained in Savannah.
Clinton decided, after the failure of the French
expedition, to recapture South Carolina, beginning

176 The German Allies
with Charleston, and brought troops from the north
for the purpose.
The Hessian Grenadiers were ordered to rendez
vous at Sandy Hook, where, on the 2 2d of December,
they joined the fleet; the heavy ice threatened de
struction — the Hessian and Ansbach light infantry,
under Capt. Ewald, were almost carried down in a
transport, and owed their safety to his coolness and
presence of mind.
The fleet counted 133 sail, and of the 7,500 men
in the expedition, the Germans supplied the Hessian
regiments Prince Carl, von Ditfurth and von Huyne,
some Hessian and Ansbach light infantry and a force
of dragoons.
On December 26th, the fleet sailed right into the
teeth of a storm which made the poor soldiers very
wretched, and soon scattered the ships, which met a
succession of storms, and finally reached a harbor
only on the 28th of January, and the point fixed for
disembarkation on the 31st. There, at Tybee Island,
lay the transport " Polly," with two companies of the
Grenadier battalion v. Linsingen, which had been
safely landed for two weeks, and were comfortably
encamped on the shore.
The voyage was full of hardships — indeed, it was
thought great folly to undertake it at that season.
Four transports were sunk, many disabled, one cap
tured — in all, nine missing. The hardest fate befel
the transport " Anna," with 30 Hessian and Ansbach
Yagers and some Hessian artillery ; losing its masts,

In the American Revolution. 177
and then drifting helplessly for eleven weeks, with
250 men provisioned only for four weeks, their suf
ferings were dreadful. At last the Irish coast was
sighted, and after fresh horrors, the wrecked hulk
made a landing at St. Ives, on the coast of Cornwall,
at the end of February ; the men were sent to Plym
outh in the middle of March, and in August to New
York, where they landed again in October, 1780.
The fleet remained at Tybee until February 5th,
1780. The German soldiers made their first acquaint
ance with the climate and life of the tropics, saw alli
gators, and enjoyed the game and fish and oysters, of
which great quantities were at hand — and their let
ters are full of the strange sights that met their
astonished gaze. Finally, some of the forces were
sent to Savannah, others to Bedford — the greater
part of the fleet going to Simon's Island, where wild
horses were caught and used for wagons and artil
lery ; abundant supplies of fresh provisions were
obtained, and the contrast between the narrow quar
ters on shipboard and the fine old plantations was a
very grateful one.
Clinton now sent Captain Ewald, of the Yagers,
to reconnoiter the passage of Stono Ferry, which
was approached only by a long, narrow causeway,
through the marshy ground, with deep water on both
sides, protected by part of Pulaski's corps, with boats
always on the lookout. Ewald was just the man for
the task, and, accompanied by Lieut, v. Winzinge-
rode, he quietly walked out on the causeway, politely
23

178 The German Allies
greeted the officer in command of the American
picket, engaged in pleasant conversation, all the time
carefully studying the situation, and returned with
a very clear report of the condition of things. As
the post was not well guarded, and the gunboat was
not in sight, Stono Ferry and John's Island were
easily taken possession of on February 14th.
On the 26th, the army quietly moved by Hamil
ton's Ferry to James Island and to Fort St. John,
which the Americans had destroyed the year before.
From that point there was a fine view of Charleston,
its harbor and the coast beyond.
On the 28th, four American frigates opened fire
and obliged the British to move their camp further
from the shore, leaving two Hessian Grenadier bat
talions to watch the enemy, and throw up defensive
batteries. On March 6th, Clinton took possession of Fort
Johnstone and began to throw up defenses on James
Island, using the works abandoned by the Americans
and the so-called Indian forts — rough works of mus
sel and oyster shells, going back to quite an unknown
past. On March 12th, a fleet of transports arrived with
abundant supplies, and on the 17th the Hessian
Grenadier battalions fell back from their old camp
to a new position.
The Americans had something like 5,000 men in
Charleston, covered by hastily-made defenses ; in the
harbor lay five frigates, a French man-of-war, an old

In the American Revolution. 179
ship, no longer sea-worthy, and a number of small
craft. On March 24th, the Grenadier battalion v. Linsin
gen moved to Church Bridge, to connect there with
the light infantry.
On the 26th, the English commander, with his
staff, narrowly escaped capture, going forward to
meet the corps of Patterson, coming from Savannah
by Purisburg to Randolph Creek. Clinton, without
escort, rode out to find them, the road leading for ten
miles through a thick wood ; about half way was a
cross-road, where part of Pulaski's legion was posted.
Captain Ewald, with his usual foresight, was on the
lookout for danger, and had pointed it out as a proper
position for a heavy guard ; but his suggestion was
laughed at. Clinton passed and repassed the place
safely, but part of his staff and some of the baggage
of Patterson's corps were captured there shortly after.
On the 28th, the army moved near Ashley river,
which it crossed on the 29th, engaging the enemy's
outposts — the advance guard of Yagers drawing the
fire of the American cavalry on outpost duty and of
some 300 riflemen, under cover in the bushes.
A young British staff officer rode up to Clinton
with the news of his brother's death and his succes
sion to the peerage, when the poor aid was killed by
a shot fired by a negro.
The Yagers hurried up, crossed a marsh, brought
up a field piece, drove the enemy out of the works,
took possession of them, and the next day the whole

180 The German Allies
army stood within cannon-shot of the defenses of the
city. Charleston was then a city of 1,500 houses and
14,000 inhabitants, of whom nearly one-half were
blacks. It lies on the south end of a neck of land,
with the Ashley river on the west, the Cooper river
on the east ; beyond, to the east, is Sullivan's Island,
on which the Americans had built some defensive
works, opposite Fort Johnson, on James Island, and
thus commanding on both sides the entrance to the
harbor. On March 31st, Gen. Clinton undertook a personal
reconnoisance of the works and their strength for
defense, taking Capt. Ewald, with 20 Hessian Ya
gers — a task for which he was particularly suited.
In the open ground around the town there was, on
the right wing of the besiegers, a group of trees, and
beyond a narrow dam leading through a marsh ;
passing this without being seen by the enemy, Capt.
Ewald left half of his men concealed in the woods,
and with the others crept out on hands and knees
until he could plainly see the works. Clinton, with
two engineer officers, dressed in Hessian uniforms,
then came openly forward, and being taken by the
garrison for three of the Hessian patrol, which often
came quite as far forward, it did not seem worth while
to open fire, thus enabling Clinton and his compan
ions, quite at their ease, to complete their survey.
By April ist, the batteries were in position in the
first parallel, and every day 1,000 men were at work

In the American Revolution. 181
on the trenches, and every night 500 were employed
to complete them — the sailors from the fleet taking
their share.
Admiral Arbuthnot, as soon as he had landed the
troops, tried to force an entrance into the harbor. He
passed Fort Moultrie, on Sullivan's Island, on the
9th, under a heavy fire, and lay in front of the city,
with most of his men-of-war — breaking through a
heavy chain, hung from shore to shore, and as the
stately ships slowly sailed on, without firing a shot
or taking any notice of the heavy fire from the ene
my's batteries, the admiral, in an open boat, coolly
took soundings, so as to guide the men-of-war through
the dangerous sand banks.
On the nth of April, Clinton formally demanded
the surrender of the town, which Lincoln positively
refused. On the 13th, the batteries opened fire from
their 24-pounders, and bombs were thrown into the
town, setting fire to the houses in different neighbor
hoods. On the 19th, the second parallel was com
pleted and manned by reinforcements recently arrived
from New York.
On the 2 ist, Lincoln, now cut off on the land side,
too, offered to surrender, but as he insisted on being
allowed to go with his garrison safely, hostilities were
resumed after a two days' suspension for negotiations.
On the 24th, the besieged attempted a sortie, but were
soon driven back. On the 25th, the Hessians lost
heavily in a severe fire on the lines held by them.
On May 6th, the third parallel was completed, and

1 82 The German Allies
a dam was cut, letting out the water which had hith
erto served as a ditch around the works. The fire
from the batteries, now near by, was so destructive
that Clinton for the second time demanded the sur
render, which was again fruitlessly discussed for two
days, when fire was opened at 8 P. m. of the 9th, and
kept up until n A. M., next day. As everything
was ready for the storming party, Lincoln at last
accepted Clinton's terms.
On the 1 2th, the garrison moved out of the fort
and laid down their arms — an English and a Hes
sian Grenadier company occupied the gates. All the
material of war, five men-of-war and many small craft
fell into the hands of the conquerors. The garrison
that surrendered consisted of American and French
troops, twelve infantry regiments, three artillery bat
talions, and the city and state militia — two major-
generals, five brigadiers, 46 staff officers, 145 cap
tains, 162 lieutenants, 41 ensigns, one paymaster,
seven adjutants, six quartermasters, 18 commissa
ries, 329 non-commissioned officers, 137 drummers,
and 5,710 armed men; in all 6,609, besides 1,000
sailors. During the siege, the Hessians and the Ansbach
light infantry had distinguished themselves. They
had sent every day thirty men and three officers to
do duty in the first parallel, to protect the men at
work, until sufficient guns could be procured. In
parties of three or six they got near to the enemy
and, at a distance of 500 paces, their fire was so

In the American Revolution. 183
effective that many of the guns were unmanned, and
the riflemen sought in vain to drive them off. When
the third parallel was completed, their fire almost
silenced the enemy's guns by day ; yet the loss was
a very small one.
Clinton paid the Grenadiers the somewhat danger
ous compliment of giving them white plumes to wear,
in reward for their bravery. In his report, he praised
the services of Generals v. Huyne and v. Kospoth.
The troops had suffered greatly during the siege,
from the want of proper tools, the great heat, the bad
water, and the hard work the men had to do ; and
just after the surrender, the carelessness of an Eng
lish artilleryman led to the explosion of a powder
magazine, causing a large loss of life, including some
of the Hessians.
Charleston was then the most flourishing city in
the south, and the booty that fell to the troops,
according to the custom of the time, was a very great
addition to their scanty pay. One of the Hessian
officers estimated that the captures on land and sea
were worth ^300,000. This was divided propor
tionately among the troops. The regiment Prince
Charles, which had captured a laden ship, received
the following shares ; the colonel, £2 poo ; lieutenant-
colonel, ^1,500; the major, ^"1,200; each captain,
^"400 ; each lieutenant, ^200 ; the non-commissioned
officers each ^40, and every common soldier, £7.
A commission of British and Hessian officers was
appointed to regulate the distribution, and the duty

184 The German Allies
was a tedious one, as Clinton and Admiral Arbuth
not disputed over the respective claims of army and
navy — the latter wanting one-half the value of the
captured vessels, although the sailors had taken no
part in securing them. To make peace, their claims
were granted, but Clinton and Cornwallis transferred
their lion's share to the Hessian Yagers and the
Hessian and British Grenadiers and light troops, in
reward for their large share in the hard work of the
siege. On the 31st of May, part of the force was sent off
by sea, leaving Cornwallis, with the Hessian regi
ments v. Ditsfurth, v. Huyne and v. Triimbach, as
part of his force to complete the subjugation of South
Carolina. The fleet left for New York, where the rest of the
troops were safely landed — going into quarters on
Staaten Island.
The Hessians reported their loss up to the surren
der of Charleston at 73 — the Yagers, 7 dead and 14
wounded ; the Grenadier battalion v. Lengerke, 4 dead
and 33 wounded ; the v. Ditfurth regiment, 2 officers
and 8 soldiers ; the v. Huyne regiment, 5 wounded.
Dr. J. D. Schopf, the surgeon of the Ansbach regi
ment, in his " Travels through the United States,"
volume one, page 53, says: "In 1783, at Princeton,
I had the pleasure of meeting many members of
Congress, honest and sturdy men, and General
Lincoln, a man of clear and strong mind, although
his reputation as a soldier had not been increased by

In the American Revolution. 185
his defense of Charleston; he is, however, popular
for the good beer he brews on his large property in
New England."

The British commander-in-chief anticipated a diver
sion by the Americans to the northward, and he sent
reinforcements to Canada to meet it — including the
two weak regiments, Knyphausen and Lossberg.
They were ordered in September to embark on trans
ports, mostly old and poor vessels. Col. v. Loos, of
the Lossberg regiment, as senior officer in command
of both regiments, went on the 12-gun cruiser " King
George ; " Col. v. Bork, of the Knyphausen regi
ment, on the ship " Archer ; " the smaller vessels
were the worst ; on the brigantine " Triton " there
were no sleeping quarters, and officers and men were
obliged to lie down on the floor ; the crew, that ought
to have counted 18, was only 7, so that the prospect
of a northerly voyage at such a season was far from
pleasant — the captain of the vessel said he could
not be responsible for their safety beyond Staaten
Island. The fleet consisted of 22 vessels, under escort of
the man-of-war Renown, of 50 guns, and the sol
diers were glad to go to Canada, which was always
described in glowing terms.
On the 1 2th a storm gathered, which broke out in
great violence on the 15th, scattering the fleet and
24

1 86 The German Allies
doing great damage to the vessels — the Triton suf
fering the loss of both masts, and the deck almost
made untenable by the guns breaking loose. Lieut.-
Col. Heymel was sick and unable to give any orders,
the captain lost his head, crew and soldiers alike were
unmanned by the impending destruction, when Lieut.
Wiederhold, the officer who had shown courage in the
unexpected attack at Trenton, although an invalid,
tried to inspire the men with his own fearlessness ; at
first even the well-disciplined Hessians were beyond
control — an almost unexampled condition of things
— but in answer to his appeal for help in getting the
guns out of harm's way, an old sergeant, two corpo
rals and 20 men followed him on deck, and in spite
of the dangers from the sea and the guns, at last got
matters in better shape, took to the pumps, until they
broke, then worked with such means as they could
improvise until the pumps were repaired, and did
their best to save the ship and their comrades. The
captain began to make preparations to take to the
boats, but was put under the guard of some of the
officers, until it was seen that the boats were unsea-
worthy, when he was released. The storm gradually
subsided, and on the 17th the ship was found to be
in latitude 37, somewhere off the coast of Virginia —
so far south had she drifted out of her course. A
jury sail was set and a flag of distress put up, but
the first vessel of the fleet that was seen, on the 20th,
took no notice of it. On the 25th, Delaware bay was
made, and it was hoped that Sandy Hook would be

In the American Revolution. 187
reached in a couple of days. On the morning of the
26th, two sails were seen, and help from New York
was looked for, when it was found they were hostile
cruisers under full sail — one of 14, the other of 10
guns ; and the Triton, without guns or sails, was
forced to surrender, and was taken into Little Egg
harbor. Of the other vessels of the fleet, the Renown lost
its main mast, the Springfield all its masts.
On the 2 ist, the commander, with the approval of
Col. v. Loos, headed for New York ; they were then
at latitude 36. On October 2d, the Renown, King
George and Springfield reached Sandy Hook. On
October 12th, the Badger arrived, without masts,
having on board Captain v. Bockum's and part of
Lieut.-Col. Schaffer's companies. It had been in col
lision with the transport Clementine, and pursued by
an American cruiser, only escaping capture by Capt.
v. Bockum's decided refusal to surrender. On Octo
ber 9th, it was again brought to by another American
cruiser, of 12 guns, and as v. Bockum had no guns,
he had to yield. The cruiser took on board Lieuten
ant Zoll and Ensigns Henndorff, v. Waldschmid and
Cowan, with 20 men, but as Capt. v. Bockum was
sick, he was left on the Badger, with Chaplain Oliva.
Next day, the cruiser was taken, in turn, by the Brit
ish frigate Solebay, and the prisoners again set free.
The men on board the Clementine were taken
off by two English cruisers, just as she was sinking.
The Adamant went down, and of the Guards and

1 88 The German Allies
Major v. Lossberg's company of the Lossberg regi
ment, there were lost Major v. Hanstein, Staff Cap
tains Steding and v. Wurmb, Lieut. Moller, Ensigns
v. Zengen, Rathmann and Waldeck. The Molly,
with men of the Knyphausen regiment, was captured
and carried into Philadelphia, a prize to the shallop
Mars, Captain Taylor, who thus took one major, six
subalterns, and 156 men — many of them were Hes
sians, taken at Trenton, and scarcely exchanged
before they were again prisoners of war ; they were
all sent to Reading and were not exchanged until
November, 1780.
On October 16th, Col. v. Minnigerode, commander
of the Third Grenadier battalion, died in New York.
He was an officer of great merit, 49 years old, who
had won a decoration and the affection of his com
rades and the respect of the British for his military
and personal merit. His funeral, on the 2 2d, was a
very imposing ceremony, and he was buried with due
honors in the Lutheran churchyard. His successor
was Lieut.-Col. v. Lowenstein.

CHAPTER XII.

When Sir Henry Clinton went south, he left Lieut.-
Gen. v. Knyphausen in command in New York, with
the two South German and the Hessian regiments as
part of his garrison of 6,000 men.
The winter was one of the coldest known, the ships
were frozen fast, the garrison reduced to 3,500 men,
in order to strengthen Clinton by reinforcements,
and Knyphausen looked for an attack, as Washing
ton was at Morristown.
On the 15th of January, a force of 2,700 men,
with six guns and two mortars, appeared on Long
Island, but as soon as Knyphausen sent 600 men to
strengthen the force there, the Americans withdrew,
carrying off 600 head of cattle and burning some
houses. On January 25th, a detachment of 300 men, under
the Hessian Lieut.-Col. Elbing, went from New York
to New Jersey and captured an American outpost
and a herd of cattle.
Knyphausen now determined to make another
attack, and, on February 2d, sent two companies of

190 The German Allies
Hessians and some Hessian light infantry, as part of
a force, into Westchester county — part of the way
on sleighs. The deep snow delayed the march, but
the American outpost was captured, after a sharp
fight, and the expedition safely returned to King's
Bridge. Knyphausen made a full report to Lord
Germain on March 27th.
On March 2 2d, another expedition, with Hessian
and Bayreuth troops, numbering 400 in all, with
Capt. v. Tannenburg, was sent to Hackensack. It
crossed the Hudson in boats and moved through the
woods to Hackensack, but the garrison having been
withdrawn, the town was given over to plunder, the
court-house and some of the best private residences
burned, when an American force of 500 or 600 men
threatened to capture the invaders and their booty,
but just at the right moment Col. Emmerich, with
his volunteers, 400 strong, appeared and protected
the expedition on its retreat, under fire for six hours,
to the Hudson.
Musketeer Dohla says : " We gathered fine plun
der, gold and silver watches, silver forks and spoons,
furniture, good clothes, fine English linen, silk stock
ings, gloves and cravats, with other silk, woolen and
cotton clothing. My own booty, which I brought
safely back, consisted of two silver watches, three
necklaces of silver, a pair of women's woolen stock
ings, a pair of men's summer stockings, two men's
and four women's shirts, of fine English linen, two
fine table cloths, one silver tablespoon and one silver

In the American Revolution. 191
teaspoon, five Spanish dollars and six York shillings.
The rest — eleven yards of fine linen, two dozen silk
handkerchiefs, six silver spoons and a silver goblet,
all packed up — I had to throw away on our retreat,
and leave for the enemy."
The picture is a painful one, all the more as the
German discipline was much stricter than the Eng
lish, and the example of the latter soon influenced
their allies in inflicting such personal injuries on the
Americans, who complained of them as robbery.
Early in April, a detachment of 100 Ansbach-Bay
reuth soldiers brought in a number of head of cattle,
with hay and straw.
Knyphausen thus deterred the Americans from
any attack in force. He brought the sailors from
the ships into the city to do garrison duty, and
obliged the citizens to bear arms in its defense. The
six wards supplied 40 companies, numbering in all
2,660 men, and these were later on increased to 62
companies, making 5,796 men. The Hessian gene
ral was thus able to make a stout defense, and won
the thanks of Clinton on his return. If his repu
tation must suffer from the well-grounded charge of
allowing his men to plunder, his excuse is that it was
done by order of the British commander.
On May 15th, the companies of the Knyphausen
and Lossberg regiments intended for Canada were
again embarked. The Lossberg detachment con
sisted of three companies — those of Col. v. Loos,
Lieut.-Col. Schaffer, and Capt. v. Bockum. The

192 The German Allies
Knyphausen regiment supplied only a company and
a half, under Col. v. Bork. Although in the reports
from Canada they were spoken of as regiments, they
were really not even battalions. They were sent on
board under Col. v. Loos, and barely escaped a repe
tition of their earlier misfortunes. The fleet of 30
sail was again driven before violent storms and only
reached Quebec on the 25th of June.
Gen. v. Knyphausen was constantly in receipt of
reports of the growing dissatisfaction of the men in
Washington's army in New Jersey. The deserters
coming into New York amounted on one day to 160,
and the stream was a steady one — mostly Pennsylva-
nians and Jerseymen — who reported that they and
their comrades were ready to become loyal subjects
again. Knyphausen determined to make a demonstration
in the rich Jersey country, and thus to quicken its
people in their returning loyalty. He organized a
force of 6,000 men, with Hessian and Ansbach sol
diers in it, leaving the Bayreuth and other troops in
New York. Besides his other German soldiers, he
distributed his 400 Yagers, part of them mounted,
among his divisions. His corps was arranged in
three divisions — in the first, the Guards, the Elec
tor's regiment ; moving out on the night of the 6th,
the English commander was wounded, and his place
taken by Lieut.-Col. v. Wurmb. The second and
third divisions followed promptly, but the Americans
met the advance and on the 7th had a sharp contest,

In the American Revolution. 193
reported by Capt. Grau to Gen. v. Riedesel in great
detail and precision.
Knyphausen was with the second division, and,
while waiting for the arrival of the third division,
sent his Hessians and other German forces forward
to keep the Americans engaged, and three times
driving them back. Washington sent reinforce
ments, including his own guard, but the Germans,
too, were promptly strengthened by Knyphausen,
with the Ansbach regiment and some guns, when
the Americans withdrew.
Knyphausen kept on until he was near Morris
town, where Washington was posted with his main
army, and then withdrew in turn and went into
camp. His loss had been heavy — 300 dead and
wounded. The Guards lost Lieut. Wiederhold, and
the Hessians lost 80 men. Major Seitz and Lieut.
Ebenauer, of the Bayreuth Yagers, were killed, and
the Ansbach regiment also lost sharply. The Ger
man Yagers had been under fire for twelve hours and
used up all their ammunition. Major du Puy, of the
v. Bose regiment, was especially commended and
received a decoration from his prince for his distin
guished gallantry.
The next morning (the 8th) the Americans again
attacked, when the Hessians in three lines resisted
stoutly, the first line, under Maj .-Gen. v. Lossberg,
advancing, supported by the second line, under Maj.-
Gen. v. Hachenberg, until the enemy withdrew.
Knyphausen was quite satisfied that he was mis-
25

194 The German Allies
taken in his opinion of the spirit of the American
army, and, ceasing further hostile demonstrations,
went into camp.
Ebenauer, who had fallen in this battle, was buried
at Springfield, where Washington paid the tribute of
his respect and admiration for the courage shown by
this officer, and ordered a suitable interment in place
of the hurried burial first given him.
While Knyphausen was in New Jersey, Clinton
returned, on the 17th, to New York, and sent the
Bayreuth regiment to join him. It was put in the
second line, on the right wing. The troops lay about
two miles from Elizabethtown, without tents, and
were soon reinforced by cavalry and artillery. So
near were the outposts, that one night an American
picket came over in a body — an officer and 30 men.
On June 19th, Clinton came to the front, inspected
the men, and ordered Knyphausen to advance. Mov
ing forward the next morning, through Elizabeth,
then a place of 300 houses, mostly occupied by Qua
kers, he captured an American outpost;, with three
small guns ; then pressing on, met and drove a
larger force, reaching Springfield. Here Washing
ton had posted some regular troops and militia,
under shelter of orchards and outbuildings, a small
creek protecting their front. They opened a sharp
fire, and Knyphausen posted six twelve-pounders on
a hill to drive them off, but Dohla says the Ameri
cans did not yield and showed a braver front than he
had ever witnessed. The Bayreuth regiment, cover-

In the American Revolution. 195
ing the right flank, made a bayonet charge and
finally drove the Americans before them.
In the afternoon, when Knyphausen wanted to
renew the attack, the Americans were, advantage
ously posted on high ground, so he quietl^ withdrew
and retreated again, setting fire to Springfield and
letting his men plunder it, meaning to cover his
retreat ; but it was done before the eyes of the Amer
ican soldiers, and so excited their fury that they pur
sued the retreating column and inflicted heavy losses.
Of the Bayreuth Yagers, Capt. v. Roder and Lieut, v.
Diemar were mortally wounded. The Hessian and
Ansbach-Bayreuth Yagers were again distinguished
for their bravery — under fire for six hours, covering
the retreat, they lost a seventh of the whole list of
casualties. The retreat made a march of twenty-two miles,
and the men suffered from the fierce heat and hard
ships. Returned to camp, where the v. Huyne and
Ansbach regiments had been left, they were soon
called to arms, and again left the camp, marched all
night, and retreated still further, to avoid an attack
by Washington reported to Knyphausen by his spies
and confirmed by the arrival of his troops in the
abandoned camp. The galleons lying in the stream
covered with their fire the last of the retreating
troops on their way back to Staaten Island.
On July ist, the whole army, consisting of 23
regiments, was again in line from the East river to
the Hudson.

196 The German Allies
Among the reinforcements from Europe, there
came a strong body of volunteers, 830 men, enlisted
in Hanau, which was not sent to join the other Ha
nau troops in Canada, but was ordered to Clinton's
army. The only report of this organization is in the
Cassel Journal of 1780. It was apparently attached
to Emmerich's command, and is referred to in the
Hessian Army Journal as a " volunteer corps " at
tached to the other Hessian forces sent to America
by the Elector and Count of Hanau.
Toward the end of July, Clinton organized another
strong force of 6,000 men to cut off the French divi
sion of Rochambeau, which had landed in Newport,
Rhode Island. Admiral Arbuthnot was to support
the expedition with his fleet. Included in it were
the Hessian Guard regiment, the Grenadier battalion
v. Linsingen, and 300 light infantry, under Capt. v.
Priischenk. After a cruise of a few days on the sound, the expe
dition was abandoned, partly for want of good manage
ment by Admiral Arbuthnot, partly because Wash
ington threatened an attack at King's Bridge. Knyp
hausen at once moved out to meet it, but as nothing
was done, fell back within the entrenchments.
On July 25th, the Hessian Maj .-Gen. v. Huyne
died, in New York, and was buried there with mili
tary honors.
The Hessian officers, through v. Lossberg, then
commanding in New York, joined in expressing their
respect for Gen. Patterson, the governor of New York,

In the American Revolution. 197
on his return to England on account of his health,
and he returned thanks, with especial commendation
of the Hessian troops under his command at various
trying times.
During October, the men were again put upon
short and poor rations, until the fleet arrived in No
vember, with a fresh supply of provisions.
On October 19th, the troops again went into their
winter quarters — the Ansbach regiment in Blooming
dale, the Bayreuth regiment in New York, the Guards
in Bloomingdale and Greenwich, stretching along the
Hudson for six miles in scattered houses. The Hes
sian Yagers were sent to Jericho, on Long Island,
furnishing a force of 100 men at Morris House, on
York Island, which was relieved every six weeks,
and late in November the Ansbach regiment returned
to New York.
At the end of June of this year, a number of pro
motions were made in the Hessian corps — Maj .-Gen.
v. Mirbach became lieutenant-general ; Cols. v. Gosen
and v. Biesenroth major-generals, and the latter suc
ceeded the late Maj .-Gen. v. Schmidt as chief of the
Prince Charles regiment. In November, Col. v.
Bischoffshausen became major-general and the com
mander of the Guard regiment; Col. v. Wurmb,
major-general ; Lieut.-Col. v. Schuler, colonel of the
Ditfurth regiment; Maj .-Gen. v. Lossberg, of the
Mirbach regiment; Major Du Puy, of the v. Bose
regiment, was promoted to be lieutenant-colonel ;
Lieut.-Col. Kohler, colonel of the Second Grenadier

198 The German Allies
battalion, Angenelli; Major v. Ende to be lieutenant-
colonel of the Second battalion ; Lieut.-Col. v. Schaf-
fer, colonel of the Bunau regiment. Three ser
geants and one ordinance sergeant were promoted to
ensigns. Captains v. d. Malsburg and v. Dinklage,
whose diaries have been quoted in these pages,
became majors; Maj .-Gen. v. Knoblauch got the
Wissenbach regiment, and Col. v. Benning, the
Huyne regiment. In the early part of the next
year, Major-Generals v. Hachenberg, v. Bose and
v. Lossberg became lieutenant-generals ; Lieut.-Col.
v. Heymel, of the Knyphausen regiment, colonel of
the Donop regiment.

CHAPTER XIII.

Cornwallis, at the close of 1780, prepared a plan
for an expedition into North Carolina, as soon as
reinforcements came from the north.
On December 13th, the v. Bose regiment, and 112
Hessian and other Yagers, under Capt. v. Roder,
arrived in Charleston, part of a corps of 1,500 men,
under Gen. Leslie, who was at once ordered to join
Cornwallis, in North Carolina.
The Americans, under Gen. Morgan, were driven
by Col. Tarleton, but the latter was completely
defeated at Cowpens, a victory which was as import
ant to the American cause in the south as Trenton
had been in the north.
Cornwallis was joined by Leslie on January i8th,
and after a sharp fight at the crossing of the Catawba,
drove the Americans, under Greene, out of North
Carolina into Virginia, and then at Hillsborough
issued proclamations inviting the royalists to come
to his support.
By March 14th, Greene had returned southward,
with reinforcements, and on the 15th the two forces
met, near Guilford.

200 The German Allies
The British advance, under Col. Tarleton, which
included the Hessian and Ansbach Yagers, the light
infantry and cavalry, became warmly engaged, and
Cornwallis brought up his force in line of battle — on
his right v. Bose's regiment ; the light infantry and
the Hessian and Ansbach Yagers were on the left.
Greene had posted his army in three lines ; the
first was broken by a bayonet charge, but rallied on
the second under cover of a wood, but at last fell back
to the third.
Leslie put the Guards battalion on his right, while
the light infantry and German Yagers turned the
American right. The Guards battalion broke the
American lines, but pushed too far forward, and in
the woods could not use the bayonet, and were soon
under a heavy fire in front and on flank — and broke
in disorder. The fire on the left and center was very
heavy, and the v. Bose regiment, under Lieut.-Col.
Du Puy, advanced to strengthen the British line,
which rallied on it and moved forward again, with
the Hessians, to renew the attack. This the Ameri
cans could not stand, but pressing forward, the Hes
sians were attacked in the rear by another force, and
forming front to meet it, they were faced on both
sides by the Americans and again drove them off.
The gallant conduct of the v. Bose regiment,
which decided the favorable issue of the battle for the
British, was recognized by the English generals, and
openly praised in the New York paper and by the
London Gazette. The Elector Friedrick wrote, on

In the American Revolution. 201
September 13th, to Gen. v. Knyphausen : " I have
heard, with great pleasure, of the good conduct of the
v. Bose regiment, under Lieut.-Col. Du Puy, and of
the Yagers, under Capt. Ewald, and request you to
make known to these officers and their commands
my satisfaction."
This was the first opportunity, since the attack on
Fort Montgomery, that, the regiment had to show its
great bravery. The Hessian Yagers showed their
accustomed fearlessness. The v. Bose regirnent had
heavy losses — Capt. v. Wilmowsky and Lieut, v.
Trott died, Capt. Eigenbrod, Lieuts. Schwaner and
Geyso were wounded. The sufferings of the wounded
left on the battle-field over night were dreadful, while
the pursuit was a series of hardships for the Hessian
and other German troops, with long marches, streams
to ford, and short supplies.
Cornwallis, leaving the wounded at Wilmington,
under guard of the Yagers, fell back again to Vir
ginia. Meantime Gen. Arnold, sailing from New
York on December 12th, brought a force of 1,400
men, including 125 Hessian Yagers under Captain
Ewald. Heavy storms scattered the fleet, which
arrived in port in the James river on January 3d,
where they seized a strong battery of the enemy and
silenced the guns. On the 9th, the other vessels
brought the rest of the force.
Cornwallis had ordered Arnold to keep open his
communication with the sea, and to call on the loyal
ists to support him, and if there was no response, to
26

202 The German Allies
destroy all supplies that could be useful to the ene
my. At Richmond, where he first began to do this,
he also burned or plundered all shops and houses,
thus forfeiting any sympathy he might have hoped
to find among the people.
At Fleur de Hundred [Flourde Hundret], Baron
Steuben had a force of 7,000 or 8,000 men, to bar
the way to Portsmouth. Ewald, with 50 foot Yagers
and three companies of rangers, drove in the Amer
ican outpost, and, with Simcoe's cavalry, forced the
advance to retreat, and then entered Portsmouth,
the chief depot of supplies of the American army in
the south. The Americans made frequent attempts
to recover it, but Ewald was always on his guard,
and showed such watchfulness and energy that he
not only kept the enemy off, but also captured offi
cers with despatches of great value to Arnold.
Ewald's rule was always to attack, and in his book
on " War," he lays it down as a maxim that when
ever the enemy is met at night, he must be attacked
at once and followed by a bayonet charge, so that the
leader of the advance can ascertain the strength of
the enemy, mask his own, and make his plans for
his next movement. Ewald pressed on, through a
country so marshy that it was thought impractica
ble, cut off the retreat of the Americans to North
Carolina, and succeeded in breaking their communi
cations southward.
On the 19th of March, the bravery of Capt. Ewald
and his men was put to a sharp test. His patrol of

In the American Revolution. 203
one non-commissioned officer and 16 Yagers, near
Portsmouth, was met by Gen. Lafayette, with 800
men, on a reconnoisance. Ewald hurried up with
another handful of 16 Yagers, and posting his men
so as to command the narrow breast of a dam which
could only be crossed three abreast, urged them to
stand fast. The Americans three times advanced to
the attack, in column 300 strong, and were every
time repulsed by the 33 Yagers, and finally with
drew, by order of Lafayette. Ewald was wounded,
with many of his little band. Arnold had not
responded to the call for support, and, angered by
Ewald's reproaches, did not even mention him in his
report, when Ewald protested and at last secured due
recognition for his men.
The Hessians were largely employed, with the
other troops, in the ungrateful task of destroying
supplies, but on April 25th succeeded in defeating
the militia, under Gen. Muhlenberg.
In May, the two South German regiments came
from New York, in response to the pressing demand
of Cornwallis for reinforcements, and on the 25th
were sent to Portsmouth, to join the Hessians.
On June 26th, a force of 300 men, Hessian and
Ansbach-Bayreuth soldiers making part of it, made a
march of 30 miles, attacked, captured and destroyed
an American outpost, taking prisoners, guns and
supplies. Although there was no lack of food, water was
scarce and bad, rum was dear, a quart costing half

204 The German Allies
a Spanish dollar, and to make a circulating medi
um, the Spanish dollars were cut in eight pieces, the
pistareens in two and even four pieces.
The Virginians showed a very friendly disposition
toward the Germans.
Cornwallis moved gradually toward the coast, to
comply with Clinton's orders and to find a good point
to keep open communication with him. He sent
Ewald with his Yagers, strengthened with an English
Grenadier company and a company of rangers and
30 dragoons, to cover his left flank, as he moved
across the peninsula to Williamsburg.
The whole American army was reported, by loyal
sympathisers, to be in pursuit.
Ewald was usually on his guard for surprises, and
says himself, in his book, " On the Handling of Light
Troops " : " We were never more than a few miles
from our own main army, and thought these reports
mere inventions, intended to hurry us out of the
country," and Tarleton was reported to be within a
short distance of their right, when Williamsburg
was near at hand. As all danger was thought to be
over, the march was stopped, that the men might
rest; the 1,200 captured cattle were turned out to
graze, the men laid aside their arms and went into
improvised camps. Ewald led the advance, but no
precautions of even the usual kind were taken,
beyond putting advance posts near by — not even
patrols sent out.
While all were scattered, there was a sudden sharp

In the American Revolution. 205
report of firing and a cry, "The enemy is on us."
Ewald threw himself on horseback, and hurried out
in the direction from which the report came, where
he soon met a strong line of the enemy's infantry,
moving off to the left. Ewald saw that this was
done in order to cut off the roads that led to Williams
burg. As he hurried back, a French officer sum
moned him to surrender, and captured his orderly.
Ewald hurried his men together and ordered Lieut.
Bickel to move to the right with the Yagers and fall
on the left flank of the enemy. He led the Grena
diers and rangers himself and, without firing a shot,
made a bayonet charge on the enemy, while Captain
Schenk, with his Hussars, attacked the enemy's
cavalry, Lieut. Bickel got on their left flank, and
Sergeant Sippel, with some of the Yagers, in their
rear. The Americans fell back into the woods, and
Ewald captured 34 of them, with a small loss of his
own. This was the last serious fight of the Hessian Ya
gers in the American war. From that time on it was
only in small hand-to-hand engagements, on outpost
duty, that they could show their bravery and their
skill as soldiers.
Ewald and his Yagers had won the respect alike
of their British allies and their American enemies,
not only for their courage, but for their discipline,
their coolness, their endurance and their activity.
In spite of the heat, Cornwallis left Williamsburg

206 The German Allies
on July 4th, crossed the James river on the 7th, and
took position at Suffolk.
Lafayette had heard a false report that Cornwallis
had crossed on the 6th, and hurried forward with
6,000 men and six guns, to strike his rear, and reach
ing it — in the belief that the larger part of the Brit
ish army had crossed — attacked at once.
Cornwallis took v. Bose's regiment, with other
troops, and repulsed the Americans, who lost two
guns and nearly 200 men, and Lafayette soon gave
up the pursuit, or even the attempt to harass the
retreating army.
Ewald, in a letter to General v. Riedesel, dated
Suffolk, July 20, 1 781, speaks of the heavy loss
from bad weather and hard marching and fighting,
mourns the wounding of Captain Rau, and says he
himself had but 46 men left for duty.
On July 1 6th, all but two of the regiments left
Portsmouth and came by water to Yorktown. On
the 29th, the German Yagers were brought in big
boats, and on the 30th were sent out as the advance,
guarding both banks at Gloucester.
Yorktown was a place of 300 houses, mostly of
brick, many of them in ruins, and nearly all aban
doned. It is on the south bank of the York river, a
wide arm of Chesapeake bay. The garrison consisted
of 300 militia, which, without firing a shot, withdrew
to Williamsburg, 16 miles. The harbor was deep
and two miles wide. Opposite, on the north bank,
was the little village of Gloucester.

In the American Revolution. 207
When Cornwallis came to Yorktown, his army
was reduced to the Guards, three battalions of light
infantry, six British regiments of the line, a regi
ment of dragoons, two companies of British artillery,
a corps of volunteers from South Carolina, six com
panies of American rangers, a force of sappers, and
about 1,400 sailors. His German troops were the
two Hessian regiments, the v. Bose and the Crown
Prince, the two South German regiments, their artil
lery, and the Hessian and South German Yagers.
On August 29th, the lines were advanced about a
thousand paces, and strengthened by working on
them day and night, but there were only 400 tools
with which to put them in condition.
On August 30th, a French fleet appeared, and on
the land side Washington approached with his army,
including Lafayette and a French corps.
The ships in the harbor were unloaded and their
lower tier of guns brought on shore and mounted on
the defenses. In front of the camp and the lines, all
the roads were blocked and covered by heavy timber.
The heat made the work very severe, and the sup
plies were scanty. The rations were bad ship's
stores and very small. Sickness soon ravaged the
force with dysentery and fever, which carried off
many men. Among the victims, was Lieutenant v.
Schuchardt, of the Bayreuth Grenadiers. Heavy
thunderstorms and violent hurricanes broke over the
camp, often devastating the poor quarters of the men.
The French fleet was lying in Chesapeake bay.

208 The German Allies
In September, many American troops came from
Baltimore, and the Americans seized a picket of the
Hessian regiment v. Bose, on the right wing, and
then withdrew into the woods.
On the 28th, the whole camp was in alarm, from a
strong attack of the American forces. Tents were
hastily removed and all the baggage taken into the
town. This was repeated on the 30th, and some 30
English and Hessians were killed or wounded. At
night, all the troops in the camp were quietly moved
into the new lines thrown up around the town.
On the 30th, the Americans stormed for three
hours a redoubt in front of the right wing, but
by help of a frigate lying in the stream were driven
back. Among the attacking party were French
Grenadiers. On October ist, the Americans began to build reg
ular siege works, but had no guns with which to man
them. Two thousand men were at work strengthening
the British defenses. Every four hours the com
mands in the trenches were relieved.
On the 2d, the Americans, who had taken posses
sion of the works abandoned by the English, were
heavily cannonaded, and the fire was kept up for suc
ceeding days with bombs and solid shot; this was
done steadily until the 9th, but without any return
fire. On the afternoon of that day, the first cannon
shot on their side came from a battery in the woods,
opposite the right wing ; it was directed at a redoubt

In the American Revolution. 209
on a hill near the river, about a mile from the lines.
After retreat, the fire became heavier, and a frigate
lying in the harbor was set on fire by a hot shot.
On the ioth, the fire of the besiegers was still
heavier, and there was no cover that could withstand
it or protect the troops. The last of the inhabitants
took refuge in caves dug out in the hills near the
river, but these were soon in the range of the fire.
The camp was changed and the tents struck.
On the nth, the fire was still sharper, and 3,600
shots from the besiegers were reported. The destruc
tion was fearful, ships and houses were struck, dead
bodies and wounded men were seen on all sides.
Bombs exploded in the water, spreading the alarm
in all directions, and the ground trembled as with an
earthquake. The v. Bose regiment, on the left flank
in the second line, was the most exposed ; balls and
bombs fell from every side, and it had daily the most
dead and wounded. The Ansbach-Bayreuth regi
ment, in the extreme redoubt of the left wing, was
also a heavy sufferer. Bombs falling in their camp
spread destruction far and wide. To get forage was
difficult and dangerous, and the German Yagers lost
heavily in serving as escort. Capt. Ewald showed
his ability by his success in protecting his men by
all sorts of expedients. Ewald led an advance guard
of 100 dragoons, 60 Yagers and some rangers, and
by moving off on the flank of the column, uncovered
a body of French Hussars. He quietly told his com
mander that foraging had better begin here, and by
27

210 The German Allies
his firmness was able to withstand the attack of the
Due de Lauzun's legion, with some militia, and
Ewald, as rear guard, was successful in protecting
the retreat to Gloucester.
On alternate nights, the fire relaxed and then in
creased. The besiegers attacked the outer redoubts,
occupied by Hessian and British troops, and under
cover of a heavy fog the French Grenadiers made a
successful breach and drove the defenders out, dis
playing the French flag in close position before the
weary garrison. The whole camp was alarmed, and
every regiment was ordered under arms. The entire
left wing began to fire, out of zeal and curiosity, to
give the enemy a warm reception, and with no great
result. During the attack, the French and Americans
resorted to a clever ruse de guerre, giving commands
in German to advance the whole column and to send
the batteries to the front — trying to make this diver
sion appear to be the main attack in force on the
center of the position.
On the 15th, the besieged made a bold dash and
captured a number of prisoners, forcing the French
supports to fly, when the guns were silenced. At
night, 250 Ansbach-Bayreuth soldiers were sent to
the further redoubt, when the light infantry, which
had before occupied it, were sent in shallops across
to Gloucester, to draw the fire of the besiegers on
that side.
Cornwallis thought that he could still make a bold

In the American Revolution. 211
sally and escape, but the bad weather prevented his
sending more of his troops across. His appeals to
Clinton for reinforcements were all in vain, and he
saw that resistance was only a matter of endurance ;
while his fire was maintained, the Americans were
steadily pushing their lines close to his front.
On the 17th, the firing opened at daybreak, with
increased violence. The light infantry returned from
Gloucester, with the report that it was hopeless to
try to break through in that direction, as the Ameri
cans had strengthened and extended their lines on
that side, and a cordon of French Hussars completed
the circle.
Cornwallis himself came to the front, studied the
situation, and sent a white flag to offer terms of sur
render. A second and a third were sent before the
firing ceased, thus costing many lives by the delay.
The men began to destroy their tents and arms, for
they knew that the terms of surrender must be hard
ones. While the negotiations dragged on, a powder
magazine exploded in the town, doing great damage
and costing thirteen lives.
On the 19th of October, Cornwallis surrendered
his whole army as prisoners of war. The soldiers,
as one of them wrote, were not deprived of their
effects, and were treated kindly and fairly, according
to the usages of war.
The fifth article of the surrender provided that the
soldiers should remain in Virginia, Maryland or
Pennsylvania, as nearly as possible in regimental

212 The German Allies
organizations — receiving the same rations as the
Continental army. An officer to every 50 men, of
the same nationality — English, Hessian or Ansbach
— was to remain, on parole, to look after them, and
see that they were supplied with clothing and other
necessaries. The Crown Prince regiment was the strongest,
and had met a proportionate loss. The Hessian and
Ansbach Yagers had also suffered heavily. Ewald
had only one-sixth of his original strength. Eight
een German flags and eight batteries were among
the spoils that fell to the Americans.
Cornwallis had hardly 4,000 men capable of bear
ing arms, and he reported to Clinton that the Amer
icans had 8,000 French, as many Continentals, and
5,000 militia.
Just as Burgoyne's surrender largely secured to
the Americans their French allies, so that of Lord
Cornwallis was mainly instrumental in bringing
about the recognition of American independence,
and Yorktown was the only great action in which
the French had taken an important share.
When the garrison marched out, past the Ameri
can and French armies, the latter were commanded
by Rochambeau, who was surrounded by Lafayette,
the Prince of Saarbruck-Zweibrucken [Deux Ponts],
and the Prince de Lauzun, all in full uniform, with
their decorations. On the right of each French reg
iment was their white flag with the lilies. Among
the French troops were some Alsace regiments. In

In the American Revolution. 213
front of the Americans stood Washington, Gates,
Greene and Wayne.
" The prisoners," says one of them, Dohla, in his
diary, " looked with wonder on the great force of the
enemy, and they saw, with equal wonder, the weak
ness of our force, a mere handful — not more than
one of their daily guard mountings."
Dohla describes the circle of French Hussars into
which the prisoners marched to surrender their arms,
and the touching sight of Col. v. Seyboth leading his
men, he and they all crying at the loss of their
weapons. An officer says the grief and suppressed rage of
the old soldiers, thus yielding to those who had been
looked on as shopkeepers and farmers, was hard to
realize. One old soldier wept like a child ; a corpo
ral kissed his gun, then threw it down and cried out,
" You can never have as good a master as I was."
But he also credits the Americans with great good
feeling, while the French, if more soldierly, were
noisier and vainer.
Officers were allowed to retain their swords, at the
request of the French generals ; who also commended
the South German regiments as the best.
The prisoners were allowed every reasonable lib
erty, under guard of the French, who were very
friendly. The Americans were not allowed to go
into the town, lest the militia might abuse their
captives. On the evening of October 19th, the Bayreuth

214 The German Allies
Yager Lieutenant v. Hayden, with 16 men of his
regiment, arrived, the only ones left of a command
of a i, 000 that had started from South Carolina for
Yorktown, and between Hampton and Williamsburg
had been scattered by a strong hostile corps, after a
sharp resistance.
The troops had abundant supplies, during the
siege, both the reserves and the garrison, and for
fourteen days an addition to their daily rations of
sugar, chocolate and cocoa, just landed from a Dutch
merchantman, captured and brought into Yorktown
by an English ship.
Of the Hessians and Ansbach-Bayreuth soldiers,
only 85 men deserted.
The spoils included over ^"5,000 sterling in the
military chest of the English, and 191 guns and 82
vessels were taken.
The prisoners marched slowly to Williamsburg,
then to Fredericksburg, Virginia, passing many
homes of German settlers — then on to Frederick,
Maryland, where the two Hessian regiments and
the Bayreuth Yagers were quartered.
Early in November, the other troops reached Win
chester, under an escort commanded by Gen. Muhlen
berg, who was very considerate of the comfort of the
German prisoners ; but, as an officer wrote, the quar
ters gave poor hope of a comfortable winter — wretched
huts of wood and canvass, with no roofs and no beds,
miserable chimneys, neither doors nor windows, and
in a thick wood. The soldiers were crowded close

In the American Revolution. 215
together, 20 to 30 men in one hut — worse than the
pigsties or dog houses in their German homes.
Some of the men were at once allowed to go to
work for the neighboring farmers, thus earning com
fortable quarters, good living and suitable clothing,
while those who remained in the barracks had little
of any of the good things promised at the surrender.
With money or with articles of value the soldiers
could get something — and Major v. Beust borrowed
money for his men, at a high rate of interest, from a
merchant in Winchester, on his personal pledge and
security. The sick and wounded slowly gathered again at
Winchester, complaining that the Americans had
kept none of their promises to care for them, and
their sufferings and distress were of the most har
rowing kind. Those who died soon were the most
fortunate. Congress ordered the troops to Frederick, Mary
land, to the great dissatisfaction of the Virginia far
mers, who lost their cheap supply of labor in the
German soldiers, but the Germans were glad to get
away from such hard masters.
On the march through Maryland, the German set
tlers showed them much kindness, and German
speech and friendly hospitality gave them great com
fort. Their food, too, improved, and their quarters
were two barracks, with 100 huts, built by the Eng
lish, while nearly all the farmers around were Ger
mans — Swabians. The troops formerly quartered

216 The German Allies
there were sent to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The
two Hessian regiments, the Crown Prince and v.
Bose, were quartered in the Poor House, and made
fairly comfortable.
By the end of February, provisions ran short, and
the officers bought supplies out of their own means,
and again in March gave each man a Spanish dollar
to help him buy food. Dohla complains of the bad
food and the utter want of clothing.
It was not until late in April, that the baggage
arrived from New York — and each man got a new
ribbon for his queue, that he might keep that in
order. In May, the money due from November to March
was paid, and each man received ten Spanish dollars,
and with this and the warm weather, the prisoners
were more comfortable.
Through death, sickness and desertion, the regi
ments were greatly reduced. In one night 20 men
escaped, but 13 were brought back by an American
patrol. Most of them left to escape their weary
detention, hoping to get to New York or some other
point, where they could rejoin the German forces.
The militia revenged themselves by firing on and
wounding the prisoners, and a Bayreuth soldier was
one of the victims.
On September ist, Congress ordered all the men
of Cornwallis' and Burgoyne's armies, at work on
the farms, to report at Frederick. Some of them
had become owners of their farms and were married.

In the American Revolution. 217
These were allowed to ransom themselves for a fixed
sum — about 80 Spanish dollars. Those who could
not raise that amount, usually found Americans to
advance it, and agreed to return it in labor for a fixed
term. These were called " Redemptioners," and
their bargains had a sort of legal sanction, were
made public at church, and generally acknowledged
as binding.
The Americans began openly to recruit enlist
ments among the prisoners, going into the barracks,
promising 30 Spanish dollars, hard money, of which
eight dollars was paid down, the rest when the recruit
joined his regiment. But few of the Germans were
tempted, even when the recruiting officers brought
music and loose women and liquor, with which to
induce the men to abandon their colors and join the
American army.
Now and then German settlers came forward to
relieve their own kinsfolk by paying for their release
from imprisonment, and this soon became an active
means for lessening their number.
In September, 300 English prisoners of Cornwal
lis' army came to Frederick from Winchester, under
an escort of an American volunteer corps, made up
of all nationalities, among them 40 Ansbach-Bay
reuth soldiers, who had been released from imprison
ment in Virginia and had then volunteered for the
American army.
In March, 1783, the first news of peace reached the
camp, and gave rise to great rejoicing, in the hope of
28

218 The German Allies
early release. An express rider brought the official
announcement from Congress, in Philadelphia.
Later on, the rest of the long-delayed baggage
came to hand and, on April ist, the four German
regiments received their arrears of pay.
On the 2 2d, General Lincoln made official procla
mation of peace, and it was celebrated by a patriotic
demonstration, day and night. The fireworks for the
night's display were prepared by Captain Hofmann,
of the Bayreuth artillery, and his men ; the German
musicians played at the ball given in honor of the
occasion, and many of the German officers were
guests at all the festivities.
In camp there was great rejoicing, too, but when
the men cheered for King George, a French captain,
in charge, attacked them and mortally wounded four
of the German soldiers.

The Waldeck regiment went further south than
any of the other German troops. It was sent to fight
the Spaniards in Florida, as part of the reinforce
ments sent by Clinton to Pensacola at the end of
1778. With them were the Provincial Loyalists, of
Maryland and Pennsylvania — making in all a force
of 1,200 men, to cooperate with ten English and two
German regiments in the southern provinces.
On October 20th, just two years from their arrival
in America, and a year from their hard experiences

In the American Revolution. 219
on the Hudson river, four vessels were assigned to
the Waldeck regiment, part of a fleet of 70 sail,
under the escort of Commodore Hotham, in the Pres
ton, a 70-gun man-of-war. After a sharp storm, the
fleet separated, part carrying soldiers and supplies to
Barbadoes and Carolina, the other to Jamaica. On
the way there were a number of privateers and cruis
ers ; one was taken, but none of them attacked the
men-of-war. In Jamaica, the Germans saw all the wealth of
tropical nature — an earthly paradise, after their long
sea voyage. The Waldeck regimental chaplain bap
tized three soldiers' children born on shipboard — for
the soldiers' wives accompanied them ; in one vessel
there were four of them with children.
On December 31st, the fleet again set sail, and
after 3,500 miles of sea voyage, finally reached Pen
sacola, then a poor village .of 200 scattered houses,
mostly of wood, with no trace of early Spanish set
tlement, other than the old stone powder magazine.
The defenses on the sea side were sand heaps ; on the
land side, palisades. Near the town grew great for
ests, in which it was said there were wild animals —
bears, tigers, panthers, alligators and other dangerous
creatures, as well as savage Indians. Wild game was
plentiful, but of the elements of civilization little was
heard. The only English clergyman was at Mobile.
Baptism was given only on convenient occasions, and
the Waldeck chaplain baptized a child of eight years
of age.

220 The German Allies
From Georgia to Pensacola was a four weeks' jour
ney, and the traveler had to supply tents, axes, cov
ers, and means of living, for there was not a single
human habitation to be found on the way.
The Indians were said to be very numerous — one
tribe of 20,000 men was on friendly terms with the
English. Steurnagel, in his diary, describes them as
fearful in war, always killing their prisoners, reveng
ing blood for blood, and skillful in the use of their
weapons. The women accompanied them to battle,
and sang warlike songs to encourage the braves.
Scalps were a regular article of sale, ^3 sterling
being the fixed market price.
Among these savages, to their great surprise, the
Waldeck soldiers found a countryman, from one of
their own villages, Konigshagen ; he had deserted
from the army as a youth, and finally joined the
Indians, serving as interpreter — his name was Bran
denburg, and he was as little of a Christian as his
Indian comrades.
The troops were put to work to restore the old
Spanish defenses, and owing to the intense heat, they
worked at night ; patrols were sent out as far as the
Mississippi. ¦On the western coast there was a force of only 500
men, and the Waldeck Grenadiers were sent to rein
force them at Baton Rouge, and they in turn were
followed by a company under Major v. Horn and 15
men of that of Col. v. Hanxleden and the company
of Capt. Alberti.

In the American Revolution. 221
The Creek and Choctaw Indians came to Pensacola
as allies, the former — women as well as men — well
mounted and strong and good-natured.
In August, Don Bernardo Galvez, the Spanish gov
ernor of Louisiana, made public proclamation of the
independence of the United States, and formally
declared war against the British. His force consisted
of 2,000 men, against which the British had but
small opportunity to prepare.
The Waldeck troops, under Capt. v. Hacke, were
at Baton Rouge, but the Spaniards seized a British
vessel on the Mississippi, carrying Capt. Alberti's
company, 54 men and officers.
The Spaniards attacked the fort at Pensacola, but
were twice repulsed, with heavy loss, and then offered
terms of capitulation, very favorable to the gallantry
of the defenders, which were accepted.
The Waldeckers lost Ensign Noltin, Lieut. Leon-
hardi, who had distinguished himself at the storming
of Fort Washington, and 22 men, besides a number
wounded, and surrendered over 200 officers and men.
The news of the capture of Mobile was soon
brought to Pensacola, but was received as a trick of
the enemy to induce the garrison to leave that post
and risk a battle in the open.
Chaplain Waldeck mentions, in his diary, the diffi
culty of ascertaining the truth and the uncertainty
of knowing what to do.
Finally, it was decided to remain in Pensacola —
and a fearful storm and an earthquake made their

222 The German Allies
situation more desperate, while the scanty supplies
told on the strength of the little force.
On March 5th, 1780, the Waldeck force was part
of an expedition sent to relieve Mobile, hard pressed
by the Spaniards, and was followed by the Pennsyl
vania Loyalists and some artillery. It was a march
of 120 miles, through an uninhabited wilderness, and
all in vain — Mobile had surrendered, and the expedi
tion returned on the 19th, after a trying march.
On March 27th, the Spanish fleet came in sight,
21 sail, and next day it anchored off Pensacola. The
Waldeck regiment went to Fort George, and all prep
aration was made for a siege, when the fleet sailed
away on the 30th. The Waldeck force, under Col.
v. Hanxleden, was strengthened by the Maryland
Loyalists, two companies.
On April 9th, Lieut.-Col. v. Horn arrived, with his
two sons and a small body of twenty recruits — they
had been a year on the way from Waldeck.
The Chickasaw and other Indians came in large
numbers, but they were useless allies, eating and
drinking to excess, and doing no work, while the
German and English soldiers were worn out with
their labor on the new defenses — a new fort was
called Fort Waldeck.
The Spaniards crossed the Perdido, but were driven
back by the Indians, who stoutly refused to join Gal-
vez, although he had enlisted the help of a good
many of the native tribes by his liberal offers.
Chaplain Waldeck reports the greatest difficulty

In the American Revolution. 223
as to supplies of food — bread and water for breakfast,
water at dinner, a pipe of tobacco and more water for
supper. Sausages cost $7.00, a pound of tobacco
$4.00, of coffee $1.00, a pint of brandy eight hard
shillings, rum was a forgotten luxury, and the In
dians, in searching for it, plundered the scattered
British settlers, pretending that they took them for
Spaniards. Fortune favored the British, as their ships brought
in some Spanish merchantmen, with rum, meal, cof
fee, sugar and other welcome commodities, and a
vessel loaded with powder was also captured.
On November 19th, Major Pentzel was sent, with
50 Waldeckers, to the Cliffs, a new post at the
entrance to the harbor, and on January 3d, 1781,
Col. v. Hanxelden was sent to French Village, on
the Mississippi, with some men of his own regiment
and 300 Indians and other troops, to drive the Span
iards out of their works. On the 7th, he reached the
place and made an attack, the Germans charging at
the point of the bayonet, but, without support from
the Indians, they were obliged to withdraw, leaving
their brave colonel and Lieut. Stirlin dead, and Lieut.
Baumbach wounded.
The Spaniards honored the grave of the heroic
commander, as a mark of respect for his gallantry.
On March 9th, the Spanish fleet again arrived at
Pensacola, with six times the strength of the defense,
(not over a thousand men) , besides heavy guns and
all the means of a regular siege.

224 The German Allies
A shallop sent out by the British man-of-war Men
tor captured a Spanish vessel from Mobile, with the
baggage and effects of the Spanish general, and
$20,000 in hard money, his fine silver table service,
fine wines, and all the utensils of a good kitchen.
On the 1 ith, the Spanish opened fire on Pensacola,
and on the 18th the fleet sailed into the harbor, and
on the 23d was reinforced by 16 vessels, with troops
from Havannah, but their first attempt at landing
was repelled, and even when a counter-attack was
betrayed by a catholic Waldeck corporal, who
deserted and gave notice, the Spaniards were driven
out of their works by the Waldeck troops.
The news of the capture of Charleston was cele
brated in Pensacola, which was soon itself exposed
to a continuous fire until early in May. Even then
treachery helped the Spaniards, for a Provincial offi
cer, who had been broken and driven out of the
camp, deserted to the enemy and gave them informa
tion where to direct their fire ; it soon exploded a
powder magazine, costing 52 lives and wounding
many more, and utterly destroying the works.
The Spaniards pushed forward in such strength
that no further resistance was possible, and favorable
terms of surrender were accepted.
The defenders marched out with the honors of
war, the officers retaining their swords, and the
whole force to be sent by the Spaniards to a British
harbor, on parole not to serve against Spain until
exchanged ; the sick and wounded to be cared for

In the American Revolution. 225
until they, too, could be sent away. New York was
the designated harbor.
On June 4th, the troops were put on shipboard,
and reached New York at the end of the month.
The Waldeck troops, with Captains v. Hacke and
Alberti and Lieutenants Strubberg and Brunhardt,
also returned from their captivity. They had lost
more men by disease than in battle, among them
Lieut, v. Goren and Lieut. Alberti, who died in New
Orleans in July.
Steuernagel, in his diary, says that Pensacola was
defended by 600 men against 22,000, but the actual
disproportion was large enough — 800 to 15,000.

The war in 1781 was slowly waged in the northern
provinces. The reinforcements for the German forces
arrived in due time. In the beginning of March,
300 men came for the Ansbach-Bayreuth regiments,
under Col. v. Schlammersdorf, of the Guards ; they
came down the Main to Hanau, where they were
joined by the Hanau troops, and later by those from
Hesse Cassel ; those from Anhalt-Zerbst went to
Wangeroge, a little island at the mouth of the We-
ser, under Gen. v. Rauchhaupt, to avoid desertions —
and thence under Brigade-Major v. Weitersheim —
making in all 2,988 men ; finally arriving in New
York in August. 29

226 The German Allies
Clinton, who had barely escaped capture early in
January, 1781, was persuaded to listen to a report
that 800 men in the American force at Amboy would
desert, if protected, and sent 2,000 men, including
the v. Linsingen Grenadier battalion, a company of
Hessian Yagers, and other troops ; but fortunately
the deception was discovered and the men brought
back to their old posts.
General v. Knyphausen had offered pardon to
all deserters- returning to their colors, and many
accepted it, complaining of hard usage with their
temporary employers and in the American army.
Clinton gave two guineas, out of his pocket, to two
brothers of the Ansbach regiment, who had deserted
and now returned.
The force in New York was so reduced that it
could do little, but Washington kept it on the alert,
and it was obliged to be vigilant and watchful.
Gen. v. Riedesel, then in command at Brooklyn,
wrote to the Duke of Brunswick, on June 26th, 1781,
a report that showed that he understood the real plan
of Washington better than the British commander,
who was thus led to sacrifice his best troops, German
and English, at Yorktown. Riedesel was satisfied
that the English ministry failed to appreciate the
important help the* Americans were getting from
France, and that Washington was planning, by their
help, to secure'a victory that would help to bring the
war to an end, while Clinton and Cornwallis were
disputing over their plans and failing to use their

In the American Revolution. 227
force or the fleet to the best advantage in united
operations. Washington, with the French reinforcements from
Rhode Island, had over 12,000 men. He threatened
Clinton, so as to prevent him from sending reinforce
ments to Virginia, and meant to inflict heavy pun
ishment on DeLancey's Loyalists. He therefore
ordered 800 infantry and 300 cavalry, of his best
troops, to move towards King's Bridge and attack
DeLancey. By accident, Clinton had ordered an attack for the
same time, the 2d and 3d of July, on the American
outpost at Dobbs' Ferry, and to gather all the sup
plies in reach, sending 200 wagons there to carry
them off, and to protect them, 200 Hessian Yagers
on foot and 30 mounted, under Capt. Priischenk ;
Col. Emmerich, with 100 men, was to go in advance
and, when the Americans attacked, to strike them in
the rear.
Late at night, Clinton got news that the Ameri
cans were in motion, and that Capt. Rau, the leader
of a Yager patrol, had been killed by the advancing
enemy. Clinton recalled the whole expedition. Col.
v. Wurmb sent back Capt. Priischenk and his Ya
gers, and ordered him to recall Col. Emmerich, or to
go to his support, if he was already engaged. As the
advance, under Lieut. Schaffer, reached Fort Inde
pendence, he saw nothing of the enemy, and so
reported to Priischenk.
As a further precaution, a detachment of 18 Ya-

228 The German Allies
gers, under Sergeant Rubenkonig, an old soldier,
was sent out on the right flank to observe. There
he met a small body moving up and down ; taking
them for DeLancey's or Emmerich's men, he spoke
to them, and was at once seized and threatened with
death if he spoke; but he cried out, warning his
men that the enemy were near by, and in the firing,
escaped and returned safely. Col. v. Wurmb espe
cially recommended him for promotion, but the close
of the war cut off his due reward.*
Lieut. Schaffer, too, was soon under fire and lost
many of his men, and Capt. Priischenk found the
enemy in much greater strength than his own, and
to cover his retreat, sent Lieut. Fliess, with 30 Ya
gers, to attack in close order, thus gaining time for
his main body, while the Americans were for a time
stopped by the bold bayonet charge of the little band,
which was able to get off, too, with no great loss.
Col. v. Wurmb came out with the rest of the Ya
gers and, although much inferior in numbers, even
with the reinforcement of the loyalists and 200 men
from the defenses at Kingsbridge, attacked the strong
line of the Americans and thus freed Emmerich, who
had been cut off, and was now able to return and
report that Washington himself was advancing with
3,000 men, thus forcing Emmerich to fall back.
Wurmb then withdrew to the lines at Kingsbridge,
* Note. — Rubenkonig is the hero of a late very attractive addition to
our slender stock of literature, in a novel, " Forgotten Heroes. A Story of
the American War of Independence." By Franz Treller. Cassel, 1892.

In the American Revolution. 229
and the Americans, after reconnoitering the ground,
again quietly withdrew.
The German soldiers lost heavily, but their con
duct was heroic, and Priischenk was rewarded by a
decoration, well earned, and by Clinton's thanks,
through v. Knyphausen.
Washington repeated his demonstrations, but, in
spite of the warning of Col. v. Wurmb, reported by
his adjutant, v. Ochs, Clinton refused to credit their
statement that all this was merely done to keep Clin
ton fast in New York.
In August and early in September, the Prince
Charles regiment, the four Hessian Grenadier bat
talions, 400 Hessian and Ansbach Yagers, and other
troops, were sent on board ship, landed and again
loaded, ready to go to Cornwallis' help in Virginia,
and finally kept in the harbor of New York, losing
precious time, on one pretext or another — as that
there were not enough carpenters to repair the Eng
lish fleet, when the soldiers could easily have sup
plied all that were needed. Even when once on
board, the transports were again held at Staaten
Island and the troops once more disembarked, to
be reviewed by Prince William, later William the
Fourth. Then the 6,000 men were again put on
board, and then, on the 18th, on the fleet of 24 men-
of-war, which finally sailed to Chesapeake Bay, arriv
ing there on the 28th of October, and at once getting
ready to meet the French fleet, when a small boat
put off from Cape Charles for the admiral's ship.

230 The German Allies
Then orders were given to move, and the fleet
promptly put out to sea again — for news had been
received that Cornwallis had surrendered nine days
before. Returning at once to New York, head winds and
seas kept the crowded ships outside, and the men
came near starving ; but supplies were brought them
from the city, and finally, on the 14th of November,
the troops were again landed and quartered in very
poor temporary quarters on Long Island.

CHAPTER XIV.

Although the surrender of Cornwallis was the real
end of the war, the British government did not admit
it, Parliament renewed the grant for the allied troops,
and the German recruits were forwarded as usual.
On June ioth, 1782, the transport fleet of 15
vessels, escorted by three men-of-war, sailed with
Hessian, Hanau, Brunswick, Ansbach and Zerbst
recruits. Col. v. Hatzfeld led 900 Hessians, the eighth reg
ular reinforcement — consisting of Yagers, artillery
men and .infantry — leaving Cassel on April ioth.
Their route lay through Prussian territory, and in
spite of the report that Frederic the Great would not
allow German recruits for America to go through his
kingdom, or that he exacted the same duty that was
paid on cattle sent to England, no effort was made to
interrupt their march — indeed, their number was
increased by Prussian soldiers deserting to join the
new recruits.
Arriving in Halifax in August, the men were dis
embarked, on the report of a large French fleet near
by ; but it proved to be a British transport fleet, with
1,500 men and provisions for the army.

232 The German Allies
Meantime, the German soldiers in and near New
York were kept busy with preparations for military
operations. The Guards and Prince Charles regi
ments were quartered in new barracks, which they
quickly surrounded with earthworks.
Dinklage says, in his diary, that New York was
converted into a regular fortification — on every side
defenses, trees all cut down, the beautiful avenues
and orchards all gone — the work of years destroyed
in a day.
There was little real work for the soldiers, but
they were kept busy protecting the refugees — men
who joined no regular military organization, neither
the regular nor the provincial loyalist troops, but
fought for their own hand, singly, and in defiance
of all rules of war, and were bitterly hated by the
Americans, who pursued them relentlessly.
On May ist, Gen. Clinton published the official
declaration of negotiations for peace and ordered all
hostilities to be suspended. He was soon relieved
by Gen. Carleton, now Lord Dorchester, who came
rather to make peace than carry on war, and who at
once recalled to New York the troops in the south,
at Charleston and Savannah.
The German soldiers shared the general dissatis
faction, and one of their officers wrote home : " Our
conquests in America avail nothing. We must give
up this country ; for though we have conquered it,
the spirit of the Americans remains unbroken."
Lieut.-Gen. v. Knyphausen returned home, and

In the American Revolution. 233
was succeeded by Lieut.-Gen. Lossberg, in command
of the Hessians. He and Clinton sailed together,
after receiving every mark of respect from the Ger
mans — and Dinklage says, in his diary, that v.
Knyphausen went with the affection and respect
alike of the English and Hessian and American
soldiers. The report of Admiral Rodney's great victory over
Admiral Grasse led to renewed reports that peace was
not agreed on and that the war would be renewed,
and on September 15th, Maj .-Gen. v. Wurmb led
three brigades and a force of cavalry out on a great
foraging expedition. But this was the last military
demonstration against the enemy, and not a shot
was fired. The men were exercised and manoeuvred
mostly in brigades, just as in peace times.
The Hessian Yager corps had enjoyed its first
quiet summer on Long Island, and now went into
winter quarters there.
The three Hessian regiments left in Charleston,
South Carolina — separated for years from their fel
low soldiers serving in the north — led a miserable
life, with no sort of opportunity for military distinc
tion. Left there by Clinton in May, 1780, they did
little but police duty, protecting the town against a
threatened attack of the French fleet at one time,
and at another against a conspiracy on the part of
some of the patriotic Americans to secure the help
of the negroes in an attempt to overturn the British
command; until, in October, 1782, the garrison was
3°

234 The German Allies
put on board a fleet of transports and, after joining
the other troops from Georgia, sailed for New York,
landing there, after a stormy passage, on December
ist, when the Hessians joined v. Bunau's regiment,
in Brooklyn, and went into winter quarters there.
Most of the Hessian soldiers were put into tents and
suffered great hardships during the winter.
By May, nearly all the Hessian and Ansbach-Bay
reuth prisoners of war were returned to their com
mands in New York. Many were delighted at the
prospect of returning home, but a goodly number
preferred to stay in America, and permission was
freely given to all who chose to make their home
there. The royalists were first supplied with transporta
tion and it was not until July that the troops could
be embarked, for the fleet had over 9,000 flying roy
alists to take on board.
Carleton carried on negotiations for the exchange
of prisoners with great zeal, and the last lists pro
vided for the surrender of 5,826 men held in Phila
delphia, of which number 806 were Germans and 326
loyalists or provincials, and as Congress would not
allow these to remain in the country, they were the
first to be sent to New York.
Carleton did his best to settle matters, and his
work was completed when peace was finally agreed
on at Versailles, on November 3, 1783.

CHAPTER XV.
Events in Canada, from 1777 to 1783.

After Burgoyne left Canada on his campaign
which ended so ingloriously, there was little of im
portance in that province to influence the war.
Gen. Guy Carleton, who was left in command,
showed characteristic prudence in handling his small
force, scattered through the vast region entrusted to
him. His force included 669 Brunswick and Hesse
Hanau soldiers — 6 captains, 12 lieutenants, 48 non
commissioned officers and 600 private soldiers, under
Lieut.-Col. v. Ehrenkrook, a capable officer, soon
after made a brigadier.
The spirit of unrest was spreading rapidly, and
Carleton showed great skill in avoiding any open
quarrel with the dissatisfied elements. He strength
ened the defenses, manned them as well as he could,
kept up communication with all his posts and strove
to do his best in his isolation.
When the news of Burgoyne's disaster reached
him, Carleton sent 324 of the Brunswick and Hanau

236 The German Allies
soldiers, under Capt. v. Zielberg, to Trois Rivieres,
to be ready to lead the advance in any movement
southward. In July, Lieut.-Col. v. Kreuzburg arrived, with
three new Hanau Yager companies, which remained
in Canada. It was a thoroughly disciplined body of
men, well trained in firing and other exercises, and a
welcome addition to Carleton's forces. They had
started from Hanau in May, to be sent to Burgoyne,
but arrived too late.
Late in November, the Brunswick troops went into
winter quarters near Sorel, the Hanau troops near
Berthier, the light infantry (Yagers) on the south
east side of Montreal, but they were kept constantly
moving, going as far as Lake Champlain, over the
snow, on patrol duty. The officers were mostly quar
tered in private houses, and the men were often cut
off from them by bad weather for days at a time.
The posts stationed in block-houses were still more
dreary, and the German soldiers complained of the
dreadful dulness. Only in March was it broken by
the sudden arrival of the governor, with orders to the
soldiers to concentrate, in view of the report of an
American attack, but as it proved a false rumor, the
men returned to their quarters.
Carleton hurried to Quebec, to restore order there,
and Brigadier Ehrenkrook was sent to the parish of
Terrebonne, to quiet an outbreak there.
In May, a regiment of Anhalt-Zerbst soldiers
arrived. In September, 1777, the Duke of Anhalt-

In the American Revolution. 237
Zerbst had made a treaty with England, in which he
agreed to furnish a regiment of 1,160 men, to serve
for six years. Enlistments were carried on in Zerbst
very successfully. The Duke was a strange charac
ter, envious of the fame of Frederic the Great, with
one passion — fine soldiers — and he raised 2,000 men,
with n colonels. After the Seven Year's War, he
was made an imperial field marshal, by the emperor,
although he lived in Switzerland as a private citizen.
On the conclusion of the treaty, he received $300,-
000, under these stipulations : that for every soldier
not returning, he was to get $44 ; three wounded men
should be counted as one dead man. The men were
to receive the same uniform and rations as the Eng
lish soldiers. The officers were to be paid 12 pence,
the non-commissioned officers 8 pence, the private
soldiers 5 pence, per day. All sorts of refugees from
other parts of Germany, and indeed of Europe, were
attracted and enlisted — good care being taken to pre
vent their escape. But to get officers it was neces
sary to advertise in the papers, and in this way two
brothers from Brunswick, Barons v. Rauschenplatt,
became, one, the elder, colonel, the other major, of
the new regiment.
The regiment consisted of
First battalion, Major v. Piquet,
Yager troop, Capt. Keppenau, 50 men,
Grenadier company, Maj. v. Piquet, with 1 captain,
3 lieutenants, 1 ensign, 10 corporals, 4 musicians
and 166 men.

238 The German Allies
First Musketeer company, Col. v. Rauschenplatt,
Second Musketeer company, Prince August Schwarz-
burg-Sondershausen,
Each company consisted of 4 officers, 2 sergeants,
10 corporals, 5 musicians, 146 men — in all, 334.
Second battalion, commander, Maj. v. Rauschenplatt,
Yager troop, Lieut. Jaritz, 50 men,
Grenadier company, Capt. v. Wintersheim, 50 men,
First and Second Musketeer companies, Major v.
Rauschenplatt and Capt. Gogel,
same strength as the First battalion.
The regimental staff, 44 strong,
Artillery and train, 20 strong,
Staff adjutant, Lieut, v. Mohring,
Adjutant First battalion, Lieut. Littchau,
Adjutant Second battalion, Lieut. Vierermal,
Regimental quartermaster, Pahnier,
Regimental surgeon, Dr. Pakendorff,
Regimental chaplains :
Lutheran, Braunsdorf,
Reformed, Naumann,
Catholic, Backer.
The regiment brought out 34 soldiers' wives, who
served as washerwomen. It included 1,164 men —
each battalion 550. In five months it was ready to
move. About 900 men were new recruits, the rest
were old soldiers.
Col. Faucit mustered the regiment into the British
service in January, 1778, and in February it left
Zerbst, after a warning from the colonel against

In the American Revolution. 239
desertion. Nevertheless, the Prussian recruiting
agents got a number, and to escape them, a rounda
bout march was made through Leipzig, Weissenfels
and Hannover to Stade, but there were desertions all
the way and open outbreaks, both with the soldiers
and civilians. One officer died of his wounds. At
one place, it was said 130 men left, at another a lieu
tenant and 50 men — often 8 to 10 went off at once,
but at last the regiment reached the sea coast 1,119
strong, and were quartered on a little island belong
ing to the Duke of Anhalt-Zerbst, until they could
be put on board ship.
Leaving port on April 26th, they reached Quebec
in the end of May, but as General Carleton had no
official news of this much-needed reinforcement, he
refused to receive it or allow it to land, and for three
months the poor fellows had to stay on shipboard,
while the quartermaster travelled to London and
back with the necessary papers. Finally allowed to
land, they were kept in Quebec until the men could
recover their health and get a fair share of training
and discipline.
Late in June, Carleton was relieved by Haldimand
as governor of Canada, who was waited on by the
German officers in Quebec.
In July, 31 Hanau artillerymen arrived and, with
60 men drawn from the German forces, were assigned
to and served with the British forces.
In September, 470 men of the Brunswick troops
came, under four officers — Captains Stoder, Weiss,

240 The German Allies
Ruff, and Lieut. Corves — as recruits. The officers
soon returned to Germany.
Brigade-Major v. Papet notes, in his diary, the
return of two expeditions — one under Major Carle
ton, nephew of the general, the other under Johnson
— which spread destruction across a wide stretch of
country, burning and carrying off supplies for 8,000
men, driving women and children off to New Eng
land, and spreading the hatred of Great Britain far
and wide. The English excused these Indian meth
ods of warfare by the necessity of protecting their
long frontier and of intimidating the Americans, so
as to prevent their making reprisals in kind.
The troops were not sent into winter quarters by
Gen. Haldimand until the middle of January, 1779.
The battalion of Ehrenkrook was distributed as fol
lows : Capt. v. Zielberg at Rivieres, Capt. v. Plessen
at Champlain Parish, Capt. v. Schlagenteuffel at
Point du Lac, and the commander's own company at
Trois Rivieres ; the battalion of v. Barner : Lt.-Col.
Barner's company at Riviere du Loup Parish, Capt.
v. Hambach's at Vanrenil, Capt. Thoma's at Masqui-
nonge, Capt. Rosenberg's at St. Culbert. The Prince
Charles regiment, under Lieut.-Col. Pratorius, long
since recalled from Ticonderoga, was quartered in
and around St. Hyacinthe.
The cold was so bitter that the Second battalion,
on its march across Lake St. Peter, under Captain
Thoma — Lieut.-Col. Barner being sick — lost 14 men
and two soldiers' wives killed by the cold, and 30 men

In the American Revolution. 241
had their limbs frozen. Thoma, was court martialled,
and escaped on the plea that the proper clothing had
never been issued ; but he had been warned of the
danger of exposing his men at such a season. Brig
adier v. Ehrenkrook at once sent an officer to inspect
the troops, who reported 15 dead, 2 lost, 15 severely,
23 slightly ill, from the effects of the exposure inci
dental to the literal execution of orders. Gen. Hal-
dimand showed great sympathy, sent the best physi
cians, ordered the men to be cared for, and had them
brought to the hospital at his own head-quarters, at
Trois Rivieres.
Papet, in his diary, describes the bad condition of
Barner's battalion. Many of the officers were sick,
and nearly the whole battalion made unserviceable,
and quite unable to make any resistance to an enemy
or to do any military service effectively.
In February, placards were posted at Trois Ri
vieres, inviting the Canadians of French blood to
return to their allegiance to the King of France —
signed in his name by Count d'Estaing, dated Bos
ton, October, 1778 — but they produced little result.
Investigation fixed the responsibility on a bookseller
in Montreal, where the placards were also posted.
In July, the provision and troop fleet arrived in
Quebec from Cork, which it had left in April, bring
ing Lieut.-Col. v. Speth, Ensign Haberlin and 25
Brunswick soldiers, who had been exchanged at Hal
ifax the year before and spent the winter there. A
body of Hanau recruits also arrived — dressed in
31

242 The German Allies
French uniforms, blue with red facings, which they
had been obliged to buy with their own money. An
English privateer had captured a French vessel,
laden with French uniforms and supplies, and as
they were sold cheap, the poor fellows who had been
exchanged prisoners, were glad also to exchange
their old rags for new French uniforms, for the sake
of decency and comfort. To their French uniforms
were now added English muskets and cartridge
boxes, which gave them a very soldierly air. They
were glad to rejoin their comrades, and gave a sad
account of the hardships of their long imprisonment.
On July 30th, a soldier of the Rhetz regiment
rejoined his comrades, after having escaped and gone
through infinite suffering to prove his loyalty to his
colors. He was one of 44 men brought to Albany
in October, 1777, and at first imprisoned there, then
distributed among the farmers, for a period of ten
months, for their food and lodgings. When the har
vests were over, they were asked to enlist, and as
they all refused, they were again sent to the prison
in Albany. At last a commissary, a German, got
them passes and had them set free. Then some of
them were persuaded to join a royalist force under
Butler, and were able to get by way of Niagara to
Montreal, where they showed their discipline by
rejoining their respective commands.
A fifth body of Hanau recruits came in August,
on a fleet of 36 ships, which brought provisions, etc.
Lieut.-Col. v. Speth now, as senior officer, resumed

In the American Revolution. 243
command, relieving Lieut.-Col. v. Ehrenkrook, who
had kept the German troops together in one brigade.
He remained as battalion commander.
At the end of August, Brigadier v. Speth inspected
the German troops and directed the oldest soldiers to
be invalided and sent back to Germany.
In September, Lieut.-Col. v. Kreutzburg took a
Yager detachment of a captain, two lieutenants and
100 men, to Montreal. A report had been spread
that a force of 7,000 men were on the way to Niag
ara. The Fifth Hanau company, under Capt. Hug-
get, who had lately arrived, joined the Yagers and
marched to Fort Niagara. Wittgenstein's company
was sent to Carleton Island, in the St. Lawrence
river, where it falls out of Lake Ontario. Captain
Hambach, with his company of Barner's battalion,
was ordered to Montreal on October ist.
A British fleet, leaving England in May, reached
the St. Lawrence river in September. Of the 14
transports, two were filled with Brunswick troops ;
they were put on smaller vessels and taken to St.
Ann's, whence Brigadier v. Speth led them to Trois
Rivieres. They included 1 staff officer, 9 subalterns
and 263 men. They were in old uniforms, which
were replaced by new ones, as were those of the
Anhalt-Zerbst regiment, and all were supplied with
tents sent from England.
The governor issued from the depots in Canada
for each man a pair of breeches, a pair of shoes, a
blanket, and also a pair of gloves, to protect them

244 The German Allies
through the winter. These were a gift from the
Queen of England.
Maj. v. Cleve, of the Brunswick troops, reported to
Gen. v. Riedesel that there were in Canada at this
time 2,185 Brunswick and 306 Hanau soldiers,
besides the Yagers. They were carefully provided
with good quarters for the winter, to avoid a repeti
tion of the disasters of the last winter — the staff
and Ehrenkrook's battalion at Berthier, v. Barner's
battalion at Montreal, the Prince Frederick regiment
at its old post, sending one company to St. John, and
an officer and 50 Yagers to Isle aux Noix. Lieut.-
Col. v. Kreutzburg, with his Hanau Yagers, was
sent to La Prairie and other villages, as far as St.
Francis. The Wittgenstein company remained at Carleton
Island, the Hanau detachment at Quebec, under
Captain v. Schill.
An officer and 30 Hessian Yagers were part of a
detachment sent, in April, 1780, to Lake Champlain.
In June, Lieut.-Col. v. Kreuzburg, with his entire
Hanau corps, was ordered to Quebec, leaving one
officer and 50 men on Carleton Island. Lieut.-Col.
v. Ehrenkrook and his battalion were brought into
the lines at Trois Rivieres. The German troops
worked on the defenses at Quebec. Two companies
of the Prince Frederick regiment were quartered at
Fort St. John, and 114 men must work every day
on the works, which had been injured by a fire.
The v. Barner battalion was sent to Quebec, and

In the American Revolution. 245
went into camp there, drawing tents from the Eng
lish supplies.
Quebec was strengthened, on the report that two
French fleets were preparing to attack it. Col. v.
Kreutzburg objected to his men working on the for
tifications, on the ground that they were exempt
from such duty, and they were afterwards employed
on long expeditions, which was much more to their
liking. At the end of June, reinforcements for the v. Loss
berg and v. Knyphausen regiments arrived, under
Col. v. Loos, who was soon made brigadier and, with
his men, stationed at Quebec.
In July, the Brunswick infantry exchanged sta
tions with v. Ehrenkrook's battalion, which occupied
the tents vacated by the former.
The fearful heat made provisions scarce and the
summer as trying as the winter had been. Deser
tions became very frequent among the Germans —
not worse than among the Americans, of whom a
captain and 150 men at one time came into the Brit
ish lines.
Eight men of the Brunswick companies deserted
together, but were pursued and brought back by the
Anhalt-Zerbst regiment. The fault lay largely with
the poor quality of recent enlistments in Germany.
At the end of August, in the camp at Quebec,
there were the brigade of v. Loos, Hessian troops ;
the Hanau regiment, under Capt. v. Scholl ; the two
Brunswick companies of the v. Ehrenkrook battalion.

246 The German Allies
Col. v. Rauschenplatt commanded his own regiment,
the Hanau Yagers and the Hanau and Hessian artil
lery. The news of the promotion of Brigadier v.
Speth to be colonel was received along with that of
the death of the Duke of Brunswick.
In September, the Hanau Yager company made
part of Col. Carleton's force on an expedition below
Quebec. In October, the German troops were sent to winter
quarters, in villages some forty miles from Quebec,
where no Germans had hitherto been stationed, but
they were afterwards sent to their old stations — the
Ehrenkrook battalion at L'Assomption, v. Barner's
at Montreal, the Hanau detachment, under Capt. v.
Scholl, at St. Anna, the Hanau Yagers, under Kreuz-
burg, at St. Valier, one company in Quebec, the v.
Knyphausen regiment at Berthier, the v. Lossberg
on Isle Orleans.
The handful of Brunswick dragoons had a hard
time of it, scattered among the other troops, wearing
their old cavalry equipment, until v. Speth got them
fitted out more suitably.
The hot summer was followed by a winter of high
prices for grain ; straw rose from three or four pias
ters to 30 ; the dwelling houses were robbed of their
thatched roofs to give the straw to the cattle, but
many starved, and the vegetation was destroyed by
worms and caterpillars.
A conspiracy of Johnson's men to imprison and
kill the British officers was detected and prevented.

In the American Revolution. 247
The provision fleet was eagerly expected ; instead
came the news that, after being scattered by storms
at sea, of the 63 vessels intended for Canada, out of
150 which left Portsmouth in May, a portion had
been attacked in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in August
by three French frigates. At the end of the month,
a fleet of 65 vessels reached Quebec, with two
years' supplies and some Brunswick recruits.
Gen. v. Riedesel came at the end of September,
having been exchanged, with many of his officers,
and 900 German soldiers, after a hard voyage from
New York. He brought 5 Brunswick staff officers,
16 captains, 24 subalterns, and 400 men ; the rest
were Hesse Hanau and Anhalt-Zerbst troops —
recruits brought from New York to join their regi
ments. Before Riedesel arrived, Capt. v. Schlagen-
teuffel had reached Canada, with 70 Brunswick sol
diers, who had bought their own release from the
Americans ; their worn out uniforms were exchanged
for English uniforms, bought by their commander.
Riedesel brought the rest of the Dragoon regiment
and a battalion which Major Lucke had organized in
New York, of the Brunswick soldiers he found there.
Riedesel and his family were warmly welcomed by
Haldimand and they became warm friends. The
German officers, Papet and others, spoke highly of
Haldimand in their letters home.
Riedesel at once resumed command of the German
troops and reorganized them, equalizing, as far as
possible, the proportion of officers and the number of

248 The German Allies
men. On the 20th of October, he assigned the offi
cers as follows :
(1) Dragoon regiment, Capt. v. Schlagentuffel,
(2) Prince Frederick regiment, Lieut.-Col. Pratorius,
(3) v. Rhetz regiment, Lieut.-Col. v. Ehrenkrook,
(4) v. Riedesel regiment, Lieut.-Col. v. Hille,
(5) v. Specht regiment, Major v. Lucke,
(6) Light battalion, Lieut.-Col. v. Barner.
There were six regiments, or rather battalions, of
Brunswick troops, a half regiment of Hanau troops,
a battalion of Hanau Yagers, two half regiments of
Hessians, the Anhalt-Zerbst regiment.
Riedesel, at Clinton's request, suggested to Haldi
mand that he should lead an expedition of 4,000 men
across Lake Erie to Virginia, to attack the Ameri
cans on the rear.
But Haldimand, instead, sent small expeditions
to Vermont and to Oswego, and both returned at
the end of September, without result, for 3,000
Americans had promptly rallied to drive the former
off. The order for winter quarters was issued early in
October, assigning the German troops, under Gen.
Riedesel, from Besancourt to Point au Fer, on the
north shore of Lake Champlain ; those under Briga
dier v. Speth at Montreal ; the Hanau Yagers to Par
ish Chateaugay, and the royalists, under Major Nern,
to Vergere.
The Brunswick corps, by the end of the year, had
lost, by death and desertion, 405 men, and the total,

In the American Revolution. 249
including the prisoners, showed a strength of 3,898
men. The fear of insurrection kept the soldiers busy as
armed police, and the prisons were soon full of sus
pects and men accused of treason or sympathy for
the enemy.
As early as 1777, many Canadians, thought guilty
of conspiracy, were taken to the cathedral and with
ropes around their necks forced to listen to a long
high mass and then to ask pardon of the king,
church and God.
To maintain the good feeling of the loyalists, all
were promptly paid for supplies furnished, and the
German soldiers were particularly commended for
their good conduct to the citizens.
Naturally, Canada was the refuge of all loyalists
sent out of the American colonies, and Montreal and
Quebec were full of them, so that life was made as
attractive as possible.
Gen. v. Riedesel had general charge of the mili
tary posts and defenses, and was anxious lest the
French should try to regain their old foothold. In
deed, in July, 1780, the French ministry seriously
considered sending 6,000 men, under Rochambeau,
from Newport, to make a demonstration of the kind.
Riedesel suggested sending spies down the Connecti
cut to Springfield and Hartford, to ascertain and
report what preparations were making, and whether
the French were in force at Hartford. It was not
known that the French, under Rochambeau, had
32

250 The German Allies
marched to Virginia in September, with a part of
Washington's army — thus showing how tardily
news reached Canada.
Not until the middle of June, 1782, did the troops
leave their winter quarters. The Anhalt-Zerbst
regiment, the companies of the Lossberg regiment
and of the Hanau troops, under Capt. v. Scholl, went
into camp at Point Levi, opposite Quebec, under
Maj .-Gen. v. Loos. Two companies of the Lossberg
regiment, lost in the storm of 1779, were replaced by
newly-arrived recruits, at Halifax. The missing
officers were already replaced.
Riedesel spoke in the highest terms of the German
troops in Canada. He wrote to Gen. v. Knyphausen,
in September, 1781 : "Not a single difficulty has
occurred between them and the inhabitants, and Gen.
v. Loos has gained the affection alike of the German
and English soldiers."
Gen. Carleton, when he succeeded Clinton, at once
directed Gen. Haldimand to strengthen all of his
defenses, and the German general, in spite of failing
health, was active in carrying on the work. During
the summer, his five German regiments completed
the defenses of Isle aux Noix ; British and German
soldiers working side by side, in heat and cold and
rain. The works, constructed of stone, were built with
casemates, and were to be completed by the middle
of the next summer.
Isle aux Noix was the key to the command of Lake

In the American Revolution. 251
Champlain from the south. Fifty Hanau Yagers
were posted at River la Colle.
In October, Lieut.-Col. v. Mengen arrived in Que
bec with some of the exchanged officers from Vir
ginia. Riedesel went to Quebec to welcome them.
Later in October, Major v. Maiborne brought more
from New York. After Mengen's arrival, the Gren
adier battalion was reorganized by help of men from
the four infantry regiments.
At the end of October, the orders were issued for
winter quarters — the Dragoons at St. Antoine, the
Grenadier battalion at Berthier, the v. Rhetz regi
ment at Sorel, St. Dennis and St. Charles, the Ried
esel regiment at Sorel, the Specht regiment at St.
Francois, the Light battalion v. Varner at St. Sulpice.
Haldimand showed Riedesel the last instructions
from Carleton, advising him that Congress wanted to
drive the Indians out of their territory, and to pro
long the war, in the hope of securing the cession of
Canada and Florida.
Writing in September or earlier, from New York,
Carleton said the Americans would attack Canada in
October, and that communication must be kept open
with Halifax, to secure the prompt forwarding of
reinforcements lying or arriving there and quite use
less at that place. Riedesel complained that Carle
ton had not sent orders to Halifax directly to for
ward the reinforcements.
The fifth Brunswick detachment of recruits had
arrived at the beginning of the year in Canada ; the

252 The German Allies
sixth was on its way, and Riedesel sent his adjutant
to the Penobscot to meet it ; so that at the end of the
year it numbered 2,830 men, including 129 officers
and 25 subalterns; there were still 1,137 prisoners
of war. Many officers were now exchanged or borne
on the active list.
Riedesel ordered a number of his soldiers to prac
tice the use of snow-shoes, and the patrols, looking
like Eskimos in their winter garb, were learning the
use of snow-shoes, to the great amusement of the
natives, to whom they were a second nature.
On the report of a hostile movement from Albany,
Riedesel ordered Lieut.-Col. v. Kreuzburg to send a
detachment of Yagers and dragoons to Isle aux Noix,
and a company of the v. Rhetz regiment to St. John,
all on snow-shoes.
Riedesel himself, in spite of bad health, personally
inspected the posts from Sorel. At St. John he
heard that the Americans had started in February,
and early in March reported it to Haldimand, but
the real state of the case was soon ascertained. A
French Col. Villet had undertaken to surprise Fort
Niagara, but was forced to retreat, with a loss in
prisoners and deserters.
In March, rumors of peace began to spread, but
the doubt as to the future of Canada made it neces
sary to act very cautiously.
On March 2 2d, Lieut.-Col. v. Ehrenkrook died, at
Trois Rivieres, and was buried with military honors,
and the officers who had gathered for his funeral

In the American Revolution. 253
were, by his direction, entertained at a handsome
dinner, paid for by him.
In April, Haldimand received news of the peace,
through a vessel coming from the east, although the
treaty had been published in Philadelphia.
On the 26th, he received from Carleton official
word that hostilities had ceased, by virtue of an
agreement of January 20th. Riedesel said the news
was received with great regret, which he shared.
In June, Riedesel received from Gen. Carleton the
king's orders to send all the German soldiers home ;
the Brunswick troops to go first, and only the pris
oners in New England to be left. They had seen
little fighting since Burgoyne's surrender, but they
had done much hard work.
A Hessian officer, describing the Hanau Yager
corps, said : " Although seeing little real war, they
had led a wholesome life in the Canadian woods,
rivalling the Indians in their long marches, hunting
and fishing, and enjoying life much more than the
German soldiers at home or in the southern armies."
The scattered forces could not well be brought
together. Some of the last recruits were in New
York, some in Newfoundland. The prisoners of war
in Pennsylvania were sent directly to Europe.
Riedesel sent Lieut. Reineking to take those that
were brought to New York directly to Germany, ask
ing Carleton to help him with ' money and other
necessaries, and Carleton reported to Riedesel that
they had started in June.

254 The German Allies
The prisoners taken at Bennington were still in
Massachusetts ; Major Baurmeister was sent to Phil
adelphia to arrange with Congress for their return
home.

CHAPTER XVI.

The German soldier could gain little glory in the
war now ended, but he had shown himself brave,
patient, well disciplined and trustworthy. He had
gained practical experience and useful lessons in
new methods of warfare, which proved useful in sub
sequent campaigns.
Gen. Valentini, an able soldier and a good writer
on military matters, said of the Hessians : " Of all
the troops sent against France in the later wars, the
soldiers from Hesse Cassel showed the highest mili
tary skill, endurance, good spirit, and a true love of
war ; even in uniform, he was ready to turn his hand
to any labor ; he showed the good lessons learned in
America, and was the last to complain of having been
sent there in British pay — for it was a capital school
of war, and the men who returned profitted by their
experience, and those who stayed behind had nothing
to regret."
The American war was of infinite use to the Ger
man soldiers. Ten years later, they applied the les
sons learned there in defending their own country,

256 The German Allies
and the best officers and the best soldiers in the war
with France were those who had served in America.
Domberg, Langen, York and Gneisenau were cap
ital examples of the lessons learned in America,
applied in the Prussian army to its great advantage,
for those who had fought in the Seven Years' War
were now gray-haired veterans.
The Americans naturally, perhaps, in the heat of
the contest with Great Britain, exaggerated every
thing that was said about the Germans — their num
bers, their losses and their actions.
Adjutant Henel, in 1778, wrote from New York,
complaining that the reports published in Germany
made the same mistake.
Even as faithful a writer as Cooper, the novelist,
was unjust to the German soldiers serving in Amer
ica. Against his romantic abuse, let us put the
plain statement of the Hessian Major Pfister, in his
account of the Hessian Yagers in the American war,
from 1776 to 1784. He says: "In spite of false
reports, the Hessians served well, both on foot and
on horseback, and were respected alike by British
and American soldiers, for their bravery and good
conduct." In an essay, presumably by Ewald, published in
1789, the author says : " Five years after the close of
the American war, few people know the brilliant part
played by the Hessian corps in America, and history
has failed to do them justice. The outcome of that
war was the result of the bad management of the

In the American Revolution. 257
British government, and not the fault of British sol
diers, or their allies, the Germans."
Their losses are not easily ascertained. Ventru-
rini says there were Sent to America. Lost.
Hessians  16,992 6,500
Brunswick  5,723 3,015
Hanau  2,422 981
Ansbach-Bayreuth  1,644 461
Waldeck  1,225 720
Zerbst  1,160 176
29,166 11,853
Gen. v. Ochs estimates that of 12,000 Hessians
sent to America, and 4,000 to 5,000 recruits after
wards sent out, between 6,000 and 7,000 did not
return ; but besides the loss in seven campaigns, a
large number voluntarily remained in America after
the war.
Gen. v. Schlieffen says that their actual loss was
much less than in the European campaigns — 1,800
actually killed out of nearly 30,000 was no great
proportion. Major Pfister says the far larger proportion of the
men sent to America were volunteers, and so the lar
ger proportion of those that did not return stayed in
America voluntarily. The Germans did not desert
in as great number as the English and American
troops, but after the war was over, they decided to
make their homes in America.
33

258 The German Allies
Most of the recruits sent to the Hessian forces
were volunteers from Hanau, and they had joined
just for the purpose of going to America and staying
there, and they were quite justified in doing so.
Of Hessian officers there fell, to the end of 1777,
Col. Rail, Lieut.-Col. Scheffer and Lieut.-Col. Bre-
thauer, Majors v. Weitersheim, v. Hanstein, v. De
chow and Matthias ; there died Cols. v. Heringen
and v. Riess, Lieut.-Col. Lange (on the way over)
and Maj. v. Bentheim.
To the close of 1778, Heister only reported twelve
casualties, and of the five general officers of Germans
in America, all returned safe home again.
Many of the soldiers who remained in America
did so with the consent of their officers. The Duke
of Brunswick reduced his standing army at the close
of the war, and gladly gave their men and officers
leave to stay in America. Of 115 Brunswick officers,
7 were killed in battle, 12 died, and 7 remained with
leave — a total of 26 — and this in spite of long and
weary imprisonment, which enabled them to make
an intimate acquaintance with the country, and with
the wish of their own sovereign to have them stay.
Equally untrue is it that the Hessian invalided
soldiers were treated cruelly by their own sovereign.
The Invalid battalion at Cassel was increased in 178 1
by two companies and up to the close of the war by
three, so that it made eight companies and formed a
regiment, and was not reduced to a battalion until
1784.

In the American Revolution. 259
Gen. v. Ochs, who was himself in the Hessian ser
vice in America, says the men were particularly well
cared for, both in war and in peace — much better
than in the war with France, later on.
Ewald, too, had personal experience, and attests
the fact that there were no great losses or hardships.
The average ration of the British soldier was much
better than that of the German soldier at home, and
in America they shared it together.

When the war was over, Congress offered the Ger
man soldiers every advantage, in case they remained
in America. The British government, too, made lib
eral offers of land in Nova Scotia — free transporta
tion, 300 acres, free from taxes for twelve years, etc. ;
but only a few accepted them.
In July, 1783, the Hanau, Waldeck and Zerbst
recruits left New York, followed in August by the
Ansbach-Bayreuth and the First, and later the Sec
ond Hessian divisions. The Hessian Yagers, for
want of transportation, did not sail until late in
November. The First Hessian division, under Maj .-Gen. v.
Kospoth, consisting of the regiments Knyphausen,
Ditfurth, Prince Frederick, Bose, Borbeck, Bunau,
Benning, Knobloch, and the Grenadier battalion An-
genelli, sailed August 15th, reaching home in Octo
ber and November. The Hanau volunteers went
directly home.

260 The German Allies
The troops, as they arrived in Cassel, were received
by the Elector.
The Second division, under Maj .-Gen. v. Wurmb,
sailed in November, reaching England only at the
end of December. Scattered by storms, the trans
ports landed at Plymouth and Deal and Portsmouth
and Dover and Chatham, wherever and whenever
they could make a harbor, for provisions were run
ning short, and some were obliged to run into Irish
ports for fresh supplies.
Finally landed in Chatham, they were comfortably
quartered in barracks there. They were inspected
by Gen. Tryon, the former governor of New York,
in March, and he entertained the Hessian officers at
a splendid dinner, for, as Lotheisen notes in his diary,
he had always been a special friend of the Hessians.
Leaving England in April, they reached Germany
at last, and being freshly equipped, were received by
the Crown Prince and were reviewed by the Elector,
with every mark of honor and gratitude for their good
service. The Hessian Yagers were also welcomed by the
Elector, on their return to Cassel, in May, after a
long detention in England.
The other German regiments were released from
captivity in May, 1783, at Frederic, Maryland, their
officers rejoining them. Dohla says, in his diary,
that the people — and especially the women — were
very sorry to bid them good-bye. Chaplain Wagner,
of Ansbach, preached his last sermon. Capt. Ques-

In the American Revolution. 261
noy's company of 102 men was reduced to 33, and
many others in the same proportion. They were
brought in boats across the Susquehanna and bivou
acked at Lancaster, then reached Philadelphia, where
the men revolted at being quartered in the jail.
After a four days' rest, they went through Bristol,
Trenton, Princeton, to Staaten Island, marching 236
miles in 13 days, and on Long Island went into their
old quarters, got new clothes, wigs and queues again,
just as of old.
Col. v. Seyboth rejoined his regiment on the 22d
of June — now reduced to one-third of its original
strength. The King gave them new breeches, the
Queen new blankets.
At last came the order, and the 450 men were em
barked on three frigates — such wretched ships that
they were soon scattered, reaching port in August
and September, and then the men sailed in 14 trans
ports and two frigates — 1,500 in all, Brunswick,
Hessian, Anhalt-Zerbst and Waldeck soldiers — and
not until the 20th were they mustered and paid.
The men not natives of the particular little state
with whose force they were serving, received travel
ing expenses, some as much as two guineas, to carry
them to their own homes. They were all supplied
with good and abundant food, but their pay was at
once reduced to the German rate. The troops were
heartily welcomed at their homes, received free enter
tainment, and were treated with marked honor by
their princes and by all the authorities.

262 The German Allies
The German forces in Canada were soon collected
in Quebec, where Riedesel arranged for their trans
portation — he and his family going on a special
vessel. The troops were specially inspected and reviewed,
as they arrived in Quebec, embarked under salutes,
and sailed early in August, making a fleet of sixteen
sail for the first, and eight for the second, division.
Together they numbered 105 officers and 1776 men
and 64 soldiers' wives. The general had the best
ship, which reached England in eighteen days — the
others later on.
Riedesel and his wife received every mark of dis
tinction in London from the court and nobility.
The Brunswick and Hanau prisoners of war, 484
men, came with the First Hessian division — after
six years of helpless captivity. They were the first
German soldiers to reach home — and the next were
the exchanged prisoners from New York.
Gen. v. Riedesel rejoined his forces and marched
at their head into Brunswick early in October, and
was welcomed by the Duke with every honor — it was
a real triumphal progress. They numbered 2,618, of
whom 112 were officers. The greater part were dis
charged, but 163 of the handsomest men were sent
to the Duke's Prussian regiment. Officers and sol
diers were officially authorized to remain in America.
All these German soldiers were received on their
return home with honor and in a way that showed
the popular appreciation of their service in America.

In the American Revolution. 263
It was a duty which they had done bravely and well,
and there was no evidence that they were looked on
as hirelings. Their heroic deeds were matter of con
stant mention, and were preserved in songs and pop
ular sayings that are still traditions, but never was
there any reason for failing in due honor to them.

NOTES

On February 8, 1783, the Duke of Brunswick
issued an order directing the reduction of his army,
and giving the officers and men permission to remain
in or return to America, and granting those who did
so six months' pay. Each captain was to receive an
allowance, on being retired, of $15 ; a first lieuten
ant, $8 ; a second lieutenant, $6.
In April, 1783, Lord North wrote to Gen. v. Ried
esel in reference to the return home of his force,
thanking him and them for their services.

Notice of the Hessian Yager corps, by Major
Pfister :
Col. v. Wurmb, after Donop's death, commander;
Lieut.-Gen. 1806; died 1813.
Maj. v. PruschEnk, commanded the Yagers in the
Netherlands in 1793 ; died in 1800, a Major-General.
Maj. Philipp v. Wurmb, 1806, Maj .-Gen. ; died
1808. Capt. v. WrEden, died a Colonel in 1791.

Capt. John Ewald, the original organizer of the
34

266 The German Allies
Yager corps, won great reputation in the American
war; in 1788 was made Lieut.-Col. in the Danish
service and raised the Holstein Yager corps ; became
a nobleman, a Lieut.-General, General in command
of Holstein, and died in 1813.
Capt. Heinrichs, became a Lieutenant-General in
the Prussian army and died in 1834.
Fr. Ad. Julius v. Wangenheim, First Lieutenant
and Captain, originally in the Gotha service. (Wrote
a capital book about the trees in America.)
DEMESSEY, MonTluisanT and DE FasquieL, three
Frenchmen, who refused to fight against their coun
trymen in America ; the first was discharged in
1 78 1 ; the second entered the army only to get to
America ; was discharged, tried to join the American
army, was seized and sent to England ; the third got
his discharge.
Capt. John SchaFFER, became Lieut.-General and
Minister of War in Darmstadt, and was ennobled as
" Schaffer v. Bernstein."
John Conrad Fliess, Second Lieutenant, became
Colonel of the Dutch Crown Prince regiment in 18 16.
Adam Ludwig Ochs, Second Lieutenant and Ad
jutant, 1 781 ; 1809, Brigadier-General (in Spain) ;
1810, General of Division (in Russia) ; died 1823, as
Major-General ; author of a capital book on " The
Formation of Light Infantry."

In the American Revolution. 267
Sir George HanghEr(?), Lord Coleraine, Captain,
1778 ; Major-General, died 1840.

Of the Hanau Yager corps :
Carl v. Kreutzburg, Lieut.-Colonel, Colonel ; in
the campaign of 1792, commanded the Hessian Ya
ger corps ; died 1796.

APPENDIX

5
6 7
89
ion
121314
1516 17
18

The Hessian troops sent to America in 1776 :
1. The Guard regiment  Col. v. Wurmb.
Prince Charles regiment . . Col. Schreiber.
v. Ditfurth regiment  Col. v. Bose.
v. Triimbach regiment, Col. v. Bischoffshausen.
v. Donop regiment  Col. v. Gosen.
v. Mirbach regiment  Col. Loos.
v. Wutgenau regiment . . Col. v. Kospoth.
Crown Prince regiment, Col. v. Hachenberg.
v. Lossberg regiment . . . Col. v. Lossberg.
v. Knyphausen regiment . . Col. v. Borke.
Grenadier Regiment Rail . . . Col. v. Rail.
Garrison Regiment v. Wissenbach,
Col. v. Horn, Col. v. Borbeck.
v. Huyne regiment .... Col. v. Huyne,
Col. Kurtz.
v. Biinau regiment  Col. v. Biinau.
v. Stein regiment  Col. Seitz.
First Grenadier battalion, Col. v. Linsingen.
Second Grenadier battalion, Lt.-Col. v. Block.
Third Grenadier battalion, Lt.-Col. v. Minnigerode.

270

The German Allies

19. The Fourth Grenadier battalion, Lt.-Col. Kohler.
20. Two companies Field Yagers . . Col. v. Donop.
21. Three companies Field Artillery . . Col. v. Eitel.
The first organization was as follows :
First Division :
Lieutenant-General v. Heister.

First Brigade,
Maj .-Gen. v. Mirbach.
Regiments, v. Mirbach,
v. Donop,
v. Wutgenau,
Crown Prince,
Grenadier Battalion
v. Block.

Second Brigade,
Maj .-Gen. v. Stirn.
Regiments, The Guards,
Prince Charles,
v. Ditfurth,
v. Triimbach,
Grenadier Battalion
v. Minnigerode.

Second Division :
Lieutenant-General v. Knyphausen.

First Brigade,
Col. v. Lossberg.
Regiments, v. Huyne,
v. Stein,
v. Knyphausen,
Grenadier Battalion
Kohler.

Second Brigade,
Maj .-Gen. Schmidt.
Regiments, v. Lossberg,
v. Wissenbach,
v. Biinau,
Grenadier Battalion
Kohler.

In a letter of July, 1776, to the Duke of Bruns
wick, Gen. v. Riedesel complains that Gen. Carleton

In the American Revolution. 271
insisted on the German soldiers being trained, as
were his English troops, on the French system of
open order in thin lines, and adds that he means to
teach his men to secure the shelter and protection of
the trees in their advance, just as do the Americans,
and to be able to meet them in fighting in the woods
on equal terms.
In a letter to Gen. Burgoyne, Riedesel sketched a
plan for making the army mobile, by seizing horses
for transportation of both men and stores, and thus
moving rapidly enough to get advantage of its supe
riority in numbers and equipments. Acting in part
on this suggestion, Burgoyne issued orders to Lt.-Col.
Baum, instructing him that the objects of his expe
dition were to ascertain the inclination of the popula
tion, to secure horses, and a supply of cattle, wagons
and food; he needed 1,300 horses, in addition to the
number required to mount Riedesel's dragoons. The
order was issued on August 9th, 1777, and was based
on the notion that the work could be easily done in a
fortnight. In a letter (in cipher) to the Duke of Brunswick,
in 1777, Riedesel reported the difficulties growing
out of the change of command in Canada, and said
that Carleton was violently excited against Lord
George Germain, and meant to call him to account
in Parliament. He also complained of Burgoyne as
demanding more from Canada than it could possi-

272 The German Allies
bly supply. All this made Riedesel's position very
uncomfortable. Reports were rife that Howe did nothing but
gamble, and that the majority of the officers were
ruined by high play. Plundering was the rule, and
New Jersey was said to be laid waste.
Howe's lines were so far extended that it was
impossible to hurry reinforcements to Trenton. But
for the unfortunate affair there, the people, worn out
by their suffering, would have forced Congress to
Submit to the Crown, but that success changed the
feeling of the rebels.
The letter said that, in spite of wearying slowness,
of the mistakes made in every direction, if General
Howe held the Delaware and gained any advantage
on the rebels, and reached Albany by the middle of
August, every thing would be improved, " but we can
hardly hope to get back to Germany in 1778. The
intrigues and misunderstandings in the army are
very violent, and I am afraid that the union with
Gen. Howe will prove a source of new difficulties."

In an order to the Brigadiers and staff officers of
his corps, Gen. v. Riedesel, while complimenting
them on the bravery and good conduct of the men,
urges the necessity of instructing them to fight in
open order, to secure the shelter of trees or cover of
any kind, and only to fire from that position, except
when meeting the enemy in the open, then to fire
and attack at once with the bayonet, in close order,

In the American Revolution. 273
for then the enemy will give way at once. Then,
too, officers and men must be prompt in going to the
assistance of any part of the force that may be en
gaged, so as to give it promptly the help of numbers.

The recall of Gen. Heister was due entirely to the
influence of Gen. Howe with the British government,
which insisted on the change. Heister criticized
Howe's operations in the fall of 1776, in a way that
made the latter bitterly hostile.
In December, long before the affair at Trenton,
Lord Suffolk, Secretary of State, wrote to the Hessian
representative in London, asking that the Elector of
Hesse would insist on Gen. v. Heister's absolute
obedience to Howe's orders.
In January, 1777, he writes : " Gen. v. Heister is
worse than useless, and his presence at the head of
the German soldiers in the field is a constant source
of anxiety and trouble." Again on January 7th,
27th, and February 4th, he returns to the matter,
and urges Gen. v. Schlieffen, the Hessian representa
tive in London, quietly to secure the recall of Gen.
v. Heister, so that the command might fall to Gen. v.
Riedesel, who was entirely satisfactory. He very
unfairly tried to put the responsibility of the defeat
at Trenton on Heister, whose reports, however,
showed that it was entirely Howe's own fault in
leaving a force far beyond supporting distance.
However, the pressure put on the Elector, who was
then in Italy, was so great that he finally recalled
35

274 The German Allies
Heister, courteously, and saying that it was only for
a time, and to have his advice, etc., but it excited a
great deal of comment at home and abroad.
In Holland, particularly, it was discussed in very
plain terms, for the Dutch hated the English, and
the German princes who helped England.
Schlieffen wrote to York, the British minister in
Holland, to try to put some restraint on the freedom
of the Dutch press, and York replied that the state
ment had better come from Cassel, and be made pub
lic in the English papers, when it would be copied
into those of Holland.
There was no question of Heister's military capac
ity, but only his disposition to submit to Howe.

In July, 1779, the Count of Hanau wrote to Cap
tain v. Diemar, thanking him for a letter of April
3d, from New York, giving a report of the Hanau
troops still in captivity. The sovereign of Hanau
said these were his best soldiers, and his heart was
full of love and pity for them ; he hoped Washington
would soon exchange them. For his own part, he
begged for frequent reports of their condition, as
everything that concerned them was of the greatest
interest to him.

Note on the Battle of Trenton.— The battle
of Trenton served a good purpose, in enabling those
who were hostile to the employment of German sol-

In the American Revolution. 275
diers in the British service in the American Revolu
tion, to put them in the worst light. There is a let
ter, purporting to be written by the Elector of Hesse
Cassel, Frederick the Second, to the commander of
the Hessian troops, which has often been commented
on. It purports to be an answer to a letter of De
cember 27th, 1776, reporting that of 1,950 Hessians
engaged in the battle, only 300 escaped, and that
1,650 were killed, wounded or captured. The Elector
says the English list gives only 1,455 casualties. If
that were so, he would lose 160,000 florins — he would
get only 483,450 florins, instead of 643,000. The
British treasury would not pay for 100 wounded the
price of dead soldiers. The Elector expresses his
discontent with Major Mindorf for escaping with 300
men from Trenton, and for losing only 10 during the
whole campaign.
This letter is pronounced, by good authority, an
impudent forgery. It purports to be signed by the
Count of Schaumburg and Prince of Hesse Cassel ;
but there never was any such person — it is a confu
sion of the Crown Prince of Hesse and the Count of
Hanau. There was no such officer as Count Hohen-
dorf, to whom the letter is addressed, and there was
no Major Mindorf. General v. Heister was the
commander. The report purports to be dated December 27th —
as if a commander could, on the day after such a bat
tle as that at Trenton, have given all the particulars !
The answer is dated February 8th ; but at that time

276 The German Allies
it took letters five to six weeks to get to London, and
this letter had to go to Rome.
It was first printed in St. Louis, in 1845, in the
newspaper The Reveille, and it was soon reprinted in
Germany, where it has often been cited.
Friedrick Kapp attributes it to a French source,
and thinks it may have been forged by Mirabeau,
one of the busiest of French pamphleteers, and pub
lished in Holland. Mirabeau and Abbe Raynal were
doing their best to oppose the alliances with the Ger
man powers as strengthening the English force.
The fact is that Gen. v. Heister's first report is
dated New York, January 5, 1777, and is addressed
to Gen. v. Schlieffen, in London ; in it he says a
brigade of Hessian soldiers, under Col. Rail, was at
tacked in Trenton, N. J., by an American force, ten
thousand strong. Only 291 men saved themselves
by flight ; the rest were killed or captured. All the
staff officers of the brigade and Col. Rail were mor
tally wounded. The fifteen flags and six guns of the
three regiments were taken. He attributes the disas
ter to Rail's want of judgment and coolness. The
Elector's answer was April 7th, in letters to Gen. v.
Heister and Gen. v. Knyphausen — he regreted that
such a responsible post should have been entrusted
to Rail, who was not entitled to it by seniority or ser
vice. He directed a strict investigation of the conduct
of the surviving officers, especially of Lieut.-Col.
Scheffer, that the fault might be laid on those who
deserved it. The court of inquiry was appointed, and

In the American Revolution. 277
on January 1 ith exonerated these officers, and later, in
the spring and summer of 1778, the staff officers
Scheffer and Mathaus, and the captains of engineers,
Pauli and Martin, the staff captain, Baum, and adju
tant, Biel.

A LIST OF THE OFFICERS OF THE HES
SIAN CORPS SERVING UNDER GEN
ERALS HOWE, CLINTON AND
CARLETON, 1 776-1783.

AUTHORITIES.

The principal sources from which the following
list was compiled, besides the material in Eelking,
are: I. A List of the General and Staff Officers, and of
the Officers in the several Regiments serving in
North America, under the Command of His Excel
lency General Sir William Howe, K. B., with the
Dates of their Commissions as they Rank in each
Corps and in the Army. Philadelphia : Printed by
Macdonald & Cameron, a few doors above the Bar-
racs-Office, mdcclxxviii.
II. The same. New York : Printed by James
Rivington, etc., mdcclxxviii.
III. A List * * of the Officers in the several
British, Foreign and Provincial Regiments, serving
in North America, under the Command of His Ex
cellency, General Sir Henry Clinton, K. B. * *
New York: Printed by Macdonald & Cameron, etc.,
1779. IV. Gaine's Universal Register ; or, American and
British Kalendar, for the Year 1780. New York:
Printed by H. Gaine, etc.
36

282 The German Allies
V. Mills & Hicks' British and American Register,
with an Almanack for the Year 1781. * * New
York : Printed by Mills & Hicks, etc.
VI. Gaine's Universal Register * * for the
Year 1782. New York: Printed by H. Gaine, etc.
VII. A List of the Officers of the Army serv
ing * * under the Command of His Excellency,
Sir Guy Carleton, K. B. * * For the Year 1783.
New York : James Rivington, mdcclxxxiii.
VIII. Adam Friedrich Geisler's des jiingern Ge
schichte und Zustand der Koniglich Grosbrittan-
nischen Kriegsmacht zu Wasser und zu Lande von
den friihesten Zeiten bis an's Jahr 1784. * * Des
sau und Leipzig, 1784.
From the newspapers published in New York city
and Philadelphia during the British occupation, and
other sources, some additional matter has been col
lected, most of which has been embodied in the foot
notes. The list is necessarily imperfect, as scarcely
any information can be found about the composition
of the Hessian regiments during 1776 and 1777.
A roster of the Brunswick officers will be found
appended to Eelking's Leben der Riedesel, Leipzig,
1856.

A LIST OF THE HESSIAN CORPS NOW IN
AMERICA.

His Excellency the Lieutenant-General and Com-
mander-in- Chief
'Leopold Philipp von Heister, 1 777-1 778.
Baron Wilhelm von Knyphausen, 1778-1782.
Adjutant-General.
Major Carl von Baurmeister, 1778, 1780, 1781, 1782.
Aides-de-Camp to the Commander-in-Chief.
Major Carl von Baurmeister, 1779.
2Capt. William Faucit, May, i776-'8i.
3 " Hon. Henry Phipps, 1778.
4 " George Beckwith, 17 79-1 78 2.
" von Doernberg, 1781, 1782.
" Marquard, 1782.
Lieut. Marquard, 1 778-1 781.
" von Heister, 1778.
" von Barsewitz, 1 778-1783.
" Crammond, 1 779-1 781. [Eelking, Captain.]
" von Metzner, 1779.
'On the igth of November last, died at Cassel, Lieutenant-General Philip von
Heister, in his Britannic Majesty's service. Knight of the two Hessian orders,
the Golden Lion and Military Virtue The occasion of his death, was an inflam
mation in his lungs, which carried him off in four days, in the sixty-first year of
his age. — Gaine's New York Gazette, February 9, 1778.
'Of His Britannic Majesty's Third Regiment of Foot Guards.
'Of His Britannic Majesty's First Regiment of Foot Guards.
4Of His Britannic Majesty's Thirty-seventh Regiment of Foot Guards.

284 The German Allies
Secretary.
H. Motz, 1778-1782. Lieutenant-Generals .
Lieutenant-General Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von
Lossberg, 1782, 1783.
A. D. C, Captain Meltzheimer, 1782, 1783.
Lieutenant-General von Bose, 1782, 1783.
A. D. C, Lieutenant Henel, 1782, 1783.
Lieutenant-General Max. von Dittfurth, 1782, 1783.
Major- Generals.
Major-General Stirn, 1778, 1779.
A. D. C, Lieutenant von Westerhagen, 1778, '79.
Major-General von Mirbach, 1778.
A. D. C, Captain Schotten, 1778.
Major-General Schmidt, 1778, 1779.
A. D. C, Lieutenant Becker, 1778, 1779.
Major-General Baron von Lossberg, 1778-81.
A. D. C, Lieutenant Meltzheimer, 1778-81.
Major-General von Bose, 1778-81.
A. D. C, Lieutenant Volpert, 1779-80.
A. D. C, Lieutenant Henel, 1781.
Major-General von Huyne, 1778-80.
A. D. C, Lieutenant Hoeckert, 1779.
A. D. C, Lieutenant Roepenack, 1780.
Major-Genetal Heinrich Jul. von Kospoth, 1779-83.
A. D. C, Lieutenant Marquard, 1779-83.
Major-General Friedrich von Hackenberg, 1780-83.
A. D. C, Lieutenant Grau, 1780-83.
"Major-General Friedrich Adolph Riedesel.
A. D. C, Lieutenant Cleve,
A. D. C, Lieutenant Freeman.
'In command of the District of Long Island. — " Robertson's Orderly Book,"
November 22, 1780.

In the American Revolution. 285
Major-General Uphraim von Gosen, 1781-83.
A. D. C, Lieutenant von Westphal, 1781-83.
Major-General Hans von Knoblauch, 1781-83.
A. D. C, Lieutenant Knoblauch, 1781-83.
Major-General Carl Ernst von Bischausen, 1781-83.
A. D. C, Ensign von Sacken, 1781-83.
Major-General Friedrich W. von Wurmb, 1782, '83.
A. D. C, Lieutenant Wiederhold, 1782, '83.
Major-General Johann August von Loos, 1783.
Brigadier- Generals.
Brigadier-General Johann August von Loos, 1782.
Brigadier-General Carl W. von Hackenberg, 1780.
Quarter-Masters General.
Lieutenant-Colonel von Kochenhausen, 1778-81.
Lieutenant-Colonel du Puy, 1782.
Deputy Quarter-Masters General.
'Captain Martin, 1778, '79.
Lieutenant de Gironcourt de Vomecourt, 1781, '82.
Majors of Brigade.
Major du Puy, 1778, '79.
Captain von Willmousky, 1778-80.
Captain Werner, 1780, '81.
Lieutenant Fiihrer, 1782.
Deputy Majors of Brigade.
Lieutenant Werner, 1778, '79.
Lieutenant Fiihrer, 1778-81.
Judge Advocate.
 Motz, 1778, '79, '81, '82.

'Died in New York, May 27, 1780 —Gaine's New York Gazette June 5, 1780,

286 The German Allies
Chaplains.
Reformed — Bingell, 1778.
Becker, 1779-81.
Lutheran— Heller, 1778, '79, '80, '81.
Provost Marshal.
Lieutenant Riedell, 1778-82.
Wagon-Masters General.
Ruppersberg, 1778, '79.
Schade, 1781, '82. Commissariat.
"Counsellor of War and Commissary-General John
George Lorentz, 1778-81.
Paymasters General.
Carl Schmidt, 1778-80.
Richard Lorentz, 1781, '82.
Commissaries of Stores.
John Ebert, 1778-82.
 Lorenz, 1782.
Assistant Commissary General.
Richard Lorentz, 1779, '80.
Commissaries.
Sroppel, 1778.
Rysch, 1778.
Frebell, 1778. 
Hospital. Purveyors.
Franz Gelan, 1778, '81, '82.
Ludwig Schmidt, 1778, '81.
'Died of apoplexy, aged 68, in New York city, June 29, 1781. — Gainers New
York Gazette, July 2, 1781.

In the American Revolution. 287
Clerks.
Schmidt, 1 78 1.
Massot, 1781, '82.
Schaeffer, 1781. Physicians.
Dr. Lukhardt, 1778-82.
Dr. Estarch, 1778.
Dr. Alirhalis, 1780.
Dr. Michaelis, 1 781, '82.
Surgeons General.
Amelung, 1778-81.

Carl Bauer, 1778-81. Commissaries.
Marsol, 1778.
Schaeffer, 1778-81.
Chartier, 1778.
Massot, 1 78 1. Chaplains.
Schrecker, 1779, '81, '82.
Becker, 1782.
Beck, 1782. Surgeons.
 Miiller, 1779-81.
 Girard, 1779-81.
August Bauer, 1779-82.
 : Wagner, 1779-81.
 Claus, 1779-81.
 Brand, 1779.
 Amelung, 1782.
 Fleck, 1 78 1. Apothecaries.
Rudolph, 1779, '80.

288 The German Allies
Schirmer, 1779-82.
Gunther, 1779.
Hierman, 1781, '82.

Cooks.

Welgehausen, 1781.
Sander, 1781.

Battalion of Grenadiers Linsing, 1 778-1 781.
Lieutenant-Colonel.
von Linsing, 1778-81. Captains.
'von Stamfort, 1778.
von Malet, 1778, '79, '81.
von Webern, 1778, '79, '81.
von Plessen, 1778, '79, '81.
'August von Westerhagen, 1778.
'Ernst von Eschwege, 1778.
von Dinklage, 1779, '81.
Lieutenants.
3de Buy [1777.]
'Prodemann, 1778.
Friedrich Henrich von Groening, 1778, '79.
'von Baumbach, 1778.
'Waitz von Eschen, 1778.
Philo von Westerhagen, 1778.
Proecke, 1778, '79.
Kleinschmidt, 1779.
'Wounded at Red Bank. — Eelking. vol. I, page 222.
'Wounded at the passage of the Bronx, October 28, 1776. — Gaine's New York
Gazette, March 17, 1777.
3Wounded at Brandywine. — Pennsylvania Ledger, March 4, 1778.

In the American Revolution. 289
First Lieutenants.
von Schuler, 1779, '81.
von Hegeman, 1781.
Schraidt, 1781.
Second Lieutenants.
von Ende, 1778, '79, '81.
von Hartleben, 1779, '81.
von Hanstein, 1779, '81.
von Verschuer, 1779, '81.
Kersting, 177.9, '81-
Dunker, 1779, '81.
von Wangenheim, 1781.
Adjutant.
Kleinschmidt, 1781. Quarter-Master.
Wilhelm Broeske, 1778, '79, '81.
Surgeon.
George, 1778, '79.
Note. — See note at end of the Mirbach Regiment.

Two Grenadier Companies Hessian Guards.
Captains.
Webern, 1783. Oct. 9, 1768.
Plessen, 1783. Apr. 4, 1775.
First Lieutenants.
Hantleb, 1783. Mar. 5, 1779.
Hanssein, 1783. Mar. 6, 1779.
Second Lieutenants.
Wangenheim, 1783. Feb. 19, 1779.
Eptingen, 1783. June 3, 1782.
37

290 The German Allies
Battalion of Grenadiers Lengercke, 1778-81.
Lieutenant-Colonel.
von Lengercke, 1778-81. Captains.
von Wurmb, 1778.
von Eschwege, 1778, '79.
'von Oreilly, 1778, '79, '81.
von Gall, 1778, '79, '81.
von Willmousky, 1779.
Vogt, 1 781.
Reuting, 1781. Lieutenants.
Roll, 1778.
von Eschwege, 1778.
Kauffmann, 1778.
Spangenberg, 1778.
Donop, 1778.
Freyenhagen, 1778.
Schwaner, 1778, '79.
Ernst, 1778, '79.
Butte, 1778, '79.
von Westphal, 1778, '79.
Berthod, 1778, '79.
Hausmann, 1779.
von Kospoth, 1779. First Lieutenants.
von Trott, 1778, '79, '81.
von Kospoth, 1781.
Hausmann, 1781.
Reiss, 1779, '81.
von Leliva, 1779, '81.
¦To be Town Major of New York city, vice Captain Renting, who resigns.-
Gaine's New York Gazette, November 30, 1778,

In the American Revolution. 291
Second Lieutenants.
von Kospoth, 1781.
von Geyso, 1781.
von Losberg, 1779, '81.
Hartmann, 1781. Adjutant.
von Kuntzch, 1781. Quarter-Master.
Spangenberg, 1778, '79, '81.
Surgeon.
Reinhard, 1778, '79.
Battalion of Grenadiers Minnigerode,
1778, 1779.
Battalion of Grenadiers Lowenstein, 1781.
Lieutenant-Colonels.
'von Minnigerode, 1778, '79.
Friedrich Heinrich von Schuter, 1780.
von Lowenstein, 1781. Captains.
2Wachs, 1778, '79, '81.
2Stendorff, 1778, '79.
von Munschhausen, 1778.
Wilhelm von Biesenroth, 1778, '79, '81.
Mondorff, 1779, '81.
Klingender, 1781. Lieutenants.
Gebhard, 1778.
'Wounded at Red Bank — Pennsylvania Ledger, March 4, 1778. Died at
New York, October 16, 1779 He was a Knight of the "Order of Merit." —
Gaine's New York Gazette, October 25, 1779.
'Wounded at Red Bank. — Eelking, volume 1, page 222.

292 The German Allies
von Haller, 1778.
Heymell, 1778.
Heinrich Hille, 1778, '79.
Vaupell, 1779.
Marquardt, 1779.
von Gluer, 1779. First Lieutenants.
Toepffer, 1778-81.
von Winzingerode, 1778-81.
Zinck, 1778-81.
Kimm, 1779-81. Second Lieutenants.
von Rabenau, 1778-81.
von Geyso, 1778-81.
Ernst Briede, 1779-81.
Desoudres, 1779-81.
von Hoben, 1781.
von Romrod, 1781. Quarter-Master.
Ungar, 1778-81.
Spangenberg, 1779. Surgeon.
Franck, 1778, '79. Adjutant.
Hille, 1 781.
Note. — See note at end of the Mirbach Regiment.

Battalion of Grenadiers Koehler, 1778.
Battalion of Grenadiers Graff, 17 79-1 781.
Lieutenant-Colonel.
Koehler, 1778.
Graff, 1780, '81.

In the American Revolution. 293
Majors.
Graff, 1779.
'Platte, 1782. Captains.
Hessenmueller [Hessemueller, Eelking], i778,'79,'8i.
"Neuman, 1778, '79, '81.
Wilhelm Bode, 1778, '79, '81.
Hohenstein, 1778, '79, '81.
Mertz, 1781. Lieutenants.
von Romrodt, 1778.
Justi, 1778.
Brauns, 1778.
Hupeden, 1778, '79.
Mertz, 1778, '79.
Anton von Dalwigk, 1778, '79.
Munchhausen, 1778, '79, [Muehlhausen, 1779, Eel
king], '81.
3Oelhaus, 1778, '79.
Studenroth, 1778, '79.
von Romrodt, 1779.
von Treyden, 1779. First Lieutenants.
von Dalwigk, 1778, '79, '81.
Waldeck, 1778, '79, '81.
3Fritsch, 1778, '79, '81.
Second Lieutenants.
Schenck, 1781.
'The command of the Fourth Battalion of Grenadiers, late Colonel Graff's, is
conferred on Major Platte, regiment Beunau. — Gaine's New York Gazette, Sep
tember 2, 1782.
sWonnded at Fort Washington, November 16, 1776. — Gaine's New York
Gazette, March 17, 1777.
s Wounded at the siege of Charleston. — Gaine's New York Gazette, June 12,
1780.

294 The German Allies
von Lahrbusch, 1781.
Jung, 1 78 1. Ensigns.
Wiederhold, 1781.
Schimmelpfennig, 1781. Adjutant.
Brauns, 1779, '81. Quarter-Master.
Bauer, 1778, '79, '81. Surgeon.
Henry Koch, 1778, '79.

Regiment du Corps, 1778-1783.
Major- Generals.
Baron von Losberg, 1778.
Carl Ernst von Bischausen, 1782, '83. Nov. 1, '80.
Friedrich Wilhelm von Wurmb, 1782, '83. Nov. 2, '80.
Colonels.
Friedrich Wilhelm von Wurmb, 1778-81.
Otto Christ. Wilhelm von Linsing, 1783. June 5, '78.
Lieutenant-Colonel.
Otto Christ. Wilhelm von Linsing, 1782. June 1, '66.
Majors.
Biesenroth, 1778.
Ludwig Friedrich von Stamfurth, 1779-83. May 8, ^7.
August Eber. von Dincklage, 1782, '83. Nov. 5, '80.
Captains.
AugustEber. von Dincklage, 1778.
Waldenberg, 1778, '79.
Carl Reinh: von Motz, 1778, '79, '81-83. May 23, '72.

In the American Revolution. 295
Christ. Matt. Le Long, 1778, '79, '81-83. Feb. 26, '76.
Friedrich Melchior von Milkau [von Abilkan, Eel
king], 1778, '79, '81-83. ^eb. 29, '76.
Christ. Friedrich von Urff, 1778, '79, '81-83. Nov. 23, '76.
Friedrich Heinrich von Groening, 1781-83. May 14, '80.
Carl von Zenge, 1782, '83. Jan. 30, '81.
Johann Mar. Meltzhaimer, 1782, '83. Mar. 1, '81.
Lieutenants.
Heinrich Hegemann, 1778, '79.
Johann Mar. Meltzheimer, 1778, '79.
Heinrich Ernst, 1778, '79.
First Lieutenants.
Christ. Bode, 1778, '79, '81-83. Dec. 24, '77.
August Wilhelm von Ende, 1782, '83. Mar. 7, '81.
Just. Ernst, 1782, '83. Mar. 8, '81.
Second Lieutenants.
Carl August Kleinschmidt, 1778, '82, '83. Feb. 2, '76.
Caspar von Groening, 1779, '82, '83. Nov. 23, '76.
Philipp Peter Ludemann, 1779, '81-83. Dec. 24> ^77-
Johann Anton Germar, 1781, '82. May 14, '80.
Just. Ernst, 1 78 1.
Bernhardt Wilhelm Wiederhold, 1781-83. May i5,'8o.
Max. Ludwig von Helmold, 1782, '83. Mar. 7, '81.
Christ. Friedrich von Lacken [Sacken], 1783.
Ensigns.
Philipp Peter Ludemann, 1778.
Johann Anton Germer, 1778, '79.
Bernhardt Wilhelm Wiederhold, 1778, '79.
Max. Ludwig von Helmold, 1779, '81.
Christ. Friedrich von Sacken [Lacken], 1779, '81, '82.
Oct. 22. ^77.

296 The German Allies
Caspar Theo. von Dalwigk, 1779, '81-83. Nov. 12, '77.
Heinrich von der Litt, 1779, '81-83. Mar. 26, '78.
von Heimel, 1782. Feb. 12, '81.
de Cornberg, 1782, '83. Feb. 12, '81, Feb. 13, '81.
de Stamford, 1783. Mar. 9, '82.
Adjutant.
Caspar von Groening, 1778, '79, '81-83.
Quarter-Master.
Jacob [or John] Lotheisen, 1778, '79, '81-83.
Judge- Advocate.
Witte, 1778, '79, '81-83. Chaplains.
Schrecker, 1778.
Wiedermann, 1777:
Crepon, 1782. Surgeon.
Friedrich Waldeck, 1778, '79, '81-83.

Wutgenau, 1776 [Eelking].
Regiment Landgrave, 1778-83.
Major- Generals.
von Bose, 1778.
Heinrich Jul. von Kospoth, 1782, '83. Sept. 26, '78.
Colonels.
Heinrich Jul. von Kospoth, 1778.
Heinrich Walrab von Keudell [Budell? Eelking],
i779"83- . Dec- 25, '77-
Lieutenant-Colonels.
von Romrodt, 1778.
Friedrich von Hannstein, 1779-83. Dec. 24, '77.

In the American Revolution. -297
Majors.
Friedrich von Hannstein, 1778.
von Ahrenberg, 1778, '79.
Friedrich von Eschwege, 1781-83. Sept. 20, '79.
Captains.
'Meddern [1776].
Mondorff, 1778.
Hohlefeld, 1778.
Gren Minne, 1779-81.
2Friedrich Ernst de Muenchhausen, 1779, '82, '83.
Mar. 31, '76.
Johann Jacob Vogt, 1778, '79, '82, '83. Feb. 22, ^77.
Adam Bauer, 1779.
Wilhelm von Eschwege, 1779.
Ludwig Eberhard Murarius, 1781-83. Apr. 15, '79.
Johann Con. Ernst, 1781-83. Sept. 30, '79.
Peter Volpert, 1781-83. Oct. 1, '79.
August von Kospoth, 1783. Nov. 7, '81.
Lieutenants.
'Lowensfield [1776].
'von Lendow [1776].
Adam Bauer, 1778.
Juliaa, 1778.
3Ludwig Eberhard Murarius, 1778, '79.
First Lieutenants.
"•Peter Volpert, 1778, '79.
¦Wounded at Fort Washington, Nov. 16, 1776. — Gaine's New York Gazette,
March 17, 1777.
aAid-de-Camp to Sir William Howe, 1777. — Macdonald 6? Cameron 's Army
List for 1777.
"Wounded at Rhode Island, August 29, 1778. — Almond's Remembrancer,
volume VII, page 36.
4His rank is determined from the Army List of 1781, where he appears as
First Lieutenant in the temporary Battalion of the Grenadier der Lengercke.
38

298 The German Allies
August von Kospoth, 1778, '79, '82. Feb. 24, '77.
Ludwig von Kospoth, 1778, '79, '82, '83. Dec. 24, ''77.
Carl Goddeus, 1783. Apr. 1, '82.
Second Lieutenants.
Carl Goddeus, 1778, '79, '81. May 8, '76.
Franz von Ende, 1778, '79, '81-83. Feb. 23, ^77.
Carl von Seelhorst, 1779, '81.
Friedrich von Kospoth, 1782, '83. Dec. 13, '78.
Philipp Wagener, 1781-83. Feb. 13, '79.
Adolph Friedrich de Zanthier, 1781-83. Sep. 30, '79.
Julius von Klingsohr, 1783. Mar. 9, '82.
Eugen Benjamin von Kliest, 1783. Mar. 10, '82.
Georg von Rosing, 1783. Mar. 11, '82.
Carl Philip Hannstein, 1783. Mar. 12, '82.
Ensigns.
Franz von Ende [1776].
Carl von Seelhorst, 1778.
Friedrich von Kospoth, 1778, '79.
Carl von Billingsleben, 1778, '79.
Philipp Wagener, 1778, '79.
Adolph Friedrich von Zanthier, 1778, '79.
de Micklaskewitz, 1779.
Julius von Klingsohr, 1779.
Eugen Benjamin von Kliest, 1781, '82. May 1, '78
Georg von Roosing, 1781, '82. Nov. 8, '78
Carl Philipp von Hannstein, 1781, '82. Nov. 14, '79
von Berglassen, 1781-83. Nov. 15, '79
Carl Schoenewolf, 1781-82. Nov. 16, '79
de Nolden, 1781-83. Mar. 21, '80
August von Papenheim, 1781-83. Apr. 7, '80
Munschausen, 1783. June 1, '81
Adjutants.
Peter Volpert, 1778.

In the American Revolution. 299
Julius von Klingsohr, 1781, '82. Feb. 26, '78.
August von Pappenheim, 1783.
Chaplain.
Stern, 1778, '79, '81-83. Aug. 15, '76.
Quarter-Master.
Bockewitz, 1779, '81-83. Jan. 1, '78.
Judge Advocate.
Meisterling, 1778, '79, '81-83. Mar. 10, '76.
Surgeon.
Ohlhaussen, 1778, '79, '81-83. Sept. 23, '71.

Regiment Hereditary Prince, 1 778-1 783.
Major- Generals.
Stirn, 1778.
'Friedrich von Hackenberg, 1782, '83. Sept. 19, '79.
Colonels.
2Friedrich von Hackenburg, 1778, '79.
Friedrich von Kochenhausen, 1782, '83. Dec. 26, ^77.
'Last Wednesday died, at the age of sixty one, Frederic Baron de Hack
enberg, Major-General in the service of his Serene Highness the Landgrave
of Hesse, and Knight of the Most Honourable Order, Pour la Virtue Mili-
taire. He with great probity, and steady courage, served the House of
Hesse Cassel forty-two years, ever having the glory of his Prince and the
British Nation, the constant ally of his Serene Highness, immediately at
heart. He was hospitable, candid, good natured; in short, he always proved
himself a true Philanthropist. He was universally beloved, and it maybe
truly added that few have left the world more generally regretted, by the
Military, and the Citizens of New York, than the late amiable General le
Baron de Hackenberg. His remains, with the usual marks of distinction
due to Nobility, and all the Military honours, were, on Thursday, deposited
in the Lutheran Church vault, Frankford street, attended by a very numer
ous, affectionate and truly mournful procession. — Gaine's New York Gazette,
September I, 1783.
2To be Brigadier-General. — Gaine's New York Gazette, July 12, I77q.

300 The German Allies
Lieutenant-Colonels.
Friedrich von Kochenhausen, 1778, '79.
'Matthew von Fuchs, 1781-83. Sept. 19, '79.
Majors.
Matthew von Fuchs, 1778-80.
'Peter Melick Waldenberger, 1781-83. Sept. 19, '79.
Captains.
'Ludwig Friedrich von Gall, 1778, '79, '81.
Christoph Laun, 1778, '79, '81-83. { ?%'. 28, '77!
Heinrich Friedrich Wachs, 1782, '83. Mar. 2, '74.
von Schaller, 1778, '79, '81, '83. Feb. 26, '77.
'Kiimmell, 1778, '79, '81-83. Mar. 1, '77.
Adolph Fr. von Eschwege, 1779.
'Herman Christoph Gebhard, 1779, '81-83. Nov. 15, '77.
Joachim Kimm, 1782, '83 [Grimm — Eelking, volume
11, page 252]. Nov. 2, '80.
Friedrich Wilhelm von Haller, 1783. Mar. 9, '82.
Lieutenants.
Friedrich von Eschwege, 1778.
von Boyneburg, 1778. First Lieutenants.
Friedrich Wilhelm von Haller, 1779, '81, '82.
Nov. 10, '77.
Ernst Wolfe Briede, 1783. Feb. 10, '82.
Andreas Ludwig Descoudres, 1783. Mar. 9, '82.
'Bauer.'Kummel.'Gebhard.'Grimm. 
'Surrendered at Yorktown.— Eelking, volume n, page 352.

In the American Revolution. 301
Second Lieutenants.
Ernst Wolfe Briede, 1778-82. Feb. 1, '76.
Andreas Ludwig Descoudres, 1778, '82. Feb. 2, '76.
'Ernst August Westerhagen, 1778, '79, '81-83. Feb. 3, '76.
'Ernst Wilhelm Andersohn, 1778, '79, '81-83. Feb. 26, '76.
Friedrich Graw, 1778, '79, '82, '83. Feb. 22, ^7.
'Friedrich von Keudell, 1779, '81-83. Dec. 24, ^77.
'Rhein Fried. Ungewitter, 1781-83. Dec. 13, '78.
'Jacob Diedrich Pfaff, 1781-83. May 28, '80.
Georg Ludwig Motz, 1783. Ensigns.
Friedrich von Keudell, 1778.
Rhein Friedrich Ungewitter, 1778, '79.
Jacobus Diedrich Pfaff, 1778, '79.
'Georg Ludwig Motz, 1778, '79, '81, '82. Feb. 23, '77.
'Christian von Hoening, 1778, '79, '82, '83.
Apr. 21, '77; Apr. 25, '77.
'Valentine Schoenewolff, 1779, '81-83. Dec. 24, '77.
Descoudres, 1782, '83. Nov. 8, '80.
Winicke, 1782, '83. Jan. 9, '81.
Ludwig, 1782, '83. Mar. 23, '81.
Adjutants.
Kimm, 1778.
Christian von Hoening, 1779, '81-83.
Quarter-Master.
'Ludwig, 1778, '79, '81-83.
Judge- Advocate.
Plumque, 1778, '79, '81-83.
'Surrendered at Yorktown.— Eelking, volume II, page 252.

302 The German Allies
Chaplain.
'Hausknecht, 1778, '79, '81-83.
Surgeons.
Avemann, 1778, '79, '81.
"Francis Aug. Baur, 1783.

Regiment Prince Charles, 1778-1783.
Major- Generals.
Schmidt, 1778.
Carl Uphraim von Gosen, 1782, '83. June 12, '80.
Colonel.
Johann Wilhelm Schreiber, 1778-83. June 21, '76.
L ieu tenant- Colonels.
Georg Eman. von Lengerke, 1782, '83. | -jj^y *§' >^
Wilhelm von Loewenstein, 1778-80, J June 22, '76.
'82, '83. (June 1, '78.
Majors.
Carl August von Kutzleben, 1778-83. Feb. 25, ^77.
Wilhelm von Wilmousky, 1782, '83. Sept. 22, '79.
Captains.
Wilhelm von Wilmousky, 1778.
Johann Jacob Fischer, 1778-83. Jan. 28, ^77.
3 Heinrich Wilhelm Reuting, 1778, '79, '82, '83.
 Jan. 29, '77.
1 Surrendered at Yorktown. — Eelking, volume n, page 252.
2 Surrendered at Yorktown and died of his wounds. — Ibid.
8 Resigned the Town Majorship of New York city. — Gaine's New York Ga
zette, November 30, 1778.

In the American Revolution. 303
Friedrich Adolph Neuber, 1778, '79, '81-83.
Feb. 23, '77 ;  , '79.
Johann August Gerstman, 1779, '81-83. Nov. n, '77.
'Theodor Hart Harkert, 1779, '81-83. APr- x4> '78-
Balthasar Spangenberg, 1781-83. Nov. 18, '79.
Martin Beckers, 1781-83. Feb. 8, '80.
Lieutenants.
Hartel, 1778 [Theodor Hart Harkert].
Johann August Gerstman, 1778.
Heinrich Schmidt, 1778.
Ferdinand von Trott, 1778, '79.
Balthasar Spangenberg, 1779.
First Lieutenants.
Johann Philip Schmidt, 1783. Feb. 1, '76.
Ludwig Otto Carl von Dornberg, 1783. Feb. 2, ^76.
Carl Georg Rhein. von Trott, 1782, '83. Dec. 13, '78.
Johann Carl W. S. von Westphall, 1782, '83.
Feb. 8, '80.
Wilhelm Carl Ludwig von Geyso, 1778, '79, '82, '83.
Oct. 1, '80.
Second Lieutenants.
Heinrich von Trott, 1781, '82. Feb. 1, ''77.
Carl Wilhelm Christ. Friederich von Trott, Jr., 1783.
Feb. 1, '77.
Barthold Kroll, 1781-83. Nov. 12, '78.
Friedrich Adolph Martin Becker, 1782, '83. Dec. 17, '78.
Carl Wilhelm von Trott, 1782, '83. Nov. 1, '80.
von Eptingen, 1783. Ensigns.
Barthold Kroll, 1778, '79.
'Died on August 71I1, 1783, and was buried in St. Paul's Churchyard, New
York city. — Gaine's New York Gazette, August 13, 1783.

304 The German Allies
Friedrich Adolph Martin Becker, 1778, '79.
'von Bouilly, 1779.
Carl Wilhelm von Trott, 1778, '79, '81.
Philipp Peter Schmidt, 1778, '79, '81-83. Feb. 22, '77.
von Eptingen, 1781, '82. Jan. 13, '78.
Christoph Roesing, 1779, '81-83. June 18, '78.
Apell, 1783. Mar. 25, '82.
Adjutants.
Hartel, 1778 [Theodor Hart Harkert].
Christoph Roesing, 1779.
Friedrich Adolph Martin Becker, 1781, '83.
von Eptingen, 1782. Jan. 13, '78.
Quarter-Master.
Heinrich Pfaff, 1778, '79, '81, '82. Apr. 20, '56.
Judge- Advocate .
Plumque, 1782. Chaplain.
Hausknecht, 1782. Surgeon.
Bauer, 1778, '79, '81, '82. Jan. 28, '76.

Regiment Dittfurth, 17 78-1 783.
L ieutenant- General.
Mil. Max. von Dittfurth, 1782, '83. May 26, '71.
Colonels.
Max von Westerhagen, 1778-83. May 8, '77.
Friedrich Heinrich von Schuler, 1782, '83. May 24, '78.
1 Discharged at his own request, by the Landgrave of Hesse. — Robertsons
Orderly Book, November 2J, 1780.

In the American Revolution. 305
Lieutenant-Colonels.
Friedrich Heinrich von Schuler, 1778, '79, '81.
May 24, '78.
Ernst Leopold von Bork, 1782, '83. Nov. 3, '80.
Majors.
Ernst Leopold von Bork, 1778-81.
Friedrich Wilhelm von Malsburg, 1782, '83. Nov. 2, '80.
Captains.
Ludwig Reichell [Berchell, Eelking], 1778, '79.
'Engerding, 1778, '79, '81.
Nicholas Frederick Klingender, 1778, '79, '82, '83.
Mar. 4, '74.
Friedrich Wilhelm von Malsburg, 1778, '79, '81.
Wilhelm von Malsburg, 1779, '81-83. Nov. 12, ''77.
Heinrich Hugo Scheffer, 1781-83. Feb. 9, '80.
Georg Ernst Topfer, 1782, '83. Nov. 3, '80.
avon Rabenau, 1782.
Arnold Wilhelm von Haller, 1783. Sept. 7, '81.
Lieutenants.
Wilhelm von Malsburg, 1778.
Heinrich Hugo Schaeffer, 1778, '79.
Wilhelm L. Franz von Dittfurth, 1778, '79.
Christian von Bose, 1778, '79.
Franz Ferdinand von Bardeleben, 1778, '79.
First Lieutenants.
Carl Levin Marquard, 1783. Feb. 2, '76.
1 On the 13th of June last, died at Charles-Town, South Carolina, Capt.
Edderging, of the Hessian Regiment of Dittfourth, greatly regretted as a
good officer and much lamented by those who were acquainted with his pri
vate character. — Gaine's New York Gazette, August 6, 1781.
5 Died in New York, November 30, 1782. — Gaine's New York Gazette, De
cember 2, 1782. 39

306 The German Allies
Arnold Wilhelm von Haller, 1782. Feb. 8, '80.
von Rabenau, 1782. Nov. 1, '80.
Second Lieutenants.
Arnold Wilhelm von Haller, 1778, '79, 81.
Carl Levin Marquard, 1778, '81, '82. Feb. 2, '76.
Leon Wilhelm von Trumbach, 1778, '79, 81-83. Feb. 3, '76.
Adolph Frederick Duncker, 1779, '81-83. Feb. 22, }77-
von Bardeleben, 1781.
Georg Hermann Vultejus, 1781-83. Apr. 10, '78.
Peter Christopher Firnhaber, 1782, '83. Feb. 8, '80.
Heinrich A. von Schachten, 1782, '83. Feb. 9, '80.
Friedrich von Buttlar, 1782, '83. Mar. 7, '81.
Heinrich Lorey, 1782, '83. Mar. 7, '81 ; Mar. 8, '81.
Ensigns.
Dunker, 1778.
Georg Hermann Vultejus, 1778.
Peter Christopher Firnhaber, 1778, '79, '81.
Heinrich A. von Schachten, 1778, '79, '81.
Strasser, 1778, '79, '81.
Friedrich von Buttlar, 1779, '81, '82.
Heinrich Lorey, 1781.
'Carl Wetzell, 1781-83. Mar. 21, '80.
Friedrich Lange, 1782, '83. July 10, '80.
Carl von Buttlar, 1782, '83. Jan. 27, '81.
Amabilis von Zehmen, 1782, '83. Mar. 1, '81.
Wilhelm von Brunn, 1782, '83. Mar. 2, '81.
Franz Martins, 1782, '83. Mar. 28, '81.
Buttlar, 1783. Mar. 9, '82.
Quarter-Master.
Cornelius Wende, 1778, '79, '81-83.
Died at Charleston, South Carolina, August 25. — Jtivington's Gazette,
October 2, 1782.

In the American Revolution. 307
Adjutant.
Georg Hermann Voltejus, 1779, '83.
Surgeon.
Limbergen, 1778, '79, '81-83.

Regiment Losberg, Senior, 1 778-1 783.
Lieutenant-General.
von Losberg, 1783. Oct. 25, '72.
Major- General.
Johann August von Loos, 1783.
Colonels.
Franz Schaeffer, 1783. June 7, ^77.
'Johann August von Loos, 1778-82. May 22, '78.
Lieutenant-Colonels.
Franz Schaeffer, 1778-82. Jan. 24, '76.
von Losberg, 1782, '83. Majors.
Lewis Aug. von Hannstein, 1778-82. Feb. 24, ^77.
Ernst Eber. Altenbockum, 1782, '83. { ^P"1 5' ,'|J
Captains.
2 von Benning.
*von Reise.
3 Ernst Eber Altenbockum, 1778, '79, '81.
Johann Reid Mondorff, 1782, '83. Feb. 20, '76.
von Steding, 1778, '79, '81, '82. Feb. 25, '76.
von Wurmb, 1778, '79, '81, '82. Feb. 24, ^77.
'See New York Historical Society Collections, 1875, p. 113.-
2 KiUed at Trenton. — Eelking, vol. 1, p. 130.
8 Wounded at Trenton — Eelking, vol. I, p. 130.

308 The German Allies
Friedrich Wilhelm Krafft, 1779, '81-83. Dec. 26, '77.
Marquard, 1782, '83. Mar. 21, '80.
Ernst Christian Schwabe, 1782, '83. Feb. 1, '81.
Jacob Biel, 1782, '83. Feb. 2, '81.
Heinrich Hegeman, 1782, '83. j -^ *|j ,g£
Lieutenant.
' Kimm.
First Lieutenants.
"von Wurmb [1776].
Friedrich Wilhelm Krafft, 1778.
Keller, 1778.
von Munchhausen, 1782, '83. Aug. 17, '76.
von Hoben, 1782, '83. Nov. 9, '80; Nov. 11, '80.
Henry Reim Hille, 1782, '83. Nov. 12, '80.
3 Hermann Heinrich Georg Zoll, 1782, '83.
Nov. 9 and 19, '80.
William von Uslar, 1782, '83. Nov. 21, '80.
Second Lieutenants.
von Stoben, 1778.
von Gluer, 1778, '79.
4 Schwabe, 1778-81.
Jacob Biel, 1778-81.
Hermann Heinrich Georg Zoll, 1778-81.
Moeller, 1778, '79, '81, '82. Feb. 3, '76.
von Hoben, 1779, '80.
Franz Grebe, 1781, '83.
C. von Waldschmidt, 1781, '83.
Georg Kress, 1781, '83.
Carl Friedrich von Luder, 1781, '83.
' Killed at Trenton. — Eelking, vol. I, p. 130.
5 Wounded at Fort Washington, November 16, 1776 — Gaine's New York
Gazette, March 17, 1777.
3 Wounded at Trenton. — Eelking, vol. I, p. 130.
4 Wounded at Trenton. — Eelking, vol. I, p. 1 30.

Nov. 7,

'80.

Nov. 10,

'80.

Nov. 11,

'80,

Nov. 13,

'80

In the American Revolution. 309
Ensigns.
Franz Grebe, 1778, '79, '81.
von Zengen, 1778, '79, '81, '82. Feb. 2, '76.
"Hennendorff, 1778-81.
C. von Waldschmidt, 1778, '79, '81.
Georg Kress, 1778, '79, '81.
Rathmann, 1778, '79, '81, '82. Apr. 24, '77.
Stendorf, 1779.
von Roven, 1779, '81-83. Feb. 26, '78.
Gottlieb Waldeck, 1779, '81, '82. July 15, '78.
Carl Friedrich von Luder, 1781.
Recordon, 1781-83. Aug. 1, '79.
Zoll, 1782.
Mueller, 1782, '83. Apr. 2, '80.
Stegmann, 1782, '83. Oct. 26, '80.
Adjutant.
Jacob Biel [or Piel], 1779-83.
Quarter-Master.
John Heusser, 1778, '79, '81-83.
Surgeon.
Oliva, 1778, '79, '81-83.

Regiment Losberg, Junior, 1782, 1783.
L ieutenan t- General.
Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Losberg, 1782, '83.
Mar. 7, '81.
Colonel.
Carl Christoph von Romrod, 1782, '83. Dec. 24, ''77.
3 Transferred to the Third Battalion, New Jersey Volunteers, as Ensign, Feb.
5, 1782. — Von Kraff' s Journal, New York Historical Society's Collection, 1882,
p. 170. Rivington's Army List, 17S3.

310 The German Allies
Lieutenant-Colonel.
Hans von Biesenrod, 1782, '83. Dec. 26, '77.
Major.
Emanuel Ernst Anton von Wilmousky, 1782, '83.
Feb. 22, '77.
Carl Leopold Bauermeister, 1782, '83. Feb. 26, '77.
Captains.
Ludwig Maive von Mallet, 1782, '83. Oct. 16, '68
Johann M. Rothe, 1782, '83. Nov. 16, '76
Ludolph Rodemann, 1782. Dec. 27, '77
Carl von Toll, 1782, '83. Dec. 28, '77
Friedrich August Broeske, 1782, '83. Jan. 6, '81
Johann C. Schraidt, 1782, '83. { ^ *j>, J8i
Johann Reid Rodeman, 1783.
First Lieutenants.
Lewis Wilhelm August von Boyneburg, '1782, '83.
Jan. 6, '81.
Carl Friedrich Rueffer, 1782, '83. Sept. 5, '81.
Johann Georg Wissemuller, 1783. Mar. 25, '82.
Second Lieutenants.
Johann Georg Wiesenmueller, 1782. Dec. 24, '77
Friedrich von Biesenrod, 1782, '83. Dec. 25, '77
W. V. Buelzingsloerven, 1782, '83. Dec. 26, '77
Ehrhard von Drach, 1782, '83. Dec. 27, ''77
Hieronymus Berner, 1782, '83. Dec. 28, '77
Georg Bern Kersting, 1782, '83. Dec. 29, ''77
Rudolph Wilhelm Duncker, 1782, '83. Dec. 30, '77
Ludwig Martin Wiscker, 1782, '83. I J^' *> ]***
Carl von Ehrenstein, 1783. Mar. 9, '82

In the American Revolution. 3 it
Ensigns.
Carl von Ehrenstein, 1782. Oct. 18, ^77.
Heinrich Lange, 1782, '83. Dec. 24, '77.
Friedrich Fey, 1782, '83. Feb. 13, '78.
von Bode, 1782, '83. Dec. 2, '79.
Chaplain.
Virnau, 1782. Judge- Advocate.
Hynemann, 1782.
Adjutant.
Carl Friedrich Rueffer, 1782, '83.
Quarter-Master.
August Schmidt, 1782. Surgeon.
Conrad Gechter, 1782.

Regiment Knyphausen, 17 78-1 783.
Lieutenant-General.
Baron Wilhelm von Knyphausen, 1778-83. Sept. 22, '75.
Colonel.
'Heinrich von Borck, 1778-83. Jan. 20, '76,
Lieutenant-Colonels.
Carl Philipp Heymell, 1778-81.
von Knyphausen, 1782. Majors.
'von Dichow [1776].
Johann Friedrich von Stein, 1778-83. Feb. 27, '77.
Georg Wilhelm von Biesenroth, 1783. May 6, ^77.
'Wounded at Fort Washington, Nov. 16, 1776. Gaine's New York Gazette,
March if, 1777.

312 The German Allies
Captains.
'Arnold Schlemmer.
2Barkhausen [1776].
Ludwig Wilhelm von Lowenstein, 1778, '79, '81.
Georg Wilhelm von Biesenroth, 1782. Mar. 29, '62.
Schimmelpfennig, 1778, '79, '81-83. Feb. 9, '76.
Christoph Philipp Reuffurth, 1779, '81-83.
Feb. 24, '76, Dec. 24, '77.
Jacob Baum, 1778, '79, '81-83. Feb. 21, ^77.
Andreas Wiederhold, 1781-83. Nov. 12, '78.
Vaupell, 1781-83. Nov. 16, '79.
3Hon. Bennet Wallop, 1781-83. April 23, '80.
First Lieutenants.
Vaupell, 1778.
Heinrich Friedrich Zinck, 1782, '83. Feb. 22, ^77.
Christian Sobbe, 1782, 83. April 5, ''77.
4John F. William Briede, 1782, '83.
 , 1777; Feb. 6, '81.
Second Lieutenants.
Christoph Philipp Reuffurth, 1778.
de Terry, 1778, '79.
Andreas Wiederhold, 1778, '79.
Wilhelm Heymell, 1779.
Ludwig von Romrodt, 1778, '79, '82, '83. June 13, '74.
von Bassewitz, 1778, '79, '82, '83. June 10, '75.
Johann Heymell, 1782, '83. Feb. 1, '76.
Fuhrer, 1778, '79, '82, '83. Feb. 2, '76.
lSee Regiment de Seitz.
2Killed at Fort Washington, Nov. 16, 1776. Gaine's New York Gazette,
March 17, 1777.
8To be Major of Brigade of Provincial Forces, Nov. 5, 1780. — Robertson's
Orderly Book. Fourth son of John Viscount Lymington, grandson of the
first Earl of Portsmouth, born Jan. 20, 1745, died Feb. 12, 1815. — Foster's
Peerage. 4Wounded at Fort Washington, Nov. 16, 1776. — Gaine's New York Gazette,
March 17, 1777.

In the American Revolution. 313
Zinck, 1782, '83. Feb. 22, '77
Geysow, 1782. Feb.. 22, '77
Christian Sobbe, 1778, '79, 82, '83. April 5, '77
Johann F. Wilhelm Briede, 1778, '79-81. 1777, Feb. 6, '81
August or Anton von Liitzow, 1781-83. Nov. 16, '79
von Ruger, 1781-83. Mar. 1, '80
Wilhelm von Drach, 1782, '83. Mar. 24, '80
Heinrich Zimmermann, 1782, '83. Sept. 5, '81
Heinrich Ritter, 1782, '83. Sept. 6, '81
Ensigns.
'Fuhrer, 1778.
August or Anton von Liitzow, 1778, '79.
Wilhelm von Drach, 1778, '79, '81.
Heinrich Zimmermann, 1778, '79, '81.
Heinrich Ritter, 1778, '79, '81.
Ferdinand Ungar, 1781-83. Feb. 25, '78.
Wilhelm von Muller, 1781-83. Mar. 1, '80.
Ronneberg, 1782, '83. " Nov. 1, '80.
Quarter-Masters.
Mathias Muller, 1778, '79, '81.
Lewis Schmidt, 1782.
Pausch, 1783. Chaplain.
Wilhelm Bauer, 1778, '79, '81-83.
Adjutant.
Christian Sobbe, 1779, '81-83.
Surgeon.
Wilhelm Pausch, 1778, '79, '81, '82.
' His portrait was fixed to the gallows in New York as a deserter, Oct. I,
1781. — Von Krafffs Journal, New York Historical Society's Collections, 1882.
40

314 The German Allies
Regiment Mirbach, 1778-1781.
Major- General.
von Mirbach, 1778. Colonels.
von Block, 1778.
Carl von Romrodt, 1779-81.
Lieutenant-Colonels.
'von Schieck [1776, ^77].
Hans Moutz von Biesenroth, 1779-81.
Majors.
von Willmousky, 1778-81.
2Bauermeister, 1778, '79. Cdptains.
Endmaim, 1778.
Schotten, 1778.
David Reichhold, 1778, '79, '81.
Rothe, 1778, '79, '81.
Rodemann, 1779, '81.
von Toll, 1779, '81. Lieutenants.
von Toll, 1778.
Schraydt, 1778, '79.
Wilhelm August von Boyneburgh, 1778, '79.
3Carl Friedrich Riiffer, 1778, '79.
First Lieutenants.
Broetke, 1781. Second Lieutenants.
Wiesenmiiller, 1779, '81.
Hans Friedrich von Biesenroth, 1779, '81.
'Killed at Red Bank. — Eelking, vol. i, p. 222.
2 A. D. C. to Sir Henry Clinton, 1779-82.
'Wounded at Red Bank. — Eelking, volume I, page 222.

In the American Revolution. 315
von Bulzenflower, 1779, '81.
Ehrhard von Drach, 1779, '81.
Hieronymus Berner, 1779, '81.
Martin Ludwig Wisker, 1781.
von Boyneburgh, 1781. Ensigns.
Wiesenmiiller, 1778.
Hans Friedrich von Biesenroth, 1778.
von Bulzenflower, 1778.
Ehrhard von Drach, 1778.
Hieronymus Berner, 1778.
Martin Ludwig Wisker, 1779.
Carl von Ehrenstein, 1779, '81.
Heinrich Friedrich Lange, 1779, '81.
Ungar, 1779.
Fey, 1779, '81. Adjutant.
Carl Friedrich Riiffer, 1779, '81.
Chaplain.
Fernau, 1778, '79, '81.
Quarter-Master.
August Schmidt, 1778, '79, '81.
Judge- Advocate.
Heinemann, 1778, '79, '81.
Surgeons.
Conrad Taecher, 1778, '79.
Gechter, 1781.
Note. — The following officers belonging either to the Regiment Mirbach
or the Grenadier Battalions of Minnigerode or Linsing or to the Jager
Corps, to which cannot now be ascertained, were killed at the attack on Red
Bank: Captains von Brogatzky and Wagener, Lieutenants. Riemann, du Puy,
von Wurmb, Hille, von Offenbach, and Heymel.
Lieut. Gottschalk was severely wounded at the same attack.

316 The German Allies
Regiment Steyn, 1778.
Regiment von Seitz, 1 779-1783.
Colonel.
Franz Carl von Seitz, 1778-82. Feb. 28, '74.
L ieu tenant- Colonels.
'Arnold Schlemmer, 1778.
Carl von Kutzel, 1780-83. Feb. 3, '76.
{Army rank, Col., Nov. 3, '80.]
Graff, 1778. Maj°rS-
Ludwig von Schallern, 1779-83. Regt., April 13, ^77.
[Army rank, Lt.-Col., Nov. 6, '80.]
Johann Newmann, 1782, '83. Nov. 8, '80.
Captains.
Friedrich Platte, 1778.
Johann Newmann, 1778.
von Ende, 1778, '79.
G Langenschwarz, 1778, '79,
Andreas Sandrock, 1778, '79,
Wilhelm Bode, 1778, '79, ,81-83.
Christian Munch, 1781-83.
Wilhelm Justi, 1781.
Andreas Oelhaus, 1781-
Henklemann, 17 81.
1 On Wednesday last died, at 52 Years of Age, after four days' Illness, of
an Inflammatory Fever, Lieut. Colonel Arnold Schlemmer, a Native of
Hershfeld, in the Landgrave of Hesse, he served his Serene Highness, the
Landgrave, thirty-eight years, particularly in the Campaigns of Bavaria, in
1742, 1743, 1744, 1745; in Scotland, in 1746; in Holland, in 1747, 1748; in
England, in 1756; with the Allied Army in Germany, from 1757 to 1762, and
in 1776 to the Day of his Death in North America; from a just sense of his
great military Abilities, his Prince promoted him from the Rank of Captain,
in the Regiment of his Excellency General de Kniphausen, to that of Lieu
tenant Colonel in the Regiment de Seitz, just before the Embarkation of that
Corps for this Continent; he has left a Widow and one Son, an Infant. His
Remains were on Thursday last interred with the military honours due to
his Rank; he was as brave a Soldier, and as respectable a Gentleman as
ever existed. — Gaines' New York Gazette, August 5, 1778.

'81-83.

Sept 7,

'75-

'81-83.

Mar. 12,

'76.

83-

Mar 13,

'76.

Dec. 14,

'78.

In the American Revolution. 317
Lieutenants.
'Swein [1776].
von Romrodt, 1778.
Vilmer, 1778.
Buebach, 1778.
von Freyden, 1778.
Christian Munch, 1778, '79.
Henklemann, 1778, '79.
von Lahrbusch, 1778, '79.
First Lieutenants.
Wilhelm Justi, 1778, '79, '82, '83. Feb 23, '77.
Andreas Oelhaus, 1778, '82, '83. Dec. 24, ^77.
Second Lieutenants.
Johann Knies, 1779, '81-83. Feb. 23, ^77.
Georg [or Johann Heinrich] Fenner, 1779, '82, '83.
Dec. 26, '77
Rhein. Jung, 1782, '83. Nov. 12, '78
Ludwig Friedrich Wilhelm von Boyneburgh, 1781-83
Dec. 13, '78
Vieth, 1781, '82. Dec. 13, '78
Johann Paul, 1781-83. Dec. 14, '78
Johann Koerber, 1782. Nov. 1, '80
Conrad Stolzenbach, 1782. Mar. 7, '81
Ensigns.
Bernhard Sturtz, 1778.
Albus, 1778.
Georg [or Johann Heinrich] Fenner, 1778.
Rhein. Jung, 1778, '79.
Vieth, 1778, '79.
Ludwig Friedrich Wilhelm von Boyneburgh, 1779.
Johann Paul, 1779.
¦Killed at Fort Washington, Nov. 16, 1776. — Gaines' New York Gazette,
March 17, 1777.

318 The German Allies
Johann Koerber, 1779, '81, '83. Jan. 2, '78.
Conrad Stolzenbach, 1779, '81. Feb. 26, '78.
Emanuel Maus, 1781-83. Dec. 13, '78.
Georg Langenschwartz, 1781-83. Dec. 15, '78.
Petri, 1781-83. Feb. 13, '79.
Otter, 1782. July 10, '80.
Hunerdorf, 1782. Mar. 7, '81.
Adjutants.
Johann Kneis, 1778, '79.
Georg [or Johann Heinrich] Fenner, 1781, '82.
Quarter-Master.
Spangenberg, 1778, '79, '81-83.
Judge- Advocate.
Franke, 1778.
Kummell, 1778. Surgeon.
Hellmerich, 1778, '79, '81-83.

Regiment Wissenback, 17 78-1 780.
Regiment Knoblauch, 1 781-1783.
Major- General.
Hans von Knoblauch, 1782, '83. Feb. 19, '80.
Colonel.
Friedrich von Borbeck, 1778-80, '82, '83. July 11, '80.
Lieutenant-Colonels.
von Kilzell, 1778, '79.
Friedrich von Borbeck, 1781.

In the American Revolution. 319
Majors.
Johann Georg Seelig, 1778-80.
Johann Otto Goebell, 1780-83. Nov. 12, '78.
Johann Christian von Ende, 1781-83. June 12, '80.
Captains.
Oswald, 1778.
Germer, 1778.
Gunthermann, 1778, '79, '81.
Georg Hoenstein, 1782, '83. Mar. 6, ^d.
Jacob Boediker, 1778, '79, '81-83. Mar. 20, ^76.
Hupeden, 1778, '79, '82. July 15, '78.
Wilhelm Heinrich Hegemann, 1781-83. Nov. 15, '79.
Johann Anton von Darwigk, 1781-83. July 10, '80.
Samuel Waldeck, 1783. Mar. 28, '81.
Lieutenants.
Stippich, 1778.
Kleyensteuber, 1778.
Conrad Koerber, 1778, '79.
Wilhelm Heinrich Hegemann, 1778, '79.
Resing, 1778, '79. •
Lotz, 1778, '79.
Biermann, 1778, '79. First Lieutenants.
Ludwig Knoblauch, 1782, '83. Mar. 21, '80.
Christoph Goebell, 1782, '83. Mar. 22, '80.
Georg Schenck, 1782, '83. Nov. 1, '80.
Johann Christoph Koerber, '81-83. Mar- 7> '8l-
Second Lieutenants.
Christoph Goebell, 1778, '79, '81.
Johann Christoph Koebler, 1779.
Koerber, Jr., 1781.
Heinrich Abel, 1781-83. June 16, '79.

320 The German Allies
Carl Ludwig Gessner, 1781-83. Nov. 16, '79.
Bernhardt Justi, 1782, '83. Mar. 21, '80.
Rud. Reinhard Dick, 1782, '83. Sept. 15, '80.
Peternell, 1782, '83. Nov. 2, '80.
Heinrich Stiickradt, 1782, '83. Nov. 3, '80.
Friedrich Cordemann, 1782. Mar. 7, '81.
Schimmelfennig, 1783. May 25, '81.
Ensigns.
Georg Schenck, 1778.
Koerber, Jr., 1778, '79.
Carl Ludwig Gessner, 1778, '79.
Heinrich Abel, 1778, '79.
Bernhardt Justi, 1778, '79, '81.
Mathseus, 1779.
Rud. Reinhard Dick, 1779, '81.
Weissenborn, 1781.
Peternell, 1781.
Heinrich Stiickradt, 1781.
Schimmelpfennig, 1782. June 1, '80.
Johann Dietrich, 1782, '83. Nov. 1, '80.
Simon Vockeroth, 1782, '83. Nov. 2, '80.
Andreas Wagener, 1782. Mar. 11, '81.
Hartmann Scheuber, 1782, '83. Mar. 12, '81.
Chaplain.
Grimmel, 1779, '81-83. Adjutants.
Conrad Koerber, 1778, '79.
Carl Ludwig Gessner, 1783.
Judge- Advocate.
Schanz, 1779, '81-83. Quarter-Master.
Pfluger, 1778, '79. Surgeon.
Krupp, 1778, '79, '81-83.

In the American Revolution. 321
Regiment Woellwarth, 1778.
Regiment Trumbach, 1779, 1780.
Grenadier Regiment Marquis d'Angelelli,
1781-1783.
Lieutenant-General.
Louis d'Angelelli, 1781, '83. Mar. 4, '77.
Colonels.
von Woellwarth, 1778.
Johann Christoph Koehler, 1779-81. Sept. 18, '78.
Halzfeld, 1783. Mar. 7, '82.
Lieutenant-Colonel.
Johann Wilhelm Endemann, 1781, '83. Nov. 8, '80.
Majors.
Mathaeus, 1778, '79.
'Johann Wilhelm Endemann, 1779-81.
Johann Jost, 1780.
Johann Eckhard Bode, 1782. Mar. 9, '80.
Friedrich Wilhelm Bode, 1783. Nov. 9, '80.
Captains.
Coecking, 1778.
Goebell, 1778, '79.
Feetz, 1778, '79, '81.
Staebeli, 1779, '81.
von Griesheim, 1781.
Johann Adam Bauer, 1781-83. - Apr. 10, '78.
Giesell, 1781. Oct. 6, '78.
Greg. Salzmann, 1779, '81-83. Nov. 17, '79.
Friedrich Heinrich Widekind, 1781-83. Nov. 20, '79.
'Wounded at Stono Ferry, St C, June 30, 1779. — Almon' s Remembrancer,
vol. 8, page 302. 41

322 The German Allies
Johann Chr. Miilhausen, 1781, '83'. Nov. 8, '80.
Carl von Dalwigk, 1783. Mar. 7, '82.
Lieutenants.
Staebeli, 1778.
Greg. Salzmann, 1778.
'Friedrich Heinrich Widekind, 1778, '79.
'von Griesheim, 1778, '79.
First Lieutenants.
2De Muy, 1779, '81.
Carl von Dalwigk, 1781. Nov. 16, '79.
Wilhelm Studenroth, 1781, '83. Nov. 8, '80.
Carl Andreas Kienen, 1781, '83. Nov. 9, '80.
Second Lieutenants.
Carl Andreas Kienen, Sen., 1778, '79, '81.
Carl Andreas Kienen, Jr., 1778, '79, '81.
Wilhelm Studenroth, 1779, '81.
Wernicke, 1779, '81.
Christoph Friedrich Goebell, Sen., 1781, '83.
Mar. 21, '76.
Eberhard, 1781. Oct. 6, '78.
Gippert, 1781. Oct. 7, '78.
Boppe, 1781. Dec. 25, '78.
Eschtnith, 1781. Dec. 26, '78.
Liebrecht Fleck, 1779, '81-83. Nov. 16, '79.
Georg Broetke [or Bceske], 1781, '83. Nov. 17, '79.
Wilhelm Boecking, 178V83. Nov. 8, '80.
Friedrich Georg Mathseus, 1781, '83. Nov. 9, '80.
Joseph Heinrich Wiederhold, 1 781, '83. Nov. 11, '80.
Heinrich Pauly, 1781, '83. Mar. 7, '81.
Goebell, Jr., 1783. Mar. 8, '81.
'Wounded at Stono Ferry, South Carolina, June 30, 1779 — Almon's
Remembrancer, vol. 8, page 302.
* A Frenchman who refused to fight against his countrymen and was dis
charged in 1781.

In the American Revolution. 323
Ensigns.
Wernicke, 1778.
Liebrecht Fleck, 1778.
'Kleinschmidt, 1778.
Schroeder, 1778, '79.
Georg Boeske [or Broetke], 1778, '79.
Werner, 1778, '79, '81.
Joseph Heinrich Wiederhold, 1779.
Wilhelm Boecking, 1779, '81.
Friedrich Georg Mathseus, 1781.
Goebell, 1 78 1.
Gombrecht, 1781.
Schmidt, 1782, '83. July 31, '78.
Hatzfeldt, 1783. Mar. 6, '82.
Schultze, 1783. Mar. 10, '82.
Adjutant.
Liebrecht Fleck, 1779. Quarter-Masters.
Fitz, 1778, '79.
Bokeloh, 1783. Surgeons.
Holtzschuh, 1778, '79.
Girrard, 1783.

Regiment Trumbach, 1778.
Regiment Bose, 1779, 1783.
Lieutenant- General.
Carl von Bose, 1782, '83. Mar. 8, '81.
' Deserted on account of his debts, Aug. ii, 1778. — Von Kraft's Journal,
Collections of the New York Historical Society, 1882, page 59.
His portrait was fixed to the gallows as a deserter, Oct. 1, 1781. — Ibid,
page 151.

324 The German Allies
Colonels.
' Carl Ernst von Bischhausen, 1778-80.
Baron H. von Muenchausen, 1783. May 29, '78.
Lieutenant-Colonels.
Baron H. von Muenchausen, 1778-82. Jan. 21, '76.
Chris, du Puy [or Buy], 1782, '83. Nov. 4, '80.
Majors.
Chris, du Buy [or Puy], 1778-81.
2 von O'Reilly, 1782, '83. Nov. 3, '80.
3 Friedrich Heinrich Schur, 1782, '83. Nov. 6, '80.
Captains.
Friedrich Heinrich Schur, 1778, '79, '81.
3 Alexander Wilmousky, 1778, '79, '81.
Moritz von Stein, 1778, '79, '81.
3Johann Eigenbrod, 1778, '79, '81-83. Feb. 24, '76.
4 Rail, 1779, '81.
Wilhelm von Leliva, 1782, '83. Nov. 1, '80.
Johann Schwaner, 1782, '83.  , '80; Sep. 5, '81.
Philipp Butte, 1782, '83.  , '80; Sep. 6, '81.
Lieutenants.
Wilhelm von Leliva, 1778.
Spener, 1778, '79.
Henel, 1779. First Lieutenants.
'Philipp Butte, 1779, '81.
2,4 Johann Schwaner, 1781.
1 To be Brigadier General, Oct. ii, 1780. — Robertson's Orderly Book.
Wounded at the battle of Guilford, March 15, 1781. — Almon's Remem
brancer, volume 12, page 25.
2 Surrendered at Yorktown. — Eelking, volume II, page 252.
3 Wounded at the Battle of Guilford "and since dead." — Almon's Remem
brancer, volume 12, page 25.
4 Wounded at the Battle of Guilford. — Rivington's Gazette, August 11, 1781.
Killed at Yorktown. — Gaines' Gazette, November 26, 1781.

In the American Revolution. 325
'Georg Christoph Hoepfner, 1778, '79, '81-83. Aug. 1, '79.
2 Johann Josias Geyso, 1778, '79, '81-83. Aug. 2, '79.
Ludwig Wilhelm Henel, 1782, '83. Aug. 3, '79.
Second Lieutenants.
Ludwig Wilhelm Henel, 1778.
3Hartmann, 1778, '79, '82. Mar. 4, '74.
'Joseph Wilhelm Netzner, 1778, '79, '81-83. Mar. 5, '74.
Johann Frederick Kuntzet [or Kuntzook], 1783.
Nov. 10, '77.
'Carl William von Burghoff, 1779, '81-83. Nov. 11, '77.
Nikolaus Kuntsch, 1779, '82. { S°V' 2°' '77'
' ' /y' [Nov. 10, '77.
Nikolaus von Runk, 1783. Sept. 5, '81.
Adolph von Roden, 1783. Sept. 6, '81.
Wilhelm Brauns, 1783. Mar. 9, '82.
4Johann Philipp von Krafft, 1782. Sept. 15, '82.
Ensigns.
Johann Friedrich von Kuntzook [or Kuntzet], 1778.
Carl William von Burghoff, 1778.
von Horn, 1778.
Ernst von Trott, 1778, '79, '81.
'Nikolaus Runk, 1778, '79, '81, '82. June 9, ^77.
'Adolph von Roden, 1779, '82. Oct. 19, ''77.
'Wilhelm Brauns, 1779, '81, '82. Feb. 26, '78.
1 Surrendered at Yorktown. — Eelking 2, page 252.
2 Wounded at the Battle of Guilford, March 15, 1781. — Almon's Remem
brancer, volume 12, page 25.
8Died in New York, Oct. 2t. 1782 — Von Krafft's Journal, New York
Historical Societiy's Collections. 1882, page 170.
4 His journal, with a memoir prefixed, will be found in New York Histori
cal Society's Collections, 1882, and the date of his commission appears on
p. 181.

326 The German Allies
'Spangenberg, 1781, '82. Aug. 1, '78.
Biskamp, 1782, '83. Mar. 7, '81.
Johann Philipp von Krafft, 1783. Sept. 5, '81.
de Rantzow, 1783. Feb. 10, '82.
Meugersen, 1783. Mar. 9, '82.
Meisner, 1783. " Mar. 10, '82.
Adjutants.
Henel, 1779.
Adolph von Roden, 1781, '82.
Quarter-Master.
Conrad Strube, 1778, '79, '81-83.
Surgeons.
Muller, 1778.
2W. Wurffelman, 1779, '81-83.

Regiment Huyne, 1 778-1 781.
Regiment von Benning, 1782, 1783.
Major- General.
von Huyne, 1778.
Colonels.
Friedrich von Benning, 1782, '83. May 23, '78.
L ieu tenan t- Colonels.
Ludwig Franz Kurtz, 1778-82. Sept. 17, '78.
Johann Philip Hillebrand, 1780-83. Nov. 13, '78.
Melchior Martini, 1782, '83. Nov. 7, '80.
'Wounded at Yorktown. — Gaines' New York Gazette, Nov. 26, 1781. Sur
rendered at Yorktown. — Eelking, vol. 11, p. 252.
'Surrendered at Yorktown. — Eelking, vol. 11, p 252.
"Died in New York, July 25, 1780, in his 60th y ear. — Gaines1 New York
Gazette, July 31, 1780.

In the American Revolution. 327
Majors.
Johann Philip Hillebrand, 1778, '79.
Melchior Martini, 1778-81. Captains.
'von Schallern, 1778.
2 Wegener, 1778.
Heinrich Sonneborn, 1778, '79, '81, '82. May 14, '76
Reinhard Heilmann, 1778, '79, '81-83. Mar. 15, '76
Dietrich Reinhardt, 1778, '79, '81-83. \ June 23' ,72
1 1 1 1 iyi o | June 23, 77
Claudius Stueck, 1781-83. Dec. 13, '78
Johann Hoecker, 1781-83. Dec. 15, '78
Lieutenant.
3 Justi [1776]. First Lieutenants.
Claudius Stueck, 1778, '79.
Johann Hoecker, 1778, '79.
Jerome Roepenack, 1778, '79, '81-83. Dec. x3> '78-
Franz Adam Kuhl, 1778, '79, '81-83. Dec. 14, '78.
Johann Knipp [or Krupp], L782, '83. Feb. 16, '81.
Friedrich Starckloff, 1782, '83. Feb. 17, '81.
von Waldschmidt, 1782, '83. Mar. 1, '81.
Second Lieutenants.
Wendt, 1778, '79.
Ludwig Grau, 1779.
Johann Knipp [or Krupp], 1778, '79, '81.
Friedrich Starckloff, 1779.
Conrad Hillebrand, 1781-83. Dec. 13, '78.
1 Killed in Rhode Island, Aug. 29, 1778. — Almon's Remembrancer, vol. VII,
P- 35-
2 Wounded in Rhode Island, Aug. 29, 1778. — Almon's Remembrancer, vol.
VII, p. 35 .
3 Killed at Fort Washington, Nov. 16, 1776. — Gaines' New York Gazette,
March 17, 1777.

328 The German Allies
Otto Roland Schenck, 1781-83. Dec. 14, '78.
Bernhardt Eugen Eckhard, 1782, '83. Mar. 7, '81.
Johann Martini, 1782, '83. Mar. 8, '81.
Ensigns.
'Wendt [1776].
Kersting, 1778.
Duncker, 1778.
Wiscker, 1778.
Ludwig Grau, 1778.
Conrad Hillebrand, 1778, '79.
Otto Roland Schenck, 1779.
Bernhardt Eugen Eckhard, 1779, '81.
Johann Martini, 1779, '81.
Johann Christoph Hartung, 1781-83. Nov. 15, '78.
Daniel Georg Reinhardt, 1781-83. Dec. 13, '78.
Friedrich Goeschell, 1782, '83. Mar. 7, '81.
Just Wenderoth, 1782, '83. Mar. 8, '81.
Chaplain.
Kummel, 1778, '79, '81-83.
Adjutants.
Friedrich Starckloff, 1778, '79, '81, '83.
Johann Christoph Hartung, 1782.
Quarter-Master.
Kleinschmidt, 1778, '79, '81-83.
Judge- Advocates.
Steuber, 1778, '79, '83.
Kleinsteuber, 1781, '82. Surgeon.
Johann Witte, 1778, '79, '81-83.
1 Wounded at Fort Washington, Nov. 16, 1776. Gaines' NewYork Gazette,
March 17, 1777.

In the American Revolution. 329
Regiment Buenau, 1778-1783.
Colonels.
Rudolph von Buenau, 1778-83. { ^{j; *£ ^5-
Johann Adam Schaeffer, 1783. Nov. 6, '80.
Z, ieu tenant- Colonel.
Johann Adam Schaeffer, 1778, '79, '81, '82. Nov. 6, '80.
Majors.
Mathias, 1778.
Heinrich Booking, 1779-81.
Friedrich Platte, 1779-83. Feb. 3, '78.
Ludwig Bocking, 1782.
Heinrich Christian Hessenmuller, 1782, '83. Nov. 7, '80.
Captains.
Studenroth, 1778.
Ferrand, 1778, '79.
Johann Christian Goebel, 1778, '79, '81-83. Mar. 8, '76.
Philipp Virnhuber, 1778, '79, '81-83. Mar. 9, '76.
'August Christ Noltenius, 1778, '79, '81-83. Mar. 17, ^76.
Johann Bartholomew Becker, 1782, '83. Dec. 16, '78.
Fritsch, 1782. Dec. 17, '78.
Johann Christoph Feldner, 1782, '83. Dec. 18, '78.
Balthasar Mertz, 1782, '83. Nov. 20, '78.
Lieutenants.
Bornemann, 1778, '79.
von Harstall, 1778, '79.
'Wounded at Rhode Island, Aug 29, 1778 — Almon's Remembtancer, vol.
vii, p. 35- 4«

330 The German Allies
First Lieutenants.
Johann Bartholomew Becker, 1778, '79, '81.
Johann Christoph Feldner, 1779, '81.
Werner, 1781.
Christoph Otto Frohn, 1782, '83. Mar. 7, '81.
Second Lieutenants.
Christoph Otto Frohn, 1778, '79, '81.
Heinrich Bauer, 1778, '79, '81-83. { ^ ^ ^-
Wolff de Guetenberg, 1778, '79, '81-83. Feb- 25', '76.
Kleinsteuber, 1779, '81, '82. Feb. 3, '78.
Georg Lyncker, 1782, '83. Nov. 1, '78; Nov. 1, '80.
Cam. Friedrich Gombert, 1783. July J5> '79-
Reinhardt Friedrich Schaeffer, 1782, '83. Mar. 7, '81.
Brauns, 1782, '83. Mar. 8, '81.
Carl Hillebrand, 1783. Nov. 4, '81.
Ensigns.
Kleinsteuber, 1778.
Cam. Friedrich Gombert, 1778, '79.
Bode, 1778, '79.
Georg Lyncker, 1778, '79, '81.
Reinhardt Friedrich Schaeffer, 1778, '79, '81.
Carl Hillebrand, 1779, '81, '82. Feb. 3, '78.
Gotton Grebe, 1781-83. Dec. 22, '78.
Georg [or Peter Wilhelm] Quentell, 1782, '83.
May 14, '80.
Peter Muench, 1782, '83. Nov. 2, '80.
Friedrich Wilhelm Kuester, 1782, '83. Nov. 8, '80.
M. K. Seelig, 1782, '83. Mar. 7, '81.
Adjutants.
Johann Christoph Feldner, 1778, '79.
Cam. Friedrich Gombert, 1781-83. Apr. 15, '79.

In the American Revolution. 331
Quarter-Masters.
Meisterling, 1778.
Strahle, 1779, '81, '82. Mar. 1, '78.
Surgeon.
Beck, 1778, '79, '81, '82. ' Feb. 1, '76.

Artillery, 1778-1783.
L ieutenan I- Colonel.
Hans Heinrich Eitel, 1778-83. Dec. 25, ^77.
Major.
Pauli, 1778, '79. Captains.
' Georg Krug, 1778, '79, '81-83. Jan. 26, '76.
Johann Schleenstein, 1778, '79, '81-83. j ^ ^ Jg-
2 Werner, 1779. Lieutenants.
Werner, 1778.
Deitzel, 1779. First Lieutenant.
Johann Georg Kaiser, 1778, '79, '81-83. Feb- 3, '78.
Second Lieutenants.
Fischer, 1778, '79, '81.
Philipp Scheimer, 1778, '79, '81-83. { J*£; ^ \&
1 See Bancroft's United Slates, Centennial Edition, vol. V, p 398.
2 A few days since died after a lingering illness, Captain Werner, of the
Hessian Artillery, and Maj >r of Brigade to General Knyphausen, a Gentle
man of eminence in his profession and universally beloved by a very exten
sive acquaintance. — Gaines' New York Gazette, August 6, 1781.

332 The German Allies
Casimer Gerke, 1778, '79, '81-83. Mar. 15, '76.
Christoph Schmidt, 1778, '79, '81-83. Mar. 16, '76.
Johann Schaeffer, 1778, '79, '81-83. Mar. 18, '76.
Johann Engelhard, 1778, '79, '81-83. Mar. 19, '76.
Schwartzenberg, 1778, '79, '81, '82. Mar. 27, '76.
'Carl August de Gironcourt [de Vomecourt], 1779,
'82, '83. - ~ Apr. 1, '76.
Carl Justus Korngiebell, 1778, '79, '81-83. Feb. 22, '77.
Adjutants.
Dietzel, 1778.
Carl Justus Korngiebell, 1782.
Quarter-Master.
Wiederhold, 1778, '79, '81, '82.

Chasseurs, 1 778-1 780.
Mounted and Dismounted Yagers, 1779, '81-83.
Colonel.
Ludwig J. Adolph von Wurmb, 1783. Jan. 3, '78.
Lieutenant-Colonels.
Ludwig J. Adolph von Wurmb, 1778-82. Jan. 25, '76.
Ernst Carl von Bruschenck [Pruschenck], 1781-83.
Nov. 15, '79.
Majors.
Ernst Carl von Bruschenck, 1778-80.
Philipp von Wurmb, 1779-83. May 4, '77.
'Married on Sunday evening last [Aug. 10. 1783] Baron de Gironcourt,
Lieutenant of Artillery, and Deputy Quarter Master General to the Hessian
Troops to Mbs Elizabeth Corne, daughter of Captain Peter Corne, of this
city.— Gaines' New York Gazette, August 18, 1783.

In the American Revolution. 333
Captains.
von Wreeden, 1778, '79.
Lorrey, 1778, '79.
'von Rau, 1778, '79, '81.
'Johann Ewald, 1778, '79, '81-83. Mar. 6, '74.
3 Hon. George Hanger, 1779, '81-83. { ^ ^ \&
Moritz von Donop, 1779, '81-83. Feb. 3, '78.
Johann Heinrichs, 1779, '81-83. Feb. 4, '78.
Friedrich Adolph von Wangenheim, 1781-83. Dec. 13, '78.
von Bodungen, 1781.
von Hagen, 1783. Nov. 9, '81.
Captain-L ieutenan t.
Romrodt, 1782. July 5, '76.
Lieutenants.
von Donop, 1778.
4 Mertz, 1778.
5 Montluisant, 1778. •
von Bodungen, 1778, '79.
Friedrich Adolph von Wangenheim, 1778, '79.
First Lieutenants.
6 von Rau [1776].
Johann Heinrichs, 1778.
von Muise, 1778, '79, '81.
' Killed at Kingsbridge, New York, 1781.
"Surrendered at Yorktown. — Eelking, vol. 2, p. 252.
'Afterwards fourth and last Baron Coleraine.
'Wounded and taken prisoner, September 30, 1778. — Von Krafft's Jour
nal, New York Historical Society's Collection, 1882, p. 62.
•A Frenchman, who entered the Army only to get to America, was dis
charged, tried to join the American Army, was seized and sent to England.
•Wounded at the passage of the Bronx, October 28, 1776. — Gaines' New
York Gazette, March 17, 1777.
Wounded July 2, 1781.— Von Krafft's Journal, JVew York Historical Sodety't
Collection, 188a, p. 142.

334 The German Allies
Wilhelm von Hagen, 1778, '79, '81, '82. Feb. 3, '78
Carl E. von Hagen, 1778, '79, '81, '82. Feb. 4, '78
Friedrich Kellerhaus, 1778, '79, '82, '83. Jan. 8, '79
Heinrich Wolff, 1778, '79, '81-83. Feb. 9, '79
Ernst von Winzengerode, 1781-83. Mar. 8, '79
Johann Schaeffer, 1782, '83. Mar. 21, '80
'Wilhelm [or Alexander] Bickell, 1783. Nov. 7, '81
Second Lieutenants.
Johann Schaeffer, 1778, '79, '81.
Wilhelm [or Alexander] Bickell, 1779, '81, '82.
Dec. 24, J77-
Maximillian Cornelius, 1779, '81-83. Feb. 26, '78.
Conrad Flies, 1779, '81-83. Feb. 27, '78.
'Friedrich Francis Bohlen, 1781-83. Mar. 8, '79.
Engel Besger, 1782, '83. Apr. 16, '80.
Wilhelm [or Ludwig] von Gerresheim, 1782, '83.
May 1, '80.
Friedrich Ochse, 1782, '83. Sept. 7, '81.
Baur, 1783. Feb. 10, '82.
Adjutants.
Johann Schaeffer, 1778.
Friedrich Kellerhaus, 1779, '81.
Ernst von Winzingerode, 1782.
Friedrich Ochse, 1783. Quarter-Master.
Beckmann, 1778, '79, '81-83.
Judge- Advocate.
Wiscker, 1778, '79, '81-83. Surgeon.
August Hencke, 1778, '79, '81-83.
1 Surrendered at Yorktown. — Eelking, volume 2, p. 252.

In the American Revolution. 335
'First Regiment of Brandenburg Anspach,
1778, 1779.
Regiment Voit, 1781, 1782.
First Battalion Anspach, 1783.
Colonels.
von Eybe, 1778, '79.
'Fr. August Valentin Voit von Salsburg, 1781-83.
Jan. 28, '77.
L ieutenan I- Colonel.
2 Christ. Ludwig von Reitzenstein, 1781-83. Aug. 18, '78.
Majors.
Christ. Ludwig von Reitzenstein, 1778, '79, '81.
2 Friedrich Philipp von Seitz, 1781-83. Aug. 18, '78.
Captains.
von Waldenfels, 1778, '79.
2 Christ. Philipp von Ellrodt, 1778, '79, '81-83. Dec. 27, '74.
1 Heinrich Carl Friedrich von Stein [zum Reitzen
stein], 1778, '79, '81-83. Feb. 9, }77.
Heinrich Christoph von Metzsch. July 9> '78.
Captain Lieutenants.
Christian Theodor Sigismund von Molitor, 1778, '79.
2Carl Christoph Ernst Tritschler, 1781-83. Aug. 18, '78.
'August Christoph Friedrich von Koenig, 1781-83.
Mar 2, '79.
Wilhelm Friedrich von Kruse \_1782, '<?j]. Mar. 1, ''82.
1 Names in italics are taken from Geisler, p. 578.
' Surrendered at Yorktown. — Eelking, volume 2, p. 252.

336 The German Allies
First Lieutenants.
von Stoeder, 1778, '79
Chletsich, 1778, '79.
Carl Christoph Ernst von Tritschler, 1778, '79.
August Christoph Friedrich von Koenig, 1778, '79
von der Heydell, 1778, '79.
'Friedrich Wilhelm von Reitzenstein, 1778, '79,'8i-83.
July 28, '75.
Carl Friedrich von Schoenfeldt, 1778-83. July 27, ^76.
'Friedrich von Keller, 1781-83. ' Feb 6, '78.
'Wilhelm Fr. Marschall von Bierbenstein, 1781-83.
July 9, '78.
rAlbrechl Ernst Ludwig Treschel von Teufstetten,
1781-83. Mar. 2, '79.
'Wilhelm von Diemar, 1781-83. Mar. 2, '79.
Johann Ernst Prechtel.
Georg Friedrich Philipp Guttenberg.
Second Lieutenants.
Friedrich von Keller, 1778, '79.
Wilhelm Fr. Marschall von Bierbenstein, 1778, '79.
Albrecht Ernst Ludwig Treschel von Teufstetten,
1778, '79.
von Chlardefeldt, 1778, '79.
Wilhelm von Diemar, 1778, '79.
'Friedrich von Foetor, 1781-83. June 1, '77
'Johann Ernst Prechtel, 1778, '79, '81-83. Sept. 28, '77
'Georg Friedrich Philipp Guttenberg, 1778, '79, '81-83
Sept. 28, '77
'Johann Christian von Drexel, 1781-83. Oct 3, '78
Johann Gottfried Minameyer, 1781-83. Oct 3, '78
1Christian Gottfried Baumann, 1781-83. Oct. 3, '78
Johann Christoph Doehlemann, 1781-83. Oct. 3, '78
Johann Friedrich Foerster, 1781-83. Dec. 20, '78
'Surrendered at Yorktown. — Eelking, volume 2, p. 252.

In the American Revolution. 337
"Johann von Fabrice, 1781-83. May 1, '79.
Deahna, 1782. July 26, '79.
1 'Georg Simon Halbmeyer, 1781, ^82. Oct. 29, '79.
' Georg Matthias Beyer, 1782. Aug. 6, '81.
Adjutants.
Friedrich von Foeter, 1781.
Johann [or Christ] Gott Minameyer, 1782.
Chaplain.
'Johann Christoph Wagner, 1781-83. Feb. 1, '77.
Judge- Advocate.
Johann Carl Conrad Rummel, 1781-83.
Surgeon.
'Friedrich Jacob Rapp, 1781-83. Feb. 1, '77.
Quarter-Master General.
'Carl Wilhelm Fr. Meyer, 1781-83.
Commissary.
Johann Christoph Hermann, 1781-83.
Artillery Officer.
Friedrich Hoffmann, 1783. May 22, '69.
1 Surrendered at Yorktown. — Eelking, volume 2, p. 252.
43

338 The German Allies
'Second Regiment of Brandenburg Anspach.
Regiment von Voit, 1778, 1779.
Regiment Seybothen, 1781, 1782.
Second Battalion Anspach, 1783.
Colonels.
August Valentin Voit von Saltzburg, 1778, '79.
"' Franz Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Christian von Sey
bothen, 1781-83. Feb. 6, '78.
Majors.
"Franz Johann Heinrich Wilhelm Christian von Sey
bothen, 1778, '79.
* Ernst Friedrich Carlson. Beust, 1781-83. Feb. 6, '78.
Captains.
Ernst Friedrich Carl von Beust, 1778, '79.
von Seitz, 1778, '79.
2'3Friedrich Ludwig von Eyl, 1778, '79, '81-83.
June 22, '69.
"Christian Theodor Sigismund von Molitor, 1781-83.
July 1, '77, July 17, '77.
2Georg Heinrich von Quesnoy, 1781-83. Oct. 24, ^77.
Captain Lieutenants.
Georg Heinrich von Quesnoy, 1778, '79.
Heinrich Christoph Friedrich von Metzsch, 1781-83.
July 9, '78.
Johann Christoph Seidel.
' Names in italics are taken from Geisler, p. 579.
2 Surrendered at Yorktown. — Eelking, volume 2, p. 252.
3 Wounded at Forts Clinton and Montgomery, October 6, 1779. — Pennsyl
vania Ledger, March 11, 1778.

In the American Revolution. 339
First Lieutenants.
von Schwart, 1778, '79.
von Woellwarth, 1778, '79.
'Wilhelm Friedrich von Kruse, 1778, '79, '81-83.
June 26, '75.
'Johann Christoph Seidel, 1778, '79, '81-83. Feb. 1, '77.
Philipp Otho von Beust, 1778, '79, '81-83. Feb. 2, '77.
1 Carl Friedrich von Adelheim, 1778, '79, '81-83.
Feb. 13, '77.
'Friedrich Ernst von Reitzenstein, 1778, '79, '81-83.
Oct. 24, ^77.
Maximilian von Streit, 1781-83. Feb. 6, '78.
Carl Alexander von Weiterschausen, 1781-83. July 9, '78.
Georg Gustav Lebrecht von Tunderfeldt.
Heinrich Wenhardt.
Johann Anton Carl von Altenstein.
Second Lieutenants.
'Maximilian von Streit, 1778, '79.
"Carl Alexander von Weiterschausen, 1778, '79
von Weigner, 1778, '79.
Von Diemar, 1778, '79.
Christoph von Molitor, 1778, '79.
von Strahlendorf, 1778, '79.
'Georg Gustav Lebrecht von Tunderfeldt, 1778, '79,
'81-83. Feb. 5, ^77.
xJohann Anton Carl von Altenstein, 1778, '79, '81-83.
Feb. 6, '77.
1 Heinrich Weinhardt, 1778, '79, '81-83. Eeb. 9, '77.
Heinrich S. Nagler, 1781-83. ' Oct. 8, '77.
1 Surrendered at Yorktown. — Eelking, vol. n, p. 252.
2 Ernst von Diemar to be Major of the Fort at Brooklyn, January 8, 1783.
Gaines' New Yoro Gazette, January 20, 1783.

340 The German Allies
"Johann Andreas Gottlob von Ciriarsi [or Cyriatzy],
1778, '79, '81-83. Oct. 31, '77.
'Johann Hermann Lindemeyer, 1781-83. Mar. 14, '78.
Carl Godfried Schuchard, 1781-83. July 24, '78.
'Johann Gottfried Hirsch, 1781-83. Dec. 19, '78.
'Carl Christoph Graebner, 1781-83. Mar. 2, '79.
'Johann Heinrich von Matolay, 1781-83.
Apr. 1, '79, Apr. 12, ^79.
'Johann Heinrich Popp, 1782. \ q ? ' ^' ,g '
Adjutants.
Herrnbauer, 1778, '79.
Johann Christoph Seidel, 1781-83.
Judge- Advocate.
Christoph Laurenz Pflug, 1782. Feb. 1, ^77.
Chaplain.
Johann Georg Philipp Erb, 1781-83. Jan. 11, '78.
Quarter-Master.
'Johann Georg Chris. Daig, 1778, '79, '81-83. Feb. 1, }77.
Surgeon.
'Johann Heinrich [or Friedrich Wilhelm] Schneller,
1781-83. Dec. 10, '79.
Artillery. Captain.
Nikolaus Friedrich Hoffmann, 1782, '83. Aug. 1, '81.
First Lieutenant.
Nikolaus Friedrich Hoffmann, 1781. Dec. 1, '80.
1 Surrendered at Yorktown. — Eelking, volume 2, p. 252.

In the American Revolution. 341
'Anspach Jagers, 1 781-1783.
Colonel.
Christoph Ludwig Rudolph Freiherr von Reitzenstein
[1783]. Dec. 2, '82.
L ieutenan t- Colonel.
Christoph Ludwig Rudolph Freiherr von Reitzenstein,
1782. Aug. 18, '78.
Captains.
Christoph Fr. Joseph von Waldenfels, 1781-83.
Feb. 1, '77; Feb. 9, ^77.
Friedrich Wilhelm von Roeder, 1781, '82. Feb. 6, '78.
Carl Christian Ernst Tretschler von Falkenstein. Mar. 1, '82.
August Christian Friedrich von Koenitz. Mar. 1, '82.
Ernst Wilhelm Friedrich Adolph von Wurmb. Mar. 1, '82.
Captain Lieutenants.
Friedrich Wilhelm, Freiherr von Reitzenstein. Mar. 1, '82.
Carl Friedrich Rudolph von Schoenfeldt. Mar. 1, '82.
Lieutenant.
de Forstner [1777]. First Lieutenants.
Moritz Wilhelm von der Heydte, 1781-83. Feb. 3, '77.
Friedrich Ernst, Freiherr von Reitzenstein. Oct. 24, ^77.
Just von Diemar, 1781-83. Mar. 2, '79.
1 New York, July 16.— Yesterday embarked for Bremerlehe, in Germany,
the Anspach Jagers. — Gaines' New York Gazette, July 21, 1783.
Names in italics are taken from Geisler, p. 581.
2 Wounded at the Battle of Germantown, September n, 1777. — Pennsyl
vania Ledger, March 4, 1778.

342 The German Allies
Second Lieutenants. f Oct 20 '77
von Reitzenstein, 1781, '82. < Qct" ' >' '
Christian Friedrich Bartholomai, 1781-83. Oct. 27, '77
Jacob Ernst Kling, 1781-83. Mar. 1, '79
Just Hermann Drahua. July 26, '79
Ehrenfried Hansz Friedrich Ferdinand Busch. Apr. 1, J8o
'Joseph Bach, 1 781, '82. June 9, '8o; July 9, '80
Wilhelm de Hiller, 1782, '83. Jan. 1, '81
Ferdinand von Killer. Feb. 1, ^81
Friedrich Adolph Karl von Eyb. Apr. 5, '81
Julius von Massenbach. June 18, '81
Franz Graf von Bubna und Lititz. Nov. 1, '81
Albertus Magnus Frank. Mar. 2, '82
August Wilhelm Neithardt von Gneisenau. Mar. 3, '82
Christian Kaspar Morg. Mar. 4, '82
Christoph Georg Philipp Otto, 1783. Mar. 28, '82
Adjutant.
Christoph Georg Philipp Otto. Mar. 1, '82.
Judge- Advocate.
Johann Paul Frisch, 1782. Feb. 1, '81.
Quarter-Master.
Johann Leonhardt Hauselt [or Hausett], 1782.
Surgeon.
Friedrich Siegmund Arnold, 1782.
Chaplain.
Georg Christoph Elias Erb. Mar. 1, '82
'Surrendered at Yorktown. — Eelking, volume 2, p. 252.

In the American Revolution. 343
Staff Physician for the three Brandenburg, Anspach
and Bayreuth Regiments.
David Schoepf Feb. 11, '77.

Yager Corps, 1778, 1779.
Colonel.
' Carl Emil Kurt von Donop. Captains.
2 Trautvitter.
von Cramon, 1778, '79.
3 Heppe. First Lieutenant.
von Feilitsch, 1778, '79.
Second Lieutenants.
+ Ebenauer, 1778, '79.
5 von Donop. Artillery Lieutenant.
Hoffman, 1778, '79. Adjutant.
Staab, 1778, '79. Chaplain.
Wagner, 1778, '79. Judge- Advocate.
Stummel, 1778, '79.
1 Killed at Red Bank.
2 Mortally wounded at Battle of Brandywine. — Pennsylvania Ledger, March
4, 1778.
•Mortally wounded at Gloucester, September 25, 1777.
4 Killed at Springfield, New Jersey, June 8, 1780. — Eelking, volume 2, p. 91.
6 Died in New York in 1777.

344 The German Allies
Quarter-Master.
Model, 1778, '79.
Surgeon.
Stapp, 1778, '79.
Note. — See note at end of the Regiment Mirbach.

Regiment Donop, 17 79-1 783.
Lieutenant-General.
Wilhelm Heinrich August Donop, 1782, '83.
Oct. 24, '72.
Colonels.
David von Gosen, 1779, '80.
Erasmus Ernst Hinte, 1783. \ \&n' 24' '7q
' ' ° (June 2, 78.
Carl Philipp Heymell, 1782, '83. May 22, '78.
L ieu tenant- Colonel.
Erasmus Ernst Hinte, 1779-82.
Majors.
Christ. Moritz von Kutzleben, 1779, '82, '83.
Feb. 24, ^77.
Carl von Wurmb, 1779-83. Apr. 5, ^77.
Captains.
Jean Matthew Gissot, 1779, '81-81. ( ^ay 29> !69
J > //?> 0 \ May 22, '79
Just Verater, 1779, '81-83. Feb. 21, '75
Dietrich von Donop, 1770, '81, '82. I W?' 22> !7£
r ' /7' (Feb. 22, 76
Friedrich Wm. Geissler, 1779-83. Apr. 27, ''77
Philipp Heinrich Murhard, 1779-83. Dec. 25, '77
Christoph Friedrich von Donop, 1783.

In the American Revolution. 345
First Lieutenants.
Emanuel R. Hausmann, 1782, '83. Nov. 23, '76.
Johann Philipp Reiss, 1782, '83. June 28, '77.
Second Lieutenants.
'Wilhelm Carl von Donop, 1779, '81.
Johann Ernst von Freyenhagen, 1779, '81.
Heinrich von Bardeleben, 1779-83. Sept. 4, '74.
Heinrich Ludwig von Nagele, 1779, '81-83.
Mar. 5, '74 ; May 5, '74.
Wilhelm von Lepell, 1779-83. Feb. 1, '76.
Carl August von Freyenhagen, 1779, '81-83.
' Feb. 3, '76.
Jerome von Lossberg, 1782, '83. Nov. 23, '76.
Carl Fried, von Nagele, 1779, '81-83. { May £ ^7.
Eytell William von Trott, 1779, '81-83. Feb. 3,' '78.
W. J. von Freyenhagen, 1782. Feb. 4, '78.
Friedrich Ferd. Murhard, 1783. May 30, '82.
Ensigns.
Carl von Knoblauch, 1779, '81.
Friedrich Ferd. Murhard, 1779, '81, '82. Nov. 16, '76.
Georg von Lehrbach, 1779, '81-83. June 9, ^77.
Lon. [sic] C. A. von Hausen, 1782, '83. Mar. 7, '81.
Johann Henckel, 1782, '83. Mar. 9, '81.
Boeking, 1783. Mar. 30, '82.
Chaplain.
Koester, 1779, '81-83. Jan. 29, '76.
Adjutant.
Wilhelm von Lepell, 1779, '81-83. Feb. 1, '76.
Quarter-Master.
Georg Zinn, 1779-82. Feb. 1, '69.
1 Appointed Chamberlain to the Duke of Mecklenberg-Schwerin, 1780. —
Von Krafft's Journal, New York Historical Society's Collection, 1782, p. 125.
44

346 The German Allies
Judge- Advocate.
Ernst Heymele, 1779-82. Feb. 2, '76.
Surgeons.
Jacob Stieglitz, 1779-81. Feb. 1, '74.
Ludwig Stieglitz, 1782.

•Regiment Waldeck, 1782, 1783.
Colonel.
' von Hanxleden. Lieutenant-Colonels.
3 Albrecht von Horn, 1782, '83. Apr. 14, '79.
von Dalwigk. Majors.
Albrecht von Horn, 1781.
4 Friedrich Pentzel, 1782, '83. Apr. 14, '79.
Captains.
von Staakerg, 1782. Apr. 19, '76.
Georg von Haacke, 1783. Apr. 19, '76.
Christ. Alberti, 1782. Sept. 20, ''77.
Alexander von Baumbach.
August Alberti.
'Two Captains, Three Lieutenants and Three Surgeon's Mates taken
prisoner at Baton Rouge, September, 1779. One Captain taken prisoner on
the Lakes, Louisiana. — Almon's Remembrancer, volume 9, p. 364.
Names in italics are from Geisler, p. 583.
2 Killed at Frenchtown, on the Mississippi, January 7, 1781. — Eelking,
volume 2, p. 148.
3 New York, July 16. — Yesterday embarked for Bremerleh, in Germany,
the 3rd Regiment of Waldeck, commanded by Lieut. Col. Horn. — Gaines'
New York Gazette, July 21, 1783.
4 Taken prisoner at Pensacola, together with one Lieutenant, one Ensign,
one Surgeon's Mate of same regiment, May 11, 1781. — Almon's Remem
brancer, volume 11, p. 280.

In the American Revolution. 347
Captain Lieutenants.
' Alexander von Baumbach, 1782, '81. { ^ar" *$> '7$-
' ' ' ° ( Apr. 16, '76.
August Alberti, 1782, '83. ' Mar. 5, '77.
'Heinrich Heldring, 1782, '83. Apr. 25, '80.
Lieutenants.
3 Leonhardi [1779].
Knipshild.
4 S tier lein. First Lieutenants.
Wilhelm Keppel, 1782, '83. Mar. 7, ^76.
Friedrich von Wilmousky, 1782, '83. Mar. 8, ^76.
Carl Struberg, 1782, '83. Mar. 5, "77.
Andreas Brumhard, 1782, '83. Apr. 14, '79.
Second Lieutenants.
Roelting. 5 von Gosen.
6 Alberti.
Carl Strohmann, 1782. Apr. 25, '80.
Carl Hohmann, Sr., 1783. Ensigns.
1 von Axleven.
von Horn.
'Wounded at Frenchtown, on the Mississippi, January 7, 1781. — Eelking,
volume 2, p. 148.
2 Taken prisoner at Pensacola. — Almon's Remembrancer, volume 12, p. 281.
•Killed at Fort Manchac, September, 1779. — The Political Magazine, 1780,
P- 342-
4 Killed at Frenchtown, on the Mississippi, January 7, 1781. — Eelking,
volume 2, p. 148.
6 Died in New Orleans, July 20, 1781. — Eelking, volume 2, p. 152.
•Died in New Orleans, July 21, 1781. — Eelking, volume 2, p. 152.
'Left the Regiment, November 18, 1779. — Geisler, p. 584.

348 The German Allies
'Nolting [1779].
Ludwig Schmidt, 1782, '83. Apr. 14, '79.
Carl Muller, Sr., 1782, '83. Apr. 15, '79.
Hohmann, Jr.
2 Ursall.
Muller, Jr.
Philipp Wirths, 1783. Apr. 25, '82.
Bernhardt Schreiber, 1783. Aug. 25, '82.
Chaplain.
Philipp Waldeck, 1782, '83. Apr. 24, '76.
Adjutants.
Stierlein. Heinrich Jacob Knipchild, 1782, '83. Apr. 25, '80.
Quarter-Master.
Earl Wiegand, 1782, '83. Mar. 2, '76.
Auditor.
Philip Marc, 1782, '83. Mar. 2, '76.
Surgeons.
Christ. Mattern, 1782, '83. Apr. 20, '76.
1 Killed at Baton Rouge, September, 1779. — Almon' s Remembrancer, volume
9, P- 3°5-
2 Killed at the siege of Pensacola. — Gaines' New York Gazette, July 9, 1781.

In the American Revolution. 349
'Free Battalion of Hesse Hanau, 1782, 1783.
L ieutenan t- Colonel.
Michael von Janecke, 1782, '83. Jan. 4, '81.
Major.
Carl August Scheel, 1783. Jan. 5, '82.
Captains.
Just Friedrich von Franck, 1782, '83. Jan. 3, '81.
Carl Dittmar Spangenberg, 1782, '83. Jan. 4, '81.
Christ. Ludwig, Graf von Leiningen, 1782, '83.
Jan. 13, '81.
Christ. Ludwig von Schelm, 1782, '83. Jan. 15, '81.
Captain-Lieutenant.
Thylo von Westerhagen, 1782, '83. Jan. 21, '81.
First Lieutenants.
Godfried Heinrich von Kerner, 1782, '83. Jan. 14, '81.
Johann Georg Kock, 1782, '83. Jan. 15, '81.
Carl Philipp Eytelwein, 1782, '83. Jan. 16, '81.
Conrad Bernhardt Zipff, 1782. Mar. 18, '81.
Second Lieutenants.
Christian Hoelcken, 1782, '83. Jan. 14, '81.
Philipp Schaeffer, 1782, '83. Jan. 15, '81.
Friedrich Goerdewk, 1782, '83. Jan. 18, '81.
Jerome Conradi, 1782, '83. Jan. 31, '81.
Johann Godfried von Stockel, 1782, '83. Mar. 19, '81.
Friedrich Just Genner, 1782. Mar. 24, '81.
1 New York, July 16. — Yesterday embarked for Bremerlehe, in Germany.
— Gaines' New York Gazette, July 21, 1783.

350 The German Allies
Ensigns.
von Huth, 1782. Jan. 4, '81
Friedrich von Mayerfeld, 1782, '83. Jan. 6, '81
von Benckendorf, 1782. Mar. 8, '81
Nicholaus Schweinebraden, 1783. Jan. 19, '82
Wilhelm von Seiff, 1783. Jan. 20, '82
Adjutant.
Godfried Heinrich von Kerner, 1782.
Quarter-Master.
von der Velden, 1782. Surgeon.
Mentzel, 1782.

'Anhalt Zerbst, 1783.
Majors.
2 von Luttichau, 1783. Jan. 1, '80.
Wiedersheim, 1783. First Lieutenant.
von Bibra, 1783. Feb. 20, '81.
Second Lieutenants.
Rustig, 1783. June 10, '79
von Schomberg, 1783. July 19, '79
von Klapprotto, 1783. Jan. 23, '80,
von Pollnitz, 1783. ' Feb. 18, '81
Imhoff, 1783. Feb. 21, '81
von Oppen, 1783. Feb. 22, '81

1 New York, July 16. — Yesterday embarked for Bremerlehe, in Germany,
— Gaines' New York Gazette, July 21, 1783.
2 " Died since printing." — Correction to Army List of 1783.

* Walter.

In the American Revolution.
Rahl's Regiment.
Captain.
Lieutenants.

3 Kunen.
3 Mulhausen.
2 Wernick.

Ensign.

35i

' Killed at Fort Washington, November 16, 1776. — Gaines' New York
Gazette, March 17, 1777.
'Wounded at Fort Washington, November 16, 1776. — Gaines' New York
Gazette, March 17, 1777.
8 Wounded at the passage of the Bronx, October 28, 1776. — Gaines' New
York Gazette, March 17, 1777.

I. INDEX OF NAMES.

Adams, 40.
Agnew, 114.
Alberti, Lieutenant, 335.
Alberti, Captain, 48, 330.
v. Altenbockum, Captain, 66, 76.
Andre, Major, 154.
Arbuthnot, Admiral, 171, 196.
Armand, 159.
Armstrong, General, 110.
Arnold, General, 90, 135, 301.
Bach, Lieutenant, 181.
Backer, Chaplain, 338.
Bar, 94.
v. Barner, Lt.-Col., 148, 340, 348.
Baum, Captain, 13, 69, 377.
Baum, Lieut.-Col., 87, 130, 371.
v. Baumbach, Lieut., 113, 333.
Bauermeister, Major, 354
v. Benning, Colonel, 76, 198.
v. Bentheim, Lieut., 134, 358.
v. Beust, Major, 215.
Bickel, Lieutenant, 113, 161, 305.
Bill, Lieutenant, 11, 71, 277.
v. Biesenroth, Major-Gen., 70, 197.
v. Bischoffshausen, Major-Gen., 197, 369.
T. Block, Colonel, 38, 110, 269.
v. Bockum, Capt., 187.
v. Bojatzky, Colonel, 119.
v. Borbeck, Colonel, 51, 175, 269.
v. Bork, Colonel, 185, 192, 269.
v. Borning, Captain, 51.
v. Bose, General, 163, 173, 198, 369.
Braun, General, 88.
Braunsdorf, Chaplain, 338.
Brandenburg, 320.
Brethauer, Lieut.-Colonel, 66, 258.
Bremer, Colonel, 162.
Breymann, Colonel, 87, 136, 131.
Brisbon, Commodore, 163.

Brunhardt, Lieutenant, 223.
v. Bunau, Colonel, 369.
Burmeister, Captain, 11.
Burgoyne, General, 89, 135, 137, 335.
Butler, 243.
Byron, Admiral, 161.
Cadwalader, General, 77.
Campbell, Major-General, 105.
Carleton, Gen., 35, 135, 161, 332, 235.
Carleton, Major, 340.
St. Clair, General, 127.
v. Cleve, Major, 13, 244.
Clinton, J., General, 123.
Clinton, G., General, 123, 226.
Clinton, Sir H., General, 25, 154.
Collier, Admiral, 174.
Cornwallis, Lord, General, 29, 104, 184, 211.
Cooper, 256.
Corves, Lieutenant, 340.
Corvan, Ensign, 187.
v. Dahlstierna, Captain, 146.
van Dassel, 73.
v. Dechow, Major, 61, 76, 357.
v. Diemar, Captain, 151, 274.
v. Diemar, Lieutenant, 195.
v. Dieskau, Major, 168.
v. Dincklage, Major, 11, 107, 115,
198 333
Dohla, 14, 101, 190, 313, 366.
v. Donop, General, 38.
v. Donop, Captain, 34, 75, 161.
v. Donop, Colonel, 105, 116, 370.
v. Dornberg, 256.
Dupuy, Lieutenant, 113.
Du Puy, Major, 193, 197, 201.
Duplessis, Captain, 119.
Ebenauer, Lieutenant, 193.
v. Eckert, Captain, 102, 123.
v. Ehrenkrook, Lt.-Col., 126,233,25

354

Index.

Eigenbrod, Captain, 301.
v. Eitel, Colonel, 370.
Elbing, Lieut.-Col., 189.
Emmerich, Colonel, 73, 159, 227.
v. Ende, Lieut.-Col., 198.
d'Estaing, Admiral, 163, 175, 241.
Ewald, Captain, 45, 53, 75, 104, 158,
176, 201, 209, 265.
Ewing, General, 77.
v. Eyb, Colonel, 102.
v. Eyb, Captain, 123.
de Fasquel, 266.
Faucit, W., Col., 16, 88, 153, 258.
Fichtelberger, 170.
Fliess, Lieutenant, 366, 288.
Flockshaar, Sergeant, is.
v. Forstner, Lieutenant, 113.
Foy, Lieutenant, 96.
Franklin, 40.
Fraser, ]37.
Frazer, 91.
v. Fredersdorf, Captain, 134, 146.
Gage, General, 26.
Galvez, Don B., 221.
v. Gall, Colonel, 89, 126, 133, 148.
Gates, General, 213.
Gebhardt, 13.
v. Geisan, Captain, 128.
v. Gerlach, Captain, 128, 138.
Germain, Lord, 19, 107, 271.
v. Geyling, Ensign, 146.
Geyso, Lieutenant, 201.
v. Gleissenberg, Captain, 132, 146.
v. Gneisenau, 256.
Gogel, Captain, 238.
v. Goren, Lieutenant, 225.
v. Gosen, Major-General, 197, 269.
Grasse, Admiral, 233. "
v. Grammont, Captain, 106.
Granby, 33.
Grant, General, 32, 59, 64, 75, 114.
Grant, Colonel, 34.
Grau, Captain, 192.
Greene, Gen., 28, 71, 165, 199, 213.
Green, Christopher, Colonel, 117.
Grenke, Lieutenant, 27.
Grey, 114.
v. Griesheim, Captain, 52.
Griffin, Colonel, 77.
v. Grothausen, Lieutenant, 59, 70.
v. Hachenberg, Major-General, 193, 198, 269.
Hacken, Captain, 48.

v. Hacke, Captain, 227.
Haberlin, Ensign, 241.
Haldimand, General, 239.
v. Hambach, Captain, 340.
Hand, Colonel, 31.
v. Hanstein, Major, 68, 188, 358.
v. Hanxleben, Colonel, 47, 320.
v. Hatzfeld, Colonel, 331.
Haugher, Captain, 367.
v. Hayden, Lieutenant, 314.
Heath, General, 144.
v. Heeringen, Colonel, 11, 30,41,358.
v. Heister, Lt.-Gen., 23, 48, 270,273.
Heinrichs, Captain, 266.
Henel, Lieutenant, 12, 256.
Henkelmann, Lieutenant, 12.
Henndorf, Ensign, 187.
Heymel, Lieutenant, 119.
v. Heymel, Lieut.-Colonel, 186, 198.
Hildebrand, Lieutenant, 141.
Hille, Lieutenant, 119.
v. Hille, 248.
Hofmann, Captain, 218.
Hohendorf , Count, 275.
v. Hoheastein, Captain, 51.
Holper, 102.
Hopkins, Major, 148.
V. Horn, Colonel, 48. 110.
v. Horn, Major, 330, 332, 269.
Hotham, Admiral, 35, 219.
Howe, Lord K., Admiral, 26.
Howe, G., Gen., 26, 57, 82, 105, 271.
Hugget, Captain, 243.
v. Huyne, General, 57, 183, 267.
Jaritz, Lieutenant, 238.
John, Colonel, 35.
Johnson, Major, 240.
Kapp, F., 276.
Keppenau, Captain, 237.
Kimm, Lieutenant, 76.
Kleinschmidt, Lieutenant, 25.
v. Knoblauch, Major-General, 198.
v. Knyphausen, Lieut.-General,
51, 158, 189, 333, 270.
v. Kochenhausen, Lieut.-Col., 106.
Kohler, 51, 122.
K5hler, 162.
Kohler, Lieut.-Colonel, 197, 270.
Kohli, Chaplain, 94.
v. Kospoth, Gen., 162, 183, 259, 269.
v. Kreutzburg, Lieut.-Colonel,
101, 133, 336, 343, 267.
Kurtz, Colonel, 163, 369.

Index.

355

Lafayette, General, 157, 165, 303.
v. Langen, 356.
Lange, Lieutenant-Colonel, 358.
de Lauzun, Due, 310.
Lee, General, 50, 81.
St. Leger, Colonel, 93.
v. Lengerke, Colonel, 117.
Leonhardt, Lieutenant, 331.
Leslie, General, 40, 199.
Lindenberger, Lieutenant, 81.
v. Linsingen, Lieutenant, 40, 113.
v. Linsingen, Colonel, 117, 269.
Lincoln, General, 175, 184, 318.
v. d. Lippe, Captain, 25.
Littehau, Lieutenant, 238.
v. Loos, Colonel, 106, 185, 192.
v. Lorey, Captain, 40, 173.
v. Lossberg, General, 35, 167, 193,
198, 333.
Lotheisen, 11, 113, 260.
v. Lowenstein, Lieut.-Colonel, 188.
Lucke, Major, 247.
Magraw, Colonel, 51.
Mahlburger, Captain, 13, 154.
v. Maiborne, Major, 251.
v. d. Malsburg, Captain, 11, 44, 164,
198.
Martin, Captain, 12, 63, 277.
Massereau, 145.
Mathaus, Major, 12, 62, 277.
Mathias, Major, 258.
Maxwell, General, 110.
v. Medern, 51.
Melzheimer, Chaplain, 13.
v. Mengen, Lieut.-Colonel, 148, 251.
Mertz, Lieutenant, 161.
de Messey, 266.
v. Minnigerode, Colonel, 38, 106,
177, 269.
v. Mirbach, General, 32, 197, 270.
Mirabeau, 276.
v. Mohring, Lieutenant, 238.
Moller, Lieutenant, 188.
v. Molitor, Lieutenant, 168.
v. Molitor, Captain, 168.
Montgomery, 96.
Montluisant, 266.
Morgan, General, 199.
Muhlenberg, General, 214.
v. Miinchhausen, Captain, 11, 50.
Muravius, Lieutenant, 167.
Naumann, Chaplain, 238.
Noltenius, Captain, 167.

Noltin, Ensign, 221.
North, Lord, 265.
v. Ochs, General, 18, 113, 123, 157.
Ochs, A. L., Lieutenant, 266.
v. Offenbach, Lieutenant, 119.
Oliva, Chaplain, 187.
Pahmer, Lieutenant, 238.
Pakendorff, Dr., 238.
v. Papet. Major, 14, 38, 240.
Parker, Admiral, 24, 161.
Patterson, General, 196.
Pauli, Captain, 12, 277.
Pauly, Major, 34.
v. Pausch, Captain, 93.
Pentzel, Major, 48, 222.
Percy, Lord, 30, 58.
Peters, Colonel, 131.
Pfister, Major, 255, 265.
Phillips, General, 89.
Pigot, General, 163.
v. Piquet, Major, 237.
v. Plessen, Captain, 240.
Powell, 96.
Pratorius, Lieut.-Colonel, 87, 240.
Prescot, General, 81, 168.
v. Priischenk, Major, 101, 196, 227, 265,
Pulaski, 157.
Putnam, General, 33, 77.
Quesnoy, Captain, 260.
v. Kail, Colonel, 32, 51, 70, 258, 269,
276.
Rathmann, Ensign, 188.
Rau, Captain, 174, 206, 227.
v. Rauchhaupt, General, 225.
v. Rauschenplatt, Colonel, 237.
v. Ranzau, Captain, 13.
Raynal, Abbe, 276.
Recknagel, Caspar, 13.
Reineking, Lieutenant, 253.
v. Reitzenstein, Major, 169.
Reuber, Corporal, 13, 64, 82.
v. Rhetz, Colonel, 126.
v. Riedesel zu Eysenbach, Maj. -Gen ,
13, 49, 87, 126, 226, 247, 262, 271.
v. Riedesel, Madame, 140.
v. Riess, Colonel, 12, 257.
Riese, Captain, 76.
Riemann, Lieutenant, 119.
de Rochambeau, Due, 249.
v. Reder, Captain, 195.
Rodney, Admiral, 233.
Rogers, Lieut.-Colonel, 44.

356

Index.

Romstadt, Captain, 100.
Rosenberg, Captain, 340.
Rubenkonig, Sergeant, 338.
Ruff, Captain, 340.
Riiffer, Lieutenant, 12, 36.
Saarbriick Zweibrucken, Prince, 213.
Sackville, Lord, 19.
v. Schaffer, Lieut.-Colonel, 13, 198.
Schaffer, Lieutenant, 237.
Schaffer, Captain, 366.
v. Schallern, Captain, 167, 174.
v. Schaumburg, Count, 275.
v. Scheffer, Lieut.-Col., 64, 257, 276.
Scheiter, Lieut.-Col., 88.
Scheither, Corporal, 14.
v. Schick, Lieut. -Col., 106, 119,
v. Schill, Captain, 244.
v. Schlagenteuffel, Capt., 132, 240.
v. Schlammersdorf, Colonel, 225.
v. Schlieffen, 19.
v. Schlieffen, General, 257, 273.
Schmidt, 51.
v. Schmidt, Major-Gen., 197, 270.
v. Scholl, Captain, 245.
Schepf, Dr., 169, 184.
Schottelius, Captain, 128.
Schreiber, Colonel, 269.
3chreyvogel, Lieut.-Col., 107.
v. Schuchhardt, Lieutenant, 207.
v. Schuler, Colonel, 197.
v. Schuler, v. Senden, Gen., 13, 130.
Schuler, 13.
Schwabe, Lieutenant, 76.
Schwaner, Lieutenant, 301.
v. Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, Prince, 338.
Scott, Colonel, 42.
v. Seitz, Captain, 123, 169.
v. Seitz, Lieutenant, 161.
Seitz, Major, 193.
v. Seyboth, Colonel, 313, 261.
Sippel, Sergeant, 205.
Spangenberg, Lieutenant, 133.
v. Specht, Colonel, 13, 126.
v. Specht, Captain, 134.
v. Speth, Lieut.-Col, 87, 91, 139,
146, 241.
v. Stamford, Captain, 117.
Stark, Colonel, 131.
Steding, Captain, 63, 188.
Sternickel, Lieutenant, 71.
v. Steuben, General, 158, 202,
Steuernagel, 14, 220.

Stirling, General, 32, 105, 179.
v. Stirn, Major-General, 29, 270.
Stirn, 114.
St6den, Captain, 239.
Strubberg, Lieutenant, 225.
Skene, Major, 131.
Suffolk, Lord, 19.
Sullivan, General, 77, 165.
v. Tannenburg, Captain, 190.
Tarleton, Colonel, 198.
Taylor, Captain, 188.
Thoma, Captain, 240.
Trautvetter, Captain, 113.
v. Trott, Lieutenant, 201.
v. Triimbach, Lieutenant, 113.
Tryon, General, 174, 260.
Tunderfeld, Captain, 13.
Udell, General, 33.
v. Uechtritz, 110.
Valentin, General, 255.
Vaughan, General, 173.
Vierermal, Lieutenant, 238.
Villet, Colonel, 252.
v. Voight, Colonel, 101.
Wagner, Chaplain, 260.
Wagner, Captain, 119, 167.
Wahl, 65.
Waldeck, Chaplain, 14, 123, 332.
Waldeck, Ensign, 188.
Waldschmidt, Ensign, 187.
v. Wangenheim, Colonel, 117, 266.
Washington, 71, 313.
Wayne, General, 111, 174, 213.
Weedon, Colonel, 79.
Weiss, Captain, 239.
v. Weissenfels, Colonel, 142.
v. Weitersheim, Major, 225, 257.
v. Westernhagen, Captain, 114.
Wiederhold, Capt, 61, 79, 186, 193.
v. Wilmowsky, Captain, 201.
v. Wintersheim, Captain, 338.
v. Winzingerode, Lieutenant, 177.
Wolwarth, 155.
Woodhull, 33.
v. Wreden, Captain, 40, 110, 265.
v. Wurmb, Colonel, 40, 110, 114,
193, 337, 265.
v. Wurmb, Lieutenant, 119, 188.
v. Wurmb, Major-Gen., 197, 265.
v. York, 256.
v. Zengen, Ensign, 188.v
v. Zielberg, Captain, 240.
Zoll, Lieutenant, 37, 76, 187.

II. INDEX OF PLACES.

Albany, 50, 92, 129, 243, 353.
Amboy, 103.
Anhalt-Zerbst, 18, 153.
Ansbach Bayreuth, 18, 98.
Ansbach, 101, 153.
Ashley river. 179.
Assanpink, the, 60, 77.
l'Assomption, 346.
Baltimore, 81,
Bayreuth, 101.
Bedford, 38, 177.
Bergen Point, 52.
Besancourt, 248.
Berthier, 236, 246, 251.
Bethlehem, 150.
Black Point, 163.
Bloomingdale, 38, 197.
Bordentown, 54, 59.
Boston, 26, 143.
Bound Brook, 104.
Brandywine, the, 110.
Bremen, 24, 48.
Brenton's Neck, 163.
Brooklyn, 28, 226, 334.
Brooklyn Heights, 28.
Bronx River, 44.
Brunswick, 18, 53, 88, 262.
Burlington, 54, 60.
Bushwick, 37, 42.
Cambridge, 143.
Canada, 27, 89, 125,185,235, 251, 271.
Cape Charles, 109. 229.
Carleton Island, 223.
Carolina, 24, 219.
Cassel, 20, 153. 231, 260.
Catawba, the, 199.

Chadd's Ford, 110.
Chambly, 92.
Champlain Parish, 240.
Charleston, 162, 175, 199, 233.
Charlottesville, 149.
Chateaugay, 348.
Chatham, 260.
Chesapeake Bay, 81, 109, 207, 229.
Chester, 111.
Chestnut Hill, 121.
Church Bridge, 179.
Cliffs, the, 223.
Conanicut, 158.
Connecticut, 43.
Connecticut, the, 249.
Cooper River, 180.
Cork, 241,
Cowpens, 199.
Crown Point, 92, 126.
Cumberland Head, 126.
Darmstadt, 266.
Delaware, the, 53, 156, 272.
Delaware Bay, 186.
Dil worth, 110.
Dobbs' Ferry, 160, 227,
Dover, 260.
Draw Creek, 60.
Dumfries, 8i.
East Chester, 44, 172.
East River, 28, 36, 54, 195.
East River (Seconset), 163.
Edge Hill, 121.
Elbe, the, 88.
Elizabeth, 53, 104, 122, 193.
Elk, 109.

358

Index.

Fairfield, 174.
Falmouth, 83.
Fishkill, 148.
Flatbush, 38.
Fleur de Hundred, 303.
Florida, 18, 351.
Flushing, 37.
Fogland Ferry, 164.
Fort St. Anna, 129.
Fort Carillon, 137.
Fort Chambly, 95.
Fort Clinton, 133, 173.
Fort Dalrymple, 42.
Fort Edward, 129, 133.
Fort St. George, 54.
Fort George, 129, 222.
Fort Independence, 50, 127, 160.
Fort Johnstone, 178.
Fort St. John, 178.
Fort Knyphausen, 52.
Fort Lee, 50.
Fort Mercer, 117.
Fort Mifflin, 116.
Fort Miller. 131.
Fort Montgomery, 123, 172.
Fort Moultrie, 181.
Fort Niagara, 242, 252.
Fort Stanwix, 92, 130, 141.
Fort Ticonderoga, 127.
Fort Waldeck, 222.
Fort Washington, 44, 50, 60.
Frederick, 214
Fredericksburg, 82, 214.
Frederick Springs, 150.
French Village, 223.
Frogs Neck, 43.
Georgia, 151, 230. 234.
Germantown, 114, 155.
Gibraltar, 16.
Gloucester, 206.
Gowan's Bay, 28.
Gowan's Pass, 39.
Gravesend, 29.
Great Island, 96.
Greenwich, 197.
Gulf of St. Lawrence, 247,
Hackensack, 190.
Haddonfield, 158.
Halifax, 26, 161, 231, 341, 250.
Hamilton's Ferry, 178.
Hampton, 214.

Hanau, 225, 339.
Harlem, 38.
Hartford, 249.
Havannah, 90.
Hellgate, 37.
Hesse-Cassel, 18, 98.
Hesse-Hanau, 18.
Hillsborough, 199.
Holland, 274.
Holstein, 266.
Horen's Hook, 39. 63.
Hudson, the, 30, 52, 93, 101, 171, 190.
Isle Orleans, 246.
Isle aux Noix, 93, 243.
Jamaica, 219.
James Island, 178.
James River, 206.
Jericho, 197.
Jersey, 52.
John's Island, 178,
Johnson's Ferry, 62.
King's Bridge, 38, 123, 159, 171, 190.
Kips Bay, 38.
Konigshagen, 210.
Lake Champlain, 126, 244.
Lake Erie, 248.
Lake George, 139.
Lake St. Peter, 240.
Lancaster, 81. 149, 216.
La Prairie, 93, 244.
Little Egg Harbour, 187.
London, 239.
Long Island, 27, 79, 158, 189, 230
Louisiana, 331. [361.
Maidenhead, 64.
Manhattan Island, 37.
Marmaroneck, 44.
Maryland, 211.
Massachusetts, 253.
Masquinonge, 240.
Mecklenburg, 98.
Millerstown, 82.
Minden, 19.
Mississippi, the, 220.
Mobile. 219.
Mohawk, the, 92, 133.
Morris' Heights, 39.
Morristown, 189.

Index.

359

Mount Holly, 75.
Monmouth County, 78.
Montreal, 91, 236, 341, 246.
Mud Island, 116.
Narrows, the, 28.
Narragansett Bay, 163,
Neck, the, 121.
Newark, 110.
New Brunswick, 59.
Newbury, 149.
New Castle, 130.
New England, 240.
Newfoundland, 253.
New Frankfort, 82.
New Hampshire, 128. „
New Haven, 174.
New Jersey, 57, 189, 192, 272.
New Orleans, 225.
Newport, 57, 156, 169, 249.
New Rochelle, 44.
Newtown, 37, 78.
New York, 28, 54, 92, 159, 174, 184,
225, 233, 347.
Norfolk, 174.
North Carolina, 199.
Norwalk, 174.
Nova Scotia, 359.
Orange, 53.
Oriskany, 133.
Osnabriick, 19.
Oswego, 92, 248.
Paulus' Hook, 174.
Peekskill, 149.
Pells' Neck, 49.
Pennsylvania, 211.
Pennington Hill, 60.
Penobscot, 252.
Pensacola, 218.
Perdido, the, 222.
Pfaltz, the, 73. [253.
Philadelphia, 80, 105, 155, 188, 234,
Plymouth, 89, 177, 260.
Portsmouth, 24, 48, 88, 174, 202, 247,
Point au Fer, 95, 248. [260.
Point du Lac, 240.
Point Levi, 250.
Point Judith, 163
Potomac, 81.
Princeton, 53, 60, 64, 184.
Providence, 57, 164.

Prudence Island, 57.
Purisburg, 179.
Quebec, 24, 89, 192, 236, 241, 262.
Randolph Creek, 179.
Rappahannock, the. 82.
Raritan Landing, 104.
Reading, 188.
Red Bank, 116.
Redwood Hill, 166.
Reedy Island, 117.
Rhode Island, 57, 159, 237.
Richmond, 201.
Richelieu, the, 97.
Riviere la Colle, 95, 251.
Riviere du Loup, 240.
Russia, 153.
SachseGotha, 98.
Sachuest Beach, 163.
Salisbury, 148.
Sandy Hook, 24, 159, 176, 186.
Savannah, 93, 162.
Savannah River, 175.
Schuylkill, the, 121, 155.
Shelter Island, 58.
Simon's Island, 177.
Skenesborough, 139.
Skippack Creek, 114.
Sorel, 95, 236, 251.
South Carolina, 27, 175, 184.
Springfield, 193, 249.
Suffolk, 174, 206.
Sugar Hill, 128.
Sullivan's Island, 180.
Stade 94, 239.
Staten Island, 26, 184, 195, 239.
Staunton, 82.
Stillwater, 139.
Stony Point, 133, 172.
Stono Ferry, 163, 178.
Stowentown, 82.
Stuyvesant's Cove, 38.
Switzerland, 153.
St. Anna, 246.
St. Antoine, 251.
St. Charles, 251.
St Culbert, 240.
St. Dennis, 251.
St. Francois, 251.
St. Francis, 243.
St. Hyacinthe, 340.

360

Index.

St. Ives, 177.
St. John, 244.
St. Johns, 93.
St. Lawrence, the, 97, 243.
St. Sulpice, 251.
St. Valier, 246.
Tammany Hill, 165.
Tarrytown, 160.
Terrebonne, 236.
Three Rivers, 89.
Ticonderoga, 92.
Trenton, 53, 58, 186, 272.
Trois Rivieres. 97, 236, 252.
Turtle Bay, 38.
Tybee Island, 176.
Utrecht, 30.
Valentine's Hill, 44.
Valley Forge, 122.
Vanrenil, 240.
Vergeres, 92, 248.
Vermont, 248.
Verplanck's Point, 172.

Versailles, 234.
Virginia, 149, 174, 186, 311, 337.
Waldau, 100.
Waldeck, 18, 47.
Wallabout Bay, 30.
Wangeroge, 325.
Weissenfels, 339.
Weser, 225.
Westchester County, 43, 190.
Whitemarsh, 121, 155.
White Plains, 44, 60, 159.
Wilmington, 114, 120.
Williamsburg, 204.
Windmill Hill, 163.
Winchester, 181, 314.
Winter Hill, 143.
Wolfenbiittel, 83.
Wiirtemberg, 98.
Yorktown, 206.
York River, 206.
Zerbst, 238.