The German Allied Troops in the North American War of Independence, 1776-1783

Britain's German Army at War

The Hessian became something of a 'bogey-man' to the revolutionary period American citizen. Already outraged at the treatment they had received at the hands of the government of the country which they could not fail to regard as a motherland, this new enemy-a veritable viper in the bosom-had the temerity to unleash not only savages upon them, but foreign troops-foreign speaking mercenaries-to subdue its own aggrieved people. This is the stuff that good propaganda is made of and unfortunately, in wartime, events will inevitably occur that underline the brutality of the enemy irrespective of his hue or uniform. Mercenary service was very well known and widely practiced up to and during the 18th century, though the Americas had little opportunity to see anything of it to that date. Furthermore, a German sat on the throne of England and the young men of central Europe offered the Hanoverian household military service until the Napoleonic Wars when the King's German Legion became highly regarded for its performance in both the Peninsular War and during the Waterloo campaign. This book, written by a German historian, seeks to redress the balance of popular opinion by a re-examination of the activities of German troops under British command during the American War of Independence. Naturally, it is a partial view, but readers may be surprised to learn of the deeds of these troops who, for all that may be said against them, were acknowledged by both sides to be the finest of soldiers.
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