Psychological Warfare in 1776: The Jefferson-Franklin Plan to Cause Hessian Desertions

 

Psychological Warfare in 1776: The Jefferson-Franklin Plan to Cause Hessian Desertions 

“Psychological Warfare in 1776: The Jefferson–Franklin Plan to Cause Hessian Desertions” by Lyman H. Butterfield, published in the Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society (Vol. 94, No. 3, June 20, 1950, pp. 233–241), examines the innovative use of psychological operations by the American revolutionary leadership. Butterfield analyzes a plan devised by Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin aimed at encouraging desertion among Hessian troops serving with the British army in 1776. Using primary documents from the Library of the American Philosophical Society, the article explores the methods, rationale, and effectiveness of early propaganda campaigns in the context of revolutionary warfare, shedding light on the intersection of diplomacy, intelligence, and psychological strategy in the American Revolution.

Analyses to Help Identify Individuals From a Historical Mass Grave in Kassel, Germany

Analyzes to help identify individuals from a historical mass grave in Kassel, Germany

“Analyses to Help Identify Individuals from a Historical Mass Grave in Kassel, Germany” by Philipp v. Grumbkow, Anna Zipp, Birgit Großkopf, Kai Fueldner, and Susanne Hummel, published in Anthropologischer Anzeiger (Vol. 69, No. 1, 2012, pp. 1–43), presents a multidisciplinary study aimed at identifying human remains from a historic mass grave in Kassel, Germany. The authors combine osteological, forensic, and biochemical analyses to reconstruct demographic information, cause of death, and possible identities of the individuals. The article highlights how modern anthropological methods can illuminate historical events, offering insights into population composition, health, and mortality patterns of the period.

Uniforms of the British Rocket Troops in the Napoleonic Wars

 

Uniforms of the British Rocket Troops in the Napoleonic Wars

“Uniforms of the British Rocket Troops in the Napoleonic Wars” by C. E. Franklin, published in the Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research (Vol. 81, No. 327, Autumn 2003, pp. 191–215), provides an in-depth study of the dress and equipment of Britain’s rocket troops during the Napoleonic Wars. Franklin examines uniform design, regimental distinctions, and practical adaptations that supported the troops’ specialized role in artillery and rocket deployment. Drawing on contemporary illustrations, records, and surviving artifacts, the article contextualizes these uniforms within both operational requirements and ceremonial presentation, offering valuable insights for military historians, reenactors, and enthusiasts of early 19th-century British military material culture.

The Roots of Artillery Doctrine: Napoleonic Artillery Tactics Reconsidered

 

The Roots of Artillery Doctrine: Napoleonic Artillery Tactics Reconsidered

“The Roots of Artillery Doctrine: Napoleonic Artillery Tactics Reconsidered” by Bruce McConachy, published in The Journal of Military History (Vol. 65, No. 3, July 2001, pp. 617–640), provides a critical reexamination of Napoleonic artillery tactics and their influence on the development of European artillery doctrine. McConachy analyzes the organizational innovations, battlefield deployment, and tactical employment of artillery during the Napoleonic Wars, highlighting how mobility, concentration of fire, and coordination with infantry and cavalry shaped combat outcomes. Drawing on contemporary manuals, reports, and after-action accounts, the article situates Napoleonic artillery within a broader historical framework, offering new insights into how these practices informed later 19th-century military thought. Essential reading for scholars of military history, doctrine development, and Napoleonic warfare.

NAPOLEONIC UNIFORMS

 

NAPOLEONIC UNIFORMS

---

Napoleonic Uniforms by W. A. Thorburn, published in History Today (Vol. 9, 1959, p. 610), offers a detailed examination of the uniforms and accoutrements of Napoleonic-era armies. Thorburn explores the design, color schemes, and distinctions of various regiments, providing insight into how uniforms reflected rank, unit type, and national identity. Illustrated with period examples, the article situates military dress within both practical battlefield considerations and ceremonial functions, making it a valuable reference for historians, collectors, and enthusiasts interested in Napoleonic military material culture.

Soldiers for Sale: German "Mercenaries" with the British in Canada during the American Revolution (1776-83)

 

Soldiers for Sale: 

German "Mercenaries" with the British in Canada during the American Revolution (1776-83)

by Jean-Pierre Wilhelmy, Virginia Easley DeMarce, and Marcel Trudel

Overview

A fascinating study that uncovers an important aspect of the history of the American Revolution, this account reveals how the British Army that fought the American Revolutionaries was, in fact, an Anglo-German army. Arguing that the British Crown had doubts about the willingness of English soldiers to fight against other English-speaking people in North America, the book details how the task of providing troops fell upon the princes of German States, who were relatives of England's ruling family. In return for large amounts of money, German princes and barons provided about 30,000 soldiers, many of whom were dragged unwillingly from their families and sent to fight in a war in which they had no interest. While some of the soldiers eventually melted into the French and English-speaking societies of Canada, little history has been available, not even to the descendant families. These soldiers' experiences offer new insight into the battles that took place between 1776 and 1783 and had an impact that spanned four countries.

(Book Review)

“Soldiers for Sale: German “Mercenaries” with the British in. Canada during the American Revolution, 1776-83 ”

Deutsche Verfassungsdokumente 1816 (Hessen-Kassel)

 

Deutsche Verfassungsdokumente 

1816 - 1831 (Hessen-Kassel)

Military Culture in the Reich, c. 1680–1806

 

Military culture in the Reich, c. 1680–1806

ByPeter H. Wilson

Summary

The subject of military culture has been neglected in recent writing on war and eighteenth-century central European society. A great deal is now known about the material conditions of German soldiers and their relationship to civilians, but this has yet to filter through to discussions of what might be considered military culture that is still presented through the paradigm of standing armies and absolutism. The primary focus is on Prussia as the defining German military power. The Hohenzollern monarchy is widely regarded as the most heavily militarized of all the old regime great powers. Military power not only created the state, but shaped its economic and social development, fostering a slavish subservience to authority and veneration of martial values, according to the influential 'social militarisation' thesis of Otto Büsch.Kleinstaaterei ) of the lesser principalities that are often perceived as debased, yet still more extreme versions of Prussia. Examples include Landgrave Ludwig IX of Hessen-Darmstadt and Duke Carl Eugen of Württemberg who dressed and drilled their 'miniature armies' in the Prussian manner. Better known are the 'Hessians' or auxiliaries from six principalities, including Hessen-Kassel, who fought for Britain against the American Revolutionaries and have long been regarded as the archetypal mercenaries of petty despots. In short, military culture is defined as 'militarism' and state power as despotic 'absolutism'.

A History of Germany 1715-1815

 

A History of Germany 1715-1815

A History of Germany 1715–1815 by C. T. Atkinson is a comprehensive survey of German history covering exactly the century from 1715 to 1815, originally published in 1908. Written by British historian Christopher Thomas Atkinson, who was a noted military history scholar and lecturer at Oxford, the work spans approximately 732–776 pages in various editions and includes detailed narrative along with maps and plans, making it a substantial reference for the period.

The book traces the political, diplomatic, military, and cultural development of the German lands in the 18th and early 19th centuries, beginning with the situation of the Holy Roman Empire and the German principalities after the Peace of Utrecht, moving through the reigns of Frederick William I and Frederick the Great in Prussia, the War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years’ War, and the complex diplomatic and military challenges posed by the French Revolution and Napoleon’s campaigns. It culminates with the Wars of Liberation against Napoleon, the reshaping of German territory in the Resettlement of 1803, and the Congress of Vienna in 1815, offering readers both broad context and specific campaign detail.

Published in London by Methuen & Co. in 1908, it remains a valuable (if dated) foundational text for understanding how historians of the early 20th century interpreted German and European developments in this transformative century. 

Germany and the French Revolution by G.P. Gooch

 

Germany and the French Revolution

Germany and the French Revolution by G. P. Gooch (George Peabody Gooch) is a comprehensive historical study first published in 1920 by Longmans, Green and Co., examining the impact of the French Revolution (1789–1799) on Germany—understood broadly as the German states within the Holy Roman Empire and their intellectual, political, and cultural responses to revolutionary upheaval. The English-language work runs roughly 550–560 pages, making it a substantial scholarly treatment of the topic.

In the book, Gooch explores how the ideas and events emanating from France were received across the German lands, from enthusiastic embrace by some intellectuals and writers to firm resistance among conservative rulers. He analyzes not only political reactions but also the responses of German thinkers and cultural figures—such as Goethe, Schiller, Kant, and Humboldt—situating their attitudes within broader debates about liberty, tradition, and reform. Gooch’s narrative links intellectual history with statecraft, showing how the French Revolution shaped debates about governance, society, and national identity in Germany and contributed to long-term transformations in German political culture.

The book remains a useful resource for understanding the transnational influence of the French Revolution and its complex effects on German states, societies, and intellectual life in the late 18th century, bridging continental European history with the history of ideas.

The German Policy of Revolutionary France: A Study in French Diplomacy during the War of the First Coalition, 1792-1797

 

The German Policy of Revolutionary France: 

A Study in French Diplomacy during the War of the First Coalition, 1792-1797

 (Vol. I)

The German Policy of Revolutionary France: 

A Study in French Diplomacy during the War of the First Coalition, 1792-1797 

(Vol. II)

About this book

This book is a masterpiece of scholarship, and the only comprehensive work on its subject in any language. It will prove indispensable for all students of Franco-German relations during the Revolutionary period—and since.

Sydney Biro has systematically investigated every available source. With the mass of new material coördinated and interpreted in the light of modern scholarship, he is able to guide the reader through the labyrinth of fact and fancy which surround the main issues. The reader will admire Biro's placing of thesis and antithesis, both in internal policies of France, and in foreign policies, in such a way that the narrative never flags. Fact is added to fact until each point is demonstrated, and then the story focuses on the next aspect of the subject.

French diplomacy during the years in question was colored by France's yearning for the Rhine frontier. Biro begins his work with a discussion of how the question of the Rhine frontier originated. He analyzes completely every aspect of the problem during the five years concerned, and he shows how the Rhine problem has always affected Franco-German relations. Throughout he is concerned with the economic, moral, and political considerations as well as the military ones.

The Iron Princess: Amalia Elisabeth and the Thirty Years War

The Iron Princess: Amalia Elisabeth and the Thirty Years War

About this book

Thrust into power in the midst of the bloodiest conflict Europe had ever experienced, Amalia Elisabeth fought to save her country, her Calvinist church, and her children's inheritance. Tryntje Helfferich's vivid portrait reveals how this unique and embattled ruler used her diplomatic gifts to play the great powers of Europe against one another during the Thirty Years War, while raising one of the most powerful and effective fighting forces on the continent. Stranded in exile after the death of her husband, Amalia Elisabeth stymied the maneuvers of male relatives and advisors who hoped to seize control of the affairs of her tiny German state of Hesse-Cassel. Unshakable in her religious faith and confident in her own capacity to rule, the princess crafted a cunning strategy to protect her interests. Despite great personal tragedy, challenges to her rule, and devastating losses to her people and lands, Amalia Elisabeth wielded her hard-won influence to help shape the new Europe that arose in the war's wake. She ended her reign in triumph, having secured the birthright of her children and the legalization of her church. The Iron Princess restores to view one of the most compelling political figures of her time, a woman once widely considered the heroine of the seventeenth century.

Description based upon print version of record.

Author information

Helfferich Tryntje :

Tryntje Helfferich is Assistant Professor of History at The Ohio State University at Lima.

Der Hessen-Casselsche Landtag von 1797-98

 

Der Hessen-Casselsche Landtag von 1797-98

Landesheer und Stände in Hessen-Cassel, 1797-1821

 

Landesheer und Stände in Hessen-Cassel, 1797-1821

Landesheer und Stände in Hessen‑Cassel, 1797–1821 by Adolf Lichtner, published in 1913 by Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, is a detailed historical study examining the relationship between the Landesheer (territorial army) of Hessen‑Cassel and the Landstände (representative estates) during a pivotal period spanning the aftermath of the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic era, and the post‑1815 restoration. Across approximately 218 pages, Lichtner analyzes military organization, recruitment, and funding in the context of evolving constitutional and political structures, highlighting debates over reform, fiscal pressures, and the negotiation of authority between the army and the Estates. The work situates Hessen‑Cassel’s military and political development within broader European transformations, offering a critical resource for understanding how a small German principality balanced military demands, political negotiation, and economic constraints during a period of profound upheaval.

The Hessian by Howard Fast

The Hessian

by Howard Fast

Description

Set in 1781, on the Connecticut Ridge. The American War of Independence has now moved south, but a detachment of Hessian soldiers land from a British frigate off the Sound and cause old wounds to reopen. Squire Hunt convenes the militia and seeks total revenge, leaving Evan Feversham with the question 'Is war merciless - or are men merciless Pastor?' There are times when the circumstances of life become implacable and then vou have the feeling that no force or argument or plea can alter them. One event moving in the tracks of another with the mindless, plodding motion of a great ox.'

Saturday-Night Theatre: The Hessian

Sat 31st Oct 1981, 20:30 on BBC Radio 4 FM

The Hessian tells the story of the capture, trial, and execution of a Hessian drummer boy by Americans during the Revolution. At the heart of the story is a Quaker family, who hide the boy after his landing party has been killed in an ambush. Because the captain of the Hessians had ordered the hanging of a local whom he thought might be a spy, the town militia lay in wait, massacred the Hessians, and hunted down the only survivor, Hans Pohl.

His capture and trial provide an opportunity to explore the difficult moral position that war presents, complicated by the presence of the Quaker family. The story is told from the point of view of Evan Feversham, a doctor who has seen enough of death, and an outsider in the narrow world of Puritan New England. Based on a true event.

Directed by Vanessa Whitburn, BBC Birmingham.

CAST:

Evan Feversham:……..Derek Jacobi

Alice Feversham:……..Patricia Gallimore

Squire Hunt:…….Ian Hogg

Sarah Heather:……..Hedli Niklaus

Raymond Heather:……..Steve Hodson

Sally Heather:……..Kathryn Hurlbutt

Jacob Heather:…….Shaun Ley

Hans Pohl/Saul/Clamberham:………Kerry Shale

Rodney Stephan/Colonel St August:…….Blain Fairman

John Dorset/Hessian Officer:………John Livesey

General Packenham:……..Noel Johnson

Salem Alan:……..Ston Probert

Jenny Perkins/Annie Heather:……..Liza Ross

F. Hessleman / Bosley Crippitt:………..Harry Towb

Billy/Jeb:……..Jonathan Owen

Abigail Hunt:……..Shirley Stelfox

Hessian Sergeant:……..Crawford Logan

GENERAL SIR WILLIAM HOWE'S OPERATIONS IN PENNSYLVANIA, 1777

GENERAL SIR WILLIAM HOWE'S OPERATIONS IN PENNSYLVANIA, 1777. 

The Battle on the Brandywine Creek—11 September—and the Action at Germantown—4 October

Author(s): Evan W. H. Fyers 

Source: Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research , OCTOBER, 1929, Vol. 8, No. 34 (OCTOBER, 1929), pp. 228-241

Source: Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research , JANUARY, 1930, Vol. 9, No. 35 (JANUARY, 1930), pp. 27-42

Grant’s Waterloo Intelligence: Was Dörnberg the Cause of Wellington’s Delays?

Grant’s Waterloo Intelligence: Was Dörnberg the Cause of Wellington’s Delays?

“Grant’s Waterloo Intelligence: Was Dörnberg the Cause of Wellington’s Delays?” by Peter Hofschröer, published in the Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research (Vol. 76, No. 307, Autumn 1998, pp. 163–176), investigates the role of intelligence and communication in the lead-up to the Battle of Waterloo. Hofschröer examines claims that General von Dörnberg’s actions may have contributed to delays in Wellington’s movements, analyzing dispatches, reports, and contemporary accounts to evaluate the accuracy of this assertion. The article situates the discussion within the broader context of coalition command coordination, operational decision-making, and the strategic challenges faced by Wellington and his allies, offering fresh insight into how intelligence—and its interpretation—shaped one of the most decisive campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars.

The French Revolutionary Wars

 

The French Revolutionary Wars 

Abstract

Europe's great powers formed two powerful coalitions against France, yet force of numbers, superior leadership and the patriotic fervor of France's citizen-soldiers not only defeated each in turn, but closed the era of small, professional armies fighting for limited political objectives. This period produced commanders such as Napoleon and Nelson, whose names remain a by-word for excellence to this day. From Italy to Egypt Napoleon demonstrated his strategic genius and mastery of tactics in battles including Rivoli, the Pyramids and Marengo. Nelson's spectacular sea victories at the Nile and Copenhagen were foretastes of a century of British naval supremacy.

The Wars of the French Revolution and Napoleon, 1792-1815

 

The Wars of the French Revolution and Napoleon, 1792-1815

Extract

Owen Connelly claims on the first page of this study that one has to go back to the multi-volume histories of the nineteenth century to find a work which, like that of Antoine Jomini, deals with the wars of both the French Revolution and Napoleon. It seems a bold claim, given the plethora of more recent studies of those wars, not least in English; and yet closer inspection reveals that none of them actually covers the whole period from 1792 to 1815 in the sort of sequential detail that Connelly means here. His present account attempts to fill that gap, and it does so effectively within its comparatively modest scale. It is nicely balanced overall, with nearly half the main text covering the period up to the Brumaire coup of November 1799, including Napoleon's unsuccessful Egyptian campaign of 1798–9. Moreover, it is not so much a technical study for military history specialists, but rather a work of synthesis which draws on a wide range of primary sources (notably the letters, memoirs, and histories of contemporaries) as well as secondary ones, and is aimed at a wide readership. The various military campaigns receive detailed and expert treatment, in broadly chronological order, and with the plain economy of style and humorous irony that readers familiar with the author's earlier writings will appreciate again. Furthermore, those campaigns are related throughout to the wider political history of France, of her allies, and of her enemies at different stages of the wars, during which the French eventually gained mastery of the continental mainland but were steadily eclipsed by the British at sea. One benefit of this approach is that the continuities across the whole period are evident not only in its military history more narrowly defined (armies, weaponry, logistics, and tactics) but also in the impact of war on French society—a wider human experience that affected an entire generation of soldiers and civilians alike. Other countries no doubt underwent the same experience to varying degrees, but the book's principal focus is on France. Even the ferocious Peninsular War of 1807–14 and the legendary horrors of Napoleon's Russian campaign of 1812 are examined primarily from the French angle.

The Wars of the French Revolution: 1792–1801

 

The Wars of the French Revolution: 1792–1801

The Wars of the French Revolution, 1792–1801 offers a comprehensive and jargon-free coverage of this turbulent period and unites political, social, military and international history in one volume. Carefully designed for undergraduate students, through twelve chapters this book offers an introduction to the origins and international context of the French Revolution as well as an in-depth examination of the reasons why war began. Aspects unpicked within the book include how France acquired a de facto empire stretching from Holland to Naples; the impact of French conquest on the areas concerned; the spread of French ideas beyond the frontiers of the French imperium; the response of the powers of Europe to the sudden expansion in French military power; the experience of the conflicts unleashed by the French Revolution in such areas as the West Indies, Egypt and India; and the impact of war on the Revolution itself. Offering extensive geographical coverage and challenging many preconceived ideas, The Wars of the French Revolution, 1792–1801 is the perfect resource for students of the French Revolution and international military history more broadly.

Royals and the Reich:The Princes von Hessen in Nazi Germany: The Princes von Hessen in Nazi Germany

Royals and the Reich:The Princes von Hessen in Nazi Germany: 

The Princes von Hessen in Nazi Germany

Abstract

The link between Hitler's Third Reich and European royalty has gone largely unexplored due to the secrecy surrounding royal families. Now, in Royals and the Reich, Jonathan Petropoulos uses unprecedented access to royal archives to tell the fascinating story of the Princes of Hesse and the important role they played in the Nazi regime.Princes Philipp and Christoph von Hessen-Kassel, great-grandsons of Queen Victoria of England, had been humiliated by defeat in WWI and, like much of the German aristocracy, feared the social unrest wrought by the ineffective Weimar Republic. Petropoulos shows how the princes, lured by prominent positions in the Nazi regime and highly susceptible to nationalist appeals, became enthusiastic supporters of Hitler. Prince Philipp, son-in-law to the King of Italy, became the highest-ranking prince in the Nazi state and developed a close personal relationship with Hitler and Hermann Goring. Prince Christoph was a prominent SS officer and head of one of the most important intelligence agencies in the Third Reich. In return, the princes made the Nazis socially acceptable to wealthy, high-society patrons. Prince Philipp even introduced Goring to Mussolini at a critical stage in the Nazi Party's development and later served as a liaison between Hitler and the Italian dictator. Permitted access to Hessen family private papers and the Royal Archives at Windsor Castle, Petropoulos follows the story of the House of Hesse through to its tragic denouement--the princes' betrayal and persecution by an increasingly paranoid Hitler and prosecution and denazification by the Allies.

Jonathan Petropoulos

Oxford University Press, USA, May 1, 2006 

Two Weeks in Summer Soldiers and Others in Occupied Hesse-Kassel, 14–28 July 1625

 

Two Weeks in Summer Soldiers and Others in Occupied Hesse-Kassel, 14–28 July 1625 

Abstract 

The occupation of Hesse-Kassel during the Thirty Years War has been discussed by historians like John Thiebault. This paper revisits this topic with an analysis of letters exchanged between ordinary Hessian civilians and common cavalrymen in the Liga army in July 1625. While this occupation was indeed a crisis, the relationships between these soldiers and other people were also ambivalent and contingent, including kinship. Since these relationships were inextricably meshed in the interactions between early-modern armies and their surroundings, this article discusses war and the environment. These letters help reveal early-modern military operations on the smallest scale. 

“The Rigor of the Law of Exchange”: How People Changed Commercial Law and Commercial Law Changed People (Hesse-Cassel, 1654–1776)

"THE RIGOR OF THE LAW OF EXCHANGE"

“‘The Rigor of the Law of Exchange’: How People Changed Commercial Law and Commercial Law Changed People (Hesse‑Cassel, 1654–1776)” by Colin F. Wilder, published in Zeitschrift für Historische Forschung (Vol. 42, No. 4, 2015, pp. 629–659), examines the dynamic interaction between legal structures and societal behavior in early modern Hesse‑Cassel. Wilder explores how the law of exchange—covering bills, promissory notes, and commercial contracts—both shaped and was shaped by merchants, bankers, and local authorities between 1654 and 1776. Drawing on court records, legal codes, and archival correspondence, the article highlights how commercial practices influenced legal innovation while legal frameworks, in turn, guided the conduct and decision-making of individuals in the marketplace. This study provides valuable insight into the reciprocal relationship between law, economy, and society in the context of a German principality, illustrating the broader significance of commercial law in shaping economic and social behavior.

The Highlanders in Westphalia, 1760-62: And the Development of Light Infantry

The Highlanders in Westphalia, 1760-62: And the Development of Light Infantry

“The Highlanders in Westphalia, 1760–62: And the Development of Light Infantry” by C. T. Atkinson, published in the Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research (Vol. 20, No. 80, Winter 1941, pp. 208–223), examines the role of Highland regiments during the Seven Years’ War in Westphalia and their influence on the evolution of light infantry tactics. Atkinson analyzes operational deployments, skirmishing methods, and the adaptation of traditional Highland fighting techniques to continental warfare. The article highlights how these regiments contributed to the development of flexible, mobile infantry forces, shaping broader British military doctrine. Using contemporary reports, regimental records, and campaign narratives, the study provides insight into both the tactical innovations of the period and the integration of specialized troops into larger army operations.

The Hesse-Cassel Emigrants: A New Sample of Transatlantic Emigrants Linked to Their Origins

The Hesse-Cassel Emigrants: A New Sample of Transatlantic Emigrants Linked to Their Origins

ABSTRACT

Over fifty million people emigrated from Europe between 1815 and 1930. Only a small fraction of these emigrants have been studied using data collected in their homelands. This paper presents a new sample of European emigrants who migrated from Germany in the mid-nineteenth century. The emigrants are linked to data describing the socioeconomic characteristics of their home villages. These data are promising for studying many issues in the migration literature, particularly migration behavior and the causes of emigration.

The Decision to Hire German Troops in the War of American Independence: Reactions in Britain and North America, 1774–1776

The Decision to Hire German Troops in the War of American Independence: Reactions in Britain and North America, 1774–1776

“The Decision to Hire German Troops in the War of American Independence: Reactions in Britain and North America, 1774–1776” by Friederike Baer, published in Early American Studies (Vol. 13, No. 1, Winter 2015, pp. 111–150), examines the political, social, and public reactions to Britain’s decision to employ German auxiliaries (commonly called Hessians) during the early years of the American Revolutionary War. Drawing on newspapers, pamphlets, parliamentary records, and private correspondence, Baer analyzes how this decision was debated and perceived on both sides of the Atlantic. The article explores the rationale for hiring German troops, concerns about mercenary forces, and the influence of public opinion on policy, shedding light on the transatlantic political and cultural context surrounding Britain’s controversial military strategy. 

"Patrimonial" Bureaucracy and "Rational" Policy in Eighteenth-Century Germany: The Case of Hessian Recruitment Reforms, 1762-93

"Patrimonial" Bureaucracy and "Rational" Policy in Eighteenth-Century Germany: The Case of Hessian Recruitment Reforms, 1762-93

“‘Patrimonial’ Bureaucracy and ‘Rational’ Policy in Eighteenth-Century Germany: The Case of Hessian Recruitment Reforms, 1762–93” by Peter K. Taylor, published in Central European History (Vol. 22, No. 1, March 1989, pp. 33–56), examines the tension between traditional administrative practices and emerging rationalized governance in 18th-century Hessen. Focusing on military recruitment reforms between 1762 and 1793, Taylor explores how the Hessian state sought to modernize its army while contending with a patrimonial bureaucracy rooted in local privilege and customary practice. Using archival records, official correspondence, and contemporary policy documents, the article highlights the complex interplay between reformist policy initiatives and entrenched administrative structures, offering insight into the challenges of state modernization and the development of military administration in early modern Germany.

Sir Henry Clinton's Journal of the Siege of Charleston, 1780

 

Sir Henry Clinton's "Journal of the Siege of Charleston, 1780" 

“Sir Henry Clinton’s ‘Journal of the Siege of Charleston, 1780’” by Henry Clinton, edited by William T. Bulger, published in The South Carolina Historical Magazine (Vol. 66, No. 3, July 1965, pp. 147–174), presents a primary-source account of the British siege and capture of Charleston during the American Revolutionary War. The journal, written by General Sir Henry Clinton, details military operations, troop movements, siege tactics, and logistical challenges, offering insight into the British perspective on one of the most significant southern campaigns of 1780. Bulger’s editorial notes provide contextual background and analysis, situating Clinton’s account within the broader strategic and political environment of the war. The article is an essential resource for historians studying British strategy, the southern theater, and the conduct of siege warfare during the Revolution.

A British View of the Siege of Charleston, 1776

 

A British View of the Siege of Charleston, 1776 

“A British View of the Siege of Charleston, 1776” by Frances Reece Kepner, published in The Journal of Southern History (Vol. 11, No. 1, February 1945, pp. 93–103), offers a detailed analysis of British perspectives on the early Revolutionary War siege of Charleston. Drawing on official reports, correspondence, and contemporary accounts, Kepner examines British strategy, troop movements, and command decisions, highlighting the objectives and challenges faced by the attacking forces. The article provides insight into how British commanders interpreted the campaign, assessed American resistance, and planned operations, contributing to a deeper understanding of the southern theater of the American Revolution from the British viewpoint.

The Evacuation of Charleston by the British in 1782

 The Evacuation of Charleston by the British in 1782 

“The Evacuation of Charleston by the British in 1782” by Joseph W. Barnwell, published in The South Carolina Historical and Genealogical Magazine (Vol. 11, No. 1, January 1910, pp. 1–26), provides a detailed account of the British military withdrawal from Charleston at the close of the American Revolutionary War. Barnwell examines the planning and execution of the evacuation, including the organization of troop movements, the transportation of artillery and supplies, and the orderly withdrawal of garrisoned regiments such as the Royal Highlanders and Hessian auxiliaries. He also details the defensive measures maintained during the departure, coordination with naval forces, and management of loyalist civilians and prisoners. The article highlights the logistical challenges and tactical decisions involved in withdrawing from a major fortified city while minimizing losses and maintaining discipline, offering critical insight into the operational complexities of late-war British campaigns in the southern theater.

Lieutenant John Wilson's "Journal of the Siege of Charleston"

Lieutenant John Wilson's "Journal of the Siege of Charleston"

“Lieutenant John Wilson’s ‘Journal of the Siege of Charleston’” by John Wilson, edited by Joseph Ioor Waring, published in The South Carolina Historical Magazine (Vol. 66, No. 3, July 1965, pp. 175–182), presents a firsthand account of the British siege of Charleston in 1780 from the perspective of a junior officer. Wilson’s journal details day-to-day operations, troop deployments, and battlefield conditions, including the positioning of British and Loyalist forces, the construction and use of siege works, artillery placements, and coordination among infantry and support units. The narrative also describes skirmishes, defensive maneuvers, and logistical challenges, providing insight into the planning and execution of a major southern campaign. Supplemented by Waring’s editorial notes, the article situates Wilson’s observations within the broader operational and strategic context of the Revolutionary War, making it a valuable resource for understanding both the military conduct of the siege and the experiences of officers on the ground.

The British Occupation of Charleston, 1780-1782

 

The British Occupation of Charleston, 1780-1782

“The British Occupation of Charleston, 1780–1782” by Alexander R. Stoesen, published in The South Carolina Historical Magazine (Vol. 63, No. 2, April 1962, pp. 71–82), examines the two-year British military occupation of Charleston during the American Revolutionary War. Stoesen details the organization and garrisoning of troops, defensive fortifications, and strategic control of the harbor and surrounding approaches, highlighting how British commanders managed both military operations and civil order in a hostile environment. The article also explores logistical challenges, including provisioning soldiers, maintaining artillery, and coordinating with Loyalist units, while addressing skirmishes, patrols, and intelligence operations against Patriot forces. By combining operational, tactical, and administrative perspectives, Stoesen provides a comprehensive view of British military strategy and governance during the southern campaign, offering insight into the challenges of holding a key city deep in contested territory.

The British Invasion From the North: The Campaigns of Generals Carleton and Burgoyne, From Canada, 1776-1777

The British Invasion From the North

The British Invasion From the North: The Campaigns of Generals Carleton and Burgoyne, From Canada, 1776–1777, With the Journal of Lieut. William Digby, of the 53d, or Shropshire Regiment of Foot is a primary‑source‑based military history edited with extensive notes by James Phinney Baxter. It was originally published in 1887 by Joel Munsell’s Sons in Albany, New York as #16 of Munsell’s Historical Series and runs about 412 pages with a frontispiece, several plates and portraits, and an index. The text combines narrative history of the British campaigns launched from Canada against the rebellious American colonies in 1776 and 1777—including General Sir Guy Carleton’s advance along the Lake Champlain corridor and General John Burgoyne’s later push southward toward Saratoga—with the journal of Lieutenant William Digby of the 53rd (Shropshire) Regiment of Foot, whose manuscript accounts of the operations form the backbone of the work. The journal material, printed for the first time from Digby’s manuscript held in the British Museum, is accompanied by Baxter’s historical notes and contextualization of troop movements, engagements, and the strategic background of the northern theater of the American Revolutionary War. This blend of firsthand observation and editorial scholarship makes the book a valuable resource for understanding these northern campaigns and the experiences of British regulars in some of the conflict’s pivotal operations.