Rhetorical Impetus: Methods and Motivations of Hessian

 

Rhetorical Impetus: Methods and Motivations of Hessian

“Rhetorical Impetus: Methods and Motivations of Hessian Desertion” by Dylan Thomas Mask, contributed via Guilford College, examines the factors influencing desertion among Hessian troops during the American Revolutionary War. Mask analyzes both the psychological and social motivations behind soldiers leaving their units, including moral appeals, propaganda, promises of land or payment, and the hardships of military service abroad. The study also explores the methods used by American agents and insurgent networks to encourage desertion, highlighting the strategic role of psychological and informational tactics in undermining Hessian cohesion. By combining primary accounts, military correspondence, and contemporary reports, the work provides insight into the interaction between individual choice, wartime conditions, and broader military strategy, offering a nuanced perspective on the human dimension of mercenary service in 18th-century warfare.