Hessian graves

[Phil14th/Bkln]

(This idea came to me while following the discussion on Liberty ship preservation)

 

There is an old churchyard near me that predates the Revolution. My part of Long Island was occupied by the British and they used Hessian mercs extensively. Some of them died and were buried in this little final resting place. Soon after their deaths small headstones were erected (as the local legend goes). But after the Revolution the foul taste left by their presence caused some locals to smash the headstones and left no trace of who is buried.

 

I'm told that some attempt to replace the stones was made with the same outcome. Time passed. 200 years of time. Many but not all of the graves are marked with an ordinary field stone. Perhaps fifteen of them, with spaces in between to indicate more remains.

 

I became aware of the graves on a Veteran's Day when local reenactors, some in Colonial uniforms, some in Hessian uniform, held a tribute to fallen soldiers. The fired a few musket volleys. Interesting flurry of sentiments.

 

These men because of their actions, if seen through the lens of time, would be war criminals. But those were different times. The cemetery grounds keeper mows the grass around the stones. Beyond that, they get no attention what-so-ever.

 

Should they?

[Bob Hudson]

Actually the Hessians were not at all mercenaries and certainly not "war criminals." I doubt that any of them them volunteered to fight a British war thousands of miles from home: they were pretty much forced into it, drafted into service from the various principalities that later became Germany. "The state of Hessen-Kassel sent 17,000 officers and soldiers, Hesse-Hanau sent 2,422 men officers and men, while other so-called "Hessians" "actually came from all over what is now Germany. Brunswick sent 5,723 men, Waldeck sent 1,225 men, Brandenburg-Anspach sent 1,040 men, and Anhals-Zerbst sent 1,119 men."

 

My fifth great-grandfather was drafted at age 17 and like the other draftees, endured a 3-month long voyage to the North America. If I recall the story correctly, the prince of Hessen-Kassel was related by marriage to King George of England and owed him lots of money. To pay off his debt he sold his subjects into service with the British army. As noted in wikipedia:

 

"The troops were not mercenaries in the modern sense of military professionals who voluntarily hire out their own services for money. As in most armies of the eighteenth century, the men were mainly conscripts, debtors, or the victims of impressment; some were also petty criminals. Pay was low; some soldiers received nothing but their daily food. The officer corps usually consisted of career officers who had served in earlier European wars. The revenues paid for the men's service went back to the German royalty. Nevertheless, some Hessian units were respected for their discipline and excellent military skills."

 

As for that last part about them having "excellent military skills" - during the American Revolution the colonials started a propaganda effort to make the Hessians seem like ruthless devil dogs, when in fact they were mostly, as noted above, inexperienced draftees. But in an era when colonial militias had little or no discipline and men were free to fight or not, the Hessians had no choice but to hold the line under fear of death from their own commanders if they did not. And being a "skilled soldier" in those days basically meant you marched shoulder-to-shoulder toward your opponents, firing on command and not breaking formation.

 

About 7,000 Hessians were buried in America: 5,000 settled in North America, both in the United States and Canada after the war. My ancestor was taken POW after the Battle of Saratoga and escaped while the POW's were being marched south to Virginia. It has been said that the Colonials marched the Hessian POW's through German communities (which was most of Pennsylvania and Maryland in those days) in hopes they would escape and thus the Colonials would no longer have to feed them. It worked: my ancestor escaped on January 3, 1779 at Taneytown, Maryland, met a woman from the local German community, got married and founded the town of Claysburg, Pennsylvania (a two-story log house he built there in 1802 is still being rented out for housing).

 

The Hessians were so vilified during the war that many descendants of Hessians who stayed here made up stories about how their ancestor deserted the British forces to join the side of the freedom-loving colonials. My research leads me to believe that 99.9% of those stories are bunk. Several years ago I wrote a short article about it which you can read here: Great-great-great-great-grandpa jumped ship and became a patriot!

 

 

Okay so back to your question about Hessian graves in the US: wouldn't you hope that if there are American boys buried on foreign shores that someone there is looking after their gravesites? As with the Hessians, they were nothing more than scared boys sent overseas to fight wars they really didn't understand, obeyed orders as best they could and their main goal was to be able to make it home to their families and loved ones.

[Robswashashore]

Heartily concur... :think:

[bobgee]

Also concur. Great story and history, Bob. Thanks for sharing. I learned something new this AM! Semper Fi.....Bob

[USMCR79]

I think that a soldier who serves honorably no matter what side, deserves to have his final resting place marked.

 

Some may disagree, but in the early days of the Korean War there were mass graves of U.S. Soldiers and Marines in North Korea, do they deserve an unmarked grave?

 

Bill

[hawkdriver]

There is a group of German sailors that were executed at Leavenworth during WWII, they were buried in the cemetary there and cared for just like the rest of the graves. I'm not sure if they are still there or were exhumed and returned to Germany. At Ft. Riley, until several years ago, there were several Japanese soldiers graves that were also maintained to the same standard of the other graves. I see these Hessian graves as the same and should be cared for with the same integrity and respect as if we found colonial graves, because that is what we do.

[capa]

There is a group of German sailors that were executed at Leavenworth during WWII, they were buried in the cemetary there and cared for just like the rest of the graves. I'm not sure if they are still there or were exhumed and returned to Germany. At Ft. Riley, until several years ago, there were several Japanese soldiers graves that were also maintained to the same standard of the other graves. I see these Hessian graves as the same and should be cared for with the same integrity and respect as if we found colonial graves, because that is what we do.

 

 

I concur!

[Bob Hudson]

Also concur. Great story and history, Bob. Thanks for sharing. I learned something new this AM! Semper Fi.....Bob

 

I thought it was an unusual coincidence that my wife and I each have ancestors from both side of the Revolutionary War: I had one in the militia from Pennsylvania that I know of, and the Hessian. She had an Continental Army ancestor from Massachusetts, and Loyalist ancestors from New York who sided with the British because they were descended from Huguenots and hated Catholic France (which of course supported the Colonial Americans).

 

My own thoughts from doing genealogy is that just as not all forces under British control (i.e. the Hessians) were gung ho about the war, so were the colonials not all of one mind about going to war against King George. If you consider the colonials were mostly fairly recent immigrants from or children and grandchildren of immigrants from England and and what is now Germany, then the Revolution had some of the brother-against-brother aspect of the American Civil War and its own cousin-against-cousin aspect as the European armies came to fight the Colonials. Even within colonial families there were Loyalists and Revolutionaries. And then there were some of the settlers in places like western PA and MD who probably didn't care who ran the government and just wanted to be left alone and not drawn into a war they thought did not concern them.

 

So maybe the fact that both my wife and I have ancestors who were on different sides is more common than we think. 450-500,000 people - between 15 and 20 percent of the white population of the colonies - were Loyalists according to some estimates and after the war an estimated 60-100,000 of them relocated to Canada, often at British government expense. That still left as many as perhaps 400,000 "Americans" who had supported the "enemy" in the American revolution: many millions of current day Americans are descended from them.

 

I think the paradox of the American Revolution is best characterized by my fifth great-grandfather, old John Zeth (as he became known in post-Revolution America):

 

I tell people he fought for the British and surrendered to Benedict Arnold.

 

I love to watch their faces when I tell that story as they never knew that before becoming a hated traitor, he was a great Colonial general who George Washington called, "an officer who had rendered such distinguished services to his country..."

 

The Hessian from the British forces went on to found a small part of the USA and the great American general was exiled after becoming the enemy of the uniting states of America.

 

Perhaps the great result of the American revolution is that, unlike so much of previous history in Europe, the victors did not string up the opposition or chop off their heads and place them on poles, and instead went on to unify fiercely independent colony states and disparate peoples in a way that had never been done before (and has seldom been done since in the wake of armed revolution).

[Sabrejet]

Hi FS. As a "representative" of the former colonial power :blushing: I congratulate you on the very interesting and concise account of the particular aspect of the Revolutionary War which you've outlined above, and of which I was hitherto unaware. As I've said before..I learn something new on this forum every day. Thank you.

[hawkdriver]

I have a medic with me here in Iraq who's incestral heritage is German. His grandfather was in Germany in the late 30's, he didn't like what Hitler was doing to his country, so he left and came to the US to join the Marines to fight against Hitler. He was sent to the Pacific and did his tour there. After the war, went back to Germany. In his collection is all his Marine uniforms and equipment along with his two brother's Nazi uniforms. Also amongst those uniforms is the great great grandfathers Hessian uniform that he wore while he was in the US fighting with the Brits. Interesting and colorful history.

[Manchu Warrior]

This thread reminded me of ceremonies that are held once a year at Fort Meade. The ceremonies are held to honor the thirty three German POWs that are buried in the post cemetery. To include Werner Henke, the commander of U-515, he was captured after his U-Boat was sunk by the US Navy. Henke thought wrongly that he was going to be tried as a war criminal and he was eventually shot and killed while trying to escape during an interrogation in 1944.

http://www.ftmeadesoundoff.com/news/2606/g...ows-remembered/

[Phil14th/Bkln]

The Hessians in question here were buried with dignity, assuming by their comrades or their British paymasters, or by indentured Colonials under duress. The graves have no headstones but are clean and undisturbed. That is since the people who experienced their presence first destroyed the stones.

They seem to be getting as much "honor" as any other forgotten 200 year old grave in this old churchyard. Would anyone say they need more? And if so, by who and on whose dime? Or should they just continue to fade away?

 

Towards honoring or at least not disturbing the graves of enemy combatants: Lafayette was buried in France with an American flag over his coffin. The flag was changed to reflect the changes in the flag over the centuries. When the Germans conquered France in WWII they imposed their flag (or the Vichy) all over. But they did not interfere with the flag of a presumed and soon to be, actual enemy to hang over a war hero of two nations.

 

While it is hoped that an enemy nation will honor American and Allied remains. We know that is not happening. Visions of Somalia come first, but visions of decapitations and missing remains follow shortly after. Are we bound by our ethics when others see it as weakness? And should we be?

[Jack's Son]

Hi FS. As a "representative" of the former colonial power :blushing: I congratulate you on the very interesting and concise account of the particular aspect of the Revolutionary War which you've outlined above, and of which I was hitherto unaware. As I've said before..I learn something new on this forum every day. Thank you.

Now Sabrejet, try and follow me on this..........

If FS GGGGGrandfather was either captured, or deserted during the Revolutionary war, his debt to the Crown was never paid off. Therefore, that debt (being hereditary) is passed along to his offspring.... :pinch: ......ergo.......

Being the loyal subject that you are, you would have to alert the authorities to the were abouts of the crown debtor.

I'm sure you will get a reward for your dogged effort to bring the rescale to justice.

[hawkdriver]

Has anyone in your community thought of contacting the German government and asking if they would be interested in returning the remains to their country? If there is names on any of the headstones, the Germans were fairly meticulous with records and they may be able to identify family.

[Bob Hudson]

Now Sabrejet, try and follow me on this..........

If FS GGGGGrandfather was either captured, or deserted during the Revolutionary war, his debt to the Crown was never paid off. Therefore, that debt (being hereditary) is passed along to his offspring.... :pinch: ......ergo.......

Being the loyal subject that you are, you would have to alert the authorities to the were abouts of the crown debtor.

I'm sure you will get a reward for your dogged effort to bring the rescale to justice.

 

Please don't: they're still after me for once confusing Princess Anne with Ozzy Osbourne

[Sabrejet]

To the Tower..... and off with his head! Damned, impudent colonial!!

 

Ian

[Phil14th/Bkln]

Hesse (I think that's how it is spelled) was an independent state then. Would Hesse now foot the bill (and for what)> Or the central German government? And since field stones have been in place for two hundred years, isn't that now historical and traditional.

 

I would let things be. But the devil in me, would be curious. I will open a dialogue with their website and if they don't shut me down as a lunatic, I'll get back to the forum on their reply. In the meantime, shall we continue?

[Bob Hudson]

Hesse (I think that's how it is spelled) was an independent state then. Would Hesse now foot the bill (and for what)> Or the central German government?

 

Actually Great Britain would be responsible. But since they took Madonna, we'll call it even.

[Allan H.]

Please don't: they're still after me for once confusing Princess Anne with Ozzy Osbourne

 

FS- You thought that Ozzy was the good-looking one who spoke better English? :w00t:

 

Allan

[Phil14th/Bkln]

"Great Britain would be responsible. But since they took Madonna, we'll call it even. "

Correct. The Brits hired them. They should pay for a marker. Anyone want to handicap this? What if they offer Madonna back?

[Jack's Son]

"Great Britain would be responsible. But since they took Madonna, we'll call it even. "

Correct. The Brits hired them. They should pay for a marker. Anyone want to handicap this? What if they offer Madonna back?

Okay,

The Brits pay for the markers, we do the upkeep. :think:

ONLY if they keep Madonna, give her U.K. citizenship (of course, she renounces her U.S. citizenship),

but we give her 3, two week visits with no visa restrictions per year (no hubby or kids). :twothumbup:

[Phil14th/Bkln]

Not so fast. St. Luke's, the church that owns the graveyard already takes care of the place pretty well. They mow the grass. Nothing else needs to be done. If the Brits or the Germans pay for that, even better. And if it were up to me, a small plaque would be a good trade off. Maybe engrave something pithy on one of Madonna's metal bras?

[bobgee]

Has anyone in your community thought of contacting the German government and asking if they would be interested in returning the remains to their country? If there is names on any of the headstones, the Germans were fairly meticulous with records and they may be able to identify family.

 

 

I doubt that they would do that but they might pony up for a nice memorial marker to be placed at the cemetery. You never know!

Bobgee

[teufelhunde.ret]

ONLY if they keep Madonna, give her U.K. citizenship (of course, she renounces her U.S. citizenship),

 

Wrong one - Jane Fonda! :packin heat:

[Bob Hudson]

One of the moderators contacted me after reading this: his family is from town founded by Hessian John Zeth and he a quick check of ancestry.com shows that he too may be descended from Zeth.

 

As mentioned above, many descendants of Hessians concocted stories about how their ancestor had defected to the colonial side and fought for freedom. That same story was concocted for Zeth: I was contacted by someone from Claysburg about 10 years ago in regards to some sort plaque for residents who had been patriots in the revolution. Zeth's name was going on the plaque even though, as I told them, there is zero evidence he took up arms for the colonials and in fact the evidence is all to the contrary. But I guess it's not proper to have your town's founder being an unrepentant Hessian, especially considering that the Hessians undeserved reputation continues to today.