German Americans In The American Revolution

Considered the definitive history of the involvement of German-Americans in the American Revolution, this work was originally published in 1908 and has long been out of print. It focuses on Pennsylvania and surrounding colonies, where the colonial German element was concentrated, and contains extensive biographical information of value to genealogists and historians. Although only about ten percent of the U.S. population were German-Americans, they overwhelmingly supported the Revolution. In 1776, Congress raised a German-American regiment which fought in many battles and spent the winter of 1777-78 at Valley Forge with General George Washington, whose personal bodyguard was a German-American unit. It is said that the American troops were German trained, fed, and led, as Baron von Steuben served as inspector-general, Christopher Ludwig as superintendent of baking, and Heinrich Lutterloh as quartermaster-general. Of General Nicholas Herkimer, commander of several German-American battalions from New York, General Washington wrote, "It was Herkimer who first reversed the gloomy scene...he served from love of country, not for reward." This useful work also contains numerous lists of soldiers, a surname index and a subject index. Dr. Tolzmann has edited several German-American works offered by Heritage Books; here he fills the gap in the general knowledge pertaining to the role of German-Americans in the War of Independence.

Discusses the history and contributions of the Germans in America from colonial times to the present, noting prominent German Americans throughout American history.

During the American Revolution (1775–83), German auxiliary troops provided a vital element of the British war effort. Some 30,000 German troops served in North America, continuing a long-established relationship between Britain and various German principalities. These troops were widely referred to as mercenaries, implying that they sold their services individually, but they were in fact regular troops hired as a body by the British. Initially feared by the American population, the German troops came to be highly respected by their opponents. Their role in the fighting would inform the tactics and methods of a generation of German officers who returned to Europe after the war, many of whom went on to hold senior commands during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars. The largest body of German troops was from Hessen-Cassel. The only German contingent to be employed as a unit under its own general officers, they were clothed and equipped in the style of Frederick the Great's Prussians and were trained in much the same way. Many had seen active service during the Seven Years' War (1756–63) and served under career officers; they were well-disciplined and competent but showed little overt enthusiasm for the British cause. The troops of Hessen-Cassel would participate in every major campaign of the conflict, with the specialized skills of the famous Jäger being particularly in demand. Fully illustrated, this lively study examines the organization, appearance, weapons, and equipment of the Hessen-Cassel troops who fought for King George in the American Revolution.

Describes why many Germans immigrated to the United States and how they adapted to their new environment.

The Royal German Regiment Zweibrucken, led by Prince Christian von Zweibrucken, is the focal point of this publication, which is based upon a heretofore unpublished manuscript by H.A. Rattermann found among the papers in the Rattermann Collection at the University of Illinois-Urbana by the noted German-American authority, Don Heinrich Tolzmann, who also edited the manuscript for publication. Rattermann's account follows Prince Zweibrucken and his charges from April 15, 1780, when they sailed for America. After landing in Newport, Rhode Island on July 11, Zweibrucken's unit encamped at various places in New England. During the spring and summer of the following year, They were instrumental in launching feint attacks against British General Henry Clinton's forces in New York, while a large American army was beginning to amass against Cornwallis in Virginia. The German unit eventually arrived in Williamsburg on September 26, 1781, and from October 14-17, contributed to the U.S. victory at Yorktown.

This book is a volume in the Penn Press Anniversary Collection. To mark its 125th anniversary in 2015, the University of Pennsylvania Press rereleased more than 1,100 titles from Penn Press's distinguished backlist from 1899-1999 that had fallen out of print. Spanning an entire century, the Anniversary Collection offers peer-reviewed scholarship in a wide range of subject areas.

A history of the German people in the United States.

Represents the German-American experience in the United States. Provides a German-American Chronology section to assist with orientation in historical time. Includes some of the key events in the history of Germany.