The "German Battalion" (also known as the "German Regiment" or 8th Maryland) was an infantry formation of the
Continental Army during the
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...
. Authorized in May 1776 as an
extra Continental regiment, the battaltion recruited ethnic
Germans
, native_name_lang = de
, region1 =
, pop1 = 72,650,269
, region2 =
, pop2 = 534,000
, region3 =
, pop3 = 157,000
3,322,405
, region4 =
, pop4 = ...
from
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
and
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
.
The
Continental Congress appointed
Nicholas Haussegger to command the battalion, which initially organized in the strength of eight companies. While the unit assembled at
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
, a ninth company was added. It fought at
Trenton in December 1776, where its men called out in
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
for the
Hessians to lay down their arms.
A week later, the German Battalion was in action at
Assunpink Creek
Assunpink Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 tributary of the Delaware River in western New Jersey in the United States.Gertler, Edward. ''Garde ...
where a number of its troops were captured, including Haussegger. The next day, the unit fought at
Princeton
Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ni ...
. After Haussegger defected to the British,
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...
appointed the Prussian volunteer
Henry Leonard d'Arendt to command the battalion. The battalion served with the 1st Virginia Brigade at
Brandywine Brandywine may refer to:
Food and drink
*Brandy, a spirit produced by distilling wine
*Brandywine tomato, a variety of heirloom tomato
Geographic locations Canada
* Brandywine Falls Provincial Park, British Columbia
* Brandywine Mountain, British ...
and
Germantown Germantown or German Town may refer to:
Places
Australia
* Germantown, Queensland, a locality in the Cassowary Coast Region
United States
* Germantown, California, the former name of Artois, a census-designated place in Glenn County
* Ge ...
in September and October 1777. The following June the German Battalion fought at
Monmouth. Late in 1778, the unit was assigned to
Edward Hand
Edward Hand (31 December 1744 – 3 September 1802) was an Irish soldier, physician, and politician who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, rising to the rank of general, and later was a member of several Pennsyl ...
's brigade and served in the
Sullivan Expedition
The 1779 Sullivan Expedition (also known as the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition, the Sullivan Campaign, and the Sullivan-Clinton Genocide) was a United States military campaign during the American Revolutionary War, lasting from June to October 1779 ...
in the summer of 1779. The battalion transferred to the
New Jersey Brigade before being disbanded in January 1781.
History
Formation
Unable to recruit sufficient numbers of soldiers to put down the
American Revolution
The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...
, the British government hired mercenary soldiers from
Hesse-Kassel
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel (german: Landgrafschaft Hessen-Kassel), spelled Hesse-Cassel during its entire existence, was a state in the Holy Roman Empire that was directly subject to the Emperor. The state was created in 1567 when the Lan ...
,
Brunswick, and four other German states. Americans were infuriated by this policy and colonial propagandists made the most of their opportunity. Prompted by the controversy, the
Continental Congress determined to raise a unit from Americans of German descent. What became known as the German Battalion was authorized on 25 May 1776 as an
Extra Continental Regiment. Pennsylvania and Maryland each raised four companies from their ethnic German populations. Congress appointed
field officers
A senior officer is an officer of a more senior grade in military or other uniformed services. In military organisations, the term may refer to any officer above junior officer rank, but usually specifically refers to the middle-ranking group of ...
from prominent figures in the German community.
Major Nicholas Haussegger of the
4th Pennsylvania Battalion was made
colonel
Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations.
In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...
in command of the battalion.
Captain George Stricker of Maryland was promoted
lieutenant colonel and Ludowick Weltner of Maryland was elevated to major. On 17 July the ninth company was recruited from Pennsylvanians at the urging of
George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...
as a way to employ
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the ...
veteran
Lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...
John David Woelper of the
3rd Pennsylvania Battalion.
The German Battalion was assigned to the Middle Department on 27 June 1776. The unit organized at
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
during the period 6 July to 25 September and it was assigned to the main army on 23 September. The five Pennsylvania companies came from the eastern part of the state.
Frederick Frederick may refer to:
People
* Frederick (given name), the name
Nobility
Anhalt-Harzgerode
*Frederick, Prince of Anhalt-Harzgerode (1613–1670)
Austria
* Frederick I, Duke of Austria (Babenberg), Duke of Austria from 1195 to 1198
* Frederick ...
and
Baltimore Counties in Maryland each provided two companies.
[Wright (1989), 320] A
Bernese Swiss veteran of the French and Indian War who settled in
Lebanon, Pennsylvania
Lebanon () is a city in and the county seat of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,814 at the 2020 census. Lebanon is located in the central part of the Lebanon Valley, east of Harrisburg and west of Reading.
...
,
[Weaver, ''German Battalion traitor'']
/ref> Haussegger was promoted on 17 July 1776.[Boatner (1994), 494] Because he was serving in the north, he found out about his promotion in August and did not arrive in Philadelphia until October.[
A strength return from 22 December 1776 showed that the battalion mustered 374 soldiers under Haussegger's command. Together with the 254-man 1st Continental Regiment of ]Edward Hand
Edward Hand (31 December 1744 – 3 September 1802) was an Irish soldier, physician, and politician who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, rising to the rank of general, and later was a member of several Pennsyl ...
, the battalion served in Matthias Alexis Roche de Fermoy Matthias Alexis Roche de Fermoy (c. 1737 – after 1778) was a French volunteer soldier who served as a brigadier general in the Continental Army. Born in the West Indies, he was one of several foreigners given command positions in the army in ...
's brigade. The unit fought in the Battle of Trenton on 26 December. Fermoy's brigade marched with the left column which was accompanied by George Washington
George Washington (February 22, 1732, 1799) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Father who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797. Appointed by the Continental Congress as commander of ...
. When the column deployed for battle, Hugh Mercer
Hugh Mercer (16 January 1726 – 12 January 1777) was a Scottish-born American military officer and physician who participated in the Seven Years' War and Revolutionary War. Born in Pitsligo, Scotland, he studied medicine in his home country ...
's brigade was on the right, Adam Stephen
Adam Stephen ( – 16 July 1791) was a Scottish-born American doctor and military officer who helped found what became Martinsburg, West Virginia. He emigrated to North America, where he served in the Province of Virginia's militia under Georg ...
and Lord Stirling's brigades in the center and Fermoy's brigade on the left. Early in the combat, Washington moved Fermoy's brigade to the east to prevent the Hessian defenders from retreating north to Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a municipality with a borough form of government in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township, both of whi ...
. When Hessian commander Johann Rall
Johann Gottlieb Rall (also spelled Rahl) (December 27, 1776) was a German colonel best known for his command of Hessian troops at the Battle of Trenton during the American Revolutionary War.
Early life and education
Rall was born as a so-called ...
attempted to break out to the north on the east side of town, Washington shifted Fermoy's brigade farther east to outflank Rall. Toward the end of the battle, Haussegger's men yelled in German to the Hessians to lay down their weapons and surrender. With Rall and many of their higher officers wounded, the Hessians soon capitulated.
As New Years Day 1777 dawned, a reinforced American brigade took position behind a creek south of Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a municipality with a borough form of government in Mercer County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton and Princeton Township, both of whi ...
, ready to block the advance of Lord Charles Cornwallis' forces. Among the 1,000 Americans were Hand's riflemen, now called the 1st Pennsylvania Regiment, Charles Scott's Virginia Brigade, the German Battalion, and six artillery pieces under Thomas Forrest. During the morning hours, the Americans repulsed the 1st Light Infantry Battalion and two companies of Hessian Jägers. It was necessary to commit British and Hessian grenadiers before the Americans pulled back. The British suffered most of the 140 casualties lost during the action. The German Battalion reported 410 officers and men present for duty that day.[Fischer (2004), 409]
The next day, Cornwallis brought on the Battle of the Assunpink Creek
The Battle of the Assunpink Creek, also known as the Second Battle of Trenton, was a battle between American and British troops that took place in and around Trenton, New Jersey, on January 2, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War, an ...
when he launched a major push with 8,000 troops and 28 guns. The alcoholic Fermoy abandoned his troops, leaving the capable Hand in charge. There was a clash at Little Shabbakunk Creek, where Cornwallis was forced to unlimber his artillery. As soon as British pressure became too great, Hand pulled back his men to a second blocking position. Later, they fell back to a third position at Stockton Hollow, outside Trenton. As dusk fell, superior British numbers forced Hand's troops into a hurried retreat through the town. During the withdrawal, the British captured Haussegger and some of his men near the lower fords of Assunpink Creek
Assunpink Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 tributary of the Delaware River in western New Jersey in the United States.Gertler, Edward. ''Garde ...
. Mark M. Boatner III wrote that the unit "disgraced itself".[Boatner (1994), 426] That evening, columns of British and Hessians tried to storm the bridge and the lower fords, but were stopped with heavy losses. Washington posted German Battalion at the bridge in the second line, behind Scott's troops. The next day, 3 January, the battalion was present at the Battle of Princeton.[
]
Forage War to Valley Forge
Many Americans regarded Haussegger's capture with suspicion. He was considered to have defected to the British and was not employed by the American army after being sent home on parole. On 19 March 1777, he was removed from the rolls.[ Colonel Henry Leonard d'Arendt was appointed to lead the regiment on the same date.][ Under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Stricker, the battalion fought in the Battle of Spanktown on 23 February 1777 during the Forage War. In a brilliant action, the Americans inflicted 75 casualties on the British while only losing five killed and nine wounded. By this time, the German Battalion shed its status as an Extra Regiment and was counted as part of two state establishments. One-half of the unit was credited to the ]Maryland Line
The "Maryland Line" was a formation within the Continental Army, formed and authorized by the Second Continental Congress, meeting in the "Old Pennsylvania State House" (later known as "Independence Hall") in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in June ...
while the remaining half became part of the Pennsylvania Line
The Pennsylvania Line was a formation within the Continental Army. The term "Pennsylvania Line" referred to the quota of numbered infantry regiments assigned to Pennsylvania at various times by the Continental Congress. These, together with simila ...
. When Washington began raising Additional Continental Regiments he refrained from raising any in Maryland because of that state's responsibility to the German Battalion.
Weltner became lieutenant colonel on 29 April 1777, replacing Stricker. On 9 April, two additional majors were added as Daniel Burchardt and George Hubley joined William Klein in that rank.[Heitman (1914), 27] On 22 May 1777, Washington assigned the German Battalion to the 2nd Maryland Brigade, then he quickly changed his mind and reassigned it to the 1st Virginia Brigade two days later. The unit would remain in the same brigade until the summer of 1778.[ ]Brigadier General
Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
Peter Muhlenberg
John Peter Gabriel Muhlenberg (October 1, 1746October 1, 1807) was an American clergyman, Continental Army soldier during the American Revolutionary War, and political figure in the newly independent United States. A Lutheran minister, he serve ...
was the commander of the brigade, which also included the 1st, 5th
Fifth is the ordinal form of the number five.
Fifth or The Fifth may refer to:
* Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as in the expression "pleading the Fifth"
* Fifth column, a political term
* Fifth disease, a contagious rash tha ...
, 9th, and 13th Virginia Regiments. Muhlenberg's 8th Virginia Regiment
The 8th Virginia Regiment or German Regiment was an infantry unit that served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Authorized in January 1776, the regiment was raised from men of several northwestern counties in the stre ...
was also known as the German Regiment.[
At the Battle of Brandywine on 11 September 1777, Muhlenberg's brigade formed part of ]Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene (June 19, 1786, sometimes misspelled Nathaniel) was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. He emerged from the war with a reputation as General George Washington's most talented and dependab ...
's division near Chadds Ford. After Sir William Howe
William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, KB PC (10 August 172912 July 1814) was a British Army officer who rose to become Commander-in-Chief of British land forces in the Colonies during the American War of Independence. Howe was one of three bro ...
's heavy column reached a position in the American right rear, Washington sent the divisions of John Sullivan, Stephen, and Lord Stirling to block the thrust. After heavy fighting, Howe broke through, threatening to cut off the American retreat. In the crisis, Washington sent Greene's division to the right. George Weedon
George Weedon (1734–1793) was an American soldier during the Revolutionary War from Fredericksburg, Colony of Virginia. He served as a brigadier general in the Continental Army and later in the Virginia militia. After the Revolutionary War ...
's brigade marched east, then north to arrive near Dilworth about 6:00 PM. To expedite the move, Muhlenberg's brigade was ordered to take a different route. South of Dilworth, the 2nd Grenadier Battalion ran into Weedon's brigade and other troops and its commander Henry Monckton had to call for assistance. James Agnew's 4th British Brigade came up and one its units, the 64th Foot was roughly handled. Greene's division finally retreated into the night.
Muhlenberg's brigade fought in the Battle of Germantown on 4 October 1777. Together with Weedon's Brigade, it formed Greene's 1,500-man division. Greene commanded the left wing, which included his own division, Stephen's 1,500-strong division, and Alexander McDougall
Alexander McDougall (1732 9 June 1786) was a Scottish-born American seaman, merchant, a Sons of Liberty leader from New York City before and during the American Revolution, and a military leader during the Revolutionary War. He served as a m ...
's 1,000-man Connecticut Brigade. Though the other regiments of the brigade are listed, the German Battalion is not mentioned. Stephen's division advanced on the right, Greene's took the center, and McDougall moved up on the left. Part of Muhlenberg's brigade penetrated as far as the Market House. But, caught by converging British units, the 9th Virginia was surrounded and captured. Francis B. Heitman showed the 6th Virginia Regiment
The 6th Virginia Regiment was raised on December 28, 1775, at Williamsburg, Virginia, for service with the Continental Army. The regiment would see action at the Battle of Trenton, Battle of Princeton, Battle of Brandywine, Battle of Germantown, ...
in Muhlenberg's brigade at Valley Forge
Valley Forge functioned as the third of eight winter encampments for the Continental Army's main body, commanded by General George Washington, during the American Revolutionary War. In September 1777, Congress fled Philadelphia to escape the ...
, along with the German Battalion and the previously listed units. Lieutenant Colonel Weltner and Major Burchardt were listed as the field officers.
Monmouth to disbandment
At the Battle of Monmouth on 28 June 1778, Weltner commanded the German Battalion. By this time, Muhlenberg's Virginia regiments were so shrunken that the 1st, 5th, and 9th Virginia were converged into a single tactical entity. The 1st and 2nd Virginia State Regiments also served in the brigade. The brigade numbered 1026 officers and men, but after detachments only 66 officers and 655 men remained. The others were parceled out to various light infantry detachments in the advance guard. The brigade arrived on the field after 6:00 PM and was not engaged. On 22 July, the battalion transferred to the 2nd Maryland Brigade. The unit was reassigned to Edward Hand's Brigade on 24 November 1778.[ Klein served as lieutenant colonel from 3 September 1778 until 21 June 1779, though Weltner held the same rank. Hubley's service as major came to an end on 7 February 1779 and Burchardt's tenure ended on 2 July 1779.][
The German Battalion participated in the ]Sullivan Expedition
The 1779 Sullivan Expedition (also known as the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition, the Sullivan Campaign, and the Sullivan-Clinton Genocide) was a United States military campaign during the American Revolutionary War, lasting from June to October 1779 ...
against the Iroquois
The Iroquois ( or ), officially the Haudenosaunee ( meaning "people of the longhouse"), are an Iroquoian-speaking confederacy of First Nations peoples in northeast North America/ Turtle Island. They were known during the colonial years to ...
in 1779.[ ]Henry Dearborn
Henry Dearborn (February 23, 1751 – June 6, 1829) was an American military officer and politician. In the Revolutionary War, he served under Benedict Arnold in his expedition to Quebec, of which his journal provides an important record ...
's journal listed the "German Regt" under Weltner in Hand's Brigade, together with Lieutenant Colonel Adam Hubley's 11th Pennsylvania Regiment
The 11th Pennsylvania Regiment or Old Eleventh was authorized on 16 September 1776 for service with the Continental Army. On 25 October, Richard Humpton was named colonel. In December 1776, the regiment was assigned to George Washington's main ...
and independent companies led by Captains John Paul Schott and Simon Spaulding. However, Boatner's order of battle for the 2,500-man expedition only listed the 11th and 4th Pennsylvania Regiments in Hand's Brigade.[Boatner (1994), 1074-1075.] On 8 October 1779, the German Battalion was detached from Hand's Brigade. The unit transferred to the New Jersey Brigade on 16 September 1780. The battalion disbanded at Morristown, New Jersey and Baltimore, Maryland
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
on 1 January 1781.[ On this date D'Arendt was still colonel and Weltner was still lieutenant colonel.][
]
Service record
References
Citations
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{{authority control
1776 establishments in Maryland
1781 disestablishments in Maryland
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Military units and formations of the Continental Army
Maryland regiments of the Continental Army
Military units and formations established in 1776
Military units and formations disestablished in 1781
Pennsylvania regiments of the Continental Army