Johann Gottlieb Rall (also spelled Rahl) (December 27, 1776) was a
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 ...
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 ...
best known for his command of
Hessian troops at the
Battle of Trenton 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 ...
.
Early life and education
Rall was born as a so-called "soldier child" in about 1726. He was a son of Captain Joachim Rall from
Stralsund, who served in the regiment of Major General
von Donop. The first mention of Johann Rall was as a new cadet of the same regiment on March 1, 1740, commanded at this time by Colonel Prince Casimir von
Isenburg of Isenburg-Birstein.
Career
In the service of the Landgraf of Hesse-Cassel, he was promoted to ensign on July 25, 1741; to lieutenant on August 28, 1745; and to
captain on May 10, 1753. Rall was promoted to major on May 7, 1760, under Major General Bischhausen and transferred in January 1763 to the Stein garrison regiment, where he was appointed lieutenant colonel. On April 22, 1771, he was transferred to the Mansbach Infantry Regiment as a colonel. He became commander of the regiment in January 1772.
During this time, Rall fought in the
War of the Austrian Succession
The War of the Austrian Succession () was a European conflict that took place between 1740 and 1748. Fought primarily in Central Europe, the Austrian Netherlands, Italy, the Atlantic and Mediterranean, related conflicts included King George's ...
and participated in campaigns in
Bavaria
Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...
, on the
Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, so ...
, in the Netherlands, and served in
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
during the
Jacobite rising of 1745
The Jacobite rising of 1745, also known as the Forty-five Rebellion or simply the '45 ( gd, Bliadhna Theàrlaich, , ), was an attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for his father, James Francis Edward Stuart. It took ...
. He fought in the
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (175 ...
(the campaign in North America is known as the
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 ...
) and was involved in many battles. From September 1771 until August 1772, he was in
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
and fought for
Catherine the Great under Count Orlov in the
Fourth Russo-Turkish War.
American Revolutionary War
![The Capture of the Hessians at Trenton December 26 1776](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/The_Capture_of_the_Hessians_at_Trenton_December_26_1776.jpeg)
By 1776, Rall belonged to the infantry regiment of the 1st Division under General
Leopold Philip de Heister
Leopold Philip de Heister (4 April 1716 Homberg in Niederhessen - 19 November 1777 Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel, Hesse-Cassel)''Note that:'' ''has "b. in 1707" for date of birth.'' was a Hessian (soldiers), Hessian general who fought for the Brit ...
and commanded a Hessian Brigade of approximately 1,200 men fighting for
Great Britain
Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It i ...
in the
American War of Independence. He was at the battles of
Long Island,
White Plains, and
Fort Washington, and figured prominently in the
Battle of Trenton.
On the night of December 25–26, 1776 General
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 ...
crossed the Delaware River with his troops on the way to Trenton, New Jersey. The Hessian regiments, camped in and around Trenton commanded by Rall, were attacked and soundly defeated by the American Continental Army.
While leading his troops during the battle, Rall was mortally wounded. He was shot twice in the side and needed to be carried back to his headquarters set up in the house of Stacy Potts (a distinguished member of the Trenton community) where he died that night. Before his death he requested a formal surrender to Washington. The note informing the colonel of the attack was later found in his coat pocket.
According to local tradition, Rall is buried in an unidentified grave in the churchyard of the
First Presbyterian Church on East State Street in Trenton, where an inscription is dedicated to his memory.
See also
*
Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption – Site of his headquarters in Trenton, New Jersey
References
;General
* Donald N. Moran
''Johann Gottlieb Rall: Guilty of Tactical Negligence or Guiltless Circumstances?''
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rall, Johann
1726 births
1776 deaths
People from Stralsund
Personnel of German units of the American Revolutionary War
British military personnel killed in the American Revolutionary War
Burials in New Jersey
Hessian military personnel of the American Revolutionary War