Nelda -- > I don't think the common Hessian soldier brought families with them from > Germany. Might be some of the officers did, but there was support staff > probably... might even have been camp followers.. (ladies of ill > repute)... Just what do you mean by "common Hessian soldier"? The German units where receiving the same pay as the British regiments and I would think they probably had the same allowances for women. When the 236 men of the 1782 Ansbach-Bayreuth replacement recruits came over they had 9 women with them (all nine women returned and took six children home with them) When the 227 men of the 1782 Brunswick replacement recruits came out, they had 3 women with them; however, over a dozen of the men were married. The Brunswickers returned with five women and three children, but the three children belonged to two of the wives belonged to former German POWs who had rejoined the German troops when they heard the Germans were at Penobscot. A "double-large" British regiment (i.e., the 71st at 20 companies, 2098 officers and men) were authorized 160 women and 32 servants plus 280 tons of baggage, a "large" regiment (i.e., the 42d at 10 companies, 1168 officers & men) were allowed 80 women, 16 servants, and 140 tons of baggage. A "small" regiment of 677 officers and men were authorized 60 women, 12 servants and 86 tons baggage (ref: UK/TNA/PRO, C.O. 5/123 f. 80, etc.). I don't know the selection criteria as to just who got to bring their wife and who didn't. At least one of the German contingents were instructed that all the women's slot were for the troops but that was not necessarily the policy of the British troops. Two officer's wives and a lady's maid belonging to the 71st Regiment where on the transport CRAWFORD when it was re-recaptured by the Amercans in June 1776 (Captured by the USS ANDREW DORIA, she was retaken by HMS CERBERUS, the taken a third time by the GENERAL SCHUYLER.belonging to the NY state namavy and carried into NY. I take great exception to your phraseology "might even have been camp followers.. (ladies of ill repute)" While eagles may be birds, not all birds are eagles -- in fact, a very small minority of birds are eagles and a very small number of the "camp followers" where "ladies of ill repute." Baroness von Riedesel and her children were certainly "camp followers" but if a man called her a "lady of ill repute" he probably would be fighting a duel the next morning. Bob Brooks