Hello Bob: Thanks for your corrections. In fact, we do not know what his name may have been on the Hessian muster rolls. I have been informed by Dr. Eugen Perau, a German researcher, that Hessian soldiers that deserted while in American captivity and enlisted in the Continental Army were under automatic sentence of death if recaptured by British forces. A powerful motive for a convenient name change. We believe that our Conrad Kremer enlisted in the Continental Army probably at or near Philadelphia where Procter's Artillery was stationed. He shows up on muster roll's at Valley Forge. His first commander, Capt. Bartholomew von Heer, was a subject of the King of Prussia and a colorful soldier of fortune. Von Heer was also his second commander serving as company commander of a new unit of the Continental Army variously known as the Marechausee Corps, or Von Heer's Independent Company of Light Dragoons. This was a mounted military police (or Provost) unit formed to help keep discipline in the Continental Army. It included two executioners and was made up almost exclusively of German's. This followed the European practice of having the Provost socially segregated from the soldiery. I agree that Conrad is likely to have had prior military experience of some kind to merit being selected by von Heer to be his Quartermaster Sergeant in the Marechausee Corps. This corps policed the army, guarded the HQ of the Main Army, provided escort guards, and regulated the sutler's that were accredited to the Main Army, a sensitive responsibility. Later, in Winchester, Conrad was for a time "Clerk of the Market" and "Sergeant at Arms of the Corporation of Winchester." This job also included regulating fair weights and measures, quality, etc., of the market at Winchester. In fact, Conrad's postwar civilian career seems to be patterned on his military career. Winchester (VA) was a center of early German settlement in the lower Shenandoah Valley, had a large German community, a large Lutheran church, and was the site of an internment area for Hessian POW's. I have am familiar with the HETRINA studies and cannot find a good match from that source. I am doubtful that it is possible to find an unimpeachable German source that will establish his regiment, his parents, and home village. But it's worth a try. In the process I may learn more about this very unusual ancestor. Thanks for your help. Don Fehlings Renton, Washington, USA Tel: 425/255-8588 Dfehlings@aol.com