If you haven't read it already, get a copy of Johan Ewald's "Diary of the American War." It is often up on ebay. It is a really detailed history of the combined jaeger korps during the revolution. It is filled with detailed maps as well. Since Ewald became a pretty important figure in miletary strategy, this is an equally important book. The jaeger korps was in action in most of the important actions in the war. Curt Larsen > From: [email protected] > To: [email protected] > Date: Thu, 1 Mar 2012 17:22:16 -0500 > Subject: [AMREV-HESSIANS] Hessian Terminology/Silent Film > > Ever wonder what your Hessian ancestor really did during the War? > > I just read some Hessian terminology on Wikipedia that I found interesting > at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hessian_%28soldiers%29 which described some > of the jobs that our Hessian soldiers held and which I have condensed below. > If any of our military historians find this information to be incorrect or > incomplete, please adjust accordingly. > > JӒGER is a term that was adopted to describe a kind of light infantry. While > it literally means "hunter" in German, in military contexts Jäger may be > regarded as meaning "rifleman" or "fighter" (in the same sense as "fighter > aircraft"). The Etymology and Mission of Jägers are thus akin to Army > Rangers. > Jäger were at first recruited in the mid-eighteenth century amongst huntsmen > and foresters in certain German states. They were often of "middle class" > backgrounds, or belonged to the lesser nobility. As professional foresters, > jäger were skilled in weapons and horses, and were primarily used for > reconnaissance, skirmishing or screening bodies of heavier troops. Since > they owned their own weapons they could (in principle) fill a crucial > defensive role as militia in case of surprise assaults before any > mobilization had been ordered, or as organizers of partisan warfare after an > occupation. Jäger were not just skilled riflemen, they were also able to > handle and maintain delicate, accurate rifles in an age when very few people > had any mechanical skill. Jäger were excellent snipers able to inflict > heavy casualties among enemy officers. Their ability to lay exceptionally > accurate rifle fire also made them good for providing covering fire for > other more vulnerable troop types such as sappers or engineers constructing > forward trenches. For fights in close quarters the Jäger carried a > straight-bladed hunting dagger (Hirschfänger), a short sabre or a falchion. > > HUSSAR refers to a number of types of light cavalry. > > GRENADIER was originally a specialized soldier, first established as a > distinct role in the mid-to-late 17th century, for the throwing of grenades > and sometimes assault operations. At this time grenadiers were chosen from > the strongest and largest soldiers. Grenade usage declined significantly in > the early 18th century, a fact that can be attributed to the improved > effectiveness of massive infantry line tactics and flintlock technology. > However, the need for elite assault troops remained, and the existing > grenadier companies were used for this purpose. As noted, above average > physical size had been considered important for the original grenadiers and, > in principle, height and strength remained the basis of selection for these > picked companies. > > CHAUSSEUR was a sharpshooter. > > MUSKETEER was an early modern type of infantry soldier equipped with a > musket. Musketeers were an important part of early modern armies, > particularly in Europe. They sometimes could fight on horseback, like a > dragoon or a cavalryman. The musketeer was a precursor to the rifleman. > > FUSILIER was originally the name of a soldier armed with a light flintlock > musket called the fusil. The word was first used around 1680, and has later > developed into a regimental designation. > > I also found at the bottom of that Wiki Hessian page, just above the > footnotes was a link to view the 1909 silent film by D. W. Griffiths > entitled "1776" or "The Hessian Renegades" > http://www.silentera.com/PSFL/data/S/SeventeenSeventySix1909.html . While > it does portray the Hessian soldiers in an unfavorable and cartoonish light, > I think it's interesting to view this ten minute film because, at the time > of its filming, those people were more than one hundred years closer to the > event of the American Revolution than we are today. It gives us some idea > of what the American "patriots" felt about the Hessian soldiers at that > time, and insight into some of the cultural prejudices our German ancestors > and their descendants had to overcome in their new homeland. I noticed that > the filming location looked like it could have possibly been an historically > authentic location, and was listed in the credits as being Cuddlebackville, > NY, but I don't know if that place has any direct connection with Hessian > activity or not. > > Marie Rasnick Fetzer > > > PLEASE CHECK ALL OF YOUR SUBJECTS! > ~~~~~~~~~ > FOUNDER: John H. Merz 1924-2006 Created 1998 > ~~~~~~~~~~~~ > http://freepages.military.rootsweb.com/~bonsteinandgilpin > ~~~~~~~~~~~~ > ADMINISTRATOR<Kerri> [email protected] > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message