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