I also have more than one Hessian solider in my tree, but they were not Brethren. Leonard and Melchior Smith were conscripted and forced to fight for the British in the Revolution. They didn't like this so well, and escaped to join the American forces. Leonard was killed in battle, but Melchior survived and after the Revolution, stayed on in Union County, PA, where he married and raised a family. We have no records of this branch of our tree having a connection to the Brethren. But I can see how it would have been easy for the Hessians to be attracted to the German speaking protestants. Melanie Rice