I have been going back and forth with Mary about Hessian soldiers and thought it a good idea to forward this note to the list. We have been searching for Hessian Soldier links. Unfortunately everything we have seen so far leads us to the troops that were given to England for Revolutionary purposes. There was nothing we could locate that dealt with "rent a soldier" from Hessen. This was the first link I found. These are the records we need to locate, the records of the Hessen-Kassel military. I would imagine the British kept records as well... but where to find them? ----- Original Message ----- From: Nina Harkey To: Bird Sent: Saturday, August 10, 2002 10:13 PM Subject: Re: [HARKEY-L] hessian soldiers/troops ok, I found the first link for the information. bear with me here as I walk you through this. The page is here, but is in German. http://www.hessen-militaer.de/handel.htm Big deal, you re thinking! <grin> Now, go to http://www.google.com/ In the search box enter the previous url, http://www.hessen-militaer.de/handel.htm and this should show up. Soldatenhandel und Unabhängigkeitskrieg- [Translate this page ] Der Soldatenhandel und der Amerikanische Unabhängigkeitskrieg 1776-1783. Zu einer der herausragendsten Episoden der Geschichte ... Now select "translate this page" It is a word for word translation but you will get the jist. Important part is this paragraph..... Besides Hessen Kassel was in 18. Century the country with the probably highest portion of soldiers of the total population and even still lay in this regard before Prussia. The relatively large army could be maintained however again only by the letting at stranger of powers, since the own financial possibilities for it were not sufficient. The land county Hessen Kassel, whose territory corresponded for instance to today's North Hesse, was due to the unfavorable natural-space occurences (many central mountain regions with expanded forests, little fruitful soils, rough climate) a relatively poor country. Thus the incomes became by the letting of the army the most important financial source of the land county. The supply of the army with university forming, equipment and food supply was besides an important restaurant factor for the population. The financial dependence of Hessen Kassel on the army went so far that land count Wilhelm VIII. (1751-1760) its army the Peru of Hessen! called. This phrase (2nd paragraph under the 1st image... the map) is important: The relatively large army could be maintained however again only by the letting at stranger of powers, since the own financial possibilities for it were not sufficient. They rented troops out to other powers. This I believe is where our Johannes fits in.... but where do we find those *&*^%@#^ records!!!! This has nothing to do with the revolution and was common practice for about 1 century. Germany.... or the Germanic kingdoms, were very close with the royals of England.