The following is a quote from "MARYLAND - The Seventh State , A History by John T. Marck, 4th Edition: Fort Frederick is located about 13 miles west of Hagerstown in Big Pool, MD. It was one of the last forts built at the time of the French and Indian War (1754-1763). The stone fort was named in honor of Maryland's Lord Proprietor, Frederick Calvert, Sixth Lord Baltimore, and erected by Governor Horatio Sharpe in 1756 to protect the English settlers against the French and their Indian allies. Most forts during this period were built of wood and earth and were small in size but Fort Frederick is unique because of its size and its strong stone stockade walls. Though never attacked by the French, the Fort did serve as an important supply base for various English campaigns. In 1763, an Ottawa Indian Chief named Pontiac staged a massive Indian uprising. It was during this uprising that several hundred settlers and a militia force sought protection at the fort. During the American Revolution, Fort Frederick saw service again as a refuge for settlers and as a prison camp for Hessian and British soldiers. In 1791, the State of Maryland sold the Fort and for the next on hundred thirty-one years, the land was used for farming. During the Civil War, Union troops occupied the Fort and fought a brief skirmish with Confederate raiders on Christmas Day, 1861. This was the only military engagement Fort Frederick has seen.

Sharon: What you had to say is very interesting. Sometime ago I was in contact with a Canadian who researched the Hessians in America, I remember he told me that many were originally deserters who refused to go back to Germany after the war. Western Md. & Pa. has a great deal of German stock second only to the Ulster Scots. Do you know what happened to those prisoners after the war ended? Gordon Crooks ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sharon Banzhoff" <shabanz@earthlink.net> To: <MDWASHIN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Thursday, February 17, 2005 10:45 PM Subject: [MDWASHIN] POWs at Fort Frederick > The following is a quote from "MARYLAND - The Seventh State , A History > by > John T. Marck, 4th Edition: > > Fort Frederick is located about 13 miles west of Hagerstown in Big Pool, > MD. > It was one of the last forts built at the time of the French and Indian > War > (1754-1763). The stone fort was named in honor of Maryland's Lord > Proprietor, Frederick Calvert, Sixth Lord Baltimore, and erected by > Governor > Horatio Sharpe in 1756 to protect the English settlers against the French > and their Indian allies. Most forts during this period were built of > wood > and earth and were small in size but Fort Frederick is unique because of > its > size and its strong stone stockade walls. Though never attacked by the > French, the Fort did serve as an important supply base for various English > campaigns. > > In 1763, an Ottawa Indian Chief named Pontiac staged a massive Indian > uprising. It was during this uprising that several hundred settlers and a > militia force sought protection at the fort. > > During the American Revolution, Fort Frederick saw service again as a > refuge > for settlers and as a prison camp for Hessian and British soldiers. In > 1791, the State of Maryland sold the Fort and for the next on hundred > thirty-one years, the land was used for farming. During the Civil War, > Union troops occupied the Fort and fought a brief skirmish with > Confederate > raiders on Christmas Day, 1861. This was the only military engagement > Fort > Frederick has seen. > > > ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== > If you have any problems feel free to address those to the list > administrator: MDWASHIN-admin@rootsweb.com > > ============================== > Find your ancestors in the Birth, Marriage and Death Records. > New content added every business day. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13964/rd.ashx > > >

Gordon, You wrote: "Western Md. & Pa. has a great deal of German stock second only to the Ulster Scots. Do you know what happened to those prisoners after the war ended?" Gordon Crooks The same book "MARYLAND - The Seventh State - A History" by John T. Marck had the following to say about the Hessian Soldiers in present day Frederick, MD (not to be confused with Ft. Frederick in Washington Co.): Hessian Barracks: located at 101 Clarke Place, on the grounds of the Maryland School for the Deaf in Frederick, MD; these accommodations were built in 1777 to house two battalions of soldiers. The Barracks soon became a repository for Hessians, (mercenaries fighting for England) who were captured in the battles of Saratoga and Bennington. English troops were also detained here, and all prisoners were released in May 1783 The facility is open by special appointment only, visitors will see relics from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Gordon, the narrative says the prisoners were released so I guess they were free to go wherever they wanted to go.

Maryland, a New Guide to the Old Line State has this on the barracks: It was a stone building commandeered during the revolution for prisoners, including Hessian mercenaries captured at Bennington, Saratoga, and Yorktown. Many of the Hessians shared a common German background with Frederick's inhabitants, and a number of the prisoners settled here after the war. Daniel Dulany who owned the building, reclaimed it after the war; eventually his family deeded it to the state in 1799. It was an arsenal during the first half of the 19th century, it served as the staging area for the Lewis and Clark expedition in 1803 and troops were quartered there during the war of 1812 It was a Civil War hospital, a School for the Deaf until 1870. That's quite an history for a building! Lauren Brantner Sharon Banzhoff wrote: >Gordon, >You wrote: "Western Md. & Pa. has a great deal of German stock >second only to the Ulster Scots. Do you know what happened to those >prisoners after the war ended?" > > Gordon Crooks > >The same book "MARYLAND - The Seventh State - A History" by John T. Marck >had the following to say about the Hessian Soldiers in present day >Frederick, MD (not to be confused with Ft. Frederick in Washington Co.): > >Hessian Barracks: located at 101 Clarke Place, on the grounds of the >Maryland School for the Deaf in Frederick, MD; these accommodations were >built in 1777 to house two battalions of soldiers. The Barracks soon became >a repository for Hessians, (mercenaries fighting for England) who were >captured in the battles of Saratoga and Bennington. English troops were >also detained here, and all prisoners were released in May 1783 > >The facility is open by special appointment only, visitors will see relics >from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. > >Gordon, the narrative says the prisoners were released so I guess they were >free to go wherever they wanted to go. > > > >==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== >Many Washington County families are online at the FamilyHart Database. The url is: >http://midatlantic.rootsweb.com/familyhart/ > >============================== >View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find >marriage announcements and more. Learn more: >http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx > > > > >

Sharon: No I don't know, I only found out about them recently myself. I have known that Germanic people were in the area and also Western Pennsylvania in the early 1700's (Palanates), but I didn't know about the Hessian troops. I have been told that frequently in that period of time soldiers were discharged on the spot and not always transported home, I don't know if this is true or not. In any event the whole area of full of German names and Lutherans Churches, I know of a grewat manyb cemeteries where the tombstones are in German. Gordon ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sharon Banzhoff" <shabanz@earthlink.net> To: <MDWASHIN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, February 19, 2005 5:33 PM Subject: [MDWASHIN] Release of POWs at Fort Frederick > Gordon, > You wrote: "Western Md. & Pa. has a great deal of German stock > second only to the Ulster Scots. Do you know what happened to those > prisoners after the war ended?" > > Gordon Crooks > > The same book "MARYLAND - The Seventh State - A History" by John T. Marck > had the following to say about the Hessian Soldiers in present day > Frederick, MD (not to be confused with Ft. Frederick in Washington Co.): > > Hessian Barracks: located at 101 Clarke Place, on the grounds of the > Maryland School for the Deaf in Frederick, MD; these accommodations were > built in 1777 to house two battalions of soldiers. The Barracks soon > became > a repository for Hessians, (mercenaries fighting for England) who were > captured in the battles of Saratoga and Bennington. English troops were > also detained here, and all prisoners were released in May 1783 > > The facility is open by special appointment only, visitors will see relics > from the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. > > Gordon, the narrative says the prisoners were released so I guess they > were > free to go wherever they wanted to go. > > > > ==== MDWASHIN Mailing List ==== > Many Washington County families are online at the FamilyHart Database. > The url is: > http://midatlantic.rootsweb.com/familyhart/ > > ============================== > View and search Historical Newspapers. Read about your ancestors, find > marriage announcements and more. Learn more: > http://www.ancestry.com/s13969/rd.ashx > > >