The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-02-27
The journal Of q Hesstao Haro.
nsSS.

N NOrth Carolina are OIL Hes
sian Descent. will impart an interest to
the following narrative:-
BLACK hearts," says Jean Paul, ..are
like black eyes: when closely observed,
they are found to be only brown"
1t would perhaps be difficult to con-
ceive of a deeper shade of black-heart-
edness than was popularity attributed to
the ''hireling Hessians" by the more
violent and unreasoning of American
patriots during our Revolutionary War.
Upon that unfortunate body of men,
really more deserving of compassion
than scorn. was poured oct the concen-
trated essence of the hatred and bitter
ness called forth in a liberty-loying peo-
pie by unnecessary oppression. But
the passions are dead which we're so
stirringly alive one hundred years ago,
and time. which has sOftened down
King George from a tyrant and a o
ster into a stupid. obstinate, laundering
old gentleman, deaf to all suggestions
as to what was for his own best inter
est, has also blcached out the Hessians
INTO at the worst a very light shade OF
brown. The letters and journal OF the
Baroness o Riedesel may DO even
more thar this, for they unconsclously
give a pleasant picture of a Hessian
woman's courage and devotion of her
homely. hOusewiely qualities, and her
CHEEKY fortitude under most trying CIR
c~umstances.
When Duke Charles Of Brunswick
conceived the brilliant idea of paying
| his enormous debts and providing the
means for further extravaganza by sell
| ~, hfc CuIiaats 70 LJnr l-nnrra nf Enn.
land at a few shillings a head, Friedrich
Adolf Won Riedesel was a young officer
serving on the dukes staff. His family
belonged to the old nobility, and he
himself was born in Lauterbach, in Up
per Hesse, in 1888. At the age of fiji
teen he was sem to the University OF
Marburg to study jurisprudence. a
Hessian battalion was quartered in Mar
burg at the time, and the brilliant uni
forms and gay life of the soldiers proved
infinitely more to the young baron's
taste than the black robes and dry study
of the law. A change of profession was
effected, Notwithstanding his fathers
unw~illingness, and III 1755, the young
nan was sent to England with his regi-
ment, which had been hired by King
George. On their return to Germany,
the Hessian troops came under the com
mand of Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick
and Young Riedesel soon became a IA
vorite with the duke. He was rapidly
advanced in rank. and III all the trusts
} reposed in him he displayed SO mucl
: courage and ability that Frederick thu
Great himself invited him to enter thu
i, Prussian service. This, however, he
: declined to do. from a feeling of attach
ment to his own duke decision h
afterwards regretted deeply when h
found him self transferred to a servic
which brought him neither emolumen
e nor honor.
His wife was the daughter of Presiden
n Won Massow, of Minden. They ha
: spent fourteen ~untroubled years togetf
It er. when in l776 Colonel Won Riedest
: was appointed to the command OF tn
d Hessian troops to be sent to America
with the rank of enlargement. The
% family consisted of two young daugf
e tiers: Augusta, aged five, and Frederlki
IS aged two years. A third daughte
lie Caroline, was born a few weeks att
the generals departure. 1t had bee
settled that he should be followed by b
ID wife as soon after her confinement 9
Or her health and hat Of her child wouI
re permit. The prospect OF such a Jou
ney. with three little children, me
N baby of ten weeks, across a niue
dreaded ocean, into a wild count
of among a hostile people, could not ha'
IL presented any very allurInG features
H. the mind of an unadventurous Germ;
woman but the spectre, more terrlb
even than tlis. which haunted MADAM
Won Riedesel vas the thought OF sepal
ton from her husband. Her trlenc
nd who seem TO have been somewhat OF t
ID. pattern OF Jobs, tried to reinforce !
.. courage BY lively descriptions OF the q
nj f~cultics and horrors she would have
so UNDERGO. though without shaking
nurpoSc. She did not shrink from I
: perils Of the awful sea she was rea
20 risk being scalped by the Indian
lud even the chance of being forced
follow the general American custom
IL living on the flesh of horses and cats
not terrifv her. But when her mot
wrote to demonstrate with and repro;
ge- her for her intention, her grief v
u great. !,
DIRK your last letter. the daugh
wrote in reply. drove me nearly IF
Mr. tic. / could not endure the idea OF
n a inr separated from you for so Ion
Time. and vet the thought that
A could ask me. could ever command
yay 10 remain here makes me shudder.
Lzed stay here would De Hhposslo'e' "
ia he best and kindest of husbands
one rajts me to follow him. Neither Il
can duty, nor conscience "oulu allo" -
Iirty Is a wlie's duty 10 iorsaNe an ahu ioi
her husband. My love for him IS
, known to you, as well as his Tor me
nc log the children
'uSe' Fortunately for her comfort on
aye Journey. she was accompanied by
ODE old servant of her husbands, who
70 insisted on following his mistress's
1T tunes, and who devoted himself to
rs and her children with untiring fd'
arin during all the years of their wanderi
mig The little company set out on the
need of May, l776, impelled by almo'
lay. desperate courage as that which
ieIa's tanned the passengers III the Maybe
II the on its first VOYAGE across the unkn
sea. Travelling in Germany ltsel
hat time, seemed hardly more safe
arsin il had been pictured to her 10 the
lsto country to which she was going.
Gen. s.In Maestricht.' she says. Il
warned to be on my guard, as the |
SPIN were very uhea'o on %
: Il robbers, one hundred anu llllIy VI v
= 10 had been executed within a tortni
Nai. part OF them having peeh haneeu
Scan the rest put to death in various v
Njrth These, howevor, were not a gu
~. - mart OF those still AT large, who
!. lie hanged without trial wherever they
ro,l, pened to be caught, This Inform
cot terrified Ino greatly, and l deteri
I'd - piubt, but ne the no