The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-03-02

town. and. In all ltksiihood. the happy termi-
nation Of the war. In apportioning honors to
the European countries represented at the cell
ebration OF the surrender Of CORVALLIS. II was
the business OF our Secretary OF State TO regard
principally tho course pursued by European
Governments during our Revolutionary war.
and the work performed by large bodies OF men
serving under their national fags-not to place
In the foreground the services rendered by In
divldual Frenchmen like the Marquis do La
fayette. or by individual Germans like the
Baron Won steuben. who had been rewarded
with high rank In the Continental army
and. 1t Is proper to add. had been paid
far more literally than they would have
been paid ut home. 1t should have been pa
tent. one would think. to any man possessing
schooboy's knowledge Of tho Revolution. that
the German flag was deplorably misplaced by
the side OF the French flag and the American at
Yorktown. OF all localities. where Germans
composed two-sevenths OF tho force surrcn-
dered. while French troops formed about ono
half OF the successful army.
Let US now illustrate the direction and
value OF tho researches which MIR. Lowell
has made with regard to the Hessians In
America by citing some OF the moro sug-
gestive or least known facts brought out
in tho book before us. 1t appears from
an appendix that the total number OF
German troops sent to servo In America
during the Revolutionary wnr was 20.s67: OF
these less than three-hfths returned to Ger
many or those who mover saw their homes
again. It Is Mr.. Lowell's estimate that 1854
died OF wounds Illness or accident; while
about 5000 he thinks. deserted to form new
ties In the revolted colonies. Much the largest
contingent. comprising 1892 men. was fur
nished by the Lnndgrave OF Hasse- Cassel: next
ho In h ri wiz .I,un a ~
which supplied 5723. then Hesse- Hanau
Anspach- Bayreuth. Wuldeck. and Anhnlt-
Zerbst in tho order named. The terms OH which
the German Princes agreed to forward auxiliary
troops may be learned from Dir. Lowell's second
chapter. which embodies tho results Of an OK
animation OF the treaties concluded between
England and the several contracting States.
The Land0rave OF Hesse- Cassel seems to have
got tho highest price for his commodities. Ho
was paid ut the outset. under tho name OF levy
money. about thirty dollars for overy soldier
furnished, and also an annual subsidy OF moro
than s5i1. 600. which was to be- continued for
one year after the actual return OF his subjects
to Hesse. He also obtained. by way Of pour
bo0.e the payment Of an old claim prev-
ousy disallowed BY England. and amounting
to upward Of s2Os. 900. The Duke Of Brunswick
got rather less than half as much per man Ms
the Landxrave had eytorted: but In his treaty
was inserted a specially odious clause which
seemed intended to connive at tho reckless en-
posture and sacrifice OF his subjects for 1t guar
unteed to him about S35 for every one Of his
soldiers who should be killed in battle. and
&l1.66 for every one who should be MANNED.
Tho treaties made BY the four smaller States
were not. 1t seems. SO favorable to the vendors
as the compact with Cassel. or 30 favorable to
the purchaser as tho agreement with Drums
vs.lr. 1.I,t re NEAsrr tOpt nd IN
blood money stipulation. In the case OF Cassel
and Brunswick-and. we presume. In the case
OF the other contingents. though the fact is not
mentioned BY Mr.. Loweli-the German troops
were to DO commanded by their own officers.
and to receive the same ray. allowances. and
cure a. were given to English soldiers. On the
other hand. the Duke Of Brunswick was COM
pellod to covenant that he would lot his corps
enjoy all tho omolumoIts that his Britannia
Majesty allowed them but the British Govern
ment would not trust him. and took measures to
prevent his paying them On lowcr scale and
pocketing the difference. Mr. Lowell tells
us that. from the time OF the arrival OF the
Brunswickers In America. their pay was sent
to them directly. and that this precnntion
WIS adopted with all the German auxi!iaries
bot those OF Hcsse-C assel. whose Lnniiyravo
succeeded in getting tho handling of tho
money" According to an assertion Of Fried
rich Kapps. which. seemingly. has not been
verified by the author Of this volume. the Duke
Of Brunswick did pocket the so-called blood
money. instead OF devotinS 1t to its ostensible
purpose by bestowing II on the family Of the
soldier II dead or on tho man himself IL
wounded.
In Concluding chapter Mr.. Lowell refers to
the assertions once current in the Continental
army. and occasionally repeated in popular
histories, that the German auxiiaries were
intensely dissatisfied with their treatment at
tho hands of English Generals. He attaches
little weight to such stories. and seems to con
slider them eiHectually refuted by the declnra-
ton OF Captain Johann Ewald. who was thor
oughly qualified to speak from personal expert
once. IT Is astonishing" wrote Ewald. what
stuff deserters often tell. In order to please
their new friends and obtain good recep-
ton. After had been taken prisoner at York
town French General asked me. quite in con-
ndsnce. whether the Hessians were not very
discontinued with the English service. MS it
was very hard that these troops should always
DO employed In the most doubtful battles: that
they should ofton be wantonly sacrificed; that
they should always have the worst quarters
assigned to them; that they should receive the
worst provisions; that they should be improp-
erly paid. and allowed to suffer want Of all
sorts. could not help laughing at his story.
and assured him that not n single word OF all
this WAS true. but quite the contrary" 1t
| may DO thought that the large number OF deser-
| tons which the author believes to have taken
place l5OOO) Is scarcely reconcilRble with the
theory Of complete satisfaction with the British,
| treatment Of tho mercennries. It should be
| noted. however. that In his computation Of de-
serters Mr.. Lowell seems to include the Ger
mans who remained In America with the con
sent Of their military and civil authorities.
"Hsssian officers and privates received grants
OF land In Nova Scotia and the Duke of Bruins
wick. with characteristic inhumanity ordered
that not only soldiers guilty OF crimes and dis
orderly conduct. but those who were bodily
unht for military duty. should be left In
| Canada"
| Mr.. Lowell can " recall NO instance in which
ono Of the German ofiicers engaged in the war
uses any oxpression showing him to have been
In sympathy with the liberal. intellectual
| - h. xt..kk Il..x