The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-06
TIE STORY OF THE HEssIAN CAMP

III. w ere 1nprl6On0Q Wn6n CRuRDp.
From the Philadelphia Public Ledger
1t was exactly $50 years ago Christmas
that the battle of Trenton was fought,
and O sequel to that conflict and the ultimate
fate of many of the luckless HeSsians are
told in the history of little spot Of ground
on the southern slope of Mount Penn, known
to this day as the Hessian camp. Here many
of these unfortunate Hessians were kept as
prisoners, aud hundreds died OF disease on
the outskirts Of Reading during those
hard winters of over 100 years ago.
In spring and the early summer time the
Hessian camp is beautiful and romantic
spot. IL Is clear, open space, six acres in
extent, the ground covered with carpet of
velvety green, ana skirted on every side by
great foresu trees Inside this Enclosure these
prisoners of war had their rude huts, and
lived for several years. At several places
the ruins Of the intrenchmenJs thrown up
by them can still be seen, and 1t
is not 90 many years since the last
remains Of their rude homes were
removed. Within more recent
years iron knives and forks, match
boxes, stove plates and many other articles
used by the Hessians in their enforced
camp-iife on the mountain sides were found
by visitors and carried away as relics.
While such beautiful spot in the favor
able seasons Of the year, being often fire.
quented by pleasure parties, it is bleak,
drear, and desolate in the winter, and tho
exposure TO which the prisoners were sub
jected almost exterminated the band of
captured Hessians on the mountain side.
The story of their brief campaign in
America ia one Of disaster from the battle
Of Trenton.
Every schoolboy is familiar with the
story OF how they were brought 20 America
TO help In subduing the colonies In ITS
King George III. obtained by treaty from
the German princes Ia, 600 Of these Hessians,
and they arrived IN this country early in
1916. In payment for their services a sum
spproximating $4,000, 900 was paid. 1t was
stipulated that those troops which were
killed In battle or lost. or for any reason not
returned, should be paid for at the rate of
$500 per head. whils for those who should
be returned at the close of the war
In as good condition as when they
staFbed a rebate of the ssma amount per
head should be allowed. Immediately upon
their arrival they entered 2Hctive service
with the British array IN the battles with
the colontsts around New York and
throughout New JeraeT. Many Of thess-
the number Is given at from 900 to /, 300
were captured at tho hattie OF Trenton by
Gen. Washington, who ordsred them sent
70 Lancaster. Later it was dSsmed advisa-
DAo ~ sfleh&l bO x, hpQ bu0V
were soon afterward removed here, in the
southern section of the town. Frequent
disturbances took place between the
prisoners and the oitiEens of che town Of
Reading, and in MAY, ITO a proposition
was made to send them TO New Jersey, but
1t WAC not carried out. June 81, 1881, Pres
ident Reed, of the continental congress.
wrote to Valeptfne EoEert, lisutsnaut of the
locnl militia, shat 10 was the desire that the
priSOnaFa ahn4fIh ha H. hv,Ag >
some distance from Reading ard COM
mittee finally selected six acres
Of ground on the hillside on Mount
Penn, where they caused huts to be
erected, and In which they stationed
the prisoners. Soon after their arrival in
Reading sickness and disease made fearful
inroads upon them, and hundreds of them.
for want Of food and treatment, died and
were buried In the potter's field, the present
site Of Mannerchsr hall in this city. Some
times two and three were placed in one
grave, and it is less than twenty years ago
that some of their crumblIng bones were
dug out when the present building was
put up.
By the middle of May, 1777, the prisoners
mum bered only 300. BY june, 1880, the
httle remnant had dwindlsd down 30 100.
June Is. 1881, the camp was augmented BY
the arrival OF $50 more Hsssians, who had
been captured at Saratoga with Gen. Bur-
goyne, and were sent to Reading under the
protection of the York county militia
More prisoners came later on, and the
total number in camp was over 1900 and
some time In 1881 they were removed to
the southern side Of Mount Penn. Here they
occupied rude unsightly structures, but
they afforded shelter in winter from the
heavy SHOWS and biting winds, and they
yielded a grateful shade in summer as the
long dreary confinement OF the Hessians
was continued. Eighty well-armsd, stall
wart, patriotic, colonial milltiamen guarded
them night and day, in two bodies of forty
soldiers each. The food served to the Hes
slams was mono Of the best, aud their fire.
wood and water they obtained on the
mountain. AS the war went on some of the
prisoners with their horses, were hired out
to neighboring farmers and ironsmanufact-
urers, notably to George Eye, at Charming
Forge, and TO John Patton, at the Berk-
shire furnaces, where cannon and balls were
cast and furnished to the revolutionary
army.
After the war was over, ia 1854, the poor
Hegsians were released, and within very
short time they had almost entirely disap-
peared. Some, it Is stated, were captured
by designing spectators, who took them
back to their native country TO collect the
rebate. Others scattered among the farms
ers of the neighborhood and became COM
mon farm laborers, who, after their service,
left for other parts of the country, while
the descendants of some Of these unfortu-
nate HasafanG still Iivinrr d,