Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-07-28
CFrom the Baltimore SunD

'one of the mysteries of American
history"-to wit, what became of the
Hessian prisoners Of the Revolution
airy War? Those to whom the Times
refers as the Hessian prisoners
We're the thousand captured by Wash
ington at Trenton. These, the Times
declares, settled down in Fauquier
county Virginia, where it says their
descendants still live and are known
as Free Staters."
This statement of the history of the
Trenton prisoners may be correct But
there were other Hessian prisoners
who settled in Maryland, and their
descendants are still with us, useful
and respected citizens.
The story Of these other Hessians is
told in a History of Frederick Coun-
ty," which has just been published.
The state owned a fine lot in Freder-
lex upon which there was an armory
and barracks in fact, it still owns the
same land, and the State School for
the Deaf stands upon it. Frederick
| then being remote and of difficult &C
cess, the old barracks was used as a
military prison all through the war.
Burgoyne's Army was sent through
Frederick to Charlottesville, and on
the way down remained in Frederick a
few weeks. 1t returned in November,
1880, and remained there until after
: the surrender of CORVALLIS.
While in Frederick the prisoners
were under few restrictions. Farm
labor was in demand, and they We're
encouraged to hire themselves to the
farmers. Many of them married and
bought farms, some settling around
FunkstoWn, in Washington county
Among the latter was young man
named Whistler, the ancestor of Wits
tier, the artist. When the time came
for the prisoners to leave to embark
for Europe but few remained in the
barracks. Of one regiment which 1T
Saratoga was $50 strong only so de-
parted from Frederick
Shortly after the departure of the
BurgOyne prisoners from Frederick
the German troops surrendered by
CORVALLIS at Yorktown arrived. These
Germans consisted of the Hessian reg
iments-the v Bose and the Crown
Prince-two South German regiments,
their artillery and the Hessian and
Bayreuth Yagers. These prisoners oc-
cupied while at Frederick the two
barracks and 100 huts that had been
built by the Burgoyne prisoners, and
many of the Hessians were quartered
| in the pOOrhOuse. At that time he
! German language was commonly
spoken in Frederick, and when the
prisoners arrived they were delighted
to hear their native tongue The Ger
man prisoners speedily assimilated
with the Frederick farmers, hired
themselves to them and married
among them. On September /, 1881,
Congress ordered all the prisoners
who were at work on the farms to
report in Frederick. But any of them
could obtain release by the payment
of eighty Spanish dollars. Those who
did not possess this sum found friends
to advance it for them, agreeing 20
repay it in labor. These bargains
were made publicly at the church
door and had legal sanction. In that
way many Hessians and other Ger
mans became citizens of Maryland
When the news Of peace reached Fred
erick in March, 1888, none reioiced
more than the German prisoners. They
united in the celebration, prepared
fireworks, and a German band played
the music at the peace ball
| When Lafayette visited Frederick N
1874 there was a military parade, and
Iamong the soldiers there was a rem
inant of the Hessians, who, Mr.. William
Ross told Lafayette, were highly re-
spected citizens whom the hand of
foreign despotism arrayed against you
y but they have forgot their
sears and grounded their enmity with
| their arms at the siege of Yorktown
land now sincerely unite with us in