Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-05-11
THE FATE OF THE HEssIANs
The Soldiers England Imported &
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Use Against Americans.
What became Of the Hessians-the
thousand unfortunate hireling soldiers
whom General Washington captured at
Trenton on that foggy December
morning in 1776?
ture, Is silent about them. The Treaty
Of Paris does not mention them, nor
does any writer Of that day say any
thing about their fate. A Virginia
correspondent Of the Youths Com
panion gives the following informa-
tion:
At the time Of their capture, the
Federal government was finding it
difficult to supply food and clothing to
it's own starving, freezing troops. Con-
gress cheerfully agreed to the sug-
gestion Of General Washington that
he take his prisoners down to Alex
anderia, Virginia, where they could
earn their own living.
Washington's motive was shrewd
and thrifty one. Alexandria was the
nearest town to his own estate at Mt.
Vernon. The streets over which the
considerable traffic from the river
passed stood sadly in need Of paving,
and Washington thought it much bet
ter to have these sturdy fellows con-
tribute to the improvement Of the lit
tie city rather than to eat the bread
Of idleness in prison.
And so the Hessians marched to
Alexandria and went to work to turn
Alexandria mudholes into we'll paved
streets. The records Of Alexandria
bore evidence Of these facts, but, un-
fortunately, they were destroyed In
the civil war. Some of the older citi-
zens, however, can remember having
seen the entries.
With the spring, Washington sent
the Hessians into northern Virginia,
at the eastern base Of the Blue Ridge
mountains. The land there was held
by a few families in estates Of thou
sands of acres. Those great landown-
ers were glad enough to permit the
Hessians to till as much land as would
comfortably support them. Each ten
ant paid a small rent for his land;
sometimes the rent took the form OF
some service rendered to the landlord.
And thus the Hessians took root in
Virginia. And as 1t Is not good for a
man to be alone, they married-gen-
orally finding their wives among the
bond servants" sent over to Virginia
from the houses Of correction In
England before the Revolution. The
Hessians did not mingle socially with
the old families Of Virginia any more
than the black slaves did. They de-
sired companionship, and so in time
most of them gathered in small dis
trict in Fauquier county. There for a
hundred years they lived, as separate
from the other whites as the negroes.
From the earliest days they have
steadfastly refused to pay any taxes,
and, as the cost and trouble Of COL
lection were usually more than the
taxes were worth, they have been al
lowed to go scot-free. Hence the
name by which they are universally
known-the Free Staters."
Living in their primitive cabins, the
Free Staters have few wants, and are
virtually independent Of the outside
world. A little coffee, a trifling amount
Of brown sugar, and a few yards Of
bright calico for state occasions, are
all that the Free Staters ask Of civil
ization. They raise their own food,
make their own shoes, and kill pos
sums and coons when they want hats.
Money is almost unknown among
them. The few articles they need are
obtained at the cross-road stores by
the barter Of chestnuts, huckleberries,
and sang" or ginseng root. They
have their primitive manufactures,
dress skins into creditable leather, and
make their wagons and household fur
niture from the abundant timber.
The evidences Of their foreign de-
scent are plentiful. The typical "po'
white" Of the south is long and lank,
with a thin face and dark hair. The
Free Slater is short, with large, round
head and light hair. The Free Staters
are fond of music and dancing.
None Of the present generation know
who the Hessians were, but the most
insulting epithet they apply to one
another Is, You old Hessian!" The
word is used nowhere else in the Unit
ed States today, and has doubtless sur
vived among them from the days OF
their captivity, when the term was
applied to them in reproach.
Only few hundred Free Staters are
now living in Fauquier county.