Why Did So Many Germans Fight For The British In The American Revolution?

The infamous Hessian soldiers

The Capture of the Hessians at Trenton, December 26, 1776, by John Trumbull

During the American Revolution, colonial soldiers frequently came in contact with Hessian soldiers. The Hessians were derided and despised by the Americans despite their military prowess. The Americans saw the foreign soldiers as a visible example of Britain’s heavy-handed practices. The British didn’t want to deal with the colonists as equals. They wanted to subjugate them with large hordes of mercenaries.

Hessian camps featured men who spoke no English. Bowdy German drinking songs. Lots of ale. Excessive European-style military uniforms and ostentatious officers. Locals would walk by and click their tongues or grind their teeth at the thought of the Germans camped on American soil.

But why did so many German soldiers fight in North America for the British? Who exactly were the Hessians?

The Business of Mercenaries

(Public domain)

Before the unification of Germany, there were dozens of German states in the old Holy Roman Empire. These states ranged in size from city-states to large countries like…