GERMAN (SO CALLED HESSIAN) SOLDIERS WHO REMAINED IN MASSACHUSETTS AND NEIGHBORING STATES, PARTICULARLY AFTER THE BATTLES OF BENNINGTON AND SARATOGA Robert M. Webler Introduction from the battlefield southward to Williamstown, to Pitts- field, then eastward across the hill towns to Northamp- Local historical records and accounts, along with ton, to Hadley, Palmer, Brookfield, Worcester and Boston. information given to or discovered by the author about The captive officers, instead of crossing the center of the German soldiers who remained in Massachusetts and western counties of the state, were taken from Pittsfield neighboring states, led to this compilation of German to Great Barrington, then to Westfield, Springfield, soldiers who served in the Revolutionary War and Palmer, Brookfield, Worcester and Boston along the Knox remained in the region. Interested readers will either Trail. The American military wanted to keep the officers discover something about their “Hessian” ancestors separated from the men so the men could be encouraged and/or elect to contribute additional data for files for- to hire out to farmers or desert without admonition or merly held by the JSHA, and now archived with the threat from their superiors. Archives and Special Collection of the Shadek-Facken- After the Battle of Saratoga, Burgoyne’s remaining thal Library at Franklin and Marshall College in Lan- army of over 5000 soldiers and non-combatants was split caster, Pennsylvania. into two sections, British and German. The British were It is noted that British soldiers also deserted and further separated into two groups for the first part of the remained in the New England region. This work makes march. One group went the way taken by the Bennington no attempt to identify them except in a few cases where a rank and file captives, to Northampton and then east- known deserter could have been English or German. ward. The other group went from Williamstown across a northern route to Greenfield then southward to Hadley Preface where the two sections were merged for the remainder of the trip to Cambridge. On 3 July 1777 the General Council of Massachusetts All Germans able to march were taken the way of the Bay issued an order concerning the hire of Hessian pris- officers captured at Bennington, along a southern route oners by subjects of the State.1 through Great Barrington, to Springfield, Worcester and “Ordered that the Commissary of Prisoners be Cambridge.4 A few German soldiers deserted from the empowered and directed to permit such of the Hessian march, some died, while others later ran off from the Prisoners of War as are in this town (Boston), and are prison camp at Winter Hill in Cambridge or later from desirous of going out to labour for their maintenance, to the POW camp at Rutland, Massachusetts. Some captives hire themselves out to labour for and with any of the well from Bennington and Saratoga, who were in hospitals at disposed and faithful subjects of this State inhabiting in Albany and Bennington, were released to go about freely any part thereof, excepting the Port Towns.” after their recuperation if they desired. Some remained in The prisoners held in jails or on prison ships in the region. Boston Harbor in July 1777 had been captured at sea. The greatest numbers were Hessian Jägers captured aboard the transport Favourite.2 Captives from the Battles of Ben- Massachusetts Towns and Names of German nington and Saratoga would arrive in Massachusetts Soldiers Who Remained in Those Towns later in the year. Some of the following names were found in local In the autumn of 1777, following the capture of hun- history books and records. Most of those men have dreds of German troops at the Battle of Bennington, the been confirmed as members of the German (Hessian) General Council issued a similar directive to the Commit- forces in North America. Some have not yet been fully tees of Safety in Massachusetts Counties to take captives as confirmed as combatants from German military laborers, paying them reasonable wages and providing records. protection and sustenance. These captives were taken from their march from Bennington to Boston, from the prison Williamstown ships in the harbor and, later, from the newly constructed prison camp at Rutland, Massachusetts.3 John Hindersass, also Hendersass, Henderson, The cost to the state of caring for the captives would be (Johann Hintersass) from Windersheim, a Jäger with the less if some were housed and fed by state inhabitants. A von Barner Combined Battalion of the Brunswick Army, substantial number of the “farmed out” soldiers elected to wounded and a prisoner of discretion after the Battle at remain in America, often marrying American women and Freeman’s Farm, 7 October 1777. He is listed in army raising many children in their new country. records as captured but whereabouts unknown.5 Hinter- sass was hospitalized at Albany and, when released, he The Routes taken by the Captives from the chose to remain in the area and eventually settled at Battlefields Williamstown, Massachusetts. Hintersass is not listed in the 1790 Federal census but is listed in following years. In After the Battle of Bennington, where almost all cap- 1800 he was recorded John G. Hindersass with one young tives were German troops, the rank and file marched son and two young daughters. In 1810 the census shows 82 he had 2 sons and 4 daughters and was recorded as John October 1777 just before Burgoyne surrendered to Gates.11 Henderson. He is listed as John Henderson in 1820 with The 1790 and 1800 federal censuses list George Notewire one son and 2 daughters in the household. No record of his as head of household in Berkshire County. His wife’s name marriage or his death have been found; however, there is a may have been Huldah. Records of birth of his eight chil- record of Eliza Ann Henderson, wife of John, who died in dren are at Great Barrington and his family history after March 1832 and is buried in the East Lawn Cemetery.6 It moving to Sheffield is held by the Sheffield, Massachusetts appears the oldest son was John G., born Hinndersiss in Historical Society. John was born 1787; Daniel, 1788; Jacob, 1799. The 1870 census shows him as Hendersass, age 71, 1790; Rebecca, 1793; Deidamia, 1794; Norton, 1797; Eliza, born in Massachusetts. His wife was Hannah, age 65, and 1799 and Lorinda, 1802.12 The 1790 census shows only one they had son, John Jr. who attended Williams College in young male, two older males and one female. The older 1870. Another possible child of John was Seline Hindersass male’s name is unknown but might be another German who married Joel Baldwin King in February 1823. deserter living with Nothwehr, possibly Jobst Witte. The 1800 census shows four young males and three young West Stockbridge females corresponding to the birth records. Only one mar- riage record is listed, that of Diademea Notewear who Michael Kastler/Cassler/Castle (Johann Michael married Joel Miller in 1812. Kessler) from Schuttenburg, born in 1761, served with John Whitty (Jobst Witte), a Grenadier from Deligsen Captain Thomae’s Company with the von Barner regi- in Capt. Löhneisen’s Company of Breymann’s Grenadier ment of the Brunswick Army. He was reported captured Battalion of the Brunswick Army. Born in 1738. Listed in 7 but whereabouts unknown in the army’s records. military records as captured but whereabouts Kessler, who became Kastler, was badly wounded at the unknown.13 Witte was captured on 7 October 1777 at Battle of Bennington but recovered to find his way to Freeman’s Farm. He likely deserted near Saratoga and West Stockbridge where he and Susan Minckler began a joined the Americans where he served as a fifer with Cap- family. A daughter, Sophia, was born to Susanna Minck- tain Simon Larned’s Company in Colonel Shepard’s 4th ler in 1780; and two sons, Kelion, 1786 and Abram, 1806 Massachusetts Regiment and later settled in Great Bar- 8 were born to the couple. Census records indicate there rington.14 No record of a family has been found. The mil- were other children born to the couple but the names itary records show Witte born in 1738, which means he have not been discovered. Neither has a marriage record was age 74 in 1812 and not 103. for the union of Michael and Susan been found. The His gravestone reads: Kastlers moved from West Stockbridge to Grand Isle, Vermont, and returned to West Stockbridge on two sepa- This monument is gratuitously erected rate occasions, and later moved to New York State. by the friends of JOHN WHITTY the The story of Michael’s ordeal from lying wounded old German Soldier who died after the Battle of Bennington is interesting. He was shot March 24th 1812, in the 103rd year of his age through the lungs by an American militiaman who saw Nearly 30 of which he spent in the him lying with a leg shattered by a musket ball. That man Bloody wars of Europe left Michael for dead. Another American found him barely alive and brought him to a hospital where a German sur- geon, who claimed to be a deserter serving with the Ver- mont Militia, saved his life. Later in life, he and the surgeon would meet and recall the day his life was spared.9 Egremont Christoph Thorna, possibly Johann Heinrich Thoene, a Jäger with the First Company of the Hessen-Hanau Jäger Corps. The military record shows Thoene from Helmershausen, born in 1764, and deserting around 24 October 1777 near Saratoga.10 No Brunswick soldier with the name Thorna (or any name sounding like Thorna) has been identified.