Virtual Lecture – The Hessians Are Coming: Mercenary Soldiers and the American Revolution

The British government dispatched about 20,000 German troops help the redcoats to put down the revolt in America. This lecture by Dr. Richard Bell surveys these Hessian mercenaries’ contributions to the British war machine, including their efforts to sweep Washington’s army out of New York City and back to New Jersey. It also reveals how and why ordinary Americans’ perception of them as thugs capable of ‘ungovernable brutality’ changed—so much so that when the war finally ended, almost 6,000 German veterans chose to put down roots, betting their futures on the prospects of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in the newly formed United States.

Registration required.

Cost: $15 per household for General Admission; $10 per household for HA Members & Volunteers