Baron von Riedesel
Encyclopedia
Friedrich Adolf Riedesel, Freiherr zu Eisenbach (June 3, 1738, Lauterbach, Hesse
– January 6, 1800) was the commander
of a regiment of soldiers from the Duchy of Brunswick
(Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel) among the German units
hired by the British during the American War of Independence. They are mistakenly referred to as "Hessians" by some Americans, but were correctly identified as Brunswickers by their contemporaries.
Beginning with memoirs published by one of his sons-in-law, the General came to be referred to as "von Riedesel" in American historical writing, but this is historically incorrect. From its earliest known members in the 13th century down to the present, family members rarely used the predicate "von
" in their name. The patent from Emperor Leopold I
in 1680 which raised them to the status of Barons
(Freiherren) did not designate them as "von."
, into a family of the minor German nobility (Riedesel
), the second son of Johann Wilhelm Riedesel, Freiherr zu Eisenbach
(1705-1782) and Sophia von Borcke (1705-1769). His birth on June 3, 1738 and early education both took place in Lauterbach. The title of "Freiherr" was carried by all men of his lineage who reached majority, so neither the General nor his father was "the baron." His parents disagreed about his education; his mother wanted him prepared for a religious career, while his father sought a legal education and diplomatic service. Either of these was a proper career for a younger son.
Bowing to his father's wishes, when 15 years old, he left for the study of law at the University of Marburg
. Riedesel was an indifferent student, but spent time watching the Landgrave of Hessen's troops drill. An officer who had seen his interest befriended him, and later tricked him into enlisting. He was told that his father had consented to his enlistment, so at 17 he joined the Marburg battalion, only to have his allowance cut off when his angry father learned of it. The two were later reconciled, and Ensign Riedesel was granted an allowance from his father to help meet his expenses.
. Riedesel knew no French nor English, but learned both while in England, and made friends with several English officers that he would later meet in the Americas. The unit was recalled to the Holy Roman Empire
in 1756, for what would become the Seven Years' War
. Friedrich was attached to the personal staff of Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick and distinguished himself at the Battle of Minden
in 1759. Riedesel also gained the attention of Frederick the Great
, King of Prussia, and by 1761, he was in command of two Brunswicker regiments as their Colonel.
In August 1762, he was wounded in battle against the French
, and sent back to Minden
to recover. There he was cared for by the von Massow family and nursed by their daughter Charlotte
. In December the couple wed at Paderborn
and settled in Wolfenbüttel
, where they lived quietly for several years. During these years, Riedesel commuted to Brunswick, where he was adjutant to the duke. He also fathered three daughters: Gustava (1771-1805), Frederica (1774-1854), and Caroline (1776-1861).
with the newly-promoted Major General Riedesel as their commander. After a stop over in England
, they arrived in Quebec City
on June 1. They supported the final expulsion from Canada
of the American forces during the invasion of Canada
. They were then distributed for the winter through various posts in Canada.
General Riedesel was put in command of all German and American Indian forces during the Saratoga campaign
of 1777. His letters to the Duke of Brunswick reveal discontent with British Generals Burgoyne and Howe
. One example of this Riedesel's disagreements with Burgoyne came after his victory at the Battle of Hubbardton
, when rebels under Seth Warner
gathered to attack loyalists under Philip Skene at Castle Town
, Vermont. General Riedesel had promised protection to the loyalists, and wanted to attack the rebels at once. Burgoyne stalled, however, and ordered Riedesel to continue his advance instead of stopping to fight Warner's militia. General Riedesel warned the Duke of Brunswick that even if the campaign went well, they could not hope to be back to Germany in 1778.
During the campaign, Riedesel showed an ability to adapt to combat in the American wilderness. He issued new orders to his army to attack in open order from cover of trees, and when forced to fight in the open, to close order and immediately charge with the bayonet.
Riedesel and his wife were captured when General John Burgoyne
surrendered after the Battle of Saratoga
in 1777. He was imprisoned with the Convention Army
in Charlottesville, Virginia
at the Albemarle Barracks
. They transferred to New York, where General Riedesel spent a year on parole, before being exchanged for American General Benjamin Lincoln
. The Baron commanded troops on Long Island in Winter 1780-81. In 1781, Quebec governor Frederick Haldimand
named Riedesel officer in charge of the Sorel District, where he and his family stayed until his departure from North America at the end of Summer 1784. A detailed account of his work in Sorel and in the main places along the Richelieu River can be found in the Haldimand Collection in the National Archives of Canada (mainly in the series 136 to 139).
, who had become duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel in 1780, while the army was being held captive in the United States.
Riedesel was promoted to Lieutenant-General in 1787, and given command of the Brunswick troops in the southern provinces of Holland. He retired in 1793, but was named Commandant of the city of Braunschweig
. General Riedesel died there in 1800.
Lauterbach, Hesse
Lauterbach is a town in the Vogelsbergkreis district of the federal state of Hesse in central Germany.-History:Lauterbach was founded between 400 and 800 AD. In 812 the town was mentioned for the first time in a document of the church in Schlitz. In the Middle Ages, Lauterbach belonged to the...
– January 6, 1800) was the commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of a regiment of soldiers from the Duchy of Brunswick
Brunswick-Lüneburg
The Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg , or more properly Duchy of Brunswick and Lüneburg, was an historical ducal state from the late Middle Ages until the late Early Modern era within the North-Western domains of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, in what is now northern Germany...
(Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel) among the German units
Germans in the American Revolution
Ethnic Germans served on both sides of the American Revolutionary War. Many supported the Loyalist cause and served as allies of Great Britain, whose King George III was also the Elector of Hanover...
hired by the British during the American War of Independence. They are mistakenly referred to as "Hessians" by some Americans, but were correctly identified as Brunswickers by their contemporaries.
Beginning with memoirs published by one of his sons-in-law, the General came to be referred to as "von Riedesel" in American historical writing, but this is historically incorrect. From its earliest known members in the 13th century down to the present, family members rarely used the predicate "von
Von
In German, von is a preposition which approximately means of or from.When it is used as a part of a German family name, it is usually a nobiliary particle, like the French, Spanish and Portuguese "de". At certain times and places, it has been illegal for anyone who was not a member of the nobility...
" in their name. The patent from Emperor Leopold I
Leopold I, Holy Roman Emperor
| style="float:right;" | Leopold I was a Holy Roman Emperor, King of Hungary and King of Bohemia. A member of the Habsburg family, he was the second son of Emperor Ferdinand III and his first wife, Maria Anna of Spain. His maternal grandparents were Philip III of Spain and Margaret of Austria...
in 1680 which raised them to the status of Barons
Freiherr
The German titles Freiherr and Freifrau and Freiin are titles of nobility, used preceding a person's given name or, after 1919, before the surname...
(Freiherren) did not designate them as "von."
Early career
Friedrich Adolf was born in Lauterbach, HesseLauterbach, Hesse
Lauterbach is a town in the Vogelsbergkreis district of the federal state of Hesse in central Germany.-History:Lauterbach was founded between 400 and 800 AD. In 812 the town was mentioned for the first time in a document of the church in Schlitz. In the Middle Ages, Lauterbach belonged to the...
, into a family of the minor German nobility (Riedesel
Riedesel
Riedesel is a German family name that began to appear in legal documents in the early 13th century. They were of the knightly class, though not all had the official status of Ritter or knight. Its exact geographical and temporal origins are uncertain. However, all of the early references are from...
), the second son of Johann Wilhelm Riedesel, Freiherr zu Eisenbach
Eisenbach
Eisenbach is a town in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald in Baden-Württemberg in Germany....
(1705-1782) and Sophia von Borcke (1705-1769). His birth on June 3, 1738 and early education both took place in Lauterbach. The title of "Freiherr" was carried by all men of his lineage who reached majority, so neither the General nor his father was "the baron." His parents disagreed about his education; his mother wanted him prepared for a religious career, while his father sought a legal education and diplomatic service. Either of these was a proper career for a younger son.
Bowing to his father's wishes, when 15 years old, he left for the study of law at the University of Marburg
Philipps University of Marburg
The Philipp University of Marburg , was founded in 1527 by Landgrave Philip I of Hesse as the world's oldest university dating back to a Protestant foundation...
. Riedesel was an indifferent student, but spent time watching the Landgrave of Hessen's troops drill. An officer who had seen his interest befriended him, and later tricked him into enlisting. He was told that his father had consented to his enlistment, so at 17 he joined the Marburg battalion, only to have his allowance cut off when his angry father learned of it. The two were later reconciled, and Ensign Riedesel was granted an allowance from his father to help meet his expenses.
Seven Years War
Ensign Riedesel's first assignment was near LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Riedesel knew no French nor English, but learned both while in England, and made friends with several English officers that he would later meet in the Americas. The unit was recalled to the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
in 1756, for what would become the Seven Years' War
Seven Years' War
The Seven Years' War was a global military war between 1756 and 1763, involving most of the great powers of the time and affecting Europe, North America, Central America, the West African coast, India, and the Philippines...
. Friedrich was attached to the personal staff of Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick and distinguished himself at the Battle of Minden
Battle of Minden
The Battle of Minden—or Thonhausen—was fought on 1 August 1759, during the Seven Years' War. An army fielded by the Anglo-German alliance commanded by Field Marshal Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick, defeated a French army commanded by Marshal of France Louis, Marquis de Contades...
in 1759. Riedesel also gained the attention of Frederick the Great
Frederick II of Prussia
Frederick II was a King in Prussia and a King of Prussia from the Hohenzollern dynasty. In his role as a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire, he was also Elector of Brandenburg. He was in personal union the sovereign prince of the Principality of Neuchâtel...
, King of Prussia, and by 1761, he was in command of two Brunswicker regiments as their Colonel.
In August 1762, he was wounded in battle against the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and sent back to Minden
Minden
Minden is a town of about 83,000 inhabitants in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The town extends along both sides of the river Weser. It is the capital of the Kreis of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detmold. Minden is the historic political centre of the...
to recover. There he was cared for by the von Massow family and nursed by their daughter Charlotte
Frederika Charlotte Riedesel
Frederika Charlotte Louise von Massow, Baroness Riedesel zu Eisenbach was the wife of General Friedrich Adolf Riedesel of Brunswick. She accompanied him during the Saratoga Campaign in the American Revolutionary War and kept a journal of the campaign.-Early life:Frederika was born in 11 July 1746...
. In December the couple wed at Paderborn
Paderborn
Paderborn is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, capital of the Paderborn district. The name of the city derives from the river Pader, which originates in more than 200 springs near Paderborn Cathedral, where St. Liborius is buried.-History:...
and settled in Wolfenbüttel
Wolfenbüttel
Wolfenbüttel is a town in Lower Saxony, Germany, located on the Oker river about 13 kilometres south of Brunswick. It is the seat of the District of Wolfenbüttel and of the bishop of the Protestant Lutheran State Church of Brunswick...
, where they lived quietly for several years. During these years, Riedesel commuted to Brunswick, where he was adjutant to the duke. He also fathered three daughters: Gustava (1771-1805), Frederica (1774-1854), and Caroline (1776-1861).
American War of Independence
In 1776, the British government began to "rent" units to fight in the American War of Independence from various German princes. The Duke of Brunswick signed a treaty to provide 4,000 foot soldiers and 350 heavy dragoons. On March 18, they sailed from StadeStade
Stade is a city in Lower Saxony, Germany and part of the Hamburg Metropolitan Region . It is the seat of the district named after it...
with the newly-promoted Major General Riedesel as their commander. After a stop over in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, they arrived in Quebec City
Quebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
on June 1. They supported the final expulsion from Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
of the American forces during the invasion of Canada
Invasion of Canada (1775)
The Invasion of Canada in 1775 was the first major military initiative by the newly formed Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The objective of the campaign was to gain military control of the British Province of Quebec, and convince the French-speaking Canadiens to join the...
. They were then distributed for the winter through various posts in Canada.
General Riedesel was put in command of all German and American Indian forces during the Saratoga campaign
Saratoga campaign
The Saratoga Campaign was an attempt by Great Britain to gain military control of the strategically important Hudson River valley in 1777 during the American Revolutionary War...
of 1777. His letters to the Duke of Brunswick reveal discontent with British Generals Burgoyne and Howe
William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe
William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, KB, PC was a British army officer who rose to become Commander-in-Chief of British forces during the American War of Independence...
. One example of this Riedesel's disagreements with Burgoyne came after his victory at the Battle of Hubbardton
Battle of Hubbardton
The Battle of Hubbardton was an engagement in the Saratoga campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought in the village of Hubbardton, then in the disputed New Hampshire Grants territory . On the morning of July 7, 1777, British forces, under General Simon Fraser, caught up with the American...
, when rebels under Seth Warner
Seth Warner
Seth Warner was born in Roxbury, Connecticut. In 1763, he removed with his father to Bennington in what was then known as the New Hampshire Grants. He established there as a huntsman....
gathered to attack loyalists under Philip Skene at Castle Town
Castleton, Vermont
Castleton is a town in Rutland County, Vermont, United States. Castleton is about to the west of Rutland, and about east of the New York/Vermont state border. The town had a population of 4,717 at the 2010 census. Castleton State College is located there, with roots dating to 1787...
, Vermont. General Riedesel had promised protection to the loyalists, and wanted to attack the rebels at once. Burgoyne stalled, however, and ordered Riedesel to continue his advance instead of stopping to fight Warner's militia. General Riedesel warned the Duke of Brunswick that even if the campaign went well, they could not hope to be back to Germany in 1778.
During the campaign, Riedesel showed an ability to adapt to combat in the American wilderness. He issued new orders to his army to attack in open order from cover of trees, and when forced to fight in the open, to close order and immediately charge with the bayonet.
Riedesel and his wife were captured when General John Burgoyne
John Burgoyne
General John Burgoyne was a British army officer, politician and dramatist. He first saw action during the Seven Years' War when he participated in several battles, mostly notably during the Portugal Campaign of 1762....
surrendered after the Battle of Saratoga
Battle of Saratoga
The Battles of Saratoga conclusively decided the fate of British General John Burgoyne's army in the American War of Independence and are generally regarded as a turning point in the war. The battles were fought eighteen days apart on the same ground, south of Saratoga, New York...
in 1777. He was imprisoned with the Convention Army
Convention Army
The Convention Army was an army of British and allied troops captured after the Battles of Saratoga in the American Revolutionary War.-Convention of Saratoga:...
in Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
at the Albemarle Barracks
Albemarle Barracks
Albemarle Barracks was a prisoner-of-war camp for British prisoners during the American Revolutionary War.Following Gen. John Burgoyne's defeat at the Battle of Saratoga, in 1777, several thousand British and German troops, of what came to be known as the Convention Army, were marched to...
. They transferred to New York, where General Riedesel spent a year on parole, before being exchanged for American General Benjamin Lincoln
Benjamin Lincoln
Benjamin Lincoln was an American army officer. He served as a major general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War...
. The Baron commanded troops on Long Island in Winter 1780-81. In 1781, Quebec governor Frederick Haldimand
Frederick Haldimand
Sir Frederick Haldimand, KB was a military officer best known for his service in the British Army in North America during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War...
named Riedesel officer in charge of the Sorel District, where he and his family stayed until his departure from North America at the end of Summer 1784. A detailed account of his work in Sorel and in the main places along the Richelieu River can be found in the Haldimand Collection in the National Archives of Canada (mainly in the series 136 to 139).
Return to Europe
General Riedesel returned to Europe in late 1783, sailing first to England. He led the remainder of his Brunswick troops to a review by Charles William Ferdinand, Duke of BrunswickCharles William Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick
Charles William Ferdinand , Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel, was a sovereign prince of the Holy Roman Empire, and a professional soldier who served as a Generalfeldmarschall of the Kingdom of Prussia...
, who had become duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel in 1780, while the army was being held captive in the United States.
Riedesel was promoted to Lieutenant-General in 1787, and given command of the Brunswick troops in the southern provinces of Holland. He retired in 1793, but was named Commandant of the city of Braunschweig
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
. General Riedesel died there in 1800.
External links
- General Friedrich Adolph Riedesel Freiherr zu Eisenbach¨
- Haldimand Collection: Reference to thousand letters and documents from and to Friedrich Adolf Riedesel
- Histoire de Sorel-Tracy
- The most-authoritative source on the life of Riedesel is a chapter in the book by Dr. Karl Siegmar Baron von Galéra entitled Vom Reich zum Rheinbund: Weltgeschichte des 18. Jahrhunderts in einer kleinen Residenz (Degener & Company, Neustadt an der Aisch; 1961).