else.
Upon arrival, the Hessians posted notices around town:
S MALL STRAGGLING PARTIES NOT DRESSED
LIKE SOLDIERS AND WITHOUT OFFICERS,
NOT BEING ADMISSIBLE IN WAR WHO PRESUMES
TO MOLEST OR FIRE UPON SOLDIERS OR
PEACEABLE INHABITANTS OF THE COUNTRY,
WILL BE IMMEDIATELY HANGED WITHOUT
TRIAL AS ASSASSINS.
In all fairness, it must be stated that the Hessians hanged no one during their occupation of Trenton, nor did they inflict any cruel punishment that we have record of.
The following morning-Friday, the thirteenth of December-a company of fifty Jägers marched into Trenton, to join the two regiments already in occupation. The Jägers wore bright green uniforms with red facings and cocked hats. The Jägers were the Hessians most feared by the Continentals, perhaps because the German regiments in the American army had a traditional terror of the Jäger regiments in Europe.
In his own words, a Hessian appears far more human and understandable than as a historical memory, and what follows is an entry in a Hessian diary, made by one of the Jägers on the day they arrived in Trenton:
We marched to Trenton and joined our two regiments of Rall [sic] and Knyphausen, in order to take up a sort of winter quarters here, which are wretched enough. This town consists of about one hundred houses, of which many are mean and little, and it is easy to conceive how ill it must accommodate three regiments. The inhabitants, like those at Princeton, are almost all fled, so that we occupy bare walls. The Delaware, which is here extremely rapid, and in general about two ells deep [90 inches], separates us and the rebels. We are obliged to be constantly on our guard, and to do very severe duty, though our people begin to grow ragged, and our baggage is left at New York. Notwithstanding, we have marched across this extremely fine province of New Jersey, which may justly be called the garden of America, yet it is by no means freed from the enemy, and we are insecure both in flank and rear. The Brigade has incontestably suffered the most of any, and we now lie at the advanced point, that as soon as the Delaware freezes we may march over and attack Philadelphia which is about thirty miles distant.
In Trenton, as elsewhere, the ability of the Quakers to maintain themselves as they did during the Revolution is a testimony, not only to the Quaker faith, but to that quality so rare in war, compassion, which never entirely disappeared during the Revolution. The entire community of Quakers suffered uniquely during the war. Uncomfortably situated, poignantly conflicted by religion, ideals and principles, they were in their great majority entirely sympathetic to the American cause. Among many of them this sympathy was so deep-felt and profoundly religious, that in spite of their faith they took up arms in the Continental cause. But the majority of them adhered to their faith, bore the insults and taunts of both sides patiently and without bad will, and when the opportunity offered, provided food, shelter and medical aid to both the rebels and the British.
When the war began, the immediate reaction of Americans from those areas of the country where there were few or no Quakers was to regard them with suspicion and often with hatred and contempt. But as the war went on, these feelings changed to respect and admiration. The militant Protestant ideologies provided much of the impetus for the Revolution, and to religious people, the sense of the Quakers as Christians was hard to reject.
Yet, a Quaker meetinghouse was fair game for men who would think twice before defiling a church. Twenty members of the 16th Regiment of the Queenâs Light Dragoons quartered themselves in the Friendsâ meetinghouse on Third Street in Trenton, filthied and damaged the place, and, on occasion, stabled their horses there.
[20]
ON SATURDAY, which was the fourteenth of December, one week after Washington led his beaten army across the Delaware, the Hessians
Upon arrival, the Hessians posted notices around town:
S MALL STRAGGLING PARTIES NOT DRESSED
LIKE SOLDIERS AND WITHOUT OFFICERS,
NOT BEING ADMISSIBLE IN WAR WHO PRESUMES
TO MOLEST OR FIRE UPON SOLDIERS OR
PEACEABLE INHABITANTS OF THE COUNTRY,
WILL BE IMMEDIATELY HANGED WITHOUT
TRIAL AS ASSASSINS.
In all fairness, it must be stated that the Hessians hanged no one during their occupation of Trenton, nor did they inflict any cruel punishment that we have record of.
The following morning-Friday, the thirteenth of December-a company of fifty Jägers marched into Trenton, to join the two regiments already in occupation. The Jägers wore bright green uniforms with red facings and cocked hats. The Jägers were the Hessians most feared by the Continentals, perhaps because the German regiments in the American army had a traditional terror of the Jäger regiments in Europe.
In his own words, a Hessian appears far more human and understandable than as a historical memory, and what follows is an entry in a Hessian diary, made by one of the Jägers on the day they arrived in Trenton:
We marched to Trenton and joined our two regiments of Rall [sic] and Knyphausen, in order to take up a sort of winter quarters here, which are wretched enough. This town consists of about one hundred houses, of which many are mean and little, and it is easy to conceive how ill it must accommodate three regiments. The inhabitants, like those at Princeton, are almost all fled, so that we occupy bare walls. The Delaware, which is here extremely rapid, and in general about two ells deep [90 inches], separates us and the rebels. We are obliged to be constantly on our guard, and to do very severe duty, though our people begin to grow ragged, and our baggage is left at New York. Notwithstanding, we have marched across this extremely fine province of New Jersey, which may justly be called the garden of America, yet it is by no means freed from the enemy, and we are insecure both in flank and rear. The Brigade has incontestably suffered the most of any, and we now lie at the advanced point, that as soon as the Delaware freezes we may march over and attack Philadelphia which is about thirty miles distant.
In Trenton, as elsewhere, the ability of the Quakers to maintain themselves as they did during the Revolution is a testimony, not only to the Quaker faith, but to that quality so rare in war, compassion, which never entirely disappeared during the Revolution. The entire community of Quakers suffered uniquely during the war. Uncomfortably situated, poignantly conflicted by religion, ideals and principles, they were in their great majority entirely sympathetic to the American cause. Among many of them this sympathy was so deep-felt and profoundly religious, that in spite of their faith they took up arms in the Continental cause. But the majority of them adhered to their faith, bore the insults and taunts of both sides patiently and without bad will, and when the opportunity offered, provided food, shelter and medical aid to both the rebels and the British.
When the war began, the immediate reaction of Americans from those areas of the country where there were few or no Quakers was to regard them with suspicion and often with hatred and contempt. But as the war went on, these feelings changed to respect and admiration. The militant Protestant ideologies provided much of the impetus for the Revolution, and to religious people, the sense of the Quakers as Christians was hard to reject.
Yet, a Quaker meetinghouse was fair game for men who would think twice before defiling a church. Twenty members of the 16th Regiment of the Queenâs Light Dragoons quartered themselves in the Friendsâ meetinghouse on Third Street in Trenton, filthied and damaged the place, and, on occasion, stabled their horses there.
[20]
ON SATURDAY, which was the fourteenth of December, one week after Washington led his beaten army across the Delaware, the Hessians
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