CANADA DURING THE AMERICAN REVOLUTIONARY WAR

This author enjoys a unique and preeminent position in the study of Hessian records of the American Revolution having translated literally thousands of pages of the journals and writings of Dohla Prechtel Waldeck Pausch Von Feilitsch Bartholomai Piel Wiederhold Rueffer JR Steuernagel and many other Hessian soldiers To this impressive list he now adds the writings of Lieutenant Friedrich Julius Von Papet a young Brunswick officer whose journal spans the period from May of 1776 to October of 1783 One of the most significant and important effects of the English employment of Hessians during the American Revolutionary War was the retention of English control of Canada General John Burgoyne had taken most of the British military strength from Canada for his command when he marched against the American colonists in 1777 However even after France entered the war on the American side the residents of that former French colony were not strong enough to openly resist the military control exercised by a small English and Hessian command As a result England retained Canada under the terms of the Treaty of Paris in 1783 Troops from HesseCassel Waldeck and AnsbachBayreuth were sent to Howes command as well as some troops from HesseHanau and AnhaltZerbst while troops from HesseHanau Brunswick and AnhaltZerbst provided the forces sent to Canada together with some troops from HesseCassel which were sent from New York to Canada later in the war The Brunswick troops numbering 4300 men sailed for America in two divisions one departing in late March 1776 and the other including Von Papet departing on 31 May 1776 two weeks after the start of this journal Von Papet was one of the Hessians only 600 officers and noncommissioned officers who remained behind in Canada when John Burgoyne began his march against the American colonists in 1777 Though only twentyone years old Von Papet was assigned the important position of brigade major Because he kept a diary throughout his English service all