Hessians
Trenton's Christmas defenders
Hessians were German soldiers, primarily from the Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel, hired by the British Crown to fight against American colonists during the Revolutionary War.
The term became synonymous with mercenary troops and carries connotations of fighting for pay rather than principle.
Lowercase hessians refers to tall lace-up boots popular in the 19th century, originally worn by Hessian cavalry.
The Hessians were surprised at Trenton on Christmas night.
Colonel-led military unit
- auxiliariesSupporting or helper elements
- grenadiersSoldiers who threw explosives
- musketeerSoldier armed with musket
- hirelingWorker motivated solely by pay
contract · subsidy · Brunswick · garrison · desertion · prisoner · surrender · Trenton
regiment
Colonel-led military unit
- auxiliariesSupporting or helper elements
- grenadiersSoldiers who threw explosives
- musketeerSoldier armed with musket
hireling · contract · subsidy · Brunswick · garrison · desertion · prisoner · surrender · Trenton · quarters
Trenton
New Jersey's capital city
- WashingtonU.S. seat of government
- DelawareFirst to join the Union
- 1776American founding year
redcoats · patriots · British · colonial · independence · battle · crossing · surprise · Christmas · prisoners
riding
Controlling while mounted
- equestrianRelating to horsemanship
- knee-highUp to the leg joint
- leatherTanned animal skin
tassels · pull-on · cavalry · heeled · polished · military · Regency · Victorian · fashion · Wellington
- Revolutionary WarGeorge Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Paul Revere, Betsy Ross flag
- historical warfaremusket, bayonet, cannon, flintlock, cavalry
- auxiliary forcesauxiliaries, support units, colonial troops, native troops, mercenaries
- colonial militaryredcoats, militia, minutemen, Continental Army, musket
- German AmericansGerman Americans, German settlers, German immigration, Ellis Island, Albert Einstein
- German peoplesGermans, ethnic Germans, Bavarians, Saxons, Rhinelanders
HessiansContinental Army
Colonial rebel military force
Patriots · Minutemen · rebel forces · Sons of Liberty · American troops