Brunswick troops in the American Revolutionary War served as auxiliaries to the British Army during the American Revolutionary War, in accordance with the treaty of 1776 between Great Britain and the Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Four regiments of foot, one regiment of dragoons, one grenadier battalion, and one light battalion with a Jäger company were dispatched to British America. Most of the Brunswick troops fought at the Battles of Saratoga, where they were forced to surrender as part of British General John Burgoyne's army. A total of 5,723 soldiers were sent overseas, and 2,708 returned to Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel. Part of the difference can be attributed to casualties, but the rest chose to remain in the United States or Canada instead of returning to Europe. Over the course of the war, the British government paid the Prince of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel a total of £750,000 for the use of his army.
Background At the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, Britain felt the need to augment her troops with German auxiliaries, as it had done in previous wars.Atwood 1980, pp. 1, 21-22. Duke Charles I was the reigning Duke of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel; his son and heir, Charles William Ferdinand, was married to Princess Augusta of Great Britain, the sister of George III. The Brunswick army had previously served alongside the British during the Seven Years' War (1756–63), successfully campaigning in the Low Countries, but had not been used since. Colonel William Faucitt, the British emissary, entered into negotiations with Brunswick, and the outcome was the first auxiliary troop treaty of the war between Great Britain and a German state.Lowell 1884, p. 8, 16.
Treaty between Brunswick and Great Britain The treaty between Brunswick and Great Britain was ratified January 9, 1776. It stipulated that Brunswick would make a corps of 3,964 foot and 336 light horse available to Great Britain for service in Europe or America. The corps had to be properly officered, and the men ready for campaign service; the corps had to be fully equipped with the exception of the horses for the cavalry. The corps should be formed into five regiments and two battalions. Brunswick would maintain the number of men in the corps through annual recruitment if necessary. Britain would give the corps the same pay and allowances as enjoyed by British troops, and wounded soldiers would be treated in British military hospitals in the same way as British troops. As levy money Britain would pay 30 Banco-Thaler per man; the Thaler valued at 4 shilling, 9 3/4 pence sterling. For each man killed, or three man wounded, the same amount would be paid. For each year of service, Britain should pay 64,500 Banco-Thaler to the Duke of Brunswick.Davenport & Paullin 1937, # 156. The total subsidies paid to Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel for these troops were 5,250,000 Banco-Thaler, or 750,000 pound sterling.Eelking 1863, vol. 1, p. 15.
In an appendix to the treaty between Great Britain and Brunswick, the number and composition of the troops to be raised were stipulated in detail: General staff, 22 officers and other ranks. Regiment of foot Staff, 25 officers and other ranks. Company of foot, 131 officers and other ranks. With five companies, a regiment of foot contained 680 officers and other ranks. Battalion of grenadiers Staff, 8 officers and other ranks. Company of grenadiers, 139 officers and other ranks. With four companies of grenadiers, the battalion contained 564 officers and other ranks. Regiment of dragoons Staff, 24 officers and other ranks. Company of dragoons, 78 officers and other ranks. With four companies of dragoons, the regiment contained 336 officers and other ranks. Light battalion Staff, 11 officers and other ranks. Company of chasseurs, 147 officers and other ranks. Light company, 125 officers and other ranks. With one company of chasseurs and four light companies, the battalion contained 658 officers and other ranks.
Organization of the Brunswick Corps
The peace-time military establishment of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel consisted of the regular Dragoon Regiment, Life Regiment, Regiment Prinz Friedrich, Regiment von Rhetz, Artillery Battalion and Corps of Engineers. Each of the three foot regiments had two battalions. In addition the reserve troops consisted of the Garrison Regiment, the Land Regiment (militia) and two invalid companies.Elster 1901, vol. 2, 376.
Original organization in 1776
The Brunswick Corps comprised four line infantry regiments, a grenadier battalion, a light infantry battalion and a dragoon regiment:
General Staff Commanding General Major General Friedrich Adolf Riedesel zu EisenachSource: Elster 1901, vol. 2, p. 377.
Prince Ludwig's Dragoon Regiment Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich Baum Field Officer Major Justus Christoph von MeibomSquadronOfficer Commanding Life Squadron Stabsrittmeister Carl Schlagenteuffel Squadron Rittmeister Carl Friedrich Reinking Major's Squadron Stabsrittmeister Heinrich Christian Fricke Squadron Rittmeister Adolph SchlagenteuffelSource: Huck 2011, p. 49.Eelking 1868, vol. 2, pp. 265-266.Elster 1901, vol. 2, pp. 377-378.
Prince Friedrich's Musketeer Regiment Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Christian Julius Prätorius Field Officer Major Friedrich Wilhelm Hille CompanyOfficer Commanding Life Company Staff Captain Friedrich Albert RosenbergLieutenant-Colonel's Company Staff Captain George Ernst Zielberg Major's Company Staff Captain Jacob Christian Sander Company Captain Adolph Lorenz Dietrich Company Captain Carl August Heinrich TunderfeldSource: Eelking 1868, vol. 2, p. 267.Elster 1901, vol. 2, pp. 379-380.
Riesedel's Musketeer Regiment Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Ernst Ludwig Wilhelm von Speth. Field Officer Major Otto Carl Anton MengenCompanyOfficer Commanding Life Company Staff Captain Carl Friedrich BärtlingLieutenant-Colonel's Company Staff Captain Gottlieb Benjamin Harbord Major's Company Staff Captain Ernst Heinrich Wilhelm Girsewald Company Captain Carl Friedrich Morgenstern Company Captain Julius Ludwig August PöllnitzSource: Eelking 1868, vol. 2, p. 270.Elster 1901, vol. 2, pp. 380-381.
Specht's Musketeer Regiment Commanding Officer Colonel Johann Friedrich von Specht Field Officer Major Carl Friedrich von EhrenkrookCompanyOfficer Commanding Life Company Staff Captain Heinrich Jäger Major's Company Staff Captain George Schlagenteuffel Company Captain Bernhard Richard Dahlstierna Company Captain August Conrad Lützow Company Captain Leopold Franz Friedrich Balthasar PlessenSource: Huck 2011, p. 50.
Von Rhetz's Musketeer Regiment Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Johann Gustav von Ehrenkrook Field Officer Major Balthasar Bogislaus LuckeCompanyOfficer Commanding Life Company Captain George Philip ArendLieutenant Colonel's Company Staff Captain Heinrich Urban Cleve Major's Company Staff Captain Wilhelm Ludwig Fredersdorff Company Captain Conrad Anton Alers Company Captain Ludewig SchlagenteuffelSource: Eelking 1868, vol. 2, pp. 268-269.Elster 1901, vol. 2, pp. 381-382.
Grenadier Battalion von Breymann Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Heinrich von Breymann CompanyOfficer CommandingLieutenant Colonel's Company Staff Captain August Wilhelm Hambach Company Captain Albrecht Daniel Löhneysen Company Captain Ernst August Bärtling Company Captain Gottfried Dietrich Schlick Source: Eelking 1868, vol. 2, pp. 266-267.Elster 1901, vol. 2, pp. 378-379.
Light Infantry Battalion von Barner Commanding Officer Major Ferdinand Albrecht von BarnerCompanyOfficer CommandingLife Company Captain Gottlief Joachim Gleisenberg Company Captain George Ludewig Thoma Company Captain August Friedrich Dommes Company Captain Carl GeusauSource: Eelking 1868, vol. 2, pp. 272-273.
The Prince Friedrich and Riedesel Musketeer Regiments and grenadier battalion were raised from five line infantry and two grenadier companies from the regular Prince Friedrich's Regiment. The von Rhetz and Specht Regiments came from five companies of the regular Von Rhetz Regiment as well from two companies from the regular Prince Friedrich's Regiment that had not already been used to raise the Prince Friederich and Riedesel field regiments. The Light Infantry Battalion was created through drafts from the Life Regiment and from the companies of Prince Friedrich's Regiment that remained at home. Its Jäger-company was to be raised from scratch, however, and was recruited from crack shots and woodsmen, mostly sons of state game keepers.Huck 2011, p. 48.Parker 1983, p. 83. Each regular company was divided in two, thus creating 28 field companies. The regular Prince Ludwig'z Dragoon Regiment marched off in its entirety, although ten new dragoons had to be enlisted in each squadron. In this way 2,011 already serving enlisted soldiers were raised for the Brunswick Corps. Landeskinder (Brunswick natives) in the field regiments were as far as possible exchanged for soldiers enlisted outside the principality who served in the units that remained at home. To reach the stipulated strength of the Corps, another 2071 soldiers, servants and other support staff were recruited. At home, only the Life Regiment and the Artillery Battalion remained as regular units; the remaining companies of Prince Friedrich's Regiment would reinforce the Land Regiment until the contingent in British service returned. Each field company would have four officers, a captain, a first lieutenant, a second lieutenant and an ensign. They were to be recruited from the regular regiments, with the exception of the Life Regiments. If necessary, retired officers could be used.Huck 2011, pp. 50-51.
Reorganization in Canada 1777
In the spring of 1777, as a preparation for the Saratoga campaign, a command for garrison duties that would remain in the winter quarters at Trois-Rivières, was created by detaching a company from each of regiments Prince Ludwig, Prince Friedrich, Riedesel, Specht, von Rhetz and the Hesse-Hanau Regiment Erbprinz and from the battalions von Breymann and von Barner.Huck 2011, pp. 51-52. The "Canadian Command" contained 19 officers, 48 nco's and 600 private soldiers, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel von Ehrenkrook.Elster 1901, vol. 2, p. 417.
Reorganization in Canada 1778
After the surrender at Saratoga in the fall of 1777 Ehrenkrook's Command and Prince Friedrich's Regiment, which had been left as garrison at Fort Ticonderoga with the British 53rd Foot, were the only Brunswick units that remained effective. It was determined that Prince's Friedrich's Regiment would be made complete through 450 new recruits that arrived from Germany, and that a new battalion under the command of Lieutenant-colonel von Ehrenkrook would be formed from the infantry and dragoons that had remained in Canada. The remaining old soldiers and new arrivals would be used to re-form the light battalion under Lieutenant Colonel von Barner.Elster 1901, vol. 2, pp. 417-418.
General Staff Commanding General Brigadier GeneralJohann Gustav von Ehrenkrook, 1778-1779Brigadier General Johann Friedrich von Specht, 1779-1781Source: Elster 1901, vol. 2, p. 419.
Prince Friedrich's Musketeer Regiment Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Christian Julius Prätorius Field Officer Major Friedrich Wilhelm Hille CompanyOfficer Commanding Life Company Captain Friedrich Albert RosenbergLieutenant-Colonel's Company Lieutenant Colonel Christian Julius Prätorius Major's Company Major Friedrich Wilhelm Hille Company Captain Adolph Lorenz Dietrich Company Captain Carl August Heinrich TunderfeldSource: Huck 2011, p. 58.Elster 1901, vol. 2, p. 420.