The Hessians were German soldiers who served as auxiliaries to the British Army during the American Revolutionary War, primarily from the states of Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Hanau. Approximately 30,000 to 37,000 Hessians fought in the war, making up about 25% of British land forces. Twenty-five percent! Why are listed as auxiliaries? The common misconception is that the Hessians were mercenaries - NO, NO, NO! (That's the Army Colonel and Military Historian in me coming out.)
Hessians were legally distinguished as auxiliaries. Whereas mercenaries served a foreign government on their own accord, auxiliaries were soldiers hired out to a foreign party by their own government, to which they remained in service. Morale was generally high, and soldiers were said to take pride in their service. Officers were usually well educated, and unlike most European armies, promoted on the basis of merit. Soldiers were paid relatively high wages, and their families were exempt from certain taxes.
About 5,000 of the Hessian soldiers who survived the American Revolutionary War chose to remain in America. Many returned with their families after the war.
Hessian jägers were elite, specialized German sharpshooters who served as part of the British forces during the American Revolutionary War. They were known for their distinctive green uniforms and use of rifles, which provided greater accuracy than standard muskets.
The field Jäger Corps of Hesse-Kassel was formed as part of the Hessian contingent provided under the subsidy treaty signed at Kassel on January 15, 1776, which committed Hesse-Kassel to furnishing fifteen infantry regiments, four grenadier battalions, three artillery companies, and two companies of Jäger to British service in North America. The two initial companies proved so effective that a supplementary treaty in December 1777 expanded the Jäger establishment from 260 to a nominal 1,067 men, and by the summer of 1777 the corps had grown to five foot companies and one mounted company under Lieutenant Colonel Ludwig Johann Adolf von Wurmb. The corps returned to Hesse-Kassel in 1784, with its journal recording the end of service on April 20 of that year, after which the formation was formally disbanded. As to be expected of an elite unit, they fought in all of the theater of operation of the AWI.
The corps was organized in foot companies and one mounted company, with the riders used for rapid movement rather than cavalry combat. Each Jäger was armed with a rifled short-barreled Büchse (hunting rifle) of roughly .52 caliber, giving them significantly greater accuracy and range than line infantry armed with smoothbore muskets, and each also carried a straight-bladed short sword known as a Hirschfänger for close-quarters combat, as the rifle could not accept a standard bayonet. The corps wore distinctive green coats with red cuffs, collars, lapels, and turn backs, and black tricorne hats, setting them visually apart from the blue-coated Hessian line infantry and earning them the nickname "Grünröcke" (Green Coats) among both allies and enemies.
Other Jäger units:
1. Creuzbourg's Jäger Corps had 4 companies and served in upstate New York and Canada.
2. 2nd Anspach-Bayreuth Jäger Company served primarily in the Southern Campaign.
3. Brunswick Jäger company which served during the Saratoga Campaign.
I "lucked" into my Hessian units when I purchased The August 2025 issue of Wargames Illustrated which included one of the four Epic Revolution! sprues as a freebie. I actually had 2 sprues of the British Allies so I was able to make a two stand unit of Jägers. It was these 2 free sprues that got me started on my Epic Revolution! project.
