--- title: "What happened to the German mercenaries who fought against the American Revolution" date: "2020-04-29" modified: "2026-06-26" authors: - name: "Blake Stilwell" job_title: "Editor-In-Chief, Air Force Veteran" link: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/authors/blake/" url: "https://www.wearethemighty.com/mighty-history/hessians-american-revolution/" categories: - "History" - "Revolutionary War" - "War History" tags: - "America250" - "Germany" - "Military History" - "Revolutionary War" --- # What happened to the German mercenaries who fought against the American Revolution ![what happened to hessians after revolution]() *Many of the Hessians who survived the Revolutionary War decided America was pretty great.* Everyone knows about George Washington's famous Crossing of the Delaware River, where the Continental Army surprised the Hessians in the darkness of late Christmas Day. But who were the infamous Hessians that Washington and his men killed and wounded that Christmas? And what happened to the ones who didn't get killed by the Continental Army? **Also Read: [Daniel Morgan’s riflemen were America’s original scout snipers]()** As it turns out, Hessian mercenaries liked freedom as much as any other colonial immigrant, because many Hessians just stuck around after the war ended. Which was fine after the war, but during the war they were very unwelcome—because looting people's homes is a real turn off. ![]() *It would not be the last time Americans would have to put some Germans in their place.* The Hessians were not technically *mercenaries* but "contract armies" fighting for Britain from the German states of Hesse- Cassel and Hesse-Hanau. Britain used Hessian troops to control large populations, especially in Ireland and the American Colonies. The use of these troops was one of the reasons the Americans declared their independence from the British Crown in the first place. Though German troops contracted under British control came from other principalities, they were referred to as "Hessians" as a whole by the colonists—and Americans *hated* the Hessians. When Hessians were captured, especially after the Battle of Trenton, they would be paraded through the streets. The colonists' anger toward their mother country using "foreign mercenaries" to subdue them was infuriating and increased military enlistments for the Continental Army. They would then be used as a source of labor while they were prisoners of war, often working on farms. Though more than capable fighters, the British used them as guards and garrison troops, which is where they found themselves when Washington surprised them that Christmas night. ![Revolutionary War Hessian POV]() *The last thing Hessians see when they aren't defecting.* Many German troops ended up in Lancaster, Penn. working alongside the Pennsylvania Dutch, who, by nature, treated the Germans very well. In all, German POWs had such a great experience in American farms and fields that they would sometimes join the Continental Army. The Continental Congress also encouraged Hessian to defect, by offering them 50 acres of land for joining the American cause. Some 30,000 men came from German states to fight against the American Revolution. While more than 7,500 of them died in the fighting, the rest did not and when it came time to go home, many didn't want to go. So they stayed. Only an estimated 17,300 of the original 30,000 Hessian soldiers opted to return to their principalities in the German states. The rest decided to make their way in the new United States or head to Canada to try out a new life up there. Life in the armies of German princes was not always so good and the troops were not always well-paid for their efforts. Starting a new life in a country where their future was their own to make was a natural step for many of the well-trained, hardworking Germans. At least as honest farmers, they could finally celebrate Christmas without worrying about Americans surprising them in their sleep. ### Don’t Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty **• [George Washington’s secret spy code name was Agent 711]()** **• [The original US Navy was an armada of American rebels and privateers]()** **• [The anonymous plot to oust George Washington as commander-in-chief]()** ## Author Blake Stilwell is We Are The Mighty's Editor-in-Chief, covering military news, entertainment, and history, along with veteran education, employment and entrepreneurship. He is a former U.S. Air Force combat cameraman with degrees in Graphic Design, Television and Film, International Relations, Public Relations, Business Management and Middle Eastern Affairs. After leaving the military, he began working in film and television production in New York and Los Angeles, work that included ABC News, NBC Olympics, and HBO Sports. He then spent two years in Washington with White House Communications, before joining the Near East Foundation. At NEF he served as an International Development Fellow, then Communications Officer, and finally, Media Officer for the Middle East and Africa. Based in the Palestinian Territory, he coordinated strategic communications between eight country offices, international media, and government and NGO partners. He began a career focused on writing and editing in 2015 with We Are The Mighty. He left in 2019 for Military.com, but returned as Editor-in-Chief in 2025. Blake’s work has been seen on CBS News, Fox News, CBC, The Chicago Tribune, Task & Purpose, Military Times, Recoil, Skillset, American History, and was shockingly even used in a Supreme Court argument. He is an avid traveler and small business owner in Ohio, where he spends most of his energy fixing up a very old house. ### Author social links [Facebook]() [Twitter]() [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()