when the first Hessians arrived at Staten Island,
Congress caused papers to be distributed among them,
encouraging them to desert. Washington was busy
with such papers within a few days of their landing.[1]
The promises then made were renewed from time to
time. One proclamation, dated on the 29th of April,
1778, promises fifty acres of land to every soldier that
will come over, and any captain who brings forty men
with him shall receive eight hundred acres of woodland,
four oxen, one bull, two cows, and four sows.
Deserters were not to be obliged to serve on the
American side, but might devote themselves at once
to the improvement of their estates. Such officers,
however, as would accept service in the army of the
United States should receive a rank higher than that
which they had enjoyed in the army they were leaving,
and should be appointed to a corps composed of
Germans, to be employed on frontier or garrison duty
exclusively, unless at its own request.[2]
These promises were not entirely without result. In August, 1778, two Hessian lieutenants came to Washington's camp, and held out hopes that other officers would follow them. These hopes were illusory for the most part. Ewald asserts that no other born Hessian officer deserted, but I have reason to suppose that some few officers of the smaller German contingents went over.[3]
Even among the privates the desertion was less than
