"He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation."

In this episode, we examine one of the most important first-person accounts of the War for Independence, Johann Ewald's American War Diaries.

Ewald was an elite Hessian Officer who spent 8 long years in North America fighting against the Patriots on behalf of King George.

Topics include the following:

-the history of mercenaries or subsidy troops in Germanic states in the 18th century

-Ewald's childhood and early military career in the Seven Years' War

-Ewald's first treatise on petite guerre or irregular warfare

-The impact of Colonial frontiersmen--or irregular troops--on the Seven Years' War in North America

-The development of British Light Infantry and Hessian Jägers, whose role it was to counteract opposing irregular forces

-Ewald's deployment with his troops to New York City in October 1776 shortly after the Battle of Long Island

-His role in the Battle of Fort Washington in November 1776

-His assessment of the Continental Army and the American officer corps

-His subsequent influence on military theory, partisan warfare, and irregular warfare

Prof. McIntyre's monograph can be found here:

Johann Ewald: Jaeger Commander

His translation of Ewald's military treatise on irregular warfare can be found here:

Thoughts of a Hessian Officer on What Has to Be Done during a Tour with a Detachment in the Field