CAN Plaque: Danke schön, Hessians, for Helping Against "American Rebels"

[The Bread Guy]

The Government of Canada Recognizes the Contribution of the German Troops to the Defence of Canada During the American Revolution
Parks Canada news release, 28 Aug 09
News release link - .pdf of news release, backgrounder also attached

QUEBEC CITY, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Aug. 28, 2009) - Mr. Daniel Petit, Member of Parliament for Charlesbourg-Haute-Saint-Charles, on behalf of the Honourable Jim Prentice, Canada's Minister of the Environment and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, today unveiled a Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada plaque commemorating the national historic significance of the contribution of the German troops to the defence of Canada during the American Revolution (1776-1783).

"I am very proud to be commemorating these troops that formed an essential part of Canada's military defence system at a pivotal moment in our history. Their valiant efforts will be recognized by present and future generations," said Mr. Petit.

Between 1776 and 1783, German troops in British service played a key role in the defence of Canada, at times comprising one-third to one-half of the British forces. They helped reconquer territory taken by the American rebels and, in 1777, took part in General John Burgoyne's failed invasion of American-controlled territory. After 1778, they formed an essential part of the defensive system, contributing most notably to improving fortifications. One quarter of these 10,000 soldiers settled in Canada after the war, their descendants numbering in the tens of thousands today.

"These 10,000 soldiers contributed twice over. Not only did they bravely protect our country, but the great numbers that settled throughout Quebec and the rest of Canada contributed significantly to the development of the country," said Minister Prentice.

On behalf of the people of Canada, Parks Canada manages a nation-wide network of national historic sites that commemorate persons, places and events that have shaped Canada's history and which offer visitors the opportunity for real and inspiring discovery.

Created in 1919, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada advises the Minister of the Environment about the national historic significance of persons, places and events that have marked Canada's history. The presentation of a commemorative plaque represents official recognition of their historic value to the country.

 

[AJFitzpatrick]

Hmm, I wonder if this means they are now going to start awarding battle honours for the war of 1812. 

 

[OpieRWestmrR]

...awarding battle honours for the war of 1812.

Can that be done? Or, rephrase: is there a process, and sufficient will to overcome arbitrary barriers? I understand there are legal problems with regard to unit lineage...

 

[je suis prest]

I assume you mean for Canadian army units, since there are British regiments, such as the Royal Scots, who carry the honour "Niagara". 
It would, of course, be difficult to recognize any particular regiment as being the successor of any of the earlier units, without raising all sorts of issues of precedence, since all of the formed fencible and militia units were disbanded at the end of the war.
It would be tempting to do something along that order to commemorate the bicentennial of the conflict, but it would open a can of worms in other ways.

PS It is nice to see the use of the term "rebels" to describe the American forces.  I wonder what American tourists will think to see their "Revolutionary" heros so described?

 

[AJFitzpatrick]

WW I Battle Honours have been awarded via "perpetuation" perhaps this is a precedent that could be cited. See "Siberia" battle honour.



Edit for missing word

 

[the 48th regulator]

So,  (Pulling on my tinfoil hat)

Is this a proactive stance by Canada on PMC companies??

We coin them Mercenary, when they are against us, but PMC when they work for us.

Or is Canada now opening up the market to invite new companies to start up, or move here.....

Interesting.

dileas

tess

 

[Kirkhill]

Actually I don't think it is fair to call those Hessians (and Hanoverians) mercenaries.  While it is true that they by and large drew their wages on the British treasury - especially true during the later Napoleonic era when Napoleon ruled Europe, the troops themselves retained their loyalty to their Commander in Chief.

The Hanoverian Kings were more than just Kings of the independent countries of the United Kingdom and Ireland, they were also Kings of Hanover and Electors of the Holy Roman Empire.  The Germans in crimson were serving their German Kings.  Those German Kings just happened to reside in the UK because they got a sweetheart deal from the British parliament.

That also explains how a "British King" ended up taking the field at the head of a predominantly German army against the French at Dettingen in 1743.  George II was defending his home turf.

The Hessians and Hanoverians were not mercenaries in the sense of the modern PMCs.  For that you have to go to the Swiss (De Meurons) who hired on with the HBC in 1816 to protect the HBC interests at the Red River settlement in Manitoba.

 

[OpieRWestmrR]

I assume you mean for Canadian army units, ...
It would be tempting to do something along that order to commemorate the bicentennial of the conflict, but it would open a can of worms in other ways.

Just so. If British and US units carry 1812 battle honours of one kind or another it seems incongruous there are no honours in Canada, which had the most immediate 'personal' interest in the outcome.

"We were all 'British' back then" is not a convincing rationalisation. Back then my ancestors were Canadian in thought, if not yet in law.

Although all the units were disbanded and the 19C militia reforms snapped the perpetuation threads, surely the matter is too important to dump in the too-hard basket?

Does fear of offending the Americans add a dimension to the problem?

 

[the 48th regulator]

Actually I don't think it is fair to call those Hessians (and Hanoverians) mercenaries.  While it is true that they by and large drew their wages on the British treasury - especially true during the later Napoleonic era when Napoleon ruled Europe, the troops themselves retained their loyalty to their Commander in Chief.

The Hanoverian Kings were more than just Kings of the independent countries of the United Kingdom and Ireland, they were also Kings of Hanover and Electors of the Holy Roman Empire.  The Germans in crimson were serving their German Kings.  Those German Kings just happened to reside in the UK because they got a sweetheart deal from the British parliament.

That also explains how a "British King" ended up taking the field at the head of a predominantly German army against the French at Dettingen in 1743.  George II was defending his home turf.

The Hessians and Hanoverians were not mercenaries in the sense of the modern PMCs.  For that you have to go to the Swiss (De Meurons) who hired on with the HBC in 1816 to protect the HBC interests at the Red River settlement in Manitoba.

Cough cough,


So, Blackwater, (I am dating myself here as I have had red wine), Sandline, Executive Outcomes, and somem other PMC  companies do not follow your historical anecdote to a tee?

When did Blackwater (Okay, I am using them as the example) fight against American troops, being hired by say the Iraqi insurgents.....

See what I am getting at?  Same concept, different era.

dileas

tess

 

[je suis prest]

I don't think they are the same thing, although I understand your point.  The Hessians and others who were sent to fight in American during the rebellion were members of their national armies and subject to the discipline and requirements of loyalty to their sovereign, whether George as elector of Hanover or to the various German princes and dukes to whose armies they belonged.  They were not private contractors working for private interests.

A closer analogy is the practice of various third-world nations to hire their armies out to the United Nations on peace-keeping missions, sine the UN pays the supplying country more per soldier than their armies cost them.