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Soldiers for Sale: German ""Mercenaries"" with the British in Canada during the American Revolution
Author(s): Jean-Pierre Wilhelmy (Author)
- Publisher: Independent Publishers Group
- Publication Date: 15 Mar. 2012
- Edition: Illustrated
- Language: English
- Print length: 296 pages
- ISBN-10: 1926824121
- ISBN-13: 9781926824123
Book Description
A fascinating study that uncovers an important aspect of the history of the American Revolution, this account reveals how the British Army that fought the American Revolutionaries was, in fact, an Anglo-German army. Arguing that the British Crown had doubts about the willingness of English soldiers to fight against other English-speaking people in North America, the book details how the task of providing troops fell upon the princes of German States, who were relatives of Englands ruling family. In return for large amounts of money, German princes and barons provided about 30,000 soldiers, many of whom were dragged unwillingly from their families and sent to fight in a war in which they had no interest. While some of the soldiers eventually melted into the French and English-speaking societies of Canada, little history has been available, not even to the descendant families. These soldiers’ experiences offer new insight into the battles that took place between 1776 and 1783 and had an impact that spanned four countries.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“A valuable book for the serious student of the American Revolution, of warfare during the Enlightenment, or of the history of mercenary troops.” –www.StrategyPage.com
“The depth of Wilhelm’s research is outstanding. . . . For further research and reading,
Soldiers for Sale is a gem. . . . Students of the American Revolution, Canada, or warfare in general, plus inquisitive casual readers, will all find Soldiers for Sale a fine investment of their time.” –www.ForewordReviews.comAbout the Author
Jean-Pierre Wilhelmy is a historian who, in the late 1970s, wanted to know where his ancestors came from and discovered a major unexplored part of Canadian history. He is the author of various books in his native French, including Sarah: à l’ombre des hommes and Charlotte et la mémoire du coeur. He lives in Montreal, Quebec.
Virginia Easley DeMarce is a historian who specializes in early modern European history, and a former college professor with more than 15 years of experience―at both George Mason University and Northwest Missouri State University. She is also the author of Mercenary Troops from Anhalt-Zerbst Germany During the American Revolution and The Settlement of Former Auxiliary Troops in Canada After the American Revolution. She lives in Arlington, Virginia.
Marcel Trudel was an emeritus professor of history at the University of Ottawa. He is the author of more than 40 books on the history of New France and is the recipient of the Companion of the Order of Canada and of the Ordre national du Quebec. He lived in Ottawa, Ontario.
