RALL, JOHANNGOTTLIEB
Rall, Johann Gottlieb
(ca. 1720–December 27, 1776)
Hessian Officer
T
he hard-drinking Rall was a tough pro-
fessional soldier from Germany with
several victories over American forces
to his credit. He remained openly contemptu-
ous of his enemies until overtaken by arro-
gance at the Battle of Trenton.
Johann Gottlieb Rall was born in the Ger-
man principality of Hesse-Cassel around 1720.
He joined the army at an early age and fought
throughout the Seven Years’ War (1756–1763)
in Europe. Thereafter, he tendered his ser-
vices to Czarina Elizabeth of Russia and
served against the Turks under Gen. Alexis
Orloff (1768–1774). Rall was a dedicated pro-
fessional soldier who loved everything associ-
ated with military life—the uniforms, the pa-
rades, the music, and the danger. In 1775, his
monarch offered to rent several thousand
professional soldiers to Great Britain to help
prosecute the war against America. Rall at
this time had risen to colonel of his own regi-
ment, the Rall Grenadiers. Unlike most line
formations, which consisted of a light infantry
company, several center companies of regular
infantry, and a crack company of tall
grenadiers, Rall’s regiment was an elite outfit
composed entirely of assault troops. In recog-
nition of their special status, they were enti-
tled to wear tall brass mitre caps that made
the men seem even more intimidating. In the
spring of 1776 Rall sailed with his regiment as
part of the Second Hessian Division under
Wilhelm von Knyphausen. Upon arriving in
America, they were brigaded with British
forces under Gen. William Howein anticipa-
tion of an invasion of Long Island, New York.
In August 1776, Howe landed his army on
Long Island and defeated the army under Gen.
George Washington on several hard-fought
occasions. The Americans were brave but raw
and could not withstand the carefully trained,
highly disciplined British and Germans in an
open field. Rall and his regiment were con-
spicuously engaged at the October 28, 1776,
victory of White Plains while serving under
Knyphausen. The following November,
Knyphausen appointed Rall to command one
of his columns during the attack on Fort
Washington on Manhattan Island. After much
hard fighting, Hessians successfully stormed
the place and captured nearly 3,000 Ameri-
cans and all their supplies. This latest disaster
induced Washington to retreat into New Jer-
sey, with the British army in hot pursuit. By
December his army was in dire straits, being
outnumbered, ill-clad, and ill-equipped. Worst
of all, of 8,000 available men, many would de-
part once their enlistments expired on De-
cember 31. What began as a promising year
for the United States seemed headed for dis-
aster—and a final British triumph.
At this juncture, fate intervened on behalf
of the Americans. General Howe, not wishing
to expose his army to the rigors of winter
campaigning, ordered his army into quarters.
Like most senior officers, he regarded the
Americans as too disorganized to be able to
continue resistance for much longer. An at-
tack in midwinter appeared absolutely out of
the question. Accordingly, a string of strong
points was established across southern New
Jersey under Gen. James Grantto disperse
the men while keeping a wary eye on the
Americans. The foremost outpost was the
town of Trenton, near the Delaware River,
and closest to the enemy. Surprisingly, Howe,
who held Rall’s military abilities in low re-
gard, allowed him to serve as its garrison
commander. This was despite Rall’s reputa-
tion for heavy drinking and inability to speak
a word of English. At that time Rall com-
manded his own regiment of grenadiers, plus
the line regiments of Knyphausen and Loss-
berg, for a total of 1,600 men. Several officers
in Rall’s command had previously examined
Trenton’s defenses and advised their com-