RIEDESEL, FRIEDRICHADOLPHUSVON
Riedesel, Friedrich Adolphus von
(1738–January 7, 1800)
Hessian General
T
he capable Riede-
sel fought with dis-
tinction while in
the employ of the British
and, on two occasions,
turned the tide of battle
in their favor. Throughout
the ordeal of Saratoga, he
was seconded by his re-
markable wife, Baron-
ess von Riedesel, who
marched and remained
alongside him, enduring
all the travails of combat
and captivity.
Friedrich Adolphus von
Riedesel was born in
Lauterbach, in the German
principality of Hesse, in
- While studying law
at the University of Mar-
burg, he joined the city
battalion and was com-
missioned ensign. In 1756, he accompanied
his regiment to England, where it served as
part of the British army establishment under
King George II, himself a German. The follow-
ing year Riedesel returned to the continent to
serve in the Seven Years’ War (1756–1763) as
an aide-de-camp to Prince Ferdinand, Duke of
Brunswick. In this capacity he served credibly
at the Battle of Minden on August 1, 1759, but,
feeling his services had been overlooked in
Hesse, Riedesel formally transferred to the
Brunswick force as a cavalry officer. There he
met and married Frederika von Massow, the
independent-minded daughter of a Prussian
general. The grateful Duke of Brunswick
threw them a lavish wedding ceremony and
appointed him garrison commander of
Wolfenbuttel with a rank of colonel. In Janu-
ary 1776, the Duke also contracted with King
George III of England to furnish him a contin-
gent of troops to fight in
America, and Riedesel
was directed to head the
first contingent. That
April he sailed from
Dover with 4,000 infantry
and 336 dismounted dra-
goons under Col. Frie-
drich Baum. The force
arrived at Quebec on
June 1, 1776, and func-
tioned as part of the gar-
rison commanded by
Gen. Guy Carleton.
Nearly a year transpired
before a British offensive
could materialize from
Canada, so Riedesel spent
the time familiarizing his
men with warfare as
practiced in North Amer-
ica. He reputedly trained
them to employ snow-
shoes and to shoot long distances while shel-
tered behind trees. Riedesel was also joined
there by Frederika and their three daughters,
who left the security of home to campaign
alongside him.
In the spring of 1777, Gen. John Burgoyne
arrived from England with authority to lead
8,000 men down the Champlain Valley to cap-
ture Albany. His army consisted of three
wings commanded by Simon Fraser,
William Phillips, and Riedesel himself, who
led the left wing. This was completely com-
posed of professional German auxiliaries, a
formidable, well-trained force. As the British
moved south, the Americans under Gen.
Arthur St. Clair evacuated Ticonderoga that
June without a struggle. Soon after, advance
forces under Fraser surprised an American
detachment at Hubbardton on July 7, 1777.
The enemy quickly rallied, however, and wasFriedrich Adolphus von Riedesel
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