Johann Gottfried Hauer (John Godfrey Howard) Family Line
John Godfrey Howard (1754-1834) My Hessian Great-Grandfather
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by Carolyn Ann Howard
The Howard clan, vast and diverse throughout the United States, descended from one man, Johann Gottfried Hauer. Hauer came to the United States from Germany as a Hessian soldier.
Gottfried Hauer might have been a soldier by profession. According to The Journal of the American Revolution, "two centuries of warfare had created a true military society" among the Landgraviate of Hesse-Cassel. [1] The Digital Encyclopedia of Washington Library states that soldiers began their training as young as 7 years of age. The conditions in the military were harsh as the punishments were brutal, but the pay and benefits were good. [2] Click on photos to enlarge
Gottfried Hauer might have been a soldier by profession. According to The Journal of the American Revolution, "two centuries of warfare had created a true military society" among the Landgraviate of Hesse-Cassel. [1] The Digital Encyclopedia of Washington Library states that soldiers began their training as young as 7 years of age. The conditions in the military were harsh as the punishments were brutal, but the pay and benefits were good. [2] Click on photos to enlarge
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| The uniform of a Hessian jaeger Painting by: Charles M. Lefferts Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons |
Hauer was a jaeger, also known as a chasseur or a sharpshooter.
Translated to English, jaeger means "hunter." Hauer would've excelled in
rifle skills. He would have been efficient, quick, and brave. So we
learn that our forebear was a skilled hunter. Other than that, we know almost nothing of Hauer's life in Germany and very little of his personality. We can be certain that, as a Hessian soldier, he would've been highly disciplined and rugged, strong and tough.
It was not unusual at this time in history for a country to hire professional soldiers from other countries. Britain entered into a treaty with some of the then German States in exchange for Hessian soldiers. These soldiers were brought to the United States to fight on the side of the British to quell the colonial revolt. Included in this number was my 4x great-grandfather. He either answered the call to arms voluntarily or was taken by force. My gut is that he voluntarily answered the call to arms, since he was most likely already a soldier.
It was not unusual at this time in history for a country to hire professional soldiers from other countries. Britain entered into a treaty with some of the then German States in exchange for Hessian soldiers. These soldiers were brought to the United States to fight on the side of the British to quell the colonial revolt. Included in this number was my 4x great-grandfather. He either answered the call to arms voluntarily or was taken by force. My gut is that he voluntarily answered the call to arms, since he was most likely already a soldier.
Hauer embarked by ship from Leipzig on 28 Mar 1777. The ship stopped at a
Dutch port before landing in New Brunswick, Canada, 17 Jun that same
year. Hauer was assembled with the other Hessian soldiers at Cumberland
Point on Lake Champlain under the command of British General John
Burgoyne. [3] The total number of men were between 7,000 to 9,000,
depending on the source.
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| Burgoyne's March on Albany Public Domain via Wikipedia Click on photo to enlarge |
General Burgoyne had a plan to capture Albany, New York for the British. His troops began their march from Canada into New York. The general was quite confident in his plan, perhaps overly so. A few victories but mostly failures were had along the way.
Hauer's main battle most likely would've been The Battle of Bennington, which took place as part of the Saratoga campaign, 16 Aug 1777, in Walloomsac, New York, about 10 miles from its
namesake Bennington, Vermont. [Wikipedia]
Volumes have been written about this battle and a person could study for years on this one battle and its impact on the American Revolution. It was a significant loss for the British.
After this battle, all the Hessian soldiers were taken prisoner. It is likely my grandfather was bound to other prisoners by the neck like cattle. He may have been stuffed into an overcrowded building with other prisoners. They were dirty. They stank. It was hot, they were exhausted, and they were hungry. The prisoners and guards spoke three different languages: English, French, and German; therefore, much confusion was had as well as much fear. The prisoners stayed in the various make-shift prisons for a few weeks while it was decided what to do with them. [4]
Volumes have been written about this battle and a person could study for years on this one battle and its impact on the American Revolution. It was a significant loss for the British.
After this battle, all the Hessian soldiers were taken prisoner. It is likely my grandfather was bound to other prisoners by the neck like cattle. He may have been stuffed into an overcrowded building with other prisoners. They were dirty. They stank. It was hot, they were exhausted, and they were hungry. The prisoners and guards spoke three different languages: English, French, and German; therefore, much confusion was had as well as much fear. The prisoners stayed in the various make-shift prisons for a few weeks while it was decided what to do with them. [4]
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| Courtesy of the New York Public Library Digital Collection Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons |
The prisoners were taken to various places, many to Boston. [5] Hauer didn't go to Boston, however. He went to Albany, New York. He may have been a deserter, or he may have joined the Americans in her fight for freedom. Indeed, many of the Hessian soldiers noted the fertile and beautiful farmlands in New York as well as the trees and the wildlife. This beautiful land became a place where they wanted to settle, so they sided with the Americans.
After the war, several thousand Hessian soldiers were offered freedom and United States citizenship in exchange for an oath of loyalty to the United States. Hauer took this offer. Once he did this, he was free to speak German, fit into a German neighborhood, and perhaps even meet a pretty German girl to settle down with. [6] Hauer met his wife, Susannah Harwick, and they married 13 Aug 1779 in Albany County, New York.
It wasn't easy being identified as a Hessian and so a name change was in order, although we cannot be certain when this occurred. Much negative and ugly propaganda against the Hessians had been circulated. Hauer most certainly would've wanted to fit in and Americanizing his name to Howard would've been a fine way to begin.
After the war, several thousand Hessian soldiers were offered freedom and United States citizenship in exchange for an oath of loyalty to the United States. Hauer took this offer. Once he did this, he was free to speak German, fit into a German neighborhood, and perhaps even meet a pretty German girl to settle down with. [6] Hauer met his wife, Susannah Harwick, and they married 13 Aug 1779 in Albany County, New York.
It wasn't easy being identified as a Hessian and so a name change was in order, although we cannot be certain when this occurred. Much negative and ugly propaganda against the Hessians had been circulated. Hauer most certainly would've wanted to fit in and Americanizing his name to Howard would've been a fine way to begin.
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[1] Collins, Bethany. “8 Fast Facts About Hessians.” Journal of the American Revolution, 28 Aug. 2016, allthingsliberty.com/2014/08/8-fast-facts-about-hessians/. [Accessed 13 Oct. 2018].
[2] Head, David Ph.D. “Hessians.” George Washington's Mount Vernon, www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/hessians/.[Accessed 13 Oct. 2018]
[3] Smith, Clifford Neal. Muster Rolls and Prisoner-of-War Lists in American Archival Collections Pertaining to the German Mercenary Troops who Served with the British Forces During the American Revolution, 1974-1976. Note: "Hauer, Gottfried - a Jaeger signed up with the Hessian troops from Hesse/Hanau; embarked by ship from Germany on March 28, 1777, stopped at a Dutch port en route to North America."
[4] Gabriel, Ph.D, M. (n.d.). Incident at the Bennington Meeting House, August 17, 1777. [online] Kutztown, PA. Available at: https://www.jsha.org/articles/Gabriel%20article.pdf [Accessed 12 Oct. 2018].
[5] Ketchum, Richard M. Saratoga: Turning Point of America's Revolutionary War. New York: Henry Holt. via Wikipedia.
[6] Albanymuskrat. “Tag: Revolutionary War.” Friends of Albany History, friendsofalbanyhistory.wordpress.com/tag/revolutionary-war/. [Accessed 12 Oct. 2018].
[1] Collins, Bethany. “8 Fast Facts About Hessians.” Journal of the American Revolution, 28 Aug. 2016, allthingsliberty.com/2014/08/8-fast-facts-about-hessians/. [Accessed 13 Oct. 2018].
[2] Head, David Ph.D. “Hessians.” George Washington's Mount Vernon, www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/hessians/.[Accessed 13 Oct. 2018]
[3] Smith, Clifford Neal. Muster Rolls and Prisoner-of-War Lists in American Archival Collections Pertaining to the German Mercenary Troops who Served with the British Forces During the American Revolution, 1974-1976. Note: "Hauer, Gottfried - a Jaeger signed up with the Hessian troops from Hesse/Hanau; embarked by ship from Germany on March 28, 1777, stopped at a Dutch port en route to North America."
[4] Gabriel, Ph.D, M. (n.d.). Incident at the Bennington Meeting House, August 17, 1777. [online] Kutztown, PA. Available at: https://www.jsha.org/articles/Gabriel%20article.pdf [Accessed 12 Oct. 2018].
[5] Ketchum, Richard M. Saratoga: Turning Point of America's Revolutionary War. New York: Henry Holt. via Wikipedia.
[6] Albanymuskrat. “Tag: Revolutionary War.” Friends of Albany History, friendsofalbanyhistory.wordpress.com/tag/revolutionary-war/. [Accessed 12 Oct. 2018].
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