Reluctant Revolutionary: A Hessian Comes to America
Viewing the American Revolution in 1776 through the German eyes of a Hessian soldier offers readers a unique opportunity to widen their historical perspectives while sparking their imaginations. Jakob Zeuch, a young farmer, is one of thousands of young men conscripted and sent to fight alongside the British in the American colonies by the Landgrave of Hesse, Friedrich II. Friedrich is a relative of King George III of England, and he personally profits from hiring out his subjects for military conflicts beyond the borders of Hesse. “Not my king, not my country” is how Jakob initially sees this overseas rebellion into which he becomes involuntarily embroiled. But embroiled he becomes, as he must navigate harsh military conditions, a changing war time landscape, ongoing encounters with civilians on all sides, and shifting opportunities for Hessians to decide their own fates in the rebelling colonies.
A wealth of military details concerning training, tactics, weapons, and fighting maneuvers extensively describes the arduous life of a Hessian fusilier like Jakob. The plot follows Jakob’s journey chronologically through Hesse, England, Nova Scotia, New York, New Jersey, and the Pennsylvania-Maryland border. Along the way, his character becomes ever more empathetic as he faces moral crises that force him to consider what it means to be a man and to consider who his neighbor truly is. This novel will transport readers to a particular time and place but will also confront them with universal questions such as: If you had to choose, which is more important, having a past or having a future? Recommended particularly for military history buffs and readers interested in colonial America, but fans of inspirational fiction will find much to savor here as well.
