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- Hessian soldier 1779-1783 with the Hessen-Hanau Jaeger Corps. This unit served with the British in Québec during the American Revolution to protect the Canadians from incursions from the US. Lutheran religion in Germany. Converted to Catholicism in Québec.
The Jaeger Corps (hunter troops) of the Hessen Kassel land county is probably the oldest in the German linguistic area. The Jaeger Corps is mentioned for the first time in 1631 for the regency of William V. The soldiers originating from hunt and forest service seemed in the best way suitable for the service as scouts, couriers, snipers and Plaenkler outside of the regular battle order. Hessen Kassel and Hessen Hanau sent over 1500 hunters to America between 1776 and 1783, of whom, however, only the first contingents were actually hunters. The companies were assigned to different infantry regiments in America and participated thereby in nearly all important meetings. They distinguished themselves with high merit, since their combat techniques often were superior. Also, they were more mobile in the unusual topography of the hardly-opened American east coast than the line infantry. University forming and equipment correspond to the Prussian model with green skirts, red discounts, collars and impacts, flat dreispitz, pulled hunter can and hunt sword in many details.
NOTE: The surname WEISSENSTEIN morphed in French-Canadian culture to several variations including VINCHESTEIN, VANCHESTEIN, VANCHESTEING, et.al. (source: Le Bulletin des Recherches Historiques, "Le Famille Vanchestein, Des Comtes Laprairie-Napierville", Organe du Bureau des Archives de la Province de Québec, Vol. XLIX, No. 1, Jan 1943, p.16, Library of Congress call #F1001.R4.) I have chosen to standardize on VANCHESTEIN for simplicity and because many (most?) of the namesake descendents of Carl WEISSENSTEIN in Québec today go by that family name or by VANCHESTEING.
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1761 - 1832 (70 years)