The Marechausee:
von Heer’s Provost Corps
A Pennsylvania German Unit
By David L. Valuska and Byron Reppert

The following history is excerpted from a forthcoming paper dealing with the development of the Provost Corps (military police) during the American struggle for independence 1775-1783. The significance of that Provost Corps was that it eventually became one of the premier Pennsylvania German units in the American Continental Army, an that unit was von Heer’s Provost Corps often referred to as the Marchausee. This text will investigate the history of the fledgling efforts from 1775 until 1778 to create a provost force, and then in 1778 the development of a true provost corps under the command of Captain Bartholomew von Heer.

In July of 1776, General George Washington was appointed commander of the new Continental Army, and he immediately reported to Cambridge, Massachusetts to take command. As he toured the camps of the New England militia in July of 1775 he was struck by the lack of military discipline amongst the Colonial troops. He quickly discovered that no one gave or obeyed any orders. The militiamen paid little heed to their officers, and the camps had little semblance of order. Washington quickly realized that the army had to be reorganized and a sense of military discipline had to be enforced.. (1) Flexnor 68. During the formative years of the Continental Army the need for military discipline became apparent, and Washington would try a variety of methods to bring about reform in the Army. The problems facing this young army were staggering!

Some of the enduring problems the army faced were desertion, marauding, drunkenness, rioting and straggling. The army was also plagued by unscrupulous and unlicensed sutlers, not to mention the undesirable women that filtered in amongst the much needed legitimate camp followers. The problem of spies infiltrating the ranks was a constant source of irritation. How to handle and punish Americans guilty of a breach of military conduct, or British prisoners captured in the course of battle, had to be resolved.

Washington had a staff modeled after the British which included: a Quartermaster General, an Adjutant General, a Judge Advocate, a Paymaster General, a Commissary General of Musters, a Commissary General of Provisions, a Clothier General, a Chief Surgeon, and a Chief Engineer. Washington noted that there was no provision for a Provost Marshal and on 20 July 1775 he petitioned the Continental Congress to create such a staff position. Congress responded nine days later authorizing the army commander to appoint a Provost Marshal, with pay commensurate to other officers in the army. The Provost Marshal was given the task of addressing the army’s discipline problems.

The soldiers lacked any understanding of military protocol and obligation to duty. They left their camps when they pleased, failed to utilize latrines, and indiscriminately disposed of their camp refuse. They fell asleep on guard duty, abandoned their posts and even fraternized with the enemy. They often ignored their non-commissioned and commissioned officers. Discipline was lacking in the Continental Army. General Washington instituted a series of rank insignia to easily identify the sergeants and officers from the enlisted men. The Continental Congress adopted the Articles of War on August 10, 1775 and further amended them on September 20, 1775. .These Articles described the rules of behavior for members of the military, and for civilians affiliated with the army. The Articles specified that minor offenses would be handled at the local level, such as the regiment or garrison court martial. Serious offenses were to be brought before a General Court Martial of 13 officers, and it further specified that officers could only be tried by a General Court Martial
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Punishment consisted of reprimands, fines, reduction in rank, confinement with bread and water, flogging, cashiered out of the army and death. Often, the punishment for theft was placing the offender backward on a horse, without a saddle, with his coat turned inside out and his hands tied behind his back. Once the individual had been subjected to that ridicule he was ceremoniously drummed out of the camp and the army. Flogging was a common form of punishment with the maximum number of lashes set at 39, but in 1776 this was increased to 100 lashes. Flogging could be administered for a number of offenses and the number of lashes was usually determined by the local court martial. Other punishments included running the gauntlet, being placed in the wooden stocks, wearing of shackles, branding and imprisonment in the stocks. In battle the Provost would be posted to the rear and the flanks to arrest skulkers and fugitives fleeing from battle.

In an encampment the Provost would patrol the camp and the nearby vicinity for the purpose of apprehending deserters, thieves, and rioters. They were to check on strangers wishing to access the camp and ensuring they had the proper passes. They were also to check on sutlers and make certain they were registered with the local corps commanders, and they were selling legitimate goods at honest measures.

Death was the punishment for a person found guilty of grievous crimes such as: revealing the password, misbehaving during a battle, dealing with the enemy, desertion, striking a superior, sedition, treason, mutiny, surrendering one’s post, disobeying a direct order, rape and adultery.

In January of 1776 William Maroney was appointed as the first Provost Marshal of the Continental Army, and he had a monumental task to accomplish! To assist him as additional provosts he was assigned one sergeant, one corporal and twelve privates from General Israel Putnam’s division. They began the job of arresting stragglers, and detaining prisoners for courts martial, eventually all prisoners were turned over to the Provost Marshal. The Provost was also given one exceptional additional duty which has led to some historical confusion, and that was the temporary assignment of serving as General Washington’s personal body guard. This assignment came about due to exigencies of the service. In May of 1776 several members of Washington’s personal body guard were accused of committing serious crimes such as sedition, mutiny and corresponding with the enemy. To replace these accused soldiers seven men of the provost guard were assigned the duties of the Commander’s Guard, and for s short period functioned in that capacity. Later historians would erroneously equate the provost guard with the Commander-in-Chief’s guard, but they were not the same! The duties of the Provost were too important to be assigned the equally important task as Commander-in Chief’s Guard. Throughout the war the Provost might be called to carry out duties that equated with the Commander-in-Chief’s guard, but they never assumed those duties as their own!

The first Provost Marshal, Captain William Maroney, held the post from January 1776 until late September of 1776. During his tenure Captain Maroney supervised the execution of two soldiers. One of the men executed was Thomas Hickey of Washington’s own guard. Hickey had been found guilty of attempting to convince American soldiers to desert, fomenting an uprising, and endangering the Commander’s life. On June 28, 1776 Captain Maroney oversaw the hanging of Thomas Hickey. Captain Maroney also supervised the execution of Ebenezer Liffenwell. Liffenwell was found guilty of cowardice in battle and pointing his rifle at an officer. These charges stemmed from Liffenwell’s actions during the battle for New York City. On September 23, 1776 Liffenwell faced a firing squad of 12 men, and it was the Provost Marshal that carried out the orders of the court.

At the end of September 1776, Maroney resigned his position and Washington immediately assigned Sergeant Thomas Bryan as the new Provost Marshal with the rank of captain. Bryan served with the Continental Army from September 1776 until January of 1777. Captain Bryan accompanied Washington’s army across New Jersey and was with the army during the fighting at Trenton and Princeton. He resigned his commission on January 14, 1777, and was immediately replaced by Sergeant John Prentice who was given the position of Provost Marshal and the rank of captain.

One of the reasons for the rapid turnover in the office of provost marshal was the uncertainty of the position. The Provost Marshal had to recruit other men to act as provosts from the regiments. No one was specifically assigned the permanent duty as a provost, and due to the nature of the work the provost marshal and his enlisted provosts were often disliked in the army. On January 16, 1777 a regulation was passed indicating the specific number of men, and the ranks assigned them, that were to be detailed from the various regiments. These men were not assigned permanent duty, but were given short terms to serve as provosts. There was to be one sergeant and twenty five privates at all times from the regiments.

In spite of the new regulation Provost Marshal Prentice did not stay on the job long, and he resigned his position one month later on February 15, 1777. To replace Prentice, General Washington appointed Sergeant Thomas Snagg to the position. Under Snagg’s command the duties of the provost marshalcy began to expand. In May of 1777, General Washington ordered the provost marshal to erect a guardhouse capable of holding 30 men. In June of 1777 General Washington ordered the Provost Marshal and his temporarily assigned provosts to begin patroling the camp area and to arrest those who could not prove that they had a legitimate right to be in the camp. They were also instructed to arrest all disorderly people, and to monitor liquor sales by the sutlers. Washington was asking the Provost Marshall to take on the role of military police but they were not prepared and the men were not permanently assigned that duty. The need for a police force was apparent and Washington was going to use his influence to establish a permanent military police.

Captain Snagg served as Provost Marshal with the army through the remainder of the year 1777. The Provost Marshal had his headquarters in Delaware and it was there that he received prisoners and carried out his duties, and during this time quite a few men were executed for desertion and other major crimes. Desertion was a crime that plagued the army, and Washington was concerned as to how to stop this drain on the army. Washington ordered the Provost Marshal to move his headquarters closer to the army and on November 25, 1777 the Provost Marshal moved to Easton, Pennsylvania and by December they were in the Valley Forge area. On January 16, 1778 soldiers were put to work cutting trees and building huts for the Provost stockade for the Valley Forge encampment. On January 23, 1778 Captain Snagg resigned his position as Provost Marshal and he was immediately replaced by Daniel Timothy Howe as the new Provost Marshal.

The winter at Valley Forge was a difficult time for the Continental Army, and numerous discipline problems arose. A particularly troublesome offense was pillaging. Washington was indignant over the fact that the soldiers were robbing their fellow countrymen. To prevent these abuses he drastically curtailed the soldiers' movements outside of camp.

There was a strong effort to bring law and order back to the encampment and during the army’s stay at Valley Forge there were 161 military personnel tried by courts martial, 39 for civil crimes and 122 for purely military offenses. There were 13 allegations of fraud, extortion or, embezzlement, eleven cases of assault, seven of theft, two of perjury, two for issuing challenges to duel and one each of sodomy, plundering and manslaughter. There were 6 acquittals and 33 convictions for civil offenses. In addition to these cases there were trials for two women accused of conspiring with soldiers to mutiny or desert; one woman was found guilty and the other acquitted.

The military offenses were as follows: 42 cases of desertion, 18 cases of insubordination or disobedience, 16 cases of neglect of duty, 14 of conduct unbecoming the character of a gentleman, 10 of abuse of authority, 7 of absence without leave, and 5 each of gambling, cowardice, and violation of sundry General Orders. In all the court martial cases there were 86 convictions, and 26 acquittals

The breakdown in discipline and morale was of grave concern to General Washington and he shared his concerns with the Continental Congress. On January 20, 1778 a committee was formed to discuss changes in the army. The members of the committee were Charles Carroll, Francis Dana, Joseph Reed, Nathaniel Folsom, Gouverneur Morris and John Harvie. The committee held frequent meetings from January 28 until well into April of 1778, and they played a key role in making Congress realize the army’s dire needs. Their persuasion was important in congressional adoption of reforms which made a significant contribution to preserving the army and establishing a sound basis for its continued operation. One of the reforms that came out of these sessions was a recommendation to establish a permanent provost corps. This new corps was separate from the existing Provost. The old Provost kept some of his duties, but this new corps was to be the first dedicated military police force for the Continental Army.

On January 29, 1778 General Washington declared that there must be a major reorganization of the Continental Army, and in that reorganization a Provost Corps must be established. The men of this unit were to be assigned as light dragoons, and they must be trustworthy above all else. These men were to receive higher pay and there was to be a higher ratio of officers to enlisted men, and their assignment was to “watch over the good order and regularity of the army”. The Corps was to be drafted from the brigades and was to be mounted and armed and accoutered as light dragoons. The business of the corps was to watch over the regularity and good order of the army in camp, quarters, and on the march. The Marechausee had to quell riots, prevent marauding, straggling, and desertion. They should also detect spies, regulate sutlers and women in camp, check for inferior goods and whiskey being sold by the sutlers.

On May 20, 1778, the Continental Congress passed a resolution to form the Provost Corps, or as General Washington called the new organization the MARCHAUSEE. Marchausee was a term used by the French Army to identify their military police. The newly formed American Marechausee were to become the military police for the Continental Army. The old Provost Marshal arrangement, commanded by Captain Daniel Timothy Howe, stayed in existence, but their function was the managing of soldiers awaiting disciplinary action and dispensing punishments. Many of the duties assigned to the old Provost Marshal were transferred to the newly formed Marchausee.

On June 1, 1778, General Washington appointed Captain Bartholomew von Heer of Reading, Pennsylvania to become the commander of this new Corps. Bartholomew von Heer was born in Germany and had immigrated to the American colonies somewhere in the middle of the 18th Century. In Germany he had some military experience and was awarded a medal for actions at Zorndorf in 1757. He entered the American military in 1776 as part of Mynheer N.D. Ottendorf’s Independent Company where he obtained the rank of captain. In March of 1777 he transferred to the Pennsylvania State Artillery regiment under the command of Colonel Thomas Proctor which eventually was transformed into the 4th Continental Artillery. Captain von Heer commanded one of the eight companies in Proctor’s Artillery, and he served with the artillery until assigned command of the the Marechausee which soon took on a second name: von Heer’s Provost Corps.

The selection on Bartholomew von Heer to head up the Marechausee has led to some speculation. Why was he chosen to head this most important post? Von Heer could barely speak English, and he was foreign born. I think it was the fact that he was foreign born and had served as an officer in Frederick the Great’s forces that brought attention to him as a candidate. This next part is truly speculation, but I believe that Baron Friederich von Steuben may have played a role in the selection of von Heer. Von Steuben, as the the acting Quartermaster General of Washington’s army, was in a position to influence the commander-in-chief. The two German émigrés probably got together and discussed the old country, and their military experiences in the Prussian Army. It would be logical that von Steuben would recommend this previous military man that had served as an officer, and had been awarded for his bravery to be the next Provost and commander of the Marechausee. von Heer had also demonstrated his loyalty and fighting ability by his previous service with von Ottendorf’s Independent Company and as a company commander in Proctor’s Artillery. Bartholomew von Heer was to be their man!

On June 6, 1778, orders were issued for the establishment of the new Provost Corps. There were to be 63 men and they were to be armed and uniformed as light dragoons (cavalry). In addition to Captain von Heer, there were to be four lieutenants, one Quartermaster Sergeant and one clerk. The Corps was divided into two troops with a trumpeter, a sergeant and five corporals assigned to each troop. There were forty-three privates and four executioners. Executions were still assigned to the Marchausee but were to be supervised by the old Provost Marshal. The pay for the provost corps was higher than the standard pay of the officers and men in the ranks. The reason given was that the work was so troublesome and it required men worthy of trust and great activity. The men were to be compensated in such a manner that they would not hesitate to carry out their duties. There was to be a higher percentage of officers to enable them to maintain a proper degree of respect and command. The entire corps was to be mounted, armed and accoutered as dragoons.

The uniforms of the Provost Corps were blue coats with yellow facings and vests, leather breeches and a visored leather helmet typical of those worn by the light dragoons. The description of the Provost Corps’ uniform comes from the observations of Captain Wiederholt, a Hessian prisoner who was in Reading, Pennsylvania wrote the following:

“A squadron of Light Dragoons under a German Captain v. Heers, a Bayreuth man, had their winter quarters in Reading (1778-1779). Their uniform was blue coats with yellow facings and vest, leather breeches and casket.” A casket was a leather visored helmet worn by the cavalry. (Compnay of Military Historians pg 96)

Reflecting earlier military thinking, the Provost Corps was mounted. Charles I of England endorsed the following statement in 1629 taken from “The Articles of War” contained in CLODES MILITARY CODE circa 1629:

“ The Provost must have a horse allowed him and some soldiers to attend him, and all the rest commanded to obey or assist, or else the service will suffer; for he is but one man and must correct many and therefore he cannot be beloved. And he must be riding from one garrison to another to see the soldiers do not outrage nor scathe the country." (United States Army Military Police page 1)

The recruitment of enlisted men of high quality was quickly addressed and a directive went out stating that the men should be “drafted” from the brigades. Recruitment began in June of 1778 but men were reluctant to take on the onerous duties of the provost. On July 28, 1778, Captain Bartholomew von Heer reported he was having difficulty enlisting men, and the matter was brought to Washington’s attention. To assist von Heer’s it was proposed that any of the men which states provided to the provost for a period of three years , or the duration of the war, would receive both the state bounty and the Continental bounty. This measure went a long way in securing recruits for the Marechausee. One other factor which bolstered recruitment was von Heer’s targeting the Pennsylvania Germans in the area from Reading, Pennsylvania to Philadelphia. The Provost Corps was almost 100% Pennsylvania German, many of whom could not speak English. This ethnic enclave of men strengthened the Marechausee as a unit and enhanced their effectiveness.

During the summer of 1778, the Continental Army reached a record number of 16,782 troops and Washington was adamant about having the Marechausee up and active. On June 6, 1778, orders were issued from Valley Forge to Major General Nathaniel Greene which ordered him to provide the Marechausee with sixty-three horses, saddles and bridles. These were needed so the provosts could patrol within a mile of the pickets. Washington was anxious to get his newly created military police in action. In July of 1778, from White Plains, New York, he sent a direct order to Bartholomew von Heer’s to report immediately to camp and assume his duties. Washington further stated that “there is no useful purpose answered that I know of by your absence, while the advantage of the institution are in great number lost to the army.”

In September of 1778 the army was reorganized. Major Generals Israel Putnam, Horatio Gates, Lord Stirling, Benjamin Lincoln, Baron DeKalb and Alexander McDougall were each assigned a division. Putnam was sent to West Point, DeKalb to Fredericksburg (Patterson, New York), Gates and McDougall to Danbury, Connecticut, and Stirling to a point between Fredericksburg and West Point. This placed a tremendous strain on the Marechausee as they had to enforce discipline in all of these commands, and what compounded the problem was the army’s lack of awareness of the duties of the provost corps. Washington was aware of that shortcoming and from his headquarters in Fredericksburg (Patterson, New York) he had the following order issued to the army on October 11, 1778:

“ The following summary of the duties of the Marechausie (sic) Corps commanded by Captn. (sic) V. Heers is published for the information of the Army at large. The General hopes that the institution, by putting men on theur Guard will operate more in preventing than punishing crimes.

While the Army is encamped the Officers of the Corps are to patrole the Camp and it’s neighborhood for the purpose of apprehending Deserters, Marauders, Drunkards, Rioters and Straglers (sic) under which last denomination are included all soldiers who are found beyond the nearest Picquets in front and on the Flanks and beyond the distance of one mile estimated from the Center of the Encampment, in the rear: They are also to apprehend all other soldiers that may be detected in a Violation of General orders.

All Countrymen and Strangers whose Appearance or Manners excite suspicion of their being spies, and are not furnished with Passes either from the same General Officer, the Quartermaster General or the Commissaries Generals of Provision or Forage. The Officers of the Corps are directed not to apprehend any Offender who may be within the Encampment of his own Regiment, as it is expected that the Regimental Quarter-Guard will in that case secure the Offender.

Captain Von Heer is to keep an exact list of all licensed Sutlers and confine any follower of the Army who may presume to suttle without the proper leave. Every newly appointed Sutler is therefore to signify his Appointment to Captain V. Heer and produce a proper Certificate thereof.

On the day of march this Corps with the Provost Guard is to remain on the old ground ‘till the Columns and Baggage have moved off, in good order to secure all such soldiers as have loitered in Camp and the officers are to see that the soldiers and Women who march with the baggage do not transgress the General Orders made for their Government. They will likewise secure all straglers (sic) on the march, treating in this light all soldiers absent from their Platoons without a non-commissioned Officer to conduct them. On a day of battle the Marechausee will be posted in the Rear of the Second Line or Reserve in order to secure Fugitives.

The Commander in Chief strictly forbids all persons whatever to do or say anything that mat tend to impede the Officers of this Corps in the Execution of their duty. On the contrary, He requires that they may be respected and assisted, as good order and discipline will be much promoted by the full Exercise of their office.

If any offender attempts to escape or presumes to make any resistance he will incur double punishment and all persons belonging to the Army are required to succor any part of the Marechausie (sic) Corps that may be opposed in the Prosecution of their duty.

The Captain of the Marechausie (sic) will have the usual Provost Guard drawn from the line near him and under his Direction for the Security of the Prisoners. He is every morning to deliver a written report of the Persons committed the preceding day and the charges against them to the Adjutant General who will have proper Courts Martial held for their trial. This is to be considered a standing order and as such to be published in the different Parts of the Army. The Adjutants of Regiments are to have it frequently read to the men, that by being reminded of what is prohibited and the Certainty of punishment they may avoid the one and the other.”

On the same day he issued the standing orders to the Army, Washington issued explicit orders to Captain von Heer and, although they are somewhat repetitious, they provide a great deal of insight into the duties of the Marechausee. Here are the instructions issued on October 11, 1778 to Captain von Heer:

“ The principal Duty of the Corps under your command while the Army is encamped, is to patrole the Camp and its environs, for the purpose of apprehending Deserters, Marauders, Drunkards, Rioters, Stragglers, and other Soldiers that may be found violating general orders; likewise all Countrymen or Strangers that may be found near the pickets or in camp, without passes, either from the Quarter Master General, the Commissaries General of Forage and Provisions, or some General Officer, and are unable to give a good account of themselves, or from their appearance and manner give room to suspect they are Spies. Even persons who are furnished with passes as required above are to be secured if their stay in camp exceeds a reasonable time for the transaction of their business, and is accompanied by any suspicious circumstances; but in all these cases, the character of the party, and such authentic credentials as he may be possessed of, are to be attended to. As it is impossible to make General Rules which will apply to every particular case that may occur, much must be left to your own discretion; but you will always remember that you are to be careful to avoid laying innocent free Citizens under any unnecessary restraint and inconvenience, on the other hand, as risking any mischief to the Army from ill placed lenity on the other.

The purpose above mentioned, your Corps is to be distributed into a convenient number of parties, with an officer appointed to each. To patrole the Camp and its vicinity in front and rear for a certain distance beyond the pickets, according to the situation of the Enemy, at different hours by day and sometimes at night; carefully avoiding any fixed time for making rounds; that they may be as unforeseen as possible.

As the booths of unlicensed Sutlers, are great Sources of disorder and Riot, you are to confine all such as have not proper permission to suttle agreeable to General Orders of April 16, 1778.

For your direction in this point, it will be necessary for you to keep a regular list of the licensed Sutlers. You are likewise when the Army arrives at a new encamping ground, to give notice to such housekeepers as sell liquors, either to obtain the Quarter master Generals license, or discontinue the Sale of their liquor, and in case of their neglect, to seize and report it to the Commissary General.”

Instructions were quite explicit to the Marechausee. They were to treat all prisoners humanely and could call for assistance from any troops stationed nearby. Every morning a written report of prisoners confined the previous day was to be submitted to the Adjutant General for proper adjudication. In case the court ruled for executions, the executioners would remain with the provost guard with a detachment of the Marechausee attending to the prisoners.

The role assigned to the Marechausee was a difficult one, and it was also one that brought the men of von Heer’s Corps into conflict with the average soldier
On July 1, 1778 the first enlisted men were recruited into the new Corps. They were:Sergeant John Nutter, Corporal Jacob Shafer, Trumpeter Lewis Wolf and Private John Gerlach.

One of the first of the lieutenants sworn into service with the Provost Corps was First Lieutenant Johan Jacob Mytinger. Mytinger was born in Philadelphia on September 19, 1750. His father was born in Guglingen in the German state of Wuerttemberg. Jacob entered von Heer’s Light Dragoons on August 1, 1778, and served with that unit until the end of the war. He was an invaluable asset to the Marechausee and his name is mentioned frequently in the records when he and his detachment are sent off to accomplish one mission or another.

The command structure of the provost corps was

The Marechsausee performed those duties throughout the war years, and when the war was over their duties still continued. Washington wrote to the Superintendent of Finance on October 3, 1783 and stated that although the army had been furloughed and sent home he still required the services of a segment of von Heer’s Dragoons. A sergeant, a corporal and eight dragoons were prevailed to serve after the others had been sent home. He requested that these men be paid as he could not do without them.

The Pennsylvania Germans of von Heer’s were given the critical task of policing the army, and a perusal of the records indicates that the commander-in-chief was pleased with their loyalty and service. He was so pleased that a detachment of von Heer’s was the last to leave the service. All one can say is 'gut gadoo' to the men of von Heer’s.

The officers and men of von Heer’s are listed below:

Captain – Bartholomew von Heer
1st Lieutenant – Jacob Mytinger
2nd Lieutenant – Philip Strubeng
Sergeant – Franz Harker – Nov 1, 1778
Sergeant – George Balser Hess – Philadelphia – Sept 1, 1778
Sergeant – John Mutter (Nutter) – July 1, 1778 – promoted to lieutenant
Trumpeter – Lewis Wolf – from Pottsgrove, July 1, 1778; died in Philadelphia, August 20, 1830, aged 83.
Trumpeter – John George Hiller, still in company in 1782.
Corporal – David Ekstine – Philadelphia, July 12, 1778
Corporal – John Ignatius Effingar – Pottsgrove, Aug 1, 1778, discharged, July1783; resided in Woodstock, Shenandoah County, VA in 1834
Corporal – Anthony Wachter – Philadelphia, July 10, 1778
Corporal – Jacob Shafer – Philadelphia, July 1, 1778
Corporal – Philip Smith – Philadelphia, July 10, 1778; resided in Berks County in 1835, aged 81
Private – John Adams – Philadelphia, July 12, 1778
Private – George Anthony – died in Jackson County, Ohio on Aug 15, 1833, aged 79
Private – Jacob Baclet (or Barlet)
Private – Henry Barth (or Bard or Brath) – out July 1, 1782
Private – Stephen Barth (or Bard or Brath) – Lancaster, May 15, 1779 – out May15, 1782; resided in Berks County in 1835, aged 81
Private – John Bauman – Philadelphia, Sept 1, 1779
Private – Lewis Boyer – resided in Miami County, Ohio in 1842; died in 1842
Private – Peter Brown
Private – Joseph Buob – still in company 1782
Private – John Burkhardt – enlisted November 1, 1778 from Reading, PA; born 1753 in Switzerland and died 1847 in Sandusky, Ohio; also with Washington’s Life Guards
Private – Alexander Campbell
Private – Peter Cryobck – died June 21, 1822 in Berks County, PA, aged 81
Private – Sebastian Curutz – Reading, Apr 1, 1780 – still in company in 1782
Private – Christian Dareler-Hessen – Philadelphia – Sept 1, 1778; died July 20, 1821, Lebanon County, aged 71
Private – John Durie – Philadelphia – Sept 1, 1778
Private – John Eicholtz – Somerset – Feb 15, 1778
Private – Andrew Eisnack
Private – John Engelhaupt – Mt. Pleasant – July 1, 1779; promoted to corporal; out Jul 1, 1782
Private Andrew Fox – resided in Berks County, PA in 1835.
Private David Fox (or Fuchs) – from Reading, PA, 1778, Trumpeter; resided in Berks County, PA in 1835; age 69
Private Jacob Fox (or Fuchs) – from Reading, PA, 1779; resided in Shenandoah County, VA in 1829
Private – Henry Frank – Hessen – Nov 15, 1778
Private – Henry Franforter – Lancaster – Aug 31, 1778; resided in Dauphin County in 1838, aged 81
Private George Fricker – resided in Reading, PA in 1787
Private – Peter Fricker – died Dec 26, 1827 in Berks County, PA; age 62
Private – John Gerlach – Pottsgrove – July 1,1778
Private – Henry Ginser
Private – Frederick Graff – resided in Berks County, PA in 1786
Private – Casper Green – Philadelphia – Aug 1, 1778
Private – Valentine Gruber – Pottsgrove – Mar 16, 1779 and out Mar 16, 1782; Resided in Bedford County in 1835,aged 83
Private – Philip Grulich – Pottsgrove – Aug 12, 1778
Private – Casper Hauser – Philadelphia – Aug 27, 1778
Private – William Howe – Nov 1, 1778; expired and not reenlist
Private – Lewis Kaiser – Pottsgrove – Mar 16, 1779
Private – Adam Koch – died May 27, 1827 in Berks County, PA
Private – John Kratzer – Philadelphia – Sept 1, 1778; still in company in 1782
Private – Henry Laffelot – had not received bounty in 1782
Private – John Morris – had not received bounty in 1782
Private – Frederick Mueller – Reading – Aug 1, 1780; still in company in 1782
Private – Jacob Mueller – Pottsgrove – Aug 1, 1778
Private – Philip Newman – Pottsgrove – Aug 16, 1776
Private – Andrew O’Bryan
Private – Peter Ox – 1782; resided in Hunting County, PA in 1818.
Private – Robert Pape – had not received bounty in 1782
Private – Andres Pfaffenbach – Hessen – Nov 1, 1778
Private – Philia Picard – Philadelphia, Sept 1, 1778
Private – Henry Reiss – Hessen – Pottsgrove – Aug 1, 1778; had not received bounty in 1782
Private – Daniel Richtmeyer – Reading, 1778
Private – George Robert – had not received bounty in 1782
Private – Frederick Roster – had not received bounty in 1782
Private – Jacob Ruppert – Aug 1, 1778; resided in Berks County, PA in 1831
Private – Joseph Saugarat – clerk; out May 15, 1782
Private – Michael Sechier – 1781; discharged at Philadelphia, Dec 31, 1783 Residing in Lycoming County, PA in 1825
Private – Charles Shumann – Reading, Apr 1, 1780
Private – Leonard Swartz – Pottsgrove – Jul 24, 1778
Private – John Slevoigt – Somerset – Feb 1, 1779; out Feb 1, 1782
Private – John Stadeiman – Philadelphia – Sept 1, 1778
Private – Andres Stapper – Lancaster – Aug 20, 1778
Private – Diedrich Strauss – Pottsgrove – Jul 24, 1778
Private – Marthew Taylor – died in Baltimore County, MD in 1818; aged 67
Private – Peter Thurn – Aug 1, 1778; had not received bounty in 1782; resided in Ross County, Ohio in 1834
Private – Frederick Titius (or Tecius) – Reading – Mar 15, 1780; still in company in 1782
Private – Thomas Trisher – Aug 1, 1780
Private – John Turk – Jersey, Jul 1, 1780
Private – John Ullick – Philadelphia – Sept 1, 1778
Private – John Wagner – born Alsace are, France; enlisted Oct 1778, age 21, from Near Reading, PA; resided in Sanduski County, Ohio in 1834; died Dec 15, 1842
Private – John Weikell – had not received bounty in 1782
Private – Baitser (or Balser) Wilheim – Hessen, Oct 15, 1778; had not received bounty in 1782
Private – Henry Willhauser – Reading – Apr 1, 1780
Private – Ludwig Wolf
Private – Isac Woolsey – Philadelphia – Aug 1, 1778
Private – John Yachter – had not received bounty in 1782
Private – David Zabern – Philadelphia, Jul 20, 1778
Private – John Zapz – Oct 1, 1778
Private – Henry Ziegler – Reading – May 1, 1780; still in company in 1782
Private – Abraham Zink – Pottsgrove – Aug 1, 1778
Private – Peter Zopple
Private – Henry Zullick – Hessen – Philadelphia – Aug 1, 1778