Military officer: born in Lauterbach,
Rhine-
Hesse,
Germany.
June 3, 1738.
Leaving the College of Marburg, he entered the
English army as ensign, and served in the Seven Years War under Prince Ferdinand.
In 1760 he became captain of the
Hessian Hussars, and was made lieutenant-colonel of the
Black Hussars in 1762,
adjutant-general of the
Brunswick army in 1767, colonel of carabineers in 1772, and a major-general, with the command of a division of 4,000 Brunswickers, hired by the British Court to fight British subject in
America early in 1776.
Riedesel arrived at
Quebec June 1, 1776; aided in the capture of
Ticonderoga (July 6), and in dispersing the
American troops at
Hubbardton, and was made a prisoner with
Burgoyne; was exchanged in the fall of 1780; returned home in August, 1783, and was made lieutenant-general in command of troops serving in
Holland in 1787.
He became commander-in-chief of the military of
Brunswick.
He died in
Brunswick, Jan. 6, 1800.
His
Memoirs, letters, and journals in America, edited by
Max Von Eelking, were translated by
William L. Stone.
His wife,
Fredericka Charlotte Louisa, accompanied him to
America, and wrote charming letters, and a journal, which were published in
Boston in 1799, of which a translation was made by
Mr. Stone.
She was a daughter of the
Prussian minister, Massow.
She died in
Berlin, March 29, 1808.
