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Question: Russian Troops and the American Revolution!?
I have read that the British tried to hire about 20,000 troops from Russia for service during the American Revolution, sort of like the Hessian agreement!. Does anyone have details on this, like:
What was the composition of the force requested!?
Why did the deal fall through!?
Was it Britain aiming to hire both Hessians and Russian or was it simply one or the other!? I mean there were about 30,000 Hessians, and they tried to hire 20,000 Russians, so whould it have been 50,000 troops!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
I think it was one or the other rather than both!. Here's some internet research for you!. Catherine the Great of Russia (who was 100% German herself) has her own troubles at home, and she was probably not as hungry for cash as the German princes!. Note that the British aristocracy which ran the country did not like to pay for large standing armies of Englishmen in peacetime - not since the Cromwell period of the 1650's when Cromwell's New Model Army had taken over the country!.

From http://britishredcoat!.blogspot!.com/2008/!.!.!.
"Upon the outbreak of hostilities in his American colonies King George III was faced with the immediate prospect of needing more troops!. Rebuffed in his efforts to hire Russian soldiers from Catherine the Great, King George turned to the divided German states for his needs!. The German Princes were more than willing to rent out their native sons for currency!. Most of the soldiers came from Hesse-Kassal, which led to the German troops being referred to as Hessian's, but soldiers from Brunswick and other states were also hired!."

And from http://www!.montgomeryschoolsmd!.org/curri!.!.!.
"George III hired some 30,000 serf-soldiers from the German princes and sent them to America!. He wanted to hire another 20,000 in Russia, but Catherine II refused to send any troops to America in view of the strained relations between Russia and England and the recent peasant movement led by Pugachov!."

Excellent question!. I did not know this!. thanks!.

also from Wiki - which you probably already have checked
"British Army consisted of about 36,000 men worldwide!. Wartime recruitment steadily increased this number!. The British hired about 30,000 soldiers from German princes!. Germans made up about one-third of the British troop strength in North America!. By 1779, the number of British and German troops stationed in North America was over 60,000, although these were spread from Canada to Florida!. About 10,000 Loyalist Americans under arms for the British are included in these figures!."Www@QuestionHome@Com

seriously!? u want people to read all that and not get bored after the first sentence!? well to answer your question i'm gunna go with yes, because i really don't want to take the time to think about it!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The russians were ready to fight but then when they found out they had to actually go OVERSEAS, then they said NO!.Www@QuestionHome@Com