Britain was totally unprepared for war with France in 1793 and relied on
German auxiliaries to supplement her own meager resources to pursue her
strategy in the Low Countries and beyond. The contingents were drawn
from the smaller German states, whose armies still followed the rigid
linear tactics of Frederick the Great. They therefore had to adapt to
deal with the new threat posed by the mass French armies, with a greater
emphasis on light troops and more flexible tactics. Although the German
troops formed a major part of the Allied army in the Low Countries,
there has been no detailed English-language account of their role. Their
story is told here for the first time, based on extensive research in
British and German archives, together with contemporary accounts and
19th Century German sources. Previously unpublished information is given
on the process of negotiating the treaties with the German princes, the
organization of the troops taken into British pay, and their experience
on campaign, focussing on the key events for the various contingents.
Their varied and colorful uniforms are also described and illustrated
from contemporary sources. The German auxiliaries fought bravely, often
against overwhelming odds, and the failure of the campaigns owes more to
disunity among the allies and the muddled and unrealistic policies of
the British government than any shortcomings of the troops on the
ground.
