e of the recruits planned a mutiny, and intended to kill a sentry and
steal the regimental funds. Their plan was discovered and reported by one
of the yaegers. A court-martial sentenced two of the mutineers to the
gallows and others to chains. Elector Frederick, whose weak point was
kindness, reduced the sentence of a dozen of the offenders to whipping,
and that of the men sentenced to be hung to imprisonment. This is record
evidence, yet Seume says there were fifteen hundred recruits who were all
at once charged with intending to rob and run away, among them old service
men. Some of them had been sergeants and corporals in the Prussian army,
yet Seume, nineteen years old and who had never carried a musket, was
chosen robber captain. A worthless tailor from Goettingen betrayed the plot
rather than help carry the plunder to the next village. The Elector did
show mercy to some, but only to enjoy the protracted misery of the men in
jail. Now, if Seume knew of any such plot, he perjured himself by
violating his oath in failing to report the fact.

In May, 1782, he says there was an outbreak among the troops at Cassel. A
body of recruits from Ziegenhain was increased by an equal number from the
then Hessian fortress at Rheinfels, all on their way to America. At that
time there were complaints of the poor quality of the recruits sent to
the Hessian regiments serving in America, where the war had been going on
from 1776. These new recruits were worn-out old soldiers and mere tramps,
tempted by the large bounty offered by the American recruiting officers
and the high wages promised by Pennsylvania farmers. They were a discredit
to the old Hessian regiments with their faithful soldiers, sons of the
soil. But the Elector took these strangers in order to relieve his own
people of the stress and burden of the war. To satisfy himself, he
inspected these new recruits and told them that any man who wanted his
discharge could have it on returning the clothing and money given him.
Seume could have had his release then if he had asked for it, but he
stayed by the colors. Then the troops were sent to the port of
embarcation,--at Bremerlehe, not at Muenden, as Seume says. The recruits
were transferred to General Faucit, of the English army, and put on
English transports. Seume says that he said at Rinteln, on the way, that
he was a Prussian subject, and was afraid that at Muenden he would be
recognized, and, as it was Prussian territory, he