Draft:Mt. Penn Hessian Camp

Map of the camp.

The Mt. Penn Hessian Camp was a Revolutionary War-era Hessian prisoner of war camp that existed during the late 18th century from 1776-1783 on the hills of Mt. Penn outside Reading, PA. Though captured Hessians were sent to the area as early as 1776, the camp was officially opened in 1781, located on the eastern side of Mt. Penn, a few miles away from the city of Reading.

Background

By the time it opened, the camp had around 1,000 prisoners. The prison held several captured redcoats but the majority of those held there were Hessian mercenaries that had been fighting for Britain in the war. After George Washington led the Continental Army across the Delaware River in 1776, around 1500 Hessian soldiers were captured by the United States during the Battle of Trenton and brought to several POW camps throughout the states. About 1000 captured soldiers were brought inland to Reading, Pennsylvania, where they were led up the Schuylkill River and onto Mt Penn's 12-acre camp. The majority of the camp’s dwellings were straw huts built as homes by the prisoners themselves, and though some crude log buildings were built, no structures are left on the mountain.

Many prisoners held there considered the conditions in the camp acceptable, finding themselves to have been treated well. They found the area to be very similar to Europe, due to the large population of German-speaking immigrants in Berks County and the surrounding areas and the cultural similarities of Germany and Pennsylvania. When the war ended in 1783, all prisoners held there were released from the camp. Many Hessians chose to stay in the area and join the local Germanic population.

One POW that experienced the camp on Mt. Penn, Johann Bense, kept a journal detailing his experiences there.

Excerpts taken from his personal journal show the manner of the Hessians’ arrival at the camp, and the conditions they faced there.

In one entry, he writes an account of his arrival to Mt. Penn: “On the bank of the Schuylkill, we had been camping on a meadow in the open air for 8 weeks and were plagued by the great heat during the day and by rain and cold during the night. On August 9, we marched from the Schuylkill via Reading onto a high, rocky mountain."

At one point he describes the structures that were built on the mountain: “We were supposed to build barracks there. But because we did not want to agree to that right away, but rather made ourselves straw huts, we were treated very severely. A sharp command from the corporal forced us to build the barracks and it was our good fortune because all our straw huts were consumed by fire on October 21, 1781."

“Therefore, those who had not yet completed their barracks, had to do more now to get them ready. Through that, the men got some freedom to go into the country and work and so they kept their supplies. They are read out twice a month [report for roll call twice a month]."

Additional Info

This page refers to the historical POW camp that once existed on Mt. Penn. There is also a neighborhood outside Reading, PA named Hessian Camp, after the 18th century prison which was located about half a mile away from the neighborhood.

There is Pennsylvania Historical Marker placed near the site of the old camp, on Hessian Rd in Reading, PA. It reads:

"After Burgoyne's surrender, 1777, German mercenaries, mostly Hessian, were held prisoners at various places until end of war

Historical Marker.

Those brought to Reading, 1781, were encamped until 1783 in huts on the hillside a quarter-mile to the north."[1]

There is a local non-profit group called Hessian Camp Community Council belonging to the area.