Heinrich Julius von Kospoth
Heinrich Julius von Kospoth | |||
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| Born | 8 March 1724 Schilbach, Tanna, Saale-Orla-Kreis, Thuringia | ||
| Died | 28 February, 1801 | ||
| Nationality | German | ||
| Citizenship | Germany | ||
| Occupation | Hessian Major General | ||
| Spouse(s) | Johann Karl Jeremias von Lossberg | ||
| Children |
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Graf Heinrich Julius von Kospoth (8 March 1724-28 February, 1801) (Grafschaft) was a Hessian Major General who served in the American Revolutionary War. He was first Colonel of the Musketeer Regiment Wutgenau and later as a Major General, commanded the First Hessian Division; consisting of the regiments Knyphausen, Ditfurth, Prince Frederick, Bose, Borbeck, Bunau, Benning and Knobloch as well as the Grenadier Battalion Angenelli.
Early Life
Kospoth was born at Schilbach, Tanna, Saale-Orla-Kreis, Thuringia on 8th March 1724. Kospoth is the name of an old German noble family from Thuringia that stems from Kospoda near Neustadt. On the 27 July 1776 it was raised to an Earldom (Grafschaft). He married Wilhelmina Dorothea Charlotte (Von Heydwolff).
American Revolutionary War
Kospoth was Colonel of the Musketeer Regiment Wutgenau (later Landgraf 1777) when it sailed for America. He was promoted to Major General in February 1779 at the same time as Generals Friedrich Wilhelm von Lossberg, Carl von Bose and Johann von Huyan.[1] Two of his nephews also served as officers in the Hessian Forces, Friedrich August Carl von Kospoth (1767-1832 Regiments Landgraf and Lengercke) he later served as Mayor of Breslau [2] and Ludwig von Kospoth (1757 -1787 Regiments Landgraf and Lengercke) [3]
Musketeer Regiment Wutgenau (later Landgraf 1777)
The Musketeer Regiment Wutgenau was renamed Regiment Landgraf in 1777. In 1789 the Regiment Landgraf and was merged with the landgräflich Hessen-kasselschen Leib-Regiment-Infantrie to form the 1. Kurhessische Infantrie-Regiment "Kurfürst".
Siege of Charleston
Kospoth served with General Henry Clinton at the siege of Charleston, where the Hessians distinguished themselves by protecting the men digging the parallel trenches for besieging the City. Charleston with 3371 American and French troops was surrendered by General Lincoln on the 12th of May 1780. General Clinton praised the Hessian Grenadiers and paid them the compliment of wearing white plumes for their bravery and in his report praised in particular, Generals v. Huyne and v. Kospoth.[4] Kospoth with part of the Hessian force left Charleston on the 31st of May 1780 for New York and went into Quarters on Staaten Island, thereby avoiding the eventual surrender of General Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown on the 19th of October 1781. The Hessian Regiments serving at Charleston were the Regiments von Bose, von Linsingen, von Lengerke, von Minnigerode, Köler, von Wissenbach, von Huyn and the Feldjägerkorps.[5]
Court-Martial into the Trenton "Surprise"
The court-martial into the "Surprise" at Trenton was ordered by Frederick II, Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel to investigate the events surrounding the defeat and surrender at Trenton and to punish those found to be responsible. He instructed Lieutenant-General Wilhelm von Knyphausen to convene a court-martial under a Major General presiding and three officers on the court of each rank. Major general Heinrich Julius von Kospoth was appointed to be the presiding judge and 3 officers from every rank from Colonel through Ensign were also appointed. You may order such courts-martial to carefully investigate all the circumstances of this affair and after due considerations pass judgment thereon. If any are found guilty according to law you should pass sentence on each one according as your conscience may dictate and send the verdict to me[6] The verdict of the court as rendered by Kospoth and Stabsauditeur Lotheisen, after hearing the findings from each of the ranked officers commencing with the junior officers through to the colonels blamed Colonel Johann Rall and Major Dechow for the disaster and acquitting all others, while recommending that the regiments involved at Trenton be given new colors.[7] On 15 August 1783 Kospoth and his troops sailed from New York, reaching home in October and November.[8]
Later Life
Kospoth returned to Kassel in Hessen, where he died on the 26th of February 1801. His daughter Henriette married Johann Karl Jeremias von Lossberg, the son of Lieutenant General Friedrich Wilhelm von Lossberg. A great niece (Stella von Kospoth) later married into the family of Hessian Lieutenant General and Commander of the Hessian Forces Wilhelm von Knyphausen (1716 - 1800).
References
- ↑ The Hessians Rodney Wood P.145
- ↑ Kospoth, von, August (* ca. 1756)“, in: Hessische Truppen in Amerika <https://www.lagis-hessen.de/de/subjects/idrec/sn/hetrina/id/24356
- ↑ Kospoth, von, Ludwig (ca. 1757 – 1787)“, in: Hessische Truppen in Amerika <https://www.lagis-hessen.de/de/subjects/idrec/sn/hetrina/id/24376
- ↑ The German Allied Troops in the North American War of Independence 1776-1783
- ↑ https://www.lagis-hessen.de/de/subjects/browse/sn/hetrina
- ↑ Friedrich II to Knyphausen 23rd April 1779
- ↑ The Hessians Rodney Atwood P.114
- ↑ Revolutionary War Letters Bruce Burgoyne Lossberg 30 August 1783 P.179
External links
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