While we were on the subject of Georg Daniel Flohr, who came to the Robinson River Valley about 1799 and stayed several years while studying theology under Rev. Carpenter, I thought we might take a peek at his diary of American experiences. He was a part of the French forces sent to America to help the Colonies. Altogether there were about five thousand men sent by the French. The officers of the Royal Deux-Ponts (i.e., Zweibrücken, or Two Bridges) were mostly French, but include many nationalities. The soldiers were 95% German.
The regiment landed at Newport, Rhode Island, on 11 July 1780. The officers complained of the coldness and reserve of the American citizens. One even said that the Americans seemed like they would have welcomed the English more. Flohr, in contrast, wrote that he "got along very well with the inhabitants." He mentioned, in particular, the beautiful Hanne and Malle, two ladies who lived in a windmill; however, his feelings and observations went deeper than the casual mention of their names might suggest.
It is true that the New Englanders viewed the French and the Germans differently. There were natural reasons for this, going back to the wars with France, and to the Catholic religion of the French. Flohr wrote, "The Americans hold the German nation in high esteem." The Americans even assumed the Germans had the same opinion of the French as they did, and they offered to hide the Germans until the French left. Flohr made an attempt to become acquainted with the Americans.
The general observation, based on the march from New England to Virginia, was that the inhabitants were wealthy and well. Differences between the rich and the poor were hard to find. They dressed the same on Sunday as they did on weekdays. Flohr thought the women were especially well dressed. He wondered at some length about where their wealth came from, since they did not seem to work at all. His answer was the abundance of land, and institution of slavery. The availability of land for a low price impressed the landless German soldiers, and many of them deserted.
Flohr saw the low-priced land as creating a society where nearly all people were equals. There were no distinctions based on birthright and noble privilege. "Everyone talks to everyone else, whether he is rich or poor." Helping to create a favorable impression was the fact that a third of the regiment found friends and relatives as they went along, especially in Pennsylvania. The people gave a good impression of America which was an encouragement to the German soldiers to live there. Flohr recorded, "When you closed your eyes and listened, you could think you were in the Palatinate."
(17 Sep 01)
We gratefully acknowledge the work of John Blankenbaker who published over 2,500 Germanna History Notes via the Germanna-L@rootsweb.com email list from 1997 to 2008. We are equally thankful to George Durman (Sgt. George) for hosting the list and republishing the notes via rootsweb.com.