W. O. 71/87 p. 209 - 250, Public Record Office

Proceedings of a General Court Martial held in the Camp at Rhode Island on Monday the 7th of September 1778, by virtue of Warrants from His Excellency Sir Henry Clinton, Knight of the Most Honorable Order of the Bath, General and Commander in Chief of all His Majesty's Forces within the Colonies, laying on the Atlantic Ocean, from Nova Scotia to West Florida inclusive, &ca &ca &ca. Dated at Head Quarters, in Newport, September the 2d 1778.

Lieutenant Colonel John Campbell [22nd Regiment] President.

Members

Lieut. Col. Andrew Bruce [54th Regiment] Lieut. Col. Rawlins Hillman [22nd Regiment]

Capt. Stephen Bromfield [43th Regiment] Capt. Thomas Coore [54th Regiment]

Capt. Duncan Cameron [54th Regiment] Capt. John Bachop [54th Regiment]

Capt. William Miller [43th Regiment] Capt. William Wade [38th Regiment]

Capt. Robert Lindsay [22nd Regiment] Capt. Michael Seix [22nd Regiment]

Capt. John Rowland [22nd Regiment] Capt. Thomas Cornwall [not identified]

Capt. Andrew Maxwell [not identified] Capt. Thomas Chapman [not identified]

Captain Henry Barry, Deputy Judge Advocate

Saturday September 12th 1778, The Court being assembled.

Prisoner Hubertus Reimar, of the 22d Regiment and Captain Handfield's Company being brought before the Court, was charged with being guilty of Desertion.

Interpreter Serjeant Cling of the 54th Regiment was sworn to duly Interpret all Evidences delivered by Foreigners, and explain to the Prisoner, who is a German, those delivered by the British ones against him.

1st Evidence Serjeant George Reason, of the same Regiment and Company with the Prisoner, being duly sworn deposes, that early on the Morning of the 14th of August, the Prisoner was absent, that on examining his Necessaries, three Shirts and two pair of Stockings were missing, and that the same day the Prisoner was brought to his Regiment by two Soldiers of the Anspach Corps, and adds, the Regiment was at that time encamped within the lines of Newport, as also, that till then, the Prisoner had always behaved himself well.

2d Evidence John William Brown, Grenadier in the Anspach Regiment of Voit, being duly sworn deposes, (the same being interpreted to the Court) that being Sentry on the outside of the Abattees, about ten o'Clock one night, he heard a noise in front of him, on which he Challenged, but receiving no reply fired, when the prisoner called out to him, and the other Soldier who was posted with him and desired them not to fire again, as he was coming in to them, that he then came up to them and said, he had lost his way, and appeared to be in liquor, but desired them to take him to the Regiment.

3rd Evidence John Free, private soldier in the same Regiment with the former Evidence being duly sworn, deposes, (the same being interpreted to the Court) in substance as the foregoing Evidence, with whom he was posted Sentry when the prisoner was taken by them.

Defence

The Prisoner Hubertus Reimar, being called to, and put on his Defence, says he was in Liquor when he went from his Tent, and had no design to Desert the Regiment.

The Court having heard and considered the Evidence against the Prisoner Hubertus Reimar, as also his Defence is of Opinion, he is not Guilty of the Crime laid to his Charge and doth therefore Acquit him.

John Campbell

Lieut. Col. 22nd Regt.

Henry Barry

D. J. Advocate

Confirmed

HClinton.

Notes

Hubertus Reimar was a laborer born in 1749 in Friere (?) in Germany. He was one of some 2000 Germans recruited in 1776 to serve in British regiments (not to be confused with the 'Hessian' regiments, composed entirely of German soldiers). Reimar departed Germany in May of 1776 and arrived in America as part of a large reinforcement in October of that year. He served in Captain Edward Handfield's company. He was discharged after the war, and is one of very few of the German recruits to receive a pension through Chelsea Hospital. [WO 12; WO 120]

Serjeant George Reason also served in Handfield's company. He was one of about 20 men of this company taken prisoner at the battle of Connecticut Farms on June 8, 1780. [WO 12]

Transcript Source: First Recreated 22nd Foot Website - H. Joswick

For further reading and information on this case see Don Hagist's article in the Journal of the American Revolution:

https://allthingsliberty.com/2018/08/guilty-of-desertion-hubert-romar-22nd-regiment-of-foot/