Why did the British hire mercenaries?

Answer 1

In some situations, especially where there is a danger of fighting their own countrymen , soldiers are better replaced by foreign mercenaries. The British emigrants in the British colonies in America were policed by German mercenaries. However in that case the colonies were the private possessions of King George III, who was of German descent.

Answer 2

Part of the reason the Brits used mercenaries during the American revolutionary War was George III's close association with the northern German States. He was the grandson of the Elector of Hannover who later became the British monarch (George I) following the death of Queen Anne who had no living Protestant heirs.

Most of the British mercenaries were recruited from Hesse, hence the term " Hessians" was used for describing the German soldiers serving in North America.

Another reason for employing mercenaries may have had something to do with the low strength of the British regular forces following the Seven Years War that concluded around 1760. Also, the British government may have deemed it expedient to place greater faith in the Hessians' commitment to battle because some of the British regulars no doubt, held sympathies for their American cousins.

Answer 3

The mercenaries fought for British because they were paid by king George the third

Answer 4

The British were also fighting a war against France in Europe and its army was spread too thin to cover both areas of the war, so it hired mercenaries to help its forces.

Answer 5

Why did WHO hire mercenaries to fight WHAT war?

Answer 6

Because they needed more soldiers to fight with.