Frederika Charlotte Riedesel

Frederika Charlotte Louise von Massow, Baroness (Freifrau) Riedesel zu Eisenbach was the wife of General Friedrich Adolf Riedesel of Brunswick. She accompanied him during the Saratoga Campaign in the American Revolutionary War and kept a journal of the campaign.

Frederika was born on 11 July 1746 at Brandenburg. Her father, Julius von Massow, was a Prussian official, but had been a Lieutenant General in the Prussian army. Frederika had travelled with the Prussian army as a child, and learned the hard life of a camp follower.

In 1762, Frederika helped care for Lieutenant Colonel Riedesel, who had been wounded in battle during the Seven Years' War. They were married that same year; Frederika was sixteen years old.

Friedrich Adolph Riedesel was a member of the line of Riedesel zu Eisenbach, and like all his male cousins had the title of Freiherr or Baron. He was not "the Baron" or "von Riedesel." Upon their marriage Frederika gained the title of Freifrau or Baroness Riedesel zu Eisenbach. She was described as looking more like an unmarried school girl than a married woman. She would grow into a red-haired baroness, "full in figure and possessing no small share of beauty." In the following years, the Riedesels had two daughters, Gustava and Frederica, and Frederika was pregnant with a third, Carolina, in 1776 when Brunswick signed a treaty to support Great Britain in the suppression of the rebellion in their American colonies. Friedrich was promoted to General and named commander of the Brunswick army, and he referred to Frederika as "Mrs. General".

General Riedesel sailed for the Americas in 1776, with the understanding that Frederika would join him as soon as the new baby could travel. Carolina was born in March, and the family sailed to England in May. Frederika took with her some antiques to sell in England, where the demand for such items would provide them with needed money for their travelling expenses.

"Mrs. General" Riedesel was not well received in England, where she was mocked for her German fashions and language. Frederika awaited her ship to Canada in Bristol, where she learned the English language and customs within six weeks. General Riedesel insisted she travel with a companion, however, and she could not set sail for Canada until April 1777.

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