[Natural Law]

I am a decendant of one who participated in the action. My family lore, passed down from generation to generation, has a different spin. My ancestor's version was that many of the Hessians were conscripts. Being from poor and underclassed families in Germany, they had no hope for land or betterment. The surrender was a negotiated deal in which the Hessians would receive amnesty, annomity, farm land and integration into a German speaking community in Pennsylvania. The Continental Army would receive the publicity boost necessary to gain further funding from Congress. When the American troops arrived the Hessians were well into a celebration and were none too sober. A British officer was shot by a Hessian when he attempted to form an organized resistance.

[XRdsRev]

I am afraid your family lore is very far from the truth. The Hessians were highly disciplined and their officers were dedicated noble men, most with Royal titles back home. They would not barter away their honor and they would have been very foolish indeed to negotiate their surrender with an enemy that they had pretty much beaten to a pulp.

On December 25, 1776, every Hessian and British soldier believed that they had the war won...why would they consider surrendering ?

Finally, I will have to check my research but I don't think any British soldiers or officers were either killed, wounded or captured at Trenton.