The History of Anna (Großhosen) Bleucher

To know me, you must first understand my heritage. On my mother’s side, my Grandmother, Arietta Mae, was English. Grandfather Roy was Scottish, but descended from a Roman legionnaire (you could tell by his nose and his insistence that he remain clean-shaven). I think it is the Roman blood that gave him his height as well. Many said he was the son of a giant – some claimed he stood half a rod tall. In reality he was only a foot over two Ulnae. Because of his height, Grandfather was an imposing figure of a man. As such he made an excellent city guardsman and later was hired as a town constable.

Mother had six brothers and two sisters. Many of my mother’s family, including myself, are over six feet (two Ulnae) in height. This is unusual in males, but for females like me it is not only unusual, but also difficult.

On my father’s side, Grandfather Georg was mostly German but was also one 8th gypsy. He was a painter for many years, and for a short time, he also built wagons. Grandmother Ida was an English woman of Norse descent.

In his youth my father, Laurenz Großhosen, owned his own horse and traveled extensively. He even visited the English shores. It was here that he met my mother, Lois. After their marriage, they traveled where the work was best, and my father became well known throughout Europe as a highly skilled cooper.

My father served as a cooper for Der Kriegshund Fähnlein for many years. As I grew old enough, I joined the other fraulein as they examined the new recruits joining the fähnlein. It was here that I spotted my Rutger. I was late getting to the fraulein’s vantage point, and as I ran up I heard a great bellow of laughter. There was my great spearman, laughing so hard he was rolling on the ground. Tall and dark with a great bushy beard. I knew Wolfgang Bleucher was the man for me. From the beginning, I decided to call him Rutger (great spearman), and he lived up to the name, impressing the officers with his prowess with the spear.

I made sure that Rutger spent lots of time with me and was well fed by inviting him to dine with my family whenever possible. He was a hit with my parents and brother Dieter as well. Although my mother was not pleased, Rutger began teaching Dieter how to wield a pike. When the inevitable offer for better pay came, my father again moved on to another fähnlein. My Rutger couldn’t bear to see me leave, so we were married before my parents left.

I kept in touch with my family as best as I could as my little brother grew into a man and joined in the fighting. Mother finally convinced father to settle down and let the work come to him. We were away in Hungary at the time, but I promised we’d come and visit the new homestead as soon as we could. It must have been that letter that led Dieter to our camp.

Dieter joined us as we marched on the Turks, and at the same time Rutger was approached to join Die Kaiser Lichte Fußknecht von Niedersachsen by his old friend Josef von Thaden. Rutger said this fähnlein had a good record. I checked out the baggage train and agreed. Dieter joined with us, and we continued our travels with our new fähnlein.