Adalbert von Bredow
Encyclopedia
Friedrich William Adalbert von Bredow (24 May 1814 – 3 March 1890) was a German
cavalry officer.
Born in Briesen
, he joined the military in 1832. He is best known as a hero of the Franco-Prussian War
after the battle of Mars-la-Tour
on August 16, 1870. During this battle he commanded the Prussian 12th Cavalry Brigade on one of the last successful cavalry charges in warfare. Before his assault von Bredow stated of that "it will cost what it will." "Von Bredow's Death Ride" resulted in massive casualties on the Prussian forces but he managed to defeat a French force that outnumbered the Prussians four to one.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
cavalry officer.
Born in Briesen
Briesen
- In Brandenburg, Germany :* Briesen , in the Spree-Neiße district * Briesen , in the Oder-Spree district,* A part of Friesack, in the Havelland district,* A part of Halbe, in the Dahme-Spreewald district,...
, he joined the military in 1832. He is best known as a hero of the Franco-Prussian War
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
after the battle of Mars-la-Tour
Battle of Mars-La-Tour
The Battle of Mars-La-Tour was fought on 16 August 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War near the town of Mars-La-Tour in northeast France. Two Prussian corps encountered the entire French Army of the Rhine in a meeting engagement, and with the surprise entailed, successfully forced the Army of the...
on August 16, 1870. During this battle he commanded the Prussian 12th Cavalry Brigade on one of the last successful cavalry charges in warfare. Before his assault von Bredow stated of that "it will cost what it will." "Von Bredow's Death Ride" resulted in massive casualties on the Prussian forces but he managed to defeat a French force that outnumbered the Prussians four to one.
Literature
- Michael HowardMichael Howard (historian)Sir Michael Eliot Howard, OM, CH, CBE, MC, FBA is a British military historian, formerly Chichele Professor of the History of War and Regius Professor of Modern History at Oxford University, and Robert A...
: The Franco-Prussian War. The German Invasion of France, 1870-1871. London 2001.