Johann Sigismund Riesch
Encyclopedia
Johann Sigismund Graf von Riesch (2 August 1750 – 2 November 1821) joined the army of Habsburg Austria as a cavalry officer and, during his career, fought against the Kingdom of Prussia
, Ottoman Turkey, Revolutionary France, and Napoleon's French Empire
. He became a general officer during the French Revolutionary Wars
and held important commands during the War of the Second Coalition
. He displayed a talent for leading cavalry formations, but proved less capable when given corps-sized commands. During the 1805 Ulm Campaign
in the Napoleonic Wars
, the French badly defeated his corps and forced it to surrender soon afterward. From 1806 to his death in 1821, he was the Proprietor (Inhaber)
of an Austrian
cavalry regiment.
on 2 August 1750 into a noble Saxon family, Riesch enlisted in the army of the Electorate of Saxony
. In 1773 he switched to the Austrian army, joining the Chevauxleger Regiment # 1 as an Oberleutnant
. He fought against the Prussians in the War of the Bavarian Succession in 1778–1779. During the Austro-Turkish War
he received promotion to Oberst
(colonel
) of the Nassau-Usingen Cuirassier
Regiment # 14. On 18 August 1788, he distinguished himself in battle against Turkish cavalry on the Timiş River
in the Banat
.
Riesch married Theresia Josephine Koháry in 1792. During the War of the First Coalition, he was wounded in action on 16 March 1793 at Tirlemont. In July of that year he received promotion to the rank of General-Major
. In May 1794 he defeated a numerically superior force of French cavalry at Maubeuge
. At the Battle of Fleurus
on 26 June 1794, he led a brigade in the 1st Column consisting of two battalions of the Austrian Samuel Gyulai Infantry Regiment # 32, three French Émigré
battalions in the Legions of Damas, Béon, and Mathieu, and two squadrons of the Béon Legion cavalry.
Emperor Francis II raised Riesch to the rank of Feldmarschall-Leutnant on 4 March 1796. That year found him serving in the Army of the Upper Rhine under Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser
and later under Maximilian Anton Karl, Count Baillet de Latour
. Riesch led a small cavalry division in Archduke Charles'
success at the Battle of Würzburg
on 3 September 1796. The Coburg Dragoon
Regiment # 37, Kaiser Hussar
Regiment # 2, and the Münster
Dragoon Regiment were placed under his orders. At the Battle of Neuweid
, he and his cavalry ably covered the Austrian retreat after the French victory on 18 April 1797.
's French cavalry reserve. For his Stockach exploit, he received the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa
in August 1801. He again commanded a cavalry division under Olivier, Count of Wallis
at the First Battle of Zurich
on 4 June. On this occasion, he led 12 squadrons of the Nassau-Usingen Cuirassiers # 9 and the Mack Cuirassiers # 10.
In the 1800 campaign in southern Germany, Riesch again led a cavalry division under Pál Kray at the Second Battle of Stockach on 3 May and at the Battle of Messkirch
two days later. A string of Austrian defeats ended in an armistice that summer. In the interim, the emperor appointed the youthful Archduke John of Austria to lead the army. A cavalry specialist, Riesch found himself in command of a corps containing infantry, cavalry, and artillery. When the armistice lapsed in November, both armies rapidly moved into contact. Riesch and Ludwig Baillet de Latour led their commands against the French divisions of Michel Ney
and Jean Hardÿ in the Battle of Ampfing
on 1 December. The Austrians succeeded in driving their enemies back in bitter fighting, but paid for the victory with 3,100 casualties.
Two days later, Riesch's 13,000-man Left Column advanced against Jean Moreau's
French army in the Battle of Hohenlinden. The 22,000-strong Left Center Column made rapid progress on the main highway while Riesch's men struggled along muddy forest trails in snowy weather. Because of the delay, Antoine Richepanse
's flanking column passed across Riesch's front and crashed into the rear of Johann Kollowrat
's Left Center column. Under the circumstances, Riesch might have punished the French soldiers, but he hesitated. After taking extra time to concentrate his column on the heights of Albaching
, he unwisely proceeded to divide his force into a reserve and five task forces before advancing.
Riesch's men found themselves in a soldiers' battle amid woods and snow squalls, with the more aggressive French having the advantage. Charles Decaen's French division soon appeared on the scene to block Riesch's awkward attempts to break through to Kollowrat. Meanwhile, Richpanse, Ney, and Emmanuel Grouchy enveloped and crushed Kollowrat's isolated column. When Riesch heard of the disaster, he fell back. His own losses amounted to 900 men, and he brought off 500 French prisoners. Badly shaken by the disaster, Archduke John ordered a rapid withdrawal to distance his troops from the French.
During the chaotic retreat after Hohenlinden
, Riesch clashed with his French pursuers at Rosenheim
on 9 December. Outnumbered 10,000 to 6,000, his troops suffered 600 casualties while inflicting only 110 losses on the French. He commanded the rear guard in an unsuccessful action at Schwanenstadt
on 18 December. Catching his troops with their backs to a river, Richepanse's cavalry forced 700 Austrian horsemen to surrender. By the time Archduke Charles replaced his brother John in command, the army was practically a rabble. Both sides agreed to a truce on 25 December 1800. Afterward, John heaped blame on Riesch for his slow march on the morning of Hohenlinden, but this may be unfair because the French movements were also slow due to the miserable road conditions.
and Karl Mack von Leiberich's army in southern Germany. In September and October 1805, Emperor Napoleon I
enveloped the badly-led Austrian army with a greatly superior army. In attempting to escape the trap, Mack sent Franz von Werneck
's corps to the northeast of Ulm
and ordered Riesch to cover his right flank.
Riesch occupied the villages of Ober- and Unter-Elchingen
on the north bank of the Danube
River. At the Battle of Elchingen
on 14 October 1805, Marshal
Ney's superior force attacked Riesch's 9,000 soldiers, drove them off the heights, and forced them back into Ulm. During the battle, Riesch commanded two brigades under Daniel Mécsery and Johann Laudon, with 14 infantry battalions, 11 cavalry squadrons, and 12 artillery pieces. The main French attack came from the south, as Louis Henri Loison
's division crossed a partly destroyed bridge over the river and went on to storm the Elchingen Abbey. Riesch fought back until a second French division approached from the east, when he ordered a retreat. Under pressure of cavalry attacks, Austrian morale collapsed and Riesch's command suffered very heavy losses. A few days later, Mack surrendered with 27,000 men, including Riesch, at the Battle of Ulm
.
In June 1806, he became the proprietor of the Reisch Dragoon Regiment # 6 and held this position until his death. In 1809, he commanded the Reserve, but missed all the battles of the War of the Fifth Coalition
. He retired from the army in 1810. In 1812 he married the 21-year-old Amalie Adelheid von Schonberg, his first wife having died in 1803. He died at his splendid estate, Barockschloss Neschwitz
in Saxony
, on 2 November 1821.
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
, Ottoman Turkey, Revolutionary France, and Napoleon's French Empire
First French Empire
The First French Empire , also known as the Greater French Empire or Napoleonic Empire, was the empire of Napoleon I of France...
. He became a general officer during the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
and held important commands during the War of the Second Coalition
War of the Second Coalition
The "Second Coalition" was the second attempt by European monarchs, led by the Habsburg Monarchy of Austria and the Russian Empire, to contain or eliminate Revolutionary France. They formed a new alliance and attempted to roll back France's previous military conquests...
. He displayed a talent for leading cavalry formations, but proved less capable when given corps-sized commands. During the 1805 Ulm Campaign
Ulm Campaign
The Ulm Campaign consisted of a series of French and Bavarian military maneuvers and battles to outflank and capture an Austrian army in 1805 during the War of the Third Coalition. It took place in the vicinity of and inside the Swabian city of Ulm...
in the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, the French badly defeated his corps and forced it to surrender soon afterward. From 1806 to his death in 1821, he was the Proprietor (Inhaber)
Proprietor (Inhaber)
A Proprietor, or Inhaber, was a term used in the Habsburg military to denote special honors extended to a noble or aristocrat. The Habsburg army was organized on principles developed for the feudal armies in which regiments were raised by a wealthy noble, called the Inhaber who also acted as...
of an Austrian
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
cavalry regiment.
Early career
Born in ViennaVienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
on 2 August 1750 into a noble Saxon family, Riesch enlisted in the army of the Electorate of Saxony
Electorate of Saxony
The Electorate of Saxony , sometimes referred to as Upper Saxony, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. It was established when Emperor Charles IV raised the Ascanian duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg to the status of an Electorate by the Golden Bull of 1356...
. In 1773 he switched to the Austrian army, joining the Chevauxleger Regiment # 1 as an Oberleutnant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
. He fought against the Prussians in the War of the Bavarian Succession in 1778–1779. During the Austro-Turkish War
Austro-Turkish War (1787-1791)
The Austro-Turkish War of 1787 was an inconclusive struggle between the Austrian and Ottoman Empires. It took place concomitantly with the Russo-Turkish War of 1787-1792.-History:...
he received promotion to Oberst
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
(colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
) of the Nassau-Usingen Cuirassier
Cuirassier
Cuirassiers were mounted cavalry soldiers equipped with armour and firearms, first appearing in late 15th-century Europe. They were the successors of the medieval armoured knights...
Regiment # 14. On 18 August 1788, he distinguished himself in battle against Turkish cavalry on the Timiş River
Timis River
The Timiş or Tamiš is a 359 km long river originating from Țarcu Mountains , southern Carpathian Mountains, Caraş-Severin County, Romania. It flows through the Banat region and flows into the Danube near Pančevo, in northern Serbia....
in the Banat
Banat
The Banat is a geographical and historical region in Central Europe currently divided between three countries: the eastern part lies in western Romania , the western part in northeastern Serbia , and a small...
.
Riesch married Theresia Josephine Koháry in 1792. During the War of the First Coalition, he was wounded in action on 16 March 1793 at Tirlemont. In July of that year he received promotion to the rank of General-Major
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
. In May 1794 he defeated a numerically superior force of French cavalry at Maubeuge
Maubeuge
Maubeuge is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.It is situated on both banks of the Sambre , east of Valenciennes and about from the Belgian border.-History:...
. At the Battle of Fleurus
Battle of Fleurus (1794)
In the Battle of Fleurus on 26 June 1794, the army of the First French Republic under General Jean-Baptiste Jourdan faced the Coalition Army commanded by Prince Josias of Coburg in the most decisive battle of the Flanders Campaign in the Low Countries during the French Revolutionary Wars...
on 26 June 1794, he led a brigade in the 1st Column consisting of two battalions of the Austrian Samuel Gyulai Infantry Regiment # 32, three French Émigré
Émigré
Émigré is a French term that literally refers to a person who has "migrated out", but often carries a connotation of politico-social self-exile....
battalions in the Legions of Damas, Béon, and Mathieu, and two squadrons of the Béon Legion cavalry.
Emperor Francis II raised Riesch to the rank of Feldmarschall-Leutnant on 4 March 1796. That year found him serving in the Army of the Upper Rhine under Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser
Dagobert Sigmund von Wurmser
Dagobert Sigismund, Count Wurmser was an Austrian field marshal during the French Revolutionary Wars. Although he fought in the Seven Years War, the War of the Bavarian Succession, and mounted several successful campaigns in the Rhineland in the initial years of the French Revolutionary Wars, he...
and later under Maximilian Anton Karl, Count Baillet de Latour
Maximilian Anton Karl, Count Baillet de Latour
Count Maximilian Anton Karl Baillet de Latour was a general in Austrian service during the French Revolutionary Wars.- Biography :...
. Riesch led a small cavalry division in Archduke Charles'
Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen
Archduke Charles of Austria, Duke of Teschen was an Austrian field-marshal, the third son of emperor Leopold II and his wife Infanta Maria Luisa of Spain...
success at the Battle of Würzburg
Battle of Würzburg
The Battle of Würzburg was fought on 3 September 1796 between an army of Habsburg Austria led by Archduke Charles, Duke of Teschen and an army of the First French Republic led by Jean-Baptiste Jourdan. The French attacked the archduke's forces, but they were resisted until the arrival of...
on 3 September 1796. The Coburg Dragoon
Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage altered over time and during the 18th century, dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel...
Regiment # 37, Kaiser Hussar
Hussar
Hussar refers to a number of types of light cavalry which originated in Hungary in the 14th century, tracing its roots from Serbian medieval cavalry tradition, brought to Hungary in the course of the Serb migrations, which began in the late 14th century....
Regiment # 2, and the Münster
Münster
Münster is an independent city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located in the northern part of the state and is considered to be the cultural centre of the Westphalia region. It is also capital of the local government region Münsterland...
Dragoon Regiment were placed under his orders. At the Battle of Neuweid
Battle of Neuwied (1797)
The Battle of Neuwied was fought on April 18, 1797. It resulted in the victory of French under General Louis Lazare Hoche against Austrians under General Franz von Werneck...
, he and his cavalry ably covered the Austrian retreat after the French victory on 18 April 1797.
War of the Second Coalition
Riesch helped win the First Battle of Stockach on 25 March 1799 by leading a brilliant cavalry charge that overthrew Jean-Joseph Ange d'HautpoulJean-Joseph Ange d'Hautpoul
Jean-Joseph Ange d'Hautpoul was a French cavalry general of the Napoleonic wars. He came from an old noble family of France whose military tradition extended for several centuries....
's French cavalry reserve. For his Stockach exploit, he received the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa
Military Order of Maria Theresa
The Military Order of Maria Theresa was an Order of the Austro-Hungarian Empire founded on June 18, 1757, the day of the Battle of Kolin, by the Empress...
in August 1801. He again commanded a cavalry division under Olivier, Count of Wallis
Olivier, Count of Wallis
Oliver Remigius, Count von Wallis Baron von Carrighmain, the scion of a distinguished Irish family in Austrian military service, served in Austria's wars with the Ottoman Empire , and in the French Revolutionary Wars...
at the First Battle of Zurich
First Battle of Zürich
The Helvetic Republic in 1798 became a battlefield of the French Revolutionary Wars. In the First Battle of Zurich on 4 – 7 June 1799, French general André Masséna was forced to yield the city to the Austrians under Archduke Charles and retreated beyond the Limmat, where he managed to fortify his...
on 4 June. On this occasion, he led 12 squadrons of the Nassau-Usingen Cuirassiers # 9 and the Mack Cuirassiers # 10.
Battle of Messkirch
The Battle of Meßkirch was fought on 4 and 5 May 1800 and resulted the victory of French army against the Austrians.-Overview:On 25 April 1800 the French Armée d'Allemagne, under Jean Victor Marie Moreau, crossed the Rhine River at Kehl and Schaffhausen. The 1st Demi-Brigade, of the Corps led by...
two days later. A string of Austrian defeats ended in an armistice that summer. In the interim, the emperor appointed the youthful Archduke John of Austria to lead the army. A cavalry specialist, Riesch found himself in command of a corps containing infantry, cavalry, and artillery. When the armistice lapsed in November, both armies rapidly moved into contact. Riesch and Ludwig Baillet de Latour led their commands against the French divisions of Michel Ney
Michel Ney
Michel Ney , 1st Duc d'Elchingen, 1st Prince de la Moskowa was a French soldier and military commander during the French Revolutionary Wars and the Napoleonic Wars. He was one of the original 18 Marshals of France created by Napoleon I...
and Jean Hardÿ in the Battle of Ampfing
Battle of Ampfing (1800)
The Battle of Ampfing on 1 December 1800 saw Paul Grenier's two divisions of the First French Republic defending against the Austrian army southwest of the town of Ampfing during the French Revolutionary Wars. The Austrians, under the leadership of Archduke John of Austria, forced their enemies to...
on 1 December. The Austrians succeeded in driving their enemies back in bitter fighting, but paid for the victory with 3,100 casualties.
Two days later, Riesch's 13,000-man Left Column advanced against Jean Moreau's
Jean Victor Marie Moreau
Jean Victor Marie Moreau was a French general who helped Napoleon Bonaparte to power, but later became a rival and was banished to the United States.- Early life :Moreau was born at Morlaix in Brittany...
French army in the Battle of Hohenlinden. The 22,000-strong Left Center Column made rapid progress on the main highway while Riesch's men struggled along muddy forest trails in snowy weather. Because of the delay, Antoine Richepanse
Antoine Richepanse
Antoine Richepanse was a French revolutionary general and colonial administrator.-Military career:Richepanse was born in Metz as the son of an officer of the Regiment of Conti...
's flanking column passed across Riesch's front and crashed into the rear of Johann Kollowrat
Johann Kollowrat
Kollowrat-Krakowsky, Johann Karl, Graf von joined the Austrian army, fought against the Kingdom of Prussia and Ottoman Turkey before being promoted to general officer rank. During combat against the French in the French Revolutionary Wars, he first became known as an artillery specialist...
's Left Center column. Under the circumstances, Riesch might have punished the French soldiers, but he hesitated. After taking extra time to concentrate his column on the heights of Albaching
Albaching
Albaching is a municipality in the district of Rosenheim in Bavaria in Germany.- Geography :Albaching lies in the alpine foothills, approximately 45 km east of Munich, 30 km south of Erding, 40 km south-west of Mühldorf am Inn, 12 km north-east of Wasserburg am Inn, 38 km...
, he unwisely proceeded to divide his force into a reserve and five task forces before advancing.
Riesch's men found themselves in a soldiers' battle amid woods and snow squalls, with the more aggressive French having the advantage. Charles Decaen's French division soon appeared on the scene to block Riesch's awkward attempts to break through to Kollowrat. Meanwhile, Richpanse, Ney, and Emmanuel Grouchy enveloped and crushed Kollowrat's isolated column. When Riesch heard of the disaster, he fell back. His own losses amounted to 900 men, and he brought off 500 French prisoners. Badly shaken by the disaster, Archduke John ordered a rapid withdrawal to distance his troops from the French.
During the chaotic retreat after Hohenlinden
Hohenlinden
Hohenlinden is a community in the Upper Bavarian district of Ebersberg. The city of Lynden, Washington is named after it...
, Riesch clashed with his French pursuers at Rosenheim
Rosenheim
Rosenheim is a town in Bavaria at the confluence of the rivers Inn and Mangfall. It is seat of administration of the district of Rosenheim, but is not a part of it.-Geography:...
on 9 December. Outnumbered 10,000 to 6,000, his troops suffered 600 casualties while inflicting only 110 losses on the French. He commanded the rear guard in an unsuccessful action at Schwanenstadt
Schwanenstadt
Schwanenstadt is a town in the district of Vöcklabruck in Upper Austria, Austria....
on 18 December. Catching his troops with their backs to a river, Richepanse's cavalry forced 700 Austrian horsemen to surrender. By the time Archduke Charles replaced his brother John in command, the army was practically a rabble. Both sides agreed to a truce on 25 December 1800. Afterward, John heaped blame on Riesch for his slow march on the morning of Hohenlinden, but this may be unfair because the French movements were also slow due to the miserable road conditions.
Napoleonic Wars
At the start of the War of the Third Coalition, the Austrian high command assigned Riesch to command a corps in Archduke FerdinandArchduke Ferdinand Karl Joseph of Austria-Este
Archduke Ferdinand Karl Joseph of Austria-Este was the third son of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria-Este and of his wife Princess Maria Beatrice Ricciarda d'Este, last member and heiress of the house of Este. For much of the Napoleonic Wars he was in command of the Austrian army.Ferdinand was born...
and Karl Mack von Leiberich's army in southern Germany. In September and October 1805, Emperor Napoleon I
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
enveloped the badly-led Austrian army with a greatly superior army. In attempting to escape the trap, Mack sent Franz von Werneck
Franz von Werneck
Franz Freiherr von Werneck, born 13 October 1748 – died 17 January 1806, enlisted in the army of Habsburg Austria and fought in the Austro-Turkish War, the French Revolutionary Wars, and the Napoleonic Wars. He enjoyed a distinguished career until 1797, when he lost a battle and was dismissed...
's corps to the northeast of Ulm
Ulm
Ulm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and...
and ordered Riesch to cover his right flank.
Riesch occupied the villages of Ober- and Unter-Elchingen
Elchingen
Elchingen is a municipality about 7 km east of Ulm–Neu-Ulm in the district of Neu-Ulm in Bavaria, GermanyMunicipality parts:* Thalfingen: 4 211 residents, 8.83 km²* Oberelchingen: 3 024 residents, 7.31 km²...
on the north bank of the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
River. At the Battle of Elchingen
Battle of Elchingen
The Battle of Elchingen, fought on October 14, 1805, saw French forces under Michel Ney rout an Austrian corps led by Johann Sigismund Riesch. This defeat led to a large part of the Austrian army being invested in the fortress of Ulm by the army of Emperor Napoleon I of France while other...
on 14 October 1805, Marshal
Marshal of France
The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
Ney's superior force attacked Riesch's 9,000 soldiers, drove them off the heights, and forced them back into Ulm. During the battle, Riesch commanded two brigades under Daniel Mécsery and Johann Laudon, with 14 infantry battalions, 11 cavalry squadrons, and 12 artillery pieces. The main French attack came from the south, as Louis Henri Loison
Louis Henri Loison
Louis Henri Loison briefly joined the French Army in 1787 and after the French Revolution became a junior officer. Blessed with military talent and courage, he rapidly rose to general officer rank during the French Revolutionary Wars. He also got into difficulties because of his fondness for...
's division crossed a partly destroyed bridge over the river and went on to storm the Elchingen Abbey. Riesch fought back until a second French division approached from the east, when he ordered a retreat. Under pressure of cavalry attacks, Austrian morale collapsed and Riesch's command suffered very heavy losses. A few days later, Mack surrendered with 27,000 men, including Riesch, at the Battle of Ulm
Battle of Ulm
The Battle of Ulm was a series of minor skirmishes at the end of Napoleon Bonaparte's Ulm Campaign, culminating in the surrender of an entire Austrian army near Ulm in Württemberg....
.
In June 1806, he became the proprietor of the Reisch Dragoon Regiment # 6 and held this position until his death. In 1809, he commanded the Reserve, but missed all the battles of the War of the Fifth Coalition
War of the Fifth Coalition
The War of the Fifth Coalition, fought in the year 1809, pitted a coalition of the Austrian Empire and the United Kingdom against Napoleon's French Empire and Bavaria. Major engagements between France and Austria, the main participants, unfolded over much of Central Europe from April to July, with...
. He retired from the army in 1810. In 1812 he married the 21-year-old Amalie Adelheid von Schonberg, his first wife having died in 1803. He died at his splendid estate, Barockschloss Neschwitz
Neschwitz
Neschwitz, Sorbian Njeswačidło, is a municipality in the east of Saxony, Germany. It belongs to the district of Bautzen and lies 14 km northwest of the eponymous city.- Villages :Several villages belong to the municipality:*Neschwitz...
in Saxony
Saxony
The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states....
, on 2 November 1821.