Ludwig von Wallmoden-Gimborn
Encyclopedia
Ludwig Georg Thedel, Graf von Wallmoden (6 February 1769, Vienna
- 22 March 1862, Vienna) was an Austrian "General of the Cavalry", best known for his training of light infantry and the refinement of the Tirailleur
system.
, then in 1790 the Prussian Army
and finally in 1795 the Austrian army. In the Austrian army he distinguished himself in the expeditions of 1796 to 1801 and was also sent on several diplomatic missions.
In 1809 he completed the negotiations in London as to the "Subsidienvertrag" between Austria and Great Britain. On his return to Vienna, he distinguished himself at the Battle of Wagram
. After the Treaty of Vienna
, he was promoted to Feldmarschallleutnant
and then sent as a Divisionär
to Bohemia
.
In 1813 Wallmoden transferred to the Imperial Russian Army
, becoming commander of the Russian-German Legion
, which he merged into the Allied "army of the north". During the Battle of the Göhrde
, he and his corps held out against not only General Davout's force but also the French division under Pécheux
, later penetrating into Schleswig
and forcing the Danes to make peace.
After the second Treaty of Paris
, in 1817 he returned to the Austrian army and was Oberbefehlshaber (supreme commander) of the Austrian troops sent to the kingdom of Naples
for the Neapolitan War
. In 1821 he left the majority of the Austrian force in Naples and in June occupied Sicily
, where he remained until 1823. He later functioned as Befehlshaber of 1. Armeekorps in Upper Italy and as Militärkommandant of Milan
until his retirement in 1848. He died in 1862 without issue. He was 93 years old.
Vienna
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...
- 22 March 1862, Vienna) was an Austrian "General of the Cavalry", best known for his training of light infantry and the refinement of the Tirailleur
Tirailleur
Tirailleur literally means a shooting skirmisher in French from tir—shot. The term dates back to the Napoleonic period where it was used to designate light infantry trained to skirmish ahead of the main columns...
system.
Life
Wallmoden was the son of Johann Ludwig Reichsgraf von Wallmoden-Gimborn (1736–1811), an illegitimate son of George II. At the time of Ludwig's birth, Johann was British ambassador in Austria. Ludwig first entered the Hanoverian armyElectorate of Hanover
The Electorate of Brunswick-Lüneburg was the ninth Electorate of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation...
, then in 1790 the Prussian Army
Prussian Army
The Royal Prussian Army was the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.The Prussian Army had its roots in the meager mercenary forces of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War...
and finally in 1795 the Austrian army. In the Austrian army he distinguished himself in the expeditions of 1796 to 1801 and was also sent on several diplomatic missions.
In 1809 he completed the negotiations in London as to the "Subsidienvertrag" between Austria and Great Britain. On his return to Vienna, he distinguished himself at the Battle of Wagram
Battle of Wagram
The Battle of Wagram was the decisive military engagement of the War of the Fifth Coalition. It took place on the Marchfeld plain, on the north bank of the Danube. An important site of the battle was the village of Deutsch-Wagram, 10 kilometres northeast of Vienna, which would give its name to the...
. After the Treaty of Vienna
Treaty of Schönbrunn
The Treaty of Schönbrunn , sometimes known as the Treaty of Vienna, was signed between France and Austria at the Schönbrunn Palace of Vienna on 14 October 1809. This treaty ended the Fifth Coalition during the Napoleonic Wars...
, he was promoted to Feldmarschallleutnant
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
and then sent as a Divisionär
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...
to Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
.
In 1813 Wallmoden transferred to the Imperial Russian Army
Imperial Russian Army
The Imperial Russian Army was the land armed force of the Russian Empire, active from around 1721 to the Russian Revolution of 1917. In the early 1850s, the Russian army consisted of around 938,731 regular soldiers and 245,850 irregulars . Until the time of military reform of Dmitry Milyutin in...
, becoming commander of the Russian-German Legion
Russian-German Legion
The Russian-German Legion was a military unit set up in 1812 by the banished Graf Peter of Oldenburg on the instigation of Tsar Alexander I of Russia.-Formation:...
, which he merged into the Allied "army of the north". During the Battle of the Göhrde
Battle of the Göhrde
The battle of the Göhrde was a battle of the War of the Sixth Coalition on 18 September 1813 between Napoleonic and Coalition troops at Göhrde in Germany. The Napoleonic troops were defeated and withdrew to Hamburg.-Site:...
, he and his corps held out against not only General Davout's force but also the French division under Pécheux
Marc Nicolas Louis Pécheux
Marc Nicolas Louis Pécheux was a French general during the Napoleonic Wars....
, later penetrating into Schleswig
Schleswig
Schleswig or South Jutland is a region covering the area about 60 km north and 70 km south of the border between Germany and Denmark; the territory has been divided between the two countries since 1920, with Northern Schleswig in Denmark and Southern Schleswig in Germany...
and forcing the Danes to make peace.
After the second Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1815)
Treaty of Paris of 1815, was signed on 20 November 1815 following the defeat and second abdication of Napoleon Bonaparte. In February, Napoleon had escaped from his exile on Elba; he entered Paris on 20 March, beginning the Hundred Days of his restored rule. Four days after France's defeat in the...
, in 1817 he returned to the Austrian army and was Oberbefehlshaber (supreme commander) of the Austrian troops sent to the kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
for the Neapolitan War
Neapolitan War
The Neapolitan War was a conflict between the Napoleonic Kingdom of Naples and the Austrian Empire. It started on 15 March 1815 when Joachim Murat declared war on Austria and ended on 20 May 1815 with the signing of the Treaty of Casalanza...
. In 1821 he left the majority of the Austrian force in Naples and in June occupied Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
, where he remained until 1823. He later functioned as Befehlshaber of 1. Armeekorps in Upper Italy and as Militärkommandant of Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
until his retirement in 1848. He died in 1862 without issue. He was 93 years old.
Sources
- http://www.austro-hungarian-army.co.uk/biog/wallmoden.html
- Ludwig von Wallmoden-Gimborn in Allgemeine Deutsche BiographieAllgemeine Deutsche BiographieAllgemeine Deutsche Biographie is one of the most important and most comprehensive biographical reference works in the German language....
(ADB). Bd. 40, Leipzig 1896, S. 761.