Gebhard Leberecht von Blucher was a Prussian soldier. He was born in 1742 at Rostock and died in 1819. He entered the Swedish service when 14 years of age and fought against the Prussians, but was taken prisoner in his first campaign, and was induced to enter the Prussian service. Discontented at the promotion of another officer over his head, he left the army, devoted himself to agriculture, and by industry and prudence acquired an estate.
After the death of Frederick II he became a major in his former regiment, which he commanded with distinction on the Rhine in 1793 and 1794. After the battle of Kirrweiler in 1794 he was appointed major-general of the army of observation stationed on the Lower Rhine, In 1802, in the name of the King of Prussia, he took possession of Erfurt and Muhlhausen. On October the 14th, 1806, he fought at the battle of Auerstadt. After the Peace of Tilsit he laboured in the department of war at Konigsberg and Berlin. He then received the chief military command in Pomerania, but at the instigation of Napoleon was afterwards, with several other distinguished men, dismissed from the service.
In the campaign of 1812, when the Prussians assisted the French, he took no part; but no sooner did Prussia rise against her oppressors than Blucher, then seventy years old, engaged in the cause with all his former activity, and was appointed commander-in-chief of the Prussians and the Russian corps under General Winzingerode. His heroism in the battle of Ltitzen on May the 2nd, 1813 was rewarded by the Emperor Alexander with the order of St George. The battles of Bautzen and Hanau, those on the Katzbach and Leipzig, added to his glory. He was now raised to the rank of field-marshal, and led the Prussian army which invaded France early in 1814. After a period of obstinate conflict the day of Montmartre crowned this campaign, and, on March the 31st, Blucher entered the capital of France. His king, in remembrance of the victory which he had gained at the Katzbach, created him Prince of Wahlstadt, and gave him an estate in Silesia.
On the renewal of the war in 1815 the chief command was again committed to him, and he led his army into the Netherlands. On June the 15th Napoleon threw himself upon him, and Blucher, on the 16th, was defeated at Ligny. In this engagement his horse was killed, and he was thrown under his body. In the battle of the 18th Blucher arrived at the most decisive moment upon the ground, and taking Napoleon in the rear and flank assisted materially in completing the great victory of Belle Alliance or the Battle of Waterloo. He was a rough and fearless soldier, noted for his energy and rapid movements, which had procured him the name of ' Marshal Vorwarts' (Forward). Research Gebhard Blucher
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Research Gebhard Blucher