Hans Ernst Karl, Graf Von Zieten

Hans Ernst Karl, Graf von Zieten (5 March 1770 – 3 May 1848) was a Prussian Field Marshal who was prominent during the Napoleonic Wars, particularly in the Hundred Days where he took part in several battles in the Waterloo Campaign such as the Battle of Ligny and the Battle of Issy.

Early life

He was born in Dechtow in the Margraviate of Brandenburg; he was not related to the Frederician general Hans Joachim von Zieten.

He became an adjutant to the then lieutenant general, later field marshal, Count von Kalkreuth, who gained dubious fame in Prussian military history. He accompanied him during the campaigns on the Rhine, particularly the Battle of Kaiserslautern, and remained with him for a total of fourteen years. On December 7, 1793, he became a captain in the army, on November 11, 1799, he became inspection adjutant of the West and South Prussian cavalry inspection, and on June 12, 1800, he was promoted to major. In the meantime, he married Countess Josephine Clementine Berlo from a Luxembourg family on January 31, 1797, who was born on January 2, 1776.

Napoleonic Wars

Fourth Coalition

After the Battle of Auerstädt, Kalkreuth sent him to negotiate a twelve-hour ceasefire with Davout for the burial of the dead and the evacuation of the wounded, which Davout, however, refused. During the Battle of Eylau, he commanded the 1st Hussar (Outpost) Brigade (4 squadrons of Württemberg Hussars, Fusilier Battalion Wakenitz, a half-mounted battery) and soon found the opportunity to demonstrate his talent as a commander. Promoted to lieutenant colonel on May 21, 1807, after the Battle of Friedland, he had to cover the retreat of L'Estocq's Corps on the road to Königsberg, suffering significant losses in his brigade. At Labiau, he engaged in a fierce battle on the 17th with the pursuing troops of Davout, which once again inflicted heavy losses and revealed serious deficiencies in his troops.

On February 18, 1809, he became the commander of the first Silesian Hussar Regiment and was promoted to colonel on June 1, 1809. At that time, he was considered by Scharnhorst's to be a highly skilled and well-recommended officer (among others by L'Estocq's), which is why he was promoted out of turn. However, an instruction he issued on March 10, 1810, “for the troops attached to the line infantry,” revealed that he was not yet fully aligned with modern military concepts, as he showed only a limited understanding of the training of skirmishers. During the reorganization of the army, he was also sent to the commission under Scharnhorst's chairmanship for drafting the cavalry exercise regulations.

Sixth Coalition

On December 12, 1809, he was entrusted with the provisional command of the Upper Silesian Cavalry Brigade and became a major general on March 30, 1813. His brigade, belonging to Blücher's Corps, played a distinguished role in the Battle of Lutzen, fighting particularly for the possession of Kleingörschen with varying success. Prince Leopold of Hesse-Homburg fell beside him, whom he had unsuccessfully tried to rescue from danger. A highly successful military feat was achieved by him during the brilliant cavalry Battle of Haynau on May 26.

Entrusted by Blücher with its command, he lured the troops of French General Maison into an ambush, inflicting significant losses on them at the right moment from his position at the mill in Baudmannsdorf by igniting it as a signal for the attack, which greatly aided the Prussian-Russian troops retreating from Bautzen to Liegnitz and particularly enhanced the prestige of the allied armies just before the conclusion of the Truce of Pläswitz, revitalizing the troops’ morale. The raid at Haynau earned Zieten the Iron Cross 1st Class.

After the armistice ended, Zieten served as chief of the 11th Brigade belonging to the 2nd Kleist Corps at the main army. In the Battle of Dresden on August 26 and 27, he fought with some success for the Große Garten after capturing Strehlen. He significantly contributed to the decision at Kulm by covering the rear of Kleist Corps, engaging in a lively skirmish with Marshal Saint-Cyr at Glashütte, and blocking the road by occupying the southern edge of the Jungfernwald behind Nollendorf amid persistent and difficult fighting due to the deteriorating road conditions.

After the battle, he stayed as an advance guard. He was actively involved in the skirmishes leading up to the Battle of Leipzig and was assigned with his brigade to the corps of Austrian General von Klenau shortly before the decisive battle, securing on October 16 (Wachau) the connection between Klenau's Corps and Wittgenstein’s Corps. On the 18th, he made several unsuccessful attempts to take Stötteritz at the order of Barclay de Tolly after the successful defense of Zuckelhausen. Later, he captured the village of Probstheida, which had been set ablaze by his artillery.

In the following winter campaign on French soil, Zieten, now part of Kleist Corps of Blücher's army and since December 8, 1813, a lieutenant general, repeatedly found himself in action at crucial moments with his newly formed troops (mainly Silesians), particularly on February 14, 1814, in the Battle of Vauchamps, where, after driving Marmont back to Fromentieres the day before, he was encircled by Napoleon himself at Vauchamps and had to retreat to the main body after exceedingly brave and prudent resistance under heavy losses that nearly exhausted his brigade.

On March 9 at Laon, at the head of the cavalry of Yorck's and Kleist's Corps (30 squadrons), he executed a large-scale night flanking maneuver through marshy terrain in a brilliant manner, leading to a complete victory. Zieten’s troops captured the majority of the 45 cannons and 131 supply wagons taken during the Battle of Laon. After the first Battle for Paris, he took command of the second army corps in place of Kleist's.

Hundred Days

During the Waterloo Campaign of 1815, Lieutenant-General von Zieten commanded the Prussian I Corps. The corps fought a holding action against the French on 15 June, and was heavily engaged against the French the next day at the Battle of Ligny, and then again two days later on 18 June at the Battle of Waterloo.

On 1 July, Zieten's I Corps participated in the Battle of Issy just outside the walls of Paris. At the end of the campaign on 7 July, his corps was granted the honour of being the first major Coalition force to enter Paris.

Later life

King Frederick William III of Prussia granted Zieten the title of ''Graf'', or count, on 3 September 1817. At the age of 69, he was promoted to ''Generalfeldmarschall'' on 9 September 1839. Zieten died in Warmbrunn.

Military record

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References and notes

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References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zieten, Hans Ernst Karl von
1770 births
1848 deaths
People from Ostprignitz-Ruppin
People from the Margraviate of Brandenburg
Counts in Germany
Field marshals of Prussia
Prussian commanders of the Napoleonic Wars
People of the Battle of Waterloo
Military personnel from Brandenburg
Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class)
Recipients of the Order of St. George of the Second Degree
Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath