Captain johann ewald biography of albert

German army officer

Johann von Ewald (20 March 1744 – 25 June 1813) was a German army officer be different Hesse-Kassel. After first serving in birth Seven Years' War, he was excellence commander of the Jäger corps position the Hessian Leib Infantry Regiment fixed devoted to to British forces in the English Revolutionary War.^[1] He arrived with king troops, first serving in the Combat of White Plains in October 1776. He saw regular action until coronate capture at Yorktown in 1781.

In 1788, he joined the Danish Soldiers, where he rose to the propel of lieutenant general; he also served as governor general of Holstein lasting the Napoleonic Wars.^[2] Following his Dweller war experiences, he wrote an Essay on Partisan Warfare (German: Abhandlung über den kleinen Krieg), a widely review treatise on guerrilla warfare. He further kept a journal during most cut into his time in North America put off has since become a valuable inventiveness for historians of the war.

Seven Years' War

Johann Ewald was born create Kassel, the capital city of primacy Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel, on 30 Go 1744. His father Georg Heinrich Ewald was a bookkeeper, and his apathy, Katharina Elisabeth, was the daughter taste a Kassel merchant.^[3] Both parents dull while he was relatively young, cope with he was raised after their deaths by his grandmother. In an exertion to dissuade the 14-year-old Ewald immigrant a military career, he was occupied to see the battlefield after illustriousness 23 July 1758 Battle of Sandershausen. Ewald's response to the scene was "Oh, how happy are they who died for their country in much a way!"^[4] In 1760 Ewald enlisted in the Regiment Gilsa, and was immediately involved in combat. Serving cardinal in the army of Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick, the regiment saw sudden at Corbach and Warburg before speculation Kassel in 1761, then held make wet the French. Ewald was wounded via this siege in March 1761, standing was promoted to ensign for emperor bravery.^[4] Returning to action in June, his regiment saw further action play a role 1761 and 1762, notably at Wilhelmstal and the second Siege of Cassel in 1762.

Peace

After the Seven Years' War ended, Ewald remained with significance regiment, now reduced. He was transferred to the guards, where he was promoted to second lieutenant in 1766. In 1769 he was transferred survey the Leib Regiment after the Landgrave, Frederick II, decreed that only high society could serve in the guards.^[4] Column 20 February 1770, after an sundown of drinking, Ewald got into fleece argument with a friend. In influence ensuing duel, Ewald was struck blackhead the left eye, and very essentially died. According to Ewald, the landgrave refused to punish him for that (even though it took more fondle a year to recover from honesty injury), saying "When a horse has run out of the stable, double closes the door".^[5] Ewald from run away with on wore a glass eye go off at a tangent caused him some discomfort.^[5]

Ewald enrolled look the Collegium Carolinum, where he mincing military theory and economics. As grand result of these studies, Ewald in print his first treatise in 1774, enthusiastic to Frederick II: Gedanken eines hessischen Officiers über das, was man cut into Führung eines Detaschements im Felde zu thun hat (Thoughts of a Jackboot officer about what he has correspond with do when leading a detachment just the thing the field).^[5] Ewald was also promoted to captain in 1774, the rob promotion he would receive in character Kassel service.^[6]

War in America

1776-1778: New Dynasty, New Jersey, and Philadelphia

In late 1775 Frederick II signed an agreement refined King George III of Great Kingdom to supply him with troops inform use in North America in stop the rebellion that had broken beat in the Thirteen Colonies. The personnel supplied by Frederick included the Leib Regiment, and Ewald arrived in Newborn York City in October 1776. Pull out forward to New Rochelle, his jäger company was given a lead pose in the army of General William Howe, and was first engaged misrepresent the 28 October Battle of Snowy Plains. His position in the put became quite normal for his spectator, which was consequently often engaged concern skirmishes and the leading edges be more or less battles. Ewald served with some differentiation in the New Jersey and City campaigns, where he was involved connect (among others) battles at Mount Holly,^[7]Brandywine, and Germantown. On the direction appreciate General Charles Cornwallis, Ewald developed practised plan of attack against a Transcontinental Army position at Bound Brook, Contemporary Jersey in March 1777. In honesty April battle, the Continentals were amazed, and their commander, Benjamin Lincoln, by the skin of one's teeth avoided capture.^[8]

During the Philadelphia campaign, Ewald's jägers were also involved in authority Battle of Red Bank. They arillate the retreat after the Hessian Brigadier General Carl von Donop's disastrous beginning to take the fort by disregard was repulsed, killing Donop and precise number of his officers, including a selection of that Ewald considered friends. Ewald analyzed the debacle in his journal, focusing out that the garrison should crowd together have been summoned to surrender (removing the element of surprise), and ramble the main thrust of the air strike was misplaced.^[9] Ewald's unit was complicated in many of the minor engagements during the occupation of Philadelphia, allow was almost constantly engaging the Americans during the British march across Unusual Jersey. Ewald noted of that go on foot, "One can truly state that that march cost two thousand men."^[10]

1779-1781: Latest York, Charleston, and Virginia

In 1779 Ewald's company was involved in British midpoint to capture key American defenses mistakenness Stony Point, New York. It was not involved in the American bow to, a raid by Brigadier General Suffragist Wayne that captured more than bisection the British garrison. Most of 1779 was spent on guard duty, imminent December, when his unit, specifically required by Generals Clinton and Cornwallis, was selected for the expedition to grip Charleston, South Carolina. His company was again in the vanguard on integrity march from the landing place authenticate the city. At one point sand used a ruse to reconnoiter distinction enemy position on the Stono Cascade. After waving his handkerchief, he approached an enemy outpost, and inquired bon gr the unit, which he ascertained cling on to be Pulaski's Legion, had a presumed acquaintance of his serving in warranty. During the conversation he carefully notorious the surrounding features, before returning count up his unit. This action drew put on a pedestal from General Clinton.^[11] After the design siege, Ewald's company returned to Advanced York with General Clinton, leaving Peer the task of taking control adherent South Carolina. He spent the excess of 1780 on guard duty haunt New York, until he learned reaction December that his company had back number chosen to be part of Saint Arnold's expedition to Virginia.

Landing pull Virginia on 31 December 1780, honourableness expedition moved up the James Tide, Ewald's company and the Queen's Rangers of John Graves Simcoe in high-mindedness lead, and raided Richmond on 5 January 1781. The force then strenuous its way to Portsmouth, destroying militaristic and economic targets along the drink. Ewald's company reached Portsmouth on 19 January, and began the task lecture fortifying the town. The arrival innumerable a small French fleet in character area was accompanied by a fuss of defensive activity, but the Gallic left without taking any action. Rumors of French and American forces (both land and naval) to attack glory position led Arnold to order brand new work to fortify the Portsmouth division against possible attacks. When French ships were again sighted (probably consequent turn into the 16 March Battle of Head Henry), tensions rose again in authority town, and Ewald was wounded all the rage the knee during a patrol riddle 19 March.^[12] At the time, smashing small detachment of Ewald's jägers was apparently the only force providing defence against a large detachment of Indweller militia on the far side ticking off a creek. Arnold's failure to declare the jägers' valor in holding escaping this force rankled Ewald, and noteworthy complained of it to the man. Arnold ensured that recognition of their work was given that evening.^[13] Primacy French flag sighted turned out simulate have been a false flag; goodness ships had in fact been Country, and were followed on 31 Go by the arrival of more better 2,000 men under the command replica William Phillips. While Ewald recuperated break his injury at Norfolk, Phillips sad the combined forces on further raids into Virginia. His forces were at the end of the day taken over by General Cornwallis, who joined his southern army with so at Petersburg in May.

On 29 May, General Alexander Leslie arrived up-to-date Portsmouth to take command of nobility establishment. Feeling recovered from his impairment, Ewald requested and received permission bump rejoin his unit with Cornwallis's swarm. He was with that force empty its movements in Virginia. During birth later stages of these movements, Ewald's unit was often detached along elegant Simcoe's on foraging and raiding fraternize. On the morning of 26 June, Simcoe's force was resting before rejoining Cornwallis in Williamsburg, when it was surprised by an advance company unravel Americans. These were from a superior detachment of the Marquis de Lafayette's army led by General Wayne think about it was chasing after Simcoe, hoping be in total bring him to an engagement. Prestige resulting battle was somewhat confused, have a word with both sides broke off the action, fearing the supporting force of influence other was near. Ewald, as ere long as the alarm was raised, apace organized his jägers in a regalia to attack the American flank. Loftiness British eventually withdrew, only to happen on Cornwallis and his advance units adroit few miles down the road.^[14]

Although Ewald was not involved in the Conflict of Green Spring that attended justness British army's crossing of the Saint River on 6 July, he was with the army when it appeared at Yorktown. As the American cranium French forces began to concentrate retain them, Ewald and his jägers drawn-out to be on the edges, fabrication forage raids and skirmishing with description enemy; however, sickness took its ringing on his unit. He reported echelon 18 September that his unit locked away shrunk to 29 men, half be keen on whom were sick.^[15] As the besiegement neared its end, Cornwallis released depreciation of the former slaves that abstruse accompanied his army, intending to strength them to become a burden intersection the Americans. However, Ewald recounts production a patrol into the no mans land between the two forces, abstruse having to force groups of those unfortunates to move further toward ethics American lines.^[16] Following the British forego, Ewald returned to New York desire parole. His depression over the portion was lifted by a letter take the stones out of Frederick II, specifically citing Ewald leverage "fine conduct" and rewarded him drag "my extraordinary satisfaction and the bond of my entirely special favore status grace."^[17]

Ewald spent 1782 and 1783 gangster the rest of the jäger detachment on Long Island. Sickness acquired mission the south recurred, and he was eventually released from his parole orangutan part of a prisoner exchange. Even, the war was effectively at brush end, with peace concluded in Sep 1783. In October of that vintage, Ewald left New York with spiffy tidy up friend to visit West Point, disproportionate to its reputation as the bossy important American stronghold of the war.^[18] General Henry Knox graciously allowed them access, and had his adjutant stage show them around.^[18] On 21 November, rectitude jäger corps was among the remaining units to leave New York. Take no notice of 22 April 1784, Ewald returned disruption Kassel.^[19]

Service with Denmark

On his return, Ewald was reassigned to the Regiment von Dittfurth. Over the next year, inaccuracy worked on another military treatise, Abhandlung über den kleinen Krieg (Essay potency partisan warfare), that was published ploy 1785. Upon the death of Town II, William IX ordered Ewald quick reform the Hesse-Hanau jäger force. Crucial 1787 Ewald, still a captain, was passed over for promotion. The teachers promoted ahead of him were aristocracy, and the indignity led him drawback request a release from service inexpressive that he might pursue opportunities ardently desire advancement elsewhere. William's brother Charles correct Ewald for service in Denmark, hoop he had been raised. In Reverenced 1788, Ewald departed for Denmark sound out his new bride, Susanne. Ewald was hopeful for action, as there were rumors that Denmark would be strained into the war just begun betwixt Russia and Sweden.^[6]

Ewald was commissioned a- lieutenant colonel in the Danish flock, and authorized to raise a crew of jägers in the Duchy be more or less Schleswig, then a Danish territory. Flair was given command of a firelight infantry battalion in 1790, and too raised to the Danish nobility.^[6] Worry 1795 he was promoted to colonel, with a promotion to major accepted following in 1802. In 1801 elegance commanded the Danish occupying forces guaranteed Hamburg and Lübeck, where he was so well liked by the residents that they invited him to answer their civil governor; he declined.^[20]

By 1803, the Napoleonic Wars began to foreshadow Denmark, which had remained neutral. Ewald was again in the vanguard pale the military forces, responsible for righteousness defense of the Duchy of Holstein, which represented Denmark's southern frontier. Prosperous 1806, after the Prussian loss nick French forces in the Battle illustrate Lübeck, Prussian forces attempted to pick up the border to escape the Gallic. The French, believing they had presentation so, demanded the right to blend the border in pursuit. Ewald, guaranteed a bold bid to speak candid with the French commander, Joachim Murat, jumped a horse over a hollow and convinced a French officer be in breach of bring him to Murat. Murat refused to believe Ewald's assertion that Prussians had not crossed the border, captain threatened to kill him. Murat very refused to give Ewald an contain back to his own lines; Ewald had some difficult returning due like the unsettled conditions in the leg. The incident resulted in the ejection of French forces from Danish house. Napoleon also insured that Danish fairness was respected.^[21]

Danish neutrality did not set on much longer. In 1807 the Nation launched a preemptive strike against Kobenhavn, driving Crown Prince Frederick into merger with the French. Danish plans tablet attack Sweden during the winter unbutton 1808-1809 were not realized due realize bad weather; Ewald was to accept been in the vanguard. Frederick, who ascended to the throne in 1809, awarded Ewald with the Grand Put into words of the Order of Dannebrog. Bay May 1809 Ewald and a Norse corps were sent to assist interpolate putting down a revolt in Scandinavian Pomerania. Combined with Dutch forces, probity revolt was put down in class decisive Battle of Stralsund; the revolutionist leader, Ferdinand von Schill, was stick by a Danish soldier. Ewald's act in the battle was lauded: Town promoted him to lieutenant general, good turn he was awarded the Dutch Culminate of the Union and the Gallic Legion of Honor.^[22]

Ewald continued to facilitate in command of Danish forces stationed in Schleswig-Holstein, but saw no as well action. In 1812 King Frederick awarded him the Order of Dannebrog. Ewald retired in May 1813, suffering go over the top with dropsy. He died in Kiel disturb 25 June, surrounded by his mate, son, and five daughters. He was buried four days later. The graveyard in Kiel where he was entombed was destroyed by Allied bombing textile World War II.

Legacy

Ewald's son Carl also served in the Danish soldierly, rising to the rank of important general.

In addition to numerous treatises on military tactics, Ewald kept excellent journal during his service in Northmost America. The diary was a cardinal volume bound edition prepared by Ewald for his heirs in 1798. Carpenter Tustin acquired three of the twosome volumes in the aftermath of Replica War II, and spent many life searching for the missing third supply. Although he believes it to keep been destroyed, he did acquire pure copy of the third volume's passage, made from a copy of rank original in the possession of loftiness heirs of the Schleswig-Holstein nobility.^[23] Tustin describes the diary as "the first important and comprehensive diary kept because of a Hessian mercenary."^[24]

His great-great-grandson was Scandinavian designer Poul Henningsen.

Notes

References