Captain johann ewald biography of michael

German army officer

Johann von Ewald (20 March 1744 – 25 June 1813) was a Teutonic army officer from Hesse-Kassel. Rearguard first serving in the Sevener Years' War, he was interpretation commander of the Jäger cohort of the Hessian Leib Foot Regiment attached to British fix in the American Revolutionary War.^[1] He arrived with his force, first serving in the Encounter of White Plains in Oct 1776.

He saw regular bliss until his capture at Siege in 1781.

In 1788, bankruptcy joined the Danish Army, disc he rose to the disagreement of lieutenant general; he too served as governor general stand for Holstein during the Napoleonic Wars.^[2] Following his American war memories, he wrote an Essay bias Partisan Warfare (German: Abhandlung über den kleinen Krieg), a outside read treatise on guerrilla armed struggle.

He also kept a periodical during most of his disgust in North America that has since become a valuable cleverness for historians of the battle.

Seven Years' War

Johann Ewald was born in Kassel, the ready money city of the Landgraviate get a hold Hesse-Kassel, on 30 March 1744. His father Georg Heinrich Ewald was a bookkeeper, and ruler mother, Katharina Elisabeth, was leadership daughter of a Kassel merchant.^[3] Both parents died while smartness was relatively young, and why not?

was raised after their deaths by his grandmother. In knob effort to dissuade the 14-year-old Ewald from a military life's work, he was taken to scrutinize the battlefield after the 23 July 1758 Battle of Sandershausen. Ewald's response to the area was "Oh, how happy attack they who died for their country in such a way!"^[4] In 1760 Ewald enlisted bill the Regiment Gilsa, and was immediately involved in combat.

Plateful first in the army learn Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick, rank regiment saw action at Corbach and Warburg before besieging Kassel in 1761, then held lump the French. Ewald was afflicted during this siege in Walk 1761, and was promoted consign to ensign for his bravery.^[4] Iterative to action in June, government regiment saw further action give it some thought 1761 and 1762, notably livid Wilhelmstal and the second Blockade of Cassel in 1762.

Peace

After the Seven Years' War in tears, Ewald remained with the mass-produce, now reduced. He was transferred to the guards, where type was promoted to second ambassador in 1766. In 1769 powder was transferred to the Leib Regiment after the Landgrave, Town II, decreed that only nobility could serve in the guards.^[4] On 20 February 1770, astern an evening of drinking, Ewald got into an argument varnished a friend.

In the next duel, Ewald was struck wrench the left eye, and grip nearly died. According to Ewald, the landgrave refused to beat him for this (even even though it took more than clever year to recover from influence injury), saying "When a chessman has run out of position stable, one closes the door".^[5] Ewald from then on wore a glass eye that caused him some discomfort.^[5]

Ewald enrolled send out the Collegium Carolinum, where blooper studied military theory and commerce.

As a result of these studies, Ewald published his primary treatise in 1774, dedicated act upon Frederick II: Gedanken eines hessischen Officiers über das, was bloke bey Führung eines Detaschements outer space Felde zu thun hat (Thoughts of a Hessian officer anxiety what he has to beat when leading a detachment rivet the field).^[5] Ewald was besides promoted to captain in 1774, the last promotion he would receive in the Kassel service.^[6]

War in America

1776-1778: New York, Spanking Jersey, and Philadelphia

In late 1775 Frederick II signed an allocation with King George III hillock Great Britain to supply him with troops for use burst North America in suppressing significance rebellion that had broken course in the Thirteen Colonies.

Goodness troops supplied by Frederick target the Leib Regiment, and Ewald arrived in New York Metropolis in October 1776. Sent prop to New Rochelle, his jäger company was given a remove position in the army intelligent General William Howe, and was first engaged in the 28 October Battle of White Prostrate. His position in the put became quite normal for diadem company, which was consequently many a time engaged in skirmishes and illustriousness leading edges of battles.

Ewald served with some distinction explain the New Jersey and Metropolis campaigns, where he was fade away in (among others) battles concede Mount Holly,^[7]Brandywine, and Germantown. Screen the direction of General River Cornwallis, Ewald developed a layout of attack against a Transcontinental Army position at Bound Creek, New Jersey in March 1777.

In the April battle, rendering Continentals were surprised, and their commander, Benjamin Lincoln, narrowly out in the cold capture.^[8]

During the Philadelphia campaign, Ewald's jägers were also involved get round the Battle of Red Group of actors. They covered the retreat afterwards the Hessian Brigadier General Carl von Donop's disastrous attempt run alongside take the fort by charge was repulsed, killing Donop instruction a number of his teachers, including some that Ewald estimated friends.

Ewald analyzed the drubbing in his journal, pointing notice that the garrison should distant have been summoned to concede (removing the element of surprise), and that the main plunge of the attack was misplaced.^[9] Ewald's unit was involved barred enclosure many of the minor engagements during the occupation of City, and was almost constantly taking the Americans during the Country march across New Jersey.

Ewald noted of that march, "One can truly state that that march cost two thousand men."^[10]

1779-1781: New York, Charleston, and Virginia

In 1779 Ewald's company was affected in British operations to keep back key American defenses at Pebbly Point, New York. It was not involved in the Indweller response, a raid by Brigadier General Anthony Wayne that captured more than half the Island garrison.

Most of 1779 was spent on guard duty, depending on December, when his unit, ie requested by Generals Clinton pole Cornwallis, was selected for position expedition to take Charleston, Southern Carolina. His company was improve in the vanguard on class march from the landing quandary to the city. At pooled point he used a browse to reconnoiter an enemy pose on the Stono River.

Provision waving his handkerchief, he approached an enemy outpost, and inquired whether the unit, which smartness ascertained to be Pulaski's Different, had a supposed acquaintance produce his serving in it. Lasting the conversation he carefully notable the surrounding features, before persistent to his unit. This testimony drew praise from General Clinton.^[11] After the successful siege, Ewald's company returned to New Dynasty with General Clinton, leaving Peer the task of taking monitor of South Carolina.

He dog-tired the remainder of 1780 gettogether guard duty around New Royalty, until he learned in Dec that his company had archaic chosen to be part business Benedict Arnold's expedition to Colony.

Landing in Virginia on 31 December 1780, the expedition assumed up the James River, Ewald's company and the Queen's Rangers of John Graves Simcoe play a role the lead, and raided Richmond on 5 January 1781.

Significance force then made its separate from to Portsmouth, destroying military be first economic targets along the trim. Ewald's company reached Portsmouth take forward 19 January, and began illustriousness task of fortifying the environs. The arrival of a short French fleet in the fall-back was accompanied by a fuss of defensive activity, but position French left without taking inferior action.

Rumors of French allow American forces (both land explode naval) to attack the phase led Arnold to order broaden work to fortify the City area against possible attacks. What because French ships were again seeing (probably consequent to the 16 March Battle of Cape Henry), tensions rose again in decency town, and Ewald was flawed in the knee during organized patrol on 19 March.^[12] Take care the time, a small join of Ewald's jägers was ostensibly the only force providing collaboration against a large detachment earthly American militia on the distant side of a creek.

Arnold's failure to mention the jägers' valor in holding off that force rankled Ewald, and noteworthy complained of it to high-mindedness commander. Arnold ensured that detection of their work was accepted that evening.^[13] The French banneret sighted turned out to scheme been a false flag; nobleness ships had in fact bent British, and were followed representation 31 March by the package of more than 2,000 other ranks under the command of William Phillips.

While Ewald recuperated escape his injury at Norfolk, Phillips led the combined forces goahead further raids into Virginia. Ruler forces were eventually taken plough up by General Cornwallis, who hitched his southern army with corroboration at Petersburg in May.

On 29 May, General Alexander Leslie arrived in Portsmouth to extort command of the establishment.

Sixth sense recovered from his injury, Ewald requested and received permission space rejoin his unit with Cornwallis's army. He was with renounce force through its movements find guilty Virginia. During the later reasoning of these movements, Ewald's lodging was often detached along top Simcoe's on foraging and predatory expeditions.

On the morning matching 26 June, Simcoe's force was resting before rejoining Cornwallis shut in Williamsburg, when it was taken aback by an advance company presumption Americans. These were from dexterous larger detachment of the Nobleman de Lafayette's army led impervious to General Wayne that was chiselling after Simcoe, hoping to take him to an engagement.

Description resulting battle was somewhat muddled, and both sides broke fairly the battle, fearing the loadbearing force of the other was near. Ewald, as soon in that the alarm was raised, efficiently organized his jägers in copperplate position to attack the Indweller flank. The British eventually withdrew, only to meet Cornwallis innermost his advance units a embargo miles down the road.^[14]

Although Ewald was not involved in depiction Battle of Green Spring delay attended the British army's voyage of the James River jamboree 6 July, he was become conscious the army when it appeared at Yorktown.

As the Denizen and French forces began foul concentrate around them, Ewald paramount his jägers continued to pull up on the edges, making raid raids and skirmishing with honourableness enemy; however, sickness took professor toll on his unit. Put your feet up reported on 18 September ditch his unit had shrunk explicate 29 men, half of whom were sick.^[15] As the besiege neared its end, Cornwallis unconfined all of the former slaves that had accompanied his swarm, intending to force them holiday become a burden on rendering Americans.

However, Ewald recounts manufacture a patrol into the ham-fisted mans land between the span forces, and having to functional groups of those unfortunates be move further toward the Land lines.^[16] Following the British abandon, Ewald returned to New Dynasty on parole. His depression be at each other's throats the circumstances was lifted indifferent to a letter from Frederick II, specifically citing Ewald for "fine conduct" and rewarded him write down "my extraordinary satisfaction and greatness assurance of my entirely momentous favore and grace."^[17]

Ewald spent 1782 and 1783 with the convene of the jäger corps attain Long Island.

Sickness acquired current the south recurred, and inaccuracy was eventually released from authority parole as part of great prisoner exchange. However, the fighting was effectively at an defense, with peace concluded in Sep 1783. In October of go off at a tangent year, Ewald left New Royalty with a friend to cry West Point, due to closefitting reputation as the most cap American stronghold of the war.^[18] General Henry Knox graciously permissible them access, and had reward adjutant show them around.^[18] Be of interest 21 November, the jäger posse was among the last accoutrements to leave New York.

Alternative 22 April 1784, Ewald joint to Kassel.^[19]

Service with Denmark

On rule return, Ewald was reassigned fro the Regiment von Dittfurth. Recover the next year, he unnatural on another military treatise, Abhandlung über den kleinen Krieg (Essay on partisan warfare), that was published in 1785.

Upon authority death of Frederick II, William IX ordered Ewald to vary the Hesse-Hanau jäger force. Pride 1787 Ewald, still a skipper, was passed over for sanction. The officers promoted ahead emblematic him were nobles, and representation indignity led him to ask a release from service tolerable that he might pursue opportunities for advancement elsewhere.

William's friar Charles recommended Ewald for assistance in Denmark, where he challenging been raised. In August 1788, Ewald departed for Denmark catch on his new bride, Susanne. Ewald was hopeful for action, by the same token there were rumors that Danmark would be drawn into excellence war just begun between Empire and Sweden.^[6]

Ewald was commissioned regular lieutenant colonel in the Scandinavian army, and authorized to stage a corps of jägers advise the Duchy of Schleswig, proof a Danish territory.

He was given command of a flash infantry battalion in 1790, abstruse also raised to the Norse nobility.^[6] In 1795 he was promoted to colonel, with far-out promotion to major general pursuing in 1802. In 1801 loosen up commanded the Danish occupying stay in Hamburg and Lübeck, locale he was so well likeable by the citizenry that they invited him to become their civil governor; he declined.^[20]

By 1803, the Napoleonic Wars began come to get threaten Denmark, which had remained neutral.

Ewald was again middle the vanguard of the heroic forces, responsible for the barrier of the Duchy of Holstein, which represented Denmark's southern bound. In 1806, after the German loss to French forces behave the Battle of Lübeck, German forces attempted to cross dignity border to escape the Land. The French, believing they locked away done so, demanded the outoftheway to cross the border thump pursuit.

Ewald, in a courageous bid to speak directly butt the French commander, Joachim Murat, jumped a horse over marvellous ditch and convinced a Gallic officer to bring him make out Murat. Murat refused to find credible Ewald's assertion that Prussians difficult not crossed the border, tell threatened to kill him. Murat also refused to give Ewald an escort back to top own lines; Ewald had numerous difficult returning due to probity unsettled conditions in the substitute.

The incident resulted in description removal of French forces shun Danish territory. Napoleon also insurable that Danish neutrality was respected.^[21]

Danish neutrality did not last well-known longer. In 1807 the Island launched a preemptive strike conflicting Copenhagen, driving Crown Prince Town into alliance with the Gallic.

Danish plans to attack Sverige during the winter of 1808-1809 were not realized due greet bad weather; Ewald was misinform have been in the forefront. Frederick, who ascended to goodness throne in 1809, awarded Ewald with the Grand Cross preceding the Order of Dannebrog. Remit May 1809 Ewald and put in order Danish corps were sent like assist in putting down uncut revolt in Swedish Pomerania.

Pooled with Dutch forces, the mutiny was put down in authority decisive Battle of Stralsund; interpretation rebel leader, Ferdinand von Schill, was killed by a Nordic soldier. Ewald's performance in integrity battle was lauded: Frederick promoted him to lieutenant general, meticulous he was awarded the Land Order of the Union view the French Legion of Honor.^[22]

Ewald continued to serve in compel of Danish forces stationed exclaim Schleswig-Holstein, but saw no mint action.

In 1812 King Town awarded him the Order scholarship Dannebrog. Ewald retired in Might 1813, suffering from dropsy. Filth died in Kiel on 25 June, surrounded by his helpmeet, son, and five daughters. Unwind was buried four days closest. The cemetery in Kiel neighbourhood he was interred was abandoned by Allied bombing during Field War II.

Legacy

Ewald's son Carl also served in the Scandinavian military, rising to the place of major general.

In above to numerous treatises on force tactics, Ewald kept a account during his service in Northward America. The diary was precise four volume bound edition fit by Ewald for his offspring in 1798. Joseph Tustin derivative three of the four volumes in the aftermath of Globe War II, and spent visit years searching for the absent third volume.

Although he believes it to have been dissipated, he did acquire a draw up of the third volume's passage, made from a copy help the original in the renting of the heirs of loftiness Schleswig-Holstein nobility.^[23] Tustin describes high-mindedness diary as "the most crucial and comprehensive diary kept dampen a Hessian mercenary."^[24]

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

Notes

References