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Karl
Eberhard Herwarth von Bittenfeld
(04.09.1796 - 02.09.1884)
place of birth: Großwerther, Provinz
Sachsen (Thuringia)
Königreich
Preußen: OBH,
Generalfeldmarschall
Prussian
general field marshal Eberhard Herwarth von Bittenfeld was
born into an aristocratic family which had supplied many distinguished
officers to the Prussian army. He entered the military in 1811 and
served in Germany's Wars of Liberation (1813-1815),
distinguishing himself at Lützen and Paris.
During the Berlin revolution of 1848 he was on duty at the royal palace
as colonel of the 1st Guards. As general of infantry he commanded the
VII. (Westphalian) Army Corps in 1860.
During the Danish War of 1864
he succeeded to the command of the Prussians when Prince Friedrich Karl
became commander-in-chief of the Allies. In the war of 1866 he
commanded the Army of the Elbe which overran Saxony and invaded
Bohemia. Herwarth himself directed the battle against the Austrian left
flank. In 1870 he was not employed in the field, but was in charge of
organizing and forwarding all the reserves and material required for
the armies in France. In August 1871 his services were recognized by
promotion to the rank of field marshal. The rest of his life was spent
in retirement at Bonn, where he died in 1884. Since 1889 the 13th (1st
Westphalian) Infantry Regiment has borne his name.
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