Ernst Pitner (1838–1896) was an Austrian Empire

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

who accompanied Archduke Maximilian to Mexico in 1864. Pitner kept a journal that described the exploits of the ill-conceived military campaign to make Maximilian emperor of

Mexico Mexico ( Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guate ...

. He was captured along with Maximilian and other officers, but unlike a number of his companions, he escaped execution and returned to

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

. Pitner's journal was translated and edited by Gordon Etherington-Smith, and published as a book called ''Maximilian's Lieutenant: A Personal History of the Mexican Campaign 1864-67''. In this book Pitner provides a firsthand account of life in Mexico from the viewpoint of an Austrian soldier, describing the local populace, the battles and his personal journeys in the country.''Maximillian's Lieutenant''
Goodreads.

References

Soldiers from the Austrian Empire 1838 births 1896 deaths {{Austria-mil-bio-stub