Georg Dubislav Ludwig von Pirch (13 December 1763 – 3 April 1838) was a

Prussia Prussia (; ; Old Prussian: ''Prūsija'') was a Germans, German state centred on the North European Plain that originated from the 1525 secularization of the Prussia (region), Prussian part of the State of the Teutonic Order. For centuries, ...

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

who fought in the

Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...

, participating in the battles of

Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...

and Waterloo. He is sometimes referred as Pirch I to distinguish him from his younger brother, Otto Karl Lorenz von Pirch, referred as Pirch II. Summerville 2014

Biography

Georg Dubislav Ludwig von Pirch was born on 13 December 1763 in

Magdeburg Magdeburg (; ) is the Capital city, capital of the Germany, German States of Germany, state Saxony-Anhalt. The city is on the Elbe river. Otto I, Holy Roman Emperor, Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor and founder of the Archbishopric of Mag ...

. Smith 2011 In 1775 Pirch began his career in the Prussian military, becoming a cadet in the Hessen-Kassel Nr. 45 infantry regiment. Hofschroer 2005, p. 49 In 1787 he saw action in the Prussian invasion of Holland and in 1793 he participated in Siege of Mainz. He became a French prisoner for two years after Prussian defeat in Battle of Jena in 1806. When the

War of the Sixth Coalition In the War of the Sixth Coalition () (December 1812 – May 1814), sometimes known in Germany as the Wars of Liberation (), a coalition of Austrian Empire, Austria, Kingdom of Prussia, Prussia, Russian Empire, Russia, History of Spain (1808– ...

began Pirch was appointed commander of a brigade in April 1813. Serving under the Army of Bohemia, he fought in the battles of Lützen,

Bautzen Bautzen () or Budyšin (), until 1868 ''Budissin'' in German, is a town in eastern Saxony, Germany, and the administrative centre of the Bautzen (district), district of Bautzen. It is located on the Spree (river), Spree river, is the eighth most ...

Dresden Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...

, and Kulm, earning promotion to the rank of Major General and both classes of the

Iron Cross The Iron Cross (, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, the German Empire (1871–1918), and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). The design, a black cross pattée with a white or silver outline, was derived from the in ...

. At the

Battle of Leipzig The Battle of Leipzig, also known as the Battle of the Nations, was fought from 16 to 19 October 1813 at Leipzig, Saxony. The Coalition armies of Austria, Prussia, Sweden, and Russia, led by Tsar Alexander I, Karl von Schwarzenberg, and G ...

he led the capture of the village of Probstheida, despite suffering heavy casualties in his brigade; for his role in the battle he was awarded the

Pour le Mérite The (; , ), also informally known as the ''Blue Max'' () after German WWI flying ace Max Immelmann, is an order of merit established in 1740 by King Frederick II of Prussia. Separated into two classes, each with their own designs, the was ...

with oak leaves and the Russian

Order of Saint Anna The Imperial Order of Saint Anna (; also "Order of Saint Anne" or "Order of Saint Ann") was a Holstein ducal and then Russian imperial order of chivalry. It was established by Karl Friedrich, Duke of Holstein-Gottorp, on 14 February 1735, in hono ...

1st class. In 1814 he participated in the

Battle of Laon The Battle of Laon, fought on March 9–10, 1814, was a pivotal engagement during the waning months of the Napoleonic Wars. Prelude Following his costly success at the Battle of Craonne, Napoleon sought to exploit the disarray within Genera ...

under the command of Blücher. In May 1815 General

Karl Ludwig von Borstell Karl Leopold Heinrich Ludwig von BorstellThe ''Neue Deutsche Biographie'' gives the first names as ''Karl Leopold Georg Ludwig''. (born 30 December 1773 in Tangermünde; died 9 May 1844 in Berlin) was a Prussian General of the Cavalry and membe ...

, commander of the Prussian II Corps, was sent home after protesting against the rough treatment of revolting

Saxon The Saxons, sometimes called the Old Saxons or Continental Saxons, were a Germanic people of early medieval "Old" Saxony () which became a Carolingian " stem duchy" in 804, in what is now northern Germany. Many of their neighbours were, like th ...

units. Pirch replaced him as commander of the corps. At the beginning of

Waterloo campaign The Waterloo campaign, also known as the Belgian campaign (15 June – 8 July 1815) was fought between the French Army of the North (France), Army of the North and two War of the Seventh Coalition, Seventh Coalition armies, an Anglo-allied arm ...

, II Corps under Pirch's command numbered 30,000 men and officers. The corps was heavily engaged in the

Battle of Ligny The Battle of Ligny, in which French troops of the under the command of Napoleon I defeated part of a Prussian army under Field Marshal Blücher, was fought on 16 June 1815 near Ligny in what is now Belgium. The result was a tactical victor ...

on 16 June, suffering about 6,000 casualties and similar number of deserters. On 18 June Pirch's Corps set off from Wavre following after Bülow's IV Corps, eventually reaching

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

's flank at the Battle of Waterloo. Pirch's leading unit, 5th Infantry Brigade, joined the heavy fighting over

Plancenoit Plancenoit (; ) is a village of Wallonia and a district of the municipality of Lasne, located in the province of Walloon Brabant, Belgium. The hamlet of Marache is on its territory. The village was a key strategic point during the Battle of Wa ...

village. Only part of Pirch's II Corps saw action in the battle, with a significant portion being bogged down in muddy country roads. After the battle Pirch was tasked with stopping the retreat of Grouchy's force at

Wavre Wavre (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia, and the capital of the Provinces of Belgium, province of Walloon Brabant, Belgium. Wavre is in the Dijle, Dyle valley. Most inhabitants sp ...

, but his assault on

Namur Namur (; ; ) is a city and municipality in Wallonia, Belgium. It is the capital both of the province of Namur and of Wallonia, hosting the Parliament of Wallonia, the Government of Wallonia and its administration. Namur stands at the confl ...

failed due to the exhaustion of his troops and lack of reconnaissance. After Waterloo Pirch handed over the command of II Corps to Prince Augustus of Prussia. After the end of the war Pirch was promoted to lieutenant general and received a gift of 4,000

thaler A thaler or taler ( ; , previously spelled ) is one of the large silver coins minted in the states and territories of the Holy Roman Empire and the Habsburg monarchy during the Early Modern period. A ''thaler'' size silver coin has a diameter o ...

and multiple awards, including the Order of the Red Eagle 1st class with oak leaves and the Russian Order of St. George 3rd class. He retired in 1816 as increasing deafness made him unfit for service. Pirch died in

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

on 3 April 1838.

Assessment

Prussian general August von Nostitz characterized Pirch as a leader better suited for lower level commands, where he would properly carry out his orders, and would not be required to act independently taking into account circumstances and greater goals.

References

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Pirch, Georg Dubislav Ludwig 1763 births 1838 deaths Prussian commanders of the Napoleonic Wars Military personnel from Magdeburg Lieutenant generals of Prussia Burials at the Invalids' Cemetery Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class) Recipients of the Iron Cross (1813) Recipients of the Order of St. George of the Third Degree Recipients of the Order of St. Anna, 1st class Grand Officers of the Legion of Honour Prisoners of war held by France People of the Battle of Waterloo