Biographies : 4
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BiographyGneisenau, Generallieutenant August Wilhelm Anton, Graf Neidhardt von (1760-1832)
Generallieutenant August Wilhelm Anton, Graf Neidhardt von Gneisenau (1760-1832) Gneisenau was Blücher’s Chief of General Staff in the Prussian army of 1815. He was born in Saxony and entered Prussian service in 1786 with a light infantry formation, but only began combat a decade later. Previously, he had been in the service of the English […]
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BiographyGOURGAUD, Gaspard (1783-1852), general, Baron de l’Empire
Gaspard Gourgaud was born in Versailles on 14 November, 1783, son of Etienne-Marie, “Musician Ordinary” violinist in the king's chapel, and Hélène Gérard, nursemaid to the Duc de Berry. He was furthermore the grand-son of the celebrated comic actor Dugazon (pseudonym for Pierre-Antoine Gourgaud) and nephew of Madame Vestris (née Françoise Rose Gourgaud). He was […]
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BiographyGRAVINA, Ferdinando Carlos
Believed to be son of Charles III, King of Spain, Gravina was of noble Sicilian origin. Educated at the Academy of the Marine Guard at Cartagena, he went to sea at the age of 12, beginning his career fighting Barbary pirates. In the period 1779-1782 he was present at the Spanish blockade of Gibraltar. In […]
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BiographyGrolman, Generalmajor Karl Wilhelm Georg von (1777-1843)
Generalmajor Karl Wilhelm Georg von Grolman (1777-1843) Karl von Grolman was the quarter-master general in Blücher’s headquarters. This meant that after Blücher and Gneisenau, he was the most important figure on the battlefield in June 1815. In particular, he led the Prussian assault on Plancenoit. He came from a traditional Prussian family and joined the […]