Franz von Minucci

Franz Xaver Graf von Minucci (born April 29, 1767 in Munich , † September 24, 1812 in Augsburg ) was a Bavarian major general and holder of the Commander's Cross of the Military Max Joseph Order .

Life

origin

Minucci comes from an old Bavarian family of soldiers who have already placed officers in the first rankings since the regimental association was introduced in 1682. He was the son of the elector chamberlain , chief constable and owner of "legionis equestris" Karl Albert Graf Minucci and his wife Maria Josepha, née Countess von Wahl.

Military career

At the age of 10, Minucci joined the Wallische Dragoon Regiment and was appointed ensign there on April 23, 1777 (still without salary, as he was still a minor). On December 14, 1782 he was appointed lieutenant in the infantry regiment "Palatine Max Joseph von Zweibrücken" and promoted to captain on June 9, 1786 . In the 4th Grenadier Regiment "Freiherr von Baden" appointed major on June 18, 1791 , he was transferred to the Grenadier Leib Regiment on November 2, 1792 . Minucci was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the 8th Fusilier Regiment "Morawitzky" on December 16, 1795 and on October 15, 1796 transferred to the "Kurprinz" grenadier regiment . In the Subsidienkorps formed in April 1800, Minucci led a battalion of the regiment under the command of Major General Bernhard Erasmus von Deroy . During the campaign against France on June 5, 1800, he distinguished himself near Biberach, on the Weidenbühler Höhe, and was mentioned in official reports by Lieutenant General Christian von Zweybrücken . On June 17, 1800, with his battalion near Leipheim , he thwarted the French attempt to restore the discarded Danube bridge and to set it across the river. During the battle near Neuburg on the Danube , the “Minucci” battalion fought with dogged tenacity together with the “Zedtwitz” battalion near the village of Oberhausen. After the ammunition had run out, the grenadiers fought with bayonets and rifle butts against the superior French forces until late at night and, with the support of the Austrian Dragoon Regiment "Latour", settled down in an orderly manner. For this he received the military badge of honor according to the cabinet order of August 20, 1800 . With effect from June 30, 1801 Minucci was appointed Colonel and Commander of the Infantry Regiment "Pius" .

After the annexation of Würzburg by Bavaria in March 1803, the 12th Infantry Regiment was formed from the Würzburg troops , and Minucci was appointed its first commander on March 15, 1803. Even after his promotion to major general on September 28, 1804, he kept the regimental command until September 26, 1805. With an army order of September 27, 1805, he was given command of the 5th Brigade . With this brigade he took part in the campaign against Austria, where he distinguished himself in the battle near Iglau on December 5, 1805, so that he was expressly commended in the army order of January 11, 1806. With the foundation of the Military Max Joseph Order , Minucci was appointed commander of the order in accordance with an army order of March 1, 1806, after having been awarded the Commander's Cross of the French Legion of Honor three weeks beforehand (confirmed by an army order of March 13, 1806 ).

At the beginning of the war against Prussia in October 1806 Minucci led the 2nd Brigade, the "Division Wrede was subordinated" and from the 3rd Infantry Regiment , 7th Infantry Regiment , 4th light battalion "Zoller", the 3 . Chevaulegers Regiment and a mobile battery . On November 9, 1806, he was given the interim command of the 2nd Division , as General Paul von Mezanelli , who had represented Wrede until he was sick, took over command of a combined cavalry brigade. He led the division until December 9, 1806 to the troops of Prince Jérôme Bonaparte , who commanded a siege corps off Breslau at Hundsleben . On December 24, 1806, Minucci with the 3rd Line Infantry Regiment "Herzog Karl" and the 1st Battalion of the 7th Line Infantry Regiment "Löwenstein" repulsed the attempted relief of the approaching Prince Anhalt-Pless near Strehlen and brought it back Relief troops lost 100 dead, 200 prisoners and a captured cannon. Breslau surrendered on January 3, 1807. In the army order of January 18, 1807, thanks and satisfaction were expressed to the troops and the commander for their steadfastness and courage, as well as their excellent insight and bravery. After the army returned, Minucci received the 1st Brigade at the General Command in Swabia in accordance with an army order of December 24, 1807, which was renamed the Augsburg General Command on September 24, 1808 .

In the campaign against Austria , Minucci led the 1st Infantry Brigade of the 2nd Division "Wrede". In the battle near Neumarkt on April 24, 1809 and in the storming of the Lofer and Strubpasses on May 11, 1809, he fought with great bravura, so that he was awarded the highest recognition in the army order of June 1, 1809. After Lieutenant General Wrede was forced to leave the battlefield due to an injury during the Battle of Wagram on July 6, 1809, Major General Minucci took command of the division and fought happily with it until sunset. The following day the division held the section of land around the village of Teschwitz, which Minucci's troops held with particular bravery. On July 11, 1809, he proved himself again in the battle near Znojmo . With the army order of July 29, 1809, the 2nd Division and its leader were expressly praised for their persistent courage.

During the campaign against Russia in 1812, Minucci took part despite poor health. In May 1812 he had to leave the army in Rossiszwewo because of a serious illness. As soon as he arrived home, Minucci died on September 24, 1812 in Augsburg.

Honors

The Vorwerk XXIII of the fortress Ingolstadt was given the name "Minucci" on January 26, 1842.

literature

• Baptist Schrettinger: The Royal Bavarian Military Max Joseph Order and its members. R. Oldenbourg. Munich 1882.