Georg Wilhelm von Driesen

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Georg Wilhelm von Driesen (* 8. June 1700 in Klein-Gilgehnen; † 2. November 1758 in Dresden ) was a Prussian lieutenant general and Amtshauptmann of Osterrode .

Life

origin

His parents were Georg Wilhelm von Driesen († 1724) and Maria Helena von Bülow .

Military career

Driesen was actually intended for science and first went in 1714 to the school of Elbing . In 1717 he then moved to the University of Königsberg , where he initially studied theology . There he was brought into the cadet corps in Berlin by King Friedrich-Wilhelm I and on August 20, 1718 he was employed as Cornet in the cuirassier regiment No. 2 . The king gave him a good horse and equipment. On May 22nd, 1720 he was promoted to lieutenant and on May 31st, 1731 to staff assistant master. He then moved into Mecklenburg under General Kurt Christoph von Schwerin . On November 27, 1739 he got his own company and began advertising in the Reich. In 1740 he was sent to Silesia . On March 28, 1741, now under Friedrich II, he became major and took part in the siege of Brieg . In the battle of Chotusitz on May 17, 1742 he was very lucky to escape captivity; he lost his horse, money, watch and sword, but managed to escape. For his bravery during the battle he was awarded the Pour le Mérite and was promoted to lieutenant colonel on May 19 .

In the Second Silesian War he fought off Prague under Leopold von Anhalt-Dessau in Upper Silesia, as well as in the battles of Hohenfriedberg and Thrush . So he was promoted to colonel on October 28, 1745 . On September 1, 1752, he was appointed major general. In 1754 he received a gift of 2000 thalers and became the governor of Osterrode with a salary of 1000 thalers.

On July 5, 1755 he took over the cuirassier regiment No. 7 , which he took over from Friedrich Siegmund von Bredow and to whom he had to pay a pension of 1000 thalers.

With the Seven Years' War he came back to Saxony. In the Battle of Lobositz , a cannonball just missed him. After the battle of Prague , he took part in the siege while the king went to Kolin . Under General von Bevern , he went to the Battle of Breslau on November 22, 1757 . On December 1, 1757 he became lieutenant general, four days later led the left wing of the cavalry in the battle of Leuthen and decided the battle with a simultaneous energetic incursion into the enemy's flank and rear.

On December 16, he was sent to conquer the Liegnitz fortress , which surrendered on December 28. He then moved to Schweidnitz , which he included on March 29 and surrendered on April 16. He was then sent to Franconia in support of Prince Heinrich , where he provided the vanguard. He conquered a number of cities that had to contribute generously to supply the army.

Driesen fell ill (it is called gout ) and went to Dresden for a cure , where he died on November 2, 1758. He was buried there in the Neustadt church.

Detail of the roll of honor

His name was immortalized for his work in 1851 on one of the plaques on the equestrian statue of Frederick the Great .

family

Driesen had been married to Sophia Gottliebe von Quast since December 10, 1733. The couple remained childless.

literature

personal data
SURNAME Driesen, Georg Wilhelm von
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Prussian lieutenant general and governor of Osterrode
DATE OF BIRTH June 8, 1700
PLACE OF BIRTH Little Gilgehnen
DATE OF DEATH November 2, 1758
Place of death Dresden