Johann Friedrich Herwarth von Bittenfeld

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Johann Friedrich Herwarth von Bittenfeld (born April 23, 1696 ; † June 18, 1757 near Kolin ) was a Prussian colonel , commander of the Neuwied infantry regiment and knight of the Pour le Mérite order .

Life

origin

He came from the old Swabian noble family Herwarth von Bittenfeld (also called Herwart or Hörwarth von Bittenfeld ), who belonged to the oldest city noble families of the free imperial city of Augsburg who were eligible for regiment . His parents were Eberhard Wolfgang Herwarth von Bittenfeld (1630–1702) and his wife Johanna Maria, born von Lindemann († July 4, 1754) from the house of Groß-Seidlitz in Silesia .

Military career

After the death of his father, the young Johann came to his uncle, the Württemberger Rittmeister Friedrich Wolfgang von Lindemann († 1704). This was adjutant general of Duke Karl Alexander von Württemberg . But his uncle was killed in the battle of Höchstädt in 1704 . His mother then sent to the grammar school in Schwäbisch Hall . But in 1711 he left school and went to Stuttgart to join the Württemberg army. A relative who is chief hunter there places him as a page to the court of Eberhard Ludwig von Württemberg . In 1712 he went with him to the coronation of Emperor Charles VI. (HRR) in Frankfurt am Main . When the 1716 Emperor of Württemberg requested troops for the war against the Turks , Herwarth von Bittenfeld also volunteered. On March 15, 1716, he was appointed ensign of the body regiment. So he fought in front of Temeschvar , which surrendered on October 13, 1716. The Emperor's army captured Belgrade in 1717 . The Spaniards used the opportunity to occupy Sicily. Therefore, peace was made and the troops moved to Italy. In 1719 Messina was besieged. The city surrendered on August 19, 1719. Herwarth von Bittenfeld was injured in the siege, but was also promoted to lieutenant. After the peace treaty of 1720, the regiment also came back to Württemberg. It was not until 1731 that he received his own company. He then took part in the campaign to the Rhine in 1734.

The regiment then took up quarters near Freiburg im Breisgau . In 1740 it came back into imperial service. But there was no pay, in 1741 the troops received Prussian pay. On May 12, 1741, the army moved into Wesel and became the "Braunschweig-Bevern on foot regiment" . Herwarth von Bittenfeld was the regiment's oldest captain at the time. In 1745 he went to Wildbad for a cure, where he recruited soldiers - much to the displeasure of the Austrians. Obviously he was successful, on October 24, 1745 he was appointed major for it. On July 30, 1754 he became a lieutenant colonel and when the regiment was moved to Minden in 1755 , he became the regiment's commander. In the Seven Years' War the regiment was marched to Silesia and on February 17, 1757 he was promoted to colonel. After the battle of Prague , he took the regiment to the battle of Kolin . He stormed a battery of 16 cannons with the regiment. He was fatally hit by a cannonball and buried on the battlefield.

family

He was married to Johanna Elisabeth Harpprecht von Harpprechtstein († March 6, 1781) since 1740. She was the daughter of the President of Saxony-Meiningen Stephan Christoph Harpprecht von Harpprechtstein . The couple had the following children:

  • Christian Ludwig Friedrich (born December 6, 1741 - † June 5, 1790), head of the 2nd Kuban. Jäger Battalion ⚭ NN von Brunikowska (ancestors of Herwath in Russia)
  • Johanna Dorothea (April 20, 1746 - March 4, 1824), canoness in Soest
  • Karoline Christine Eberhardine (born January 24, 1748 - † April 24, 1751)
  • Juliane Auguste Charlotte (* August 6, 1749 - September 22, 1823) ⚭ 1781 Christian Wilhelm Freytag von Gödens († June 10, 1804), Colonel and Commander of Infantry Regiment No. 10, Drost von Aurich
  • Wilhelm Karl (born July 9, 1751; † in 1790), Baden captain in Rastatt
  • Christian Ludwig (* October 13, 1752; † February 17, 1807), chief of the grenadier battalion "Herwarth", died of injuries received near Jena ⚭ March 22, 1789 Johanne Wilhelmine Eberhardine von Haeften (* September 12, 1764; † 10. October 1828)
  • Johann Eberhard Ernst (1753–1833) ⚭ Johanna Friederike Auguste von Arnstedt (* June 22, 1765; † September 13, 1851)
  • Johann Ernst Friedemann (born October 15, 1755; † October 9, 1808), major ⚭ September 30, 1795 Johanne Eleonore Richter (born January 28, 1771; † September 23, 1811)

literature

personal data
SURNAME Herwarth von Bittenfeld, Johann Friedrich
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Prussian Colonel, Commander of Infantry Regiment No. 41
DATE OF BIRTH April 23, 1696
DATE OF DEATH June 18, 1757
Place of death at Kolin