Werner von Mirbach (Lieutenant General)

Werner von Mirbach (* 1713 on Pussen in Courland ; † March 18, 1797 in Melsungen ) was a lieutenant general in Hessen-Kassel and participant in the American War of Independence . He came from the Pomeranian line of the Mirbach family .

His parents were Captain Emmerich Johann II von Mirbach († 1720) and his wife Margarethe Elisabeth von Behr from the Popen family.

Mirbach entered the service of Hesse-Kassel in 1741 and joined the Korff Infantry Regiment No. 2 ; there he became a lieutenant in 1741. He was with Korff's successor de Clement during the campaign of 1742 in Bavaria . In 1759 he became major during the Seven Years' War and commanded a battalion of Hessian and Brunswick grenadiers in the Battle of Bergen . In the same year he became lieutenant colonel in infantry regiment No. 11 and commander of the Mirbach grenadier battalion named after him. In 1761 he became a colonel and in 1770 chief of Infantry Regiment No. 11 in Melsungen. In 1772 he was promoted to major general. In 1776 the regiment came in English pay and went to America via Bremerlehe . There Mirbach became Brigade commander and took part in various battles, such as the Battle of Long Island and the Battle of Red Banks . He fell ill in New York in 1777 and was sent back in 1779. He was promoted to lieutenant general in 1779 and received the Huyn Garrison Regiment in 1780 . He asked for his release in 1780, but instead became commander of the Ziegenhain water fortress , but lived in Melsungen. For his achievements he received the Hessian medal " Pour la vertu militaire "

He died unmarried on March 18, 1797 in Melsungen.

literature

• History of the Mirbach family, 3rd documents a. News about the Mirbach family; Volume III. Theil, Volume C p.406  ›The second document book.

Web links

• Baltic Historical Commission (ed.): Entry on Werner von Mirbach. In: BBLD - Baltic Biographical Lexicon digital