FIELD MARSHAL AUGUST NEIDHARDT VON GNEISENAU - AUTOGRAPH LETTER SIGNED 10/04/1815 - HFSID 142164

AUGUST NEIDHART VON GNEISENAU
August Neidhart von Gneisenau, who commanded the Prussian Army during the Battle of Waterloo, handwrote, signed and dated this un-translated letter in 1815. This letter was written only a few months after Waterloo.
Autograph letter signed "Gneisenau", 1 page, 7¼x9 (one sheet folded). October 4, 1815. In German, un-translated. August Neidhart von Gneisenau (1760-1831) was a Prussian field Marshall. His early military career included fighting in the Napoleonic Wars, for which he was awarded the Pour the Mérite, Prussia's highest military honor. He fought at the Battle of Jena in 1806 and as a major, he was named commandant of Kolberg in 1807, which managed to hold out against Napoleon's forces for several months until the Treaty of Tilsit was signed later that year. After a brief retirement, he re-joined the Prussian Army as Field Marshall Gebhard von Blücher's quartermaster general during the Wars of Liberation. He participated in the capture of Paris in 1814, which earned him the title of count. He assumed command of the Prussian Army at the Battle of Ligny in 1815 after its field Marshall was disabled. His army participated in the Battle of Waterloo, captured Napoleon's carriage and then made sure that his forces reached Paris before Wellington's. He retired soon afterwards and, in 1818, was made governor of Berlin. He was promoted to field Marshall in 1825. Lightly toned, stained and creased. Small burn mark with crack in upper right corner. Folded in quarters and unfolded. Otherwise, fine condition.