Peter von Vécsey
Encyclopedia
Peter, Freiherr von Vécsey or Peter Vécsey de Vécse et Hajnácskeö (born 13 July 1768 – 21 July 1809) was an Imperial Austrian
military commander who took part in the French Revolutionary Wars
and Napoleonic Wars
. As a Freiherr
(Baron), he was a member of the Austrian landless nobility. He make his mark while leading cavalry units and advanced in rank to become a general officer in 1808. He led an independent brigade during part of the 1809 campaign and was mortally wounded while leading his troops in battle.
. Having joined the army at age 17, Vécsey served in the Austrian cavalry. As a Rittmeister
, he served in the Kaiser Chevauleger Regiment Nr. 1 during the War of the First Coalition, leading 15 troopers in a notable action on 25 August 1796, in which he captured a large number of French prisoners. He was also involved in a brilliant action at the Battle of Riegel on 20 October that year, when he led a charge that captured an enemy outpost, with its defending infantry and two guns. After being wounded in this action, he received the Military Order of Maria Theresa
as well as the noble title of Freiherr. A relative, Feldmarschallleutnant Siegbert Vécsey de Vécse et Hajnácskeö (1739–1802) was the Proprietor
of Vécsey Hussar Regiment Nr. 34 (later Nr. 4) from 1791 until his death.
Vécsey became renowned for leading from the front. He became Oberst
(Colonel) of the Archduke Ferdinand Hussar
Regiment Nr. 3, which he led at the Battle of Caldiero on 29–31 October 1805 during the War of the Third Coalition. On 14 August 1808 he was promoted to General-major. In 1809 during the War of the Fifth Coalition
, he was given command of a brigade in the Austrian II Armeekorps which was led by Feldzeugmeister
Johann Kollowrat
. His brigade included the 7th and 8th Jäger
Battalions, the 2nd Battalion of the Archduke Charles Legion, the Klenau Chevauleger Regiment Nr. 5, and a brigade battery with eight 3-pound cannons. The division commander was Feldmarschallleutnant Johann von Klenau
. At the beginning of the campaign, his brigade was detached from its army corps and served as an independent link between the I and II Armeekorps north of the Danube
and the III, IV, V, VI, I Reserve, and II Reserve Armeekorps south of the river. The brigade operated on the south bank.
At the Battle of Aspern-Essling
on 21 and 22 May 1809, Vécsey led a cavalry brigade consisting of the Vincent Chevauleger Regiment Nr. 4 and the Klenau Chevaulegers. His division commander was Feldmarschallleutnant Michael von Kienmayer
. At the Battle of Wagram
on 5 and 6 July, he commanded a brigade in Feldmarschallleutnant Armand von Nordmann
's Advance Guard. His unit was made up of the Wallach-Illyrian Grenz Infantry
Regiment Nr. 13, the Hessen-Homburg Hussars Nr. 4, and six 6-pound guns of a cavalry battery. He was fatally wounded leading his men during the second day of the battle. He died at Mikulov (Nikolsburg)
in Bohemia
on 21 July 1809, having never married. Vécsey was one of four Austrian generals slain or mortally wounded at Wagram, the others being Feldmarschallleutnants Josef Philipp Vukassovich
, Konstantin Ghilian Karl d'Aspré
, and Nordmann. He was the nephew of General-Major Stephan Vécsey de Vécse et Hajnácskeö (1719–1802), a veteran of the Seven Years War. Another relative, General-Major August Vécsey de Vécse et Hajnácskeö also led a brigade at Wagram.
Austrian Empire
The Austrian Empire was a modern era successor empire, which was centered on what is today's Austria and which officially lasted from 1804 to 1867. It was followed by the Empire of Austria-Hungary, whose proclamation was a diplomatic move that elevated Hungary's status within the Austrian Empire...
military commander who took part in the French Revolutionary Wars
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
and Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
. As a Freiherr
Freiherr
The German titles Freiherr and Freifrau and Freiin are titles of nobility, used preceding a person's given name or, after 1919, before the surname...
(Baron), he was a member of the Austrian landless nobility. He make his mark while leading cavalry units and advanced in rank to become a general officer in 1808. He led an independent brigade during part of the 1809 campaign and was mortally wounded while leading his troops in battle.
Early career
Peter Vécsey de Vécse et Hajnácskeö was born into a military family on 13 July 1768 at Bodolló, Abaúj County in the Kingdom of HungaryKingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
. Having joined the army at age 17, Vécsey served in the Austrian cavalry. As a Rittmeister
Rittmeister
Rotamaster was the military rank of a commissioned cavalry officer in charge of a squadron , the equivalent of O3 or Captain, in the German-speaking armies, Austro-Hungarian, Polish-Lithuanian, Russian and some other states.The exact name of this rank maintains a variety of spellings in different...
, he served in the Kaiser Chevauleger Regiment Nr. 1 during the War of the First Coalition, leading 15 troopers in a notable action on 25 August 1796, in which he captured a large number of French prisoners. He was also involved in a brilliant action at the Battle of Riegel on 20 October that year, when he led a charge that captured an enemy outpost, with its defending infantry and two guns. After being wounded in this action, he received the Military Order of Maria Theresa
Military Order of Maria Theresa
The Military Order of Maria Theresa was an Order of the Austro-Hungarian Empire founded on June 18, 1757, the day of the Battle of Kolin, by the Empress...
as well as the noble title of Freiherr. A relative, Feldmarschallleutnant Siegbert Vécsey de Vécse et Hajnácskeö (1739–1802) was the Proprietor
Proprietor (Inhaber)
A Proprietor, or Inhaber, was a term used in the Habsburg military to denote special honors extended to a noble or aristocrat. The Habsburg army was organized on principles developed for the feudal armies in which regiments were raised by a wealthy noble, called the Inhaber who also acted as...
of Vécsey Hussar Regiment Nr. 34 (later Nr. 4) from 1791 until his death.
Napoleonic Wars
Oberst
Oberst is a military rank in several German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark and Norway. The Swedish rank överste is a direct translation, as are the Finnish rank eversti...
(Colonel) of the Archduke Ferdinand Hussar
Hussar
Hussar refers to a number of types of light cavalry which originated in Hungary in the 14th century, tracing its roots from Serbian medieval cavalry tradition, brought to Hungary in the course of the Serb migrations, which began in the late 14th century....
Regiment Nr. 3, which he led at the Battle of Caldiero on 29–31 October 1805 during the War of the Third Coalition. On 14 August 1808 he was promoted to General-major. In 1809 during the War of the Fifth Coalition
War of the Fifth Coalition
The War of the Fifth Coalition, fought in the year 1809, pitted a coalition of the Austrian Empire and the United Kingdom against Napoleon's French Empire and Bavaria. Major engagements between France and Austria, the main participants, unfolded over much of Central Europe from April to July, with...
, he was given command of a brigade in the Austrian II Armeekorps which was led by Feldzeugmeister
Feldzeugmeister
Feldzeugmeister was a military rank in various European armies , especially in the artillery. It was commonly used in the 16th or 17th century, but could even be found in the beginning of the 20th century in some European countries...
Johann Kollowrat
Johann Kollowrat
Kollowrat-Krakowsky, Johann Karl, Graf von joined the Austrian army, fought against the Kingdom of Prussia and Ottoman Turkey before being promoted to general officer rank. During combat against the French in the French Revolutionary Wars, he first became known as an artillery specialist...
. His brigade included the 7th and 8th Jäger
Jäger
Jäger is the German word for "hunter", and also a common Jäger is the [[German language|German]] word for "[[hunter]]", and also a common Jäger is the [[German...
Battalions, the 2nd Battalion of the Archduke Charles Legion, the Klenau Chevauleger Regiment Nr. 5, and a brigade battery with eight 3-pound cannons. The division commander was Feldmarschallleutnant Johann von Klenau
Johann von Klenau
Johann von Klenau , also called Johann Josef Cajetan von Klenau und Janowitz, the son of a Bohemian noble, was a field marshal in the Habsburg army...
. At the beginning of the campaign, his brigade was detached from its army corps and served as an independent link between the I and II Armeekorps north of the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
and the III, IV, V, VI, I Reserve, and II Reserve Armeekorps south of the river. The brigade operated on the south bank.
At the Battle of Aspern-Essling
Battle of Aspern-Essling
In the Battle of Aspern-Essling , Napoleon attempted a forced crossing of the Danube near Vienna, but the French and their allies were driven back by the Austrians under Archduke Charles...
on 21 and 22 May 1809, Vécsey led a cavalry brigade consisting of the Vincent Chevauleger Regiment Nr. 4 and the Klenau Chevaulegers. His division commander was Feldmarschallleutnant Michael von Kienmayer
Michael von Kienmayer
Michael von Kienmayer was an Austrian general who was active during the Napoleonic Wars.von Kienmayer joined the army of Habsburg Austria and fought against the Kingdom of Prussia and Ottoman Turkey. During the French Revolutionary Wars, he continued to make his reputation in the cavalry and...
. At the Battle of Wagram
Battle of Wagram
The Battle of Wagram was the decisive military engagement of the War of the Fifth Coalition. It took place on the Marchfeld plain, on the north bank of the Danube. An important site of the battle was the village of Deutsch-Wagram, 10 kilometres northeast of Vienna, which would give its name to the...
on 5 and 6 July, he commanded a brigade in Feldmarschallleutnant Armand von Nordmann
Armand von Nordmann
Joseph-Armand Ritter von Nordmann, born 31 August 1759 – died 6 July 1809, was a French officer in the French Royal Army. He transferred his allegiance to Habsburg Austria during the French Revolution, like other French émigrés...
's Advance Guard. His unit was made up of the Wallach-Illyrian Grenz Infantry
Grenz infantry
Grenz infantry or Grenzers were light infantry troops who came from the Croatian and Transylvanian Military Frontier in Habsburg Monarchy . This borderland formed a buffer zone between Christian Europe and the Ottoman Empire, and the troops were originally raised to defend Austria against the...
Regiment Nr. 13, the Hessen-Homburg Hussars Nr. 4, and six 6-pound guns of a cavalry battery. He was fatally wounded leading his men during the second day of the battle. He died at Mikulov (Nikolsburg)
Mikulov
Mikulov is a town in the South Moravian Region of the Czech Republic with a population of 7,608 . It is located directly on the border with Lower Austria. Mikulov is located at the edge of a hilly area and the three Nové Mlýny reservoirs...
in Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
on 21 July 1809, having never married. Vécsey was one of four Austrian generals slain or mortally wounded at Wagram, the others being Feldmarschallleutnants Josef Philipp Vukassovich
Josef Philipp Vukassovich
Josef Philipp von Vukassovich , also Josef Wukassovitch, was a Croatian soldier who joined the army of Habsburg Monarchy and fought against both Ottoman Empire and the First French Republic. During the French Revolutionary Wars, he commanded a brigade in the 1796–1797 Italian campaign against...
, Konstantin Ghilian Karl d'Aspré
Konstantin Ghilian Karl d'Aspré
Konstantin Ghilian Karl d'Aspré von Hoobreuk, born 27 December 1754 – died 8 July 1809, served in the army of Habsburg Austria during the French Revolutionary Wars. In the Napoleonic Wars, he made a mark in two major campaigns. In 1809, he was briefy Proprietor of an infantry regiment and...
, and Nordmann. He was the nephew of General-Major Stephan Vécsey de Vécse et Hajnácskeö (1719–1802), a veteran of the Seven Years War. Another relative, General-Major August Vécsey de Vécse et Hajnácskeö also led a brigade at Wagram.