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Lot Essay
The inscription on the Fairy Ring 'Der 16 bis 19 Octbr 1813' commemorates the Battle of Leipzig (16-19 October 1813), which pitted the allied forces of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the army of Napoleon, centred around the city of Leipzig in Saxony. The battle lasted for four days and resulted with the French being pushed back beyond the Rhine and the Coalition being in a position to invade France, which they did in early 1814. The heaviest fighting took place on the first day, and it was for his hard won victory over Marshal Marmont around the village on Möckern on this day that Gebhard von Blücher was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal.
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Fürst von Wahlstatt (1742-1819) began his military career at sixteen when he joined the Swedish Army as a Hussar. During a skirmish with Prussian cavalry he was captured, and having impressed the colonel of the regiment, was invited to join. Warfare was certainly his forte and his enthusiastic and sometimes excessive spirit led him into trouble during peacetime -- having been passed over for promotion left the army, his resignation letter caused Frederick the Great to exclaim "Cavalry Captain von Blücher can go to the devil". Following Frederick's death in 1786 he was reinstated the following year as a major in his old regiment, the Red Hussars. Between 1787 and 1801 Blücher repeatedly distinguished himself as a light cavalry officer and rose to the rank of Lieutenant-General. The early battles of the Napoleonic Wars witnessed his continued zeal and bravery but to little effect against the French, Blücher eventually being forced to surrender at Ratekau following defeat at the Battle of Lübeck in 1806. During the ensuing period of French domination he was made General of Cavalry and military governor of Pomerania but retained his deep hatred of the French. Blücher played a prominent role in the 1813 War of Liberation and battles that followed leading to the ultimate defeat of Napoleon and the collapse of the First Empire. Napoleon's return from exile on Elba in 1815 saw Blücher put in command of the Army of the Lower Rhine. Two days before Waterloo, Blücher suffered a serious defeat at Ligny, where the aged Field Marshal almost became a casualty himself. Despite being wounded, Blücher rejoined his army and with two corps arrived at Waterloo in time to intervene with decisive effect. Considered by no means a military genius, he was nonetheless a man with boundless energy, courage and determination in battle, and for this approach to warfare he was given the nickname Marschall Vorwärts (Marshal Forwards).
Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, Fürst von Wahlstatt (1742-1819) began his military career at sixteen when he joined the Swedish Army as a Hussar. During a skirmish with Prussian cavalry he was captured, and having impressed the colonel of the regiment, was invited to join. Warfare was certainly his forte and his enthusiastic and sometimes excessive spirit led him into trouble during peacetime -- having been passed over for promotion left the army, his resignation letter caused Frederick the Great to exclaim "Cavalry Captain von Blücher can go to the devil". Following Frederick's death in 1786 he was reinstated the following year as a major in his old regiment, the Red Hussars. Between 1787 and 1801 Blücher repeatedly distinguished himself as a light cavalry officer and rose to the rank of Lieutenant-General. The early battles of the Napoleonic Wars witnessed his continued zeal and bravery but to little effect against the French, Blücher eventually being forced to surrender at Ratekau following defeat at the Battle of Lübeck in 1806. During the ensuing period of French domination he was made General of Cavalry and military governor of Pomerania but retained his deep hatred of the French. Blücher played a prominent role in the 1813 War of Liberation and battles that followed leading to the ultimate defeat of Napoleon and the collapse of the First Empire. Napoleon's return from exile on Elba in 1815 saw Blücher put in command of the Army of the Lower Rhine. Two days before Waterloo, Blücher suffered a serious defeat at Ligny, where the aged Field Marshal almost became a casualty himself. Despite being wounded, Blücher rejoined his army and with two corps arrived at Waterloo in time to intervene with decisive effect. Considered by no means a military genius, he was nonetheless a man with boundless energy, courage and determination in battle, and for this approach to warfare he was given the nickname Marschall Vorwärts (Marshal Forwards).