Wilhelm Treusch von Buttlar (1762-1847)

Wilhelm Victor Treusch von Buttlar-Brandenfels (24 June 1762 – 2 March 1847) was a German officer whose career spanned service in Electoral Hesse, the Kingdom of Westphalia, and the Duchy of Brunswick, reaching the rank of General-Major in Brunswick service.

Born at Altenfeld in Electoral Hesse, Treusch von Buttlar-Brandenfels was educated at the Kassel page institute and entered Hessian military service in 1773. He was promoted to Lieutenant of the Guard in 1777. In 1782–1783 he served in America with the Regiment von Dittfurth, and in February 1783 he advanced to Premierlieutenant.

During the Revolutionary Wars he served in the coalition operations in the Low Countries. In 1793–1794 he acted as Rittmeister and adjutant to Prince Friedrich of Hesse in operations against French forces in the Netherlands. He became a company proprietor (Compagnie-Inhaber) in 1797, and in 1799 he was promoted Grenadier-Major.

In 1805 Treusch von Buttlar-Brandenfels was appointed Oberstleutnant and adjutant to the Electoral Prince of Hesse. He campaigned with the Hessian contingent in 1806 and fought at Jena. After the campaign he was taken prisoner; his captivity in France lasted from late November 1806 until early January 1808.

On his release he entered the service of the Kingdom of Westphalia. He was appointed Oberst and a review inspector (Revuen-Inspector), later serving as Palast-Präfekt and as Oberst commanding the National-Garde. In 1813 he served as Westphalian envoy at the Baden court; in the same general period he received Westphalian confirmation of Freiherr status.

He entered Brunswick service on 15 March 1814 as Oberstleutnant. In the 1815 campaign he marched with the Brunswick contingent into the Low Countries and held brigade command within the Brunswick Corps, being listed as commander of the 1st (Light) Brigade. He was present with the Brunswick forces at Quatre Bras and at Waterloo, where he was reported as severely wounded.

After the 1815 campaign and the subsequent reduction of forces, Treusch von Buttlar-Brandenfels received command of a line infantry brigade (1816). In 1821 he became commandant of the city of Wolfenbüttel with the rank of Oberst. In 1828 Duke Carl appointed him General-Major. He died on 2 March 1847.

Sources

• TU Braunschweig (PDF): Braunschweig in den Jahren 1806 bis 1815. 2. Heft. Ein Bilder-Verzeichnis
• Yumpu (HTML view): Braunschweig in den Jahren 1806 bis 1815. 2. Heft. Ein Bilder-Verzeichnis
• Arcinsys (Niedersachsen): “Buttlar, Wilhelm Victor Treusch Frh.”
• The Napoleon Series: “Anglo-Allied Army in Flanders and France – 1815”
• Wikipedia: “Battle of Quatre Bras order of battle”
• Wikipedia (German): “Buttlar (Adelsgeschlecht)”