Ernst von Rüchel

Ernst von Rüchel
Ernst von Rüchel
Born	21 July 1754 (1754-07-21) Ziezeneff, Pomerania
Died	14 January 1823 (1823-01-15) (aged 68) Haseleu, Pomerania
Allegiance	Kingdom of Prussia
Service/branch	Infantry
Rank	General of the Infantry
Battles/wars	French Revolutionary Wars Napoleonic Wars
Other work	Chief, Infantry Regiment Nr. 2, 1805

Ernst von Rüchel (21 July 1754 – 14 January 1823) was a Prussian general who led an army corps in a crushing defeat by Napoleon at the Battle of Jena on 14 October 1806. He commanded troops from the Kingdom of Prussia in several battles during the French Revolutionary Wars in 1793 and 1794. Afterward he held various appointments as a diplomat and a military inspector. In 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars he held an important army command but has been criticized for his actions at Jena. Wounded, he managed to escape the French pursuit, but never commanded troops in combat again.

Rüchel was born on 21 July 1754 in Ziezeneff in Prussian Pomerania (modern Cieszeniewo, Poland).

With the rank of Oberst (colonel), Rüchel fought against the First French Republic during the War of the First Coalition. During the Siege of Mainz from 10 April to 23 July 1793, he commanded a brigade consisting of the Thadden and Legat Fusilier Battalions and the Wolframsdorf Grenadier Battalion. After promotion to General-major, he led the Prussian contingent during the Second Battle of Wissembourg in December 1793. The units coming under his orders were eight battalions in the Infantry Regiments Kleist Nr. 12, Wolframsdorf Nr. 37, and Hertzberg Nr. 47, two foot jäger companies, three squadrons of the Wolfradt Hussar Regiment Nr. 6, one and one-half horse artillery batteries, and a half 6-pound foot battery.