Gebhard Facts:
Faction Involved In = Prussia
Birth = December 16, 1742
Death = He never died as he always lives on in our hearts :).
Rank = Generalfeldmarschall (German)


Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher was born in Rostock, Mecklenburg, a Baltic port in northern Germany. His family had been landowners in northern Germany since at least the 13th century.

He began his military career at sixteen, when he joined the Swedish Army as a Hussar. At the time Sweden was at war with Prussia in the Seven Years' War. Blücher took part in the Pomeranian campaign of 1760, where he was captured in a skirmish with Prussian Hussars. The colonel of the Prussian regiment, Belling, was impressed with the young hussar and had him join his regiment.

He took part in the later battles of the Seven Years' War, and as a hussar officer gained much experience of light cavalry work. In peace, however, his ardent spirit led him into excesses of all kinds, such as mock execution of a priest suspected of supporting Polish uprisings in 1772. Due to this, he was passed over for promotion to Major. Blücher sent in a rude letter of resignation, which Frederick the Great granted in 1773: Der Rittmeister von Blücher kann sich zum Teufel scheren (Cavalry Captain von Blücher can go to the devil).


Wikipdeia Section On von Blücher[en.wikipedia.org]
Wikipedia Section On Mecklenburg[en.wikipedia.org]
Wikipedia Section On The Napoleonic Wars[en.wikipedia.org]