The Important Family of Saxon Artillery Officers, the Rouvroys

Summerfield (Aug 2010) Smoothbore Artillery Journal, 1 (07)

By Dr. Stephen Summerfield Loughborough University 16 July 2010

The Rouvroys were a very influential family of Saxon Artillerymen from at 18th Century to at least the mid 19th Century. Johann Georg Karl Rouvroy (1744-1820) was the younger brother of Joseph Theodor Rouvroy (1728-1789) who joined Austrian service in 1753.

Reference as: Summerfield, Stephen (Aug 2010) “The Important Family of Saxon Artillery Officers, the Rouvroys,” Smoothbore Artillery Journal, 1 (07) 1-4.

Contents Johann Georg Karl Rouvroy (1744-1820) 2 Friedrich Gustav Rouvroy (1771-1839) 2 Georg Wilhelm Theodor Rouvroy II (1772-1849) 3 Karl Heinrich Rouvroy (1774-16 Dec 1843) 3 Wilhelm Heinrich von Rouvroy (1799- 1882), 4 Karl Heinrich Rouvroy (1801-1865) 4

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Johann Georg Karl Rouvroy (1744-1820) Oberst and Commander of the Saxon Artillery Corps. Father of three sons that also served in the Saxon Artillery. His wife, Aster, died in 1802. He was the younger brother of Joseph Theodor Rouvroy (1728-1789) who joined Austrian service in 1753.

Friedrich Gustav Rouvroy (1771-1839) He was born on 26 June 1771 in Dresden to Oberst Johann Georg Karl (1744-1820) of the Saxon Artillery. Eldest brother to Georg Wilhelm Theodor (1772-1849) and Karl Heinrich (1774-1843). He was put down on the lists with the Saxon artillery in 1783 and by 1787 rose to the rank of NCO. In 1791, he was a cadet in the Military Academy. As a 2nd Lieutenant, he plenty of opportunity to write a series of articles and included a series of articled for the Neues Militairisches Magazin edited by Johann Gottfried von Hoyer under the pseudonym of “von R”. Publications when he was a 2nd Lieutenant. (1802) “Über den Gebrauch der reitenden Artillerie”, Neues Militairisches Magazin – Historischen und Scientifischen Inhalts, Volume II, Part 4, pp. 10-14 [under the name of von R.] (1802) “Observations sur les voitures à deux roues pour l'usage du commerce et le service du cannon de bataille," Neues Militairisches Magazin – Historischen und Scientifischen Inhalts, (1805) Militärische Minerva der Sammlung militärischer Aufsätze in philosophischer, historischer oder scientifischer Hinsicht, 4 Volumes, Pirna and Leipzig 1805,

He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant (1796), 1st Lieutenant (1806), Captain (29 April 1810), Major (1812) Lieutenant Colonel (1821) and colonel (1825). In 1806, he was Battery Master at the Artillery Academy. In 1810, he became the Director of the Artillery Academy. Captain Rouvroy was part of the Artillery Commission that designed the new Saxon M1810 Ordnance that were influenced by the French AnXI system.[Summerfield (2010) 154-174]

In 1821, he became the Director of the Military Academy. He was a greatly respected lecturer at the Saxon military schools. He wrote several training texts from which the Lectures on Artillery reached several editions. Moreover, he wrote (1829) French-German Dictionary of the Technical Artillery as well as specialist works on artillery and weapon technology. In 1827, he was raised to the nobility as well as his brothers Georg Wilhelm Theodor and Karl Heirich He retired in 1830 and died in 18 April 1839 aged 68 in Dresden. [Poten (1841) II: 1142, Janoschke (2005) and Verlohren (1910) 443] Publications of Friedrich Gustav Rouvroy (1771-1839) (1809) Handbuch des Batteriebaus oder die Anlegung und Erbauung der Batterien beim Angriff fester Plätze, Leipzig (1809-11) Vorlesungen über einen Theil der Geschützlehre, oder über den Bau und die Proporzionirung der Geschützröhre, Laffetten und Artilleriefuhrwerke, nebst deren Bespannung für die Königl. Sächs Artillerieschule, 2 Volumes, Dresden (1811-14) Vorlesungen über die Artillerie zum Gebrauch der Königl.Sächs. Artillerie- Akademie, 1st Edition, Vol I (1811), Vol II (1813) and Vol III (1814), Dresden (1815) Zur Feyer des 23 Dez 1815. Von einem Sachsen, Dresden (1820) Das kleine Feuergewehr, sowohl für das Fußvolk als für die Reiterei, Dresden

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(1821-25) Vorlesungen über die Artillerie zum Gebrauch der Königlich Sächsishe Militär-Academie, 2nd Edition, Vol I (1821), Vol II (1823) and Vol III (1825), Leipzig (1829) Französisch-Deutsches Wörterbuch der technischen Artillerie, ihrer Bedürfnisse und der mit ihr in Beziehung stehenden Werkstätte, Dresden & Leipzig (1830) Vorlesungen über die Artillerie zum Gebrauch der Königlich Sächsishe Militär- Academie, 3rd Edition, 3 Volumes, Leipzig

Georg Wilhelm Theodor Rouvroy (1772-1849) He was the son of Johann Georg Karl (1744-1820). His brothers were Friedrich Gustav (1771- 1839) and Karl Heinrich (1774-1843). In 1794, he began active service in the Saxon Artillery- Corps as a Stückjunker [Cadet] and promoted to 2nd Lieutenant in 1799. His sons were Wilhelm Heinrich (1799-1882) and Karl Heinrich (1801-1865). He took part in the campaign of 1806 and experienced the defeat of Saxony by France. Promoted to 1st Lieutenant and captain (1810).

Until 1813, he was not on active service and was function of an senior arsenal attendant. Then he returned in the Foot Artillery Regiment and led in 1813-14, a 12-pdr battery. He distinguished himself Grossbeeren (1813). He was instrumental in the in the defection of the Saxon field artillery to the allies during Leipzig (October, 1813). After the invasion in France in 1814, he was involved in the unsuccessful siege of Maubeuge where he commanded the left wing of the siege works. Here, he suffered severe injuries from an explosion of a bomb magazine and was transfered to the Saxon Artillery Depot and left active service the next year. In 1814, he received the Russian St Vladimir Order of the Fourth Class. In 1827, he with his brothers Friedrich Gustav and Karl Heinrich was raised to the nobility. [Kretschmar (1876), I: 92-107; Verlohren (1910) p443; Janoschke, Gunter (22 August 2005)]

Karl Heinrich Rouvroy (1774-16 Dec 1843) Oberst of Artillery. Youngest son of Johann Georg Karl (1744-1820). Brother to Friedrich Gustav (1771-1839) and Georg Wilhelm Theodor (1772-1849). His son was Heinrich (1801-1870), Oberstleutnant of Artillery. He was put down in 1785 on the lists of the Saxon Artillery-Corps and reached automatically the rank of NCO in 1792. In 1795, he started his service as a Stückjunker [Cadet] and became in 1802 2nd Lieutenant.

In 1806, he was a member of the newly established Horse Artillery Battery that took part in the campaign against France. After the defeat his unit was dissolved, and Rouvroy returned to the Foot Artillery Regiment. Promoted to 1st Lieutenant and Captain (1810). In the Russian campaign, he commanded the 1st (6-pdr) Foot Battery attached to the Reserve of 7eme (Saxon) Corps in 1812 [Summerfield (2010) 123, 131 and 138].

From Spring, 1813, he commanded the 2nd 6-pdr foot battery and distinguished himself at Grossbeeren (August 1813). In the retreat the battery lost nearly all her guns so he had no command and remained on the staff of the Saxon Field Artillery. In 1813, he was awarded with the Military Order of St Henry and the Knight's Cross of the Legion of Honour. [R. Wächtler (2002) 167] In December 1813 he took over the command of a battery again and moved with the Saxon contingent in the Campaign against France in which he was distinguished defence of Oudenaarde in 1814. The city of Oudenaarde struck a commemorative medal in his honour.

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[Richter (June 1885) 309-311] In 1814, he received the Russian St. Vladimir's Order of the Fourth Class. In 1815, his battery was dissolved. He was promoted to major (1815) and lieutenant-colonel (1829). In 1827, he was with his brothers, Friedrich Gustav and Georg Wilhelm Theodor raised to the nobility. In 1830, he commanded the Horse Artillery Brigade. He was retired in 1835 with the rank of a colonel. [Kretschmar (1876), I: 92-107; Verlohren (1910) 443; Janoschke (2005)]

Wilhelm Heinrich von Rouvroy (1799- 1882), Born on 15 January 1799 in Torgau to Georg Wilhelm Theodor von Rouvroy (1772-1849). Older brother to Karl Heinrich (1801-1865). Served in the Artillery Depot until 1815. Promoted to 2nd Lieutenant (1825), Captain (1836), Major (1849), Colonel (1851), Major General (1852) and finally Lieutenant General (1857). From 1827, he was a lecturer at the Military Academy in Dresden and continued this activity after their abolition in the cadet corps. In 1849, he was a staff officer with the cadet corps. He transferred to the Foot Artillery Regiment and became their commander in 1851. A few years later he commanded the Saxon Artillery Corps. Retired in 1861.

Rouvroy developed and improved artillery technology including the introduction of a highly regarded shell cannon and the iron carriage. He also wrote works on artillery, mathematics and ballistics. Between 1856 and 1864, he wrote several articles in Oskar Schlömilchs’ Zeitschrift für Mathematik und Physik [Magazine for Mathematics and Physics]. In his later writing he turned his attention religious doctrine. Died on 6 June 1882. [Verlohren (1910) p443: Janoschke, Gunter (22 August 2005)]

Publications of Wilhelm Heinrich (1799-1882), (1829) Vorlesungen über die Anfangsgründe der Physik und Chemie, als Vorbereitung zum Studium der Artillerie, Dresden and Leipzig (1836-7) Leitfaden zum Unterricht in der Mathematik, 4 Volumes, Dresden and Leipzig (1856) Algebraische Aufgaben und Auflösung, Dresden (1858) Dynamische Vorstudien zu einer Theorie der gezogenen Feuerwaffen, Dresden (1862) Theorie der Bewegung der Spitzgeschosse gezogener Feuerwaffen, Dresden (1875) Die Religion der Zukunft, Leipzig

Karl Heinrich Rouvroy (1801-1865) Son of Georg Wilhelm Theodor von Rouvroy (1772-1849) and attained the rank of OberstLt of Artillery when he retired.

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References Anon (1841) Neuer Nekrolog der Deutschen, 17th Edition, Volume II, 1142, Weimar Cronin, Gerard and Summerfield, Stephen (Nov 1809) “Saxon Foot Artillery, 1810-15,” NGA Ordnance, 1(02) Cronin, Gerard and Summerfield, Stephen (Dec 1809) “Saxon Horse Artillery, 1810-15,” NGA Ordnance, 1(03) Graeffer, C. (1797) Oesterreichischer Militaer-Almanach: für das Jahre 1797, Vienna Kretschmar, L H.-A. von (1876), Geschichte der kurfürstlich und königlich Sächsischen Feld- Artillerie von 1620-1820, Volume 1, Berlin p92-107 Poten, Bernhard von (1841) Neuer Nekrolog der Deutschen, Volume 2, p1142, Weimar Poten, Bernhard von (1881) “Hoyer, Johann Gottfried von,” Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, Volume 13, Duncker & Humbolt, Leipzig , p218 Poten, Bernhard von, (1889) “Rouvroy, Friedrich Gustav,” In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie, Volume 29, Duncker & Humbolt, Leipzig, p407 Richter, P.E. (June 1885) “Die Rouvroy-Medaille auf die Vertheidigung von Oudenaarde im Jahre 1814,” NASG 6/1885, 309-311 Schattkowsky, Martina (2005), Sächsische Biografie, hrsg. vom Institut für Sächsische Geschichte und Volkskunde, Leipzig http://www.isgv.de/saebi/ [accessed on 14 July 2010]  Janoschke, Gunter (2005) “Rouvroy, Friedrich Gustav von”  Janoschke, Gunter (2005) “Rouvroy, Karl (Carl) Heinrich von,”  Janoschke, Gunter (2005) “Rouvroy, Wilhelm Heinrich von,”  Janoschke, Gunter (2005) “Rouvroy, Georg Wilhelm Theodor von” Summerfield (Oct 2009), “Saxon ordnance and vehicles 1810-15, NGA Ordnance, 1(01) Summerfield, Stephen (2010) Saxon Artillery 1733-1827, Partizan Press Titze, J. (2005-2007) Das Königlich Sächsische Artilleriekorps 1810-1813, Leipzig  Part I (2005) Das Sächsische Train-Bataillon 1810-1813, No. 5, Leipzig  Part II: (2006) Das Regt Artillerie zu Fuss die Reitende Artillerie Brigade und Handwerker Compagnies 1810-1813, No. 6/7, Leipzig  Part III: (July 2007), Die Geschichte der Reitunden Artillerie 1810-1813, Leipzig Verlohren, L H. A. (1910), Stammregister und Chronik der Kur- und Königlich Sächsischen Armee von 1670 bis zum Beginn des Zwanzigsten Jahrhunderts, M. Barthold and F. Verlohren, Leipzig 1910, p443 Wächtler, R. (2002) Die Königlich Sächsischen Mitglieder der Ehrenlegion (1807-1813), Chemnitz, p167.