Louis Georges Érasme de Contades

Louis -Georges- de Contades Erasme (* October 2, 1704 at Beaufort in Anjou, † January 19, 1793 in Livry ) was a French military commander and Marshal of France.

Life

He joined in 1720 the French Army, distinguished himself in the wars from 1733 to 1748 under the Marshal of Saxony by punctuality, caution and vigilance from, moved gradually to the general and commanded from 1757 to 1758 during the Seven Years' War under d' Estrees and Clermont a Corps of the Army of the Lower Rhine.

After the defeat Clermonts in Krefeld, he was appointed in his place in 1758 as commander of the army. After he had succeeded in pushing back the Duke Ferdinand of Brunswick on the right bank of the Rhine, he was appointed Marshal in 1758.

In 1759 he was given command of the entire French army in Germany. After the victory at Broglie mountains he came through Hesse and Westphalia prior to the Weser, but lost here on 1 August, the Battle of Minden against the Duke of Brunswick. He had to retreat to the Rhine, to which he was recalled in September to drive Broglie on the command.