In 1806 Gneisenau served as one of
Prince Hohenlohe's staff-officers, fought at
Saalfeld (10 October 1806) and
Jena (14 October 1806), and a little later commanded a provisional infantry brigade which fought under
L'Estocq in the
Lithuanian campaign. Early in 1807, the
Prussian Army sent Major von Gneisenau as commandant to
Kolberg, which, though small and ill-protected, with the additional assistance of Schill and Nettelbeck succeeded in
holding out against
Napoleonic forces until the
Peace of Tilsit of July 1807. The commandant received the highly prized
Pour le Mérite and promotion to lieutenant-colonel. A wider sphere of work now opened to Gneisenau. As chief of engineers, and a member of the reorganizing committee, he played a great part, along with
Scharnhorst, in the work of reconstructing the Prussian army. Though primarily devoted to the problem of military reorganization, he exercised considerable influence on the general policy of the
Ministry (established in December 1808) as well. A colonel in 1809, he soon drew upon himself, by his energy, the suspicion of the dominant French, and soon after the fall of
Stein (January 1809), Gneisenau retired. But after visiting Austria,
Imperial Russia,
Sweden and
England on secret missions, he returned to
Berlin and resumed his place as a leader of the patriotic party. Open military work and secret machinations tested his energy and patriotism equally, and after the outbreak of the
Wars of Liberation in 1812, Major-General Gneisenau became
Blücher's quartermaster-general. Thus began the connection between these two soldiers which has furnished military history with one of the best examples of harmonious co-operation between a commander and his chief of staff. With Blücher, Gneisenau served in the capture of
Paris in 1814; his military character perfectly complemented Blücher's, and under this happy guidance the troops of Prussia, at times defeated but never discouraged, fought their way into the heart of
France. The plan for the march on
Paris, which led directly to the abdication of
Napoleon in April 1814, was specifically the work of the chief of staff. In 1814, as a reward for his distinguished service, Gneisenau — along with
Yorck,
Kleist, and
Bülow — was elevated to the rank of
count, while at the same time Blücher became Prince of
Wahlstatt. In 1815, once more chief of Blücher's staff, Gneisenau played a very conspicuous part in the
Waterloo campaign of June/July 1815. Senior generals such as Yorck and Kleist had been set aside in order that the chief of staff should take command in case of need, and when on the field of
Ligny (16 June 1815) the old field marshal was disabled, Gneisenau assumed command of the Prussian army. He rallied the army and directed it towards
Wavre, from where part of it marched to join
Wellington at the
Battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815, where the flanking attack by the Prussians helped to decide the battle. On the field of Waterloo, Gneisenau carried out a pursuit that resulted in the capture of Napoleon's carriage. In the days following the battle, Gneisenau saw that the Prussian forces reached Paris before Wellington. In reward Gneisenau gained further promotion and the Prussian
Order of the Black Eagle. ==Later life==