Pennavaire entered into
Brandenburg military service in 1694, as a Grand Musketeer, and fought in the
War of Spanish Succession, and fought in the
Battle of Malplaquet. In December 1712, he was promoted to
lieutenant of the Cavalry Horse Guards. In Prussia, he fought in the Pomeranian campaign of the
Great Northern War from 1715–1716. On 21 December, he was promoted to
Rittmeister; in 1733, he was promoted to
major, 1741, to
lieutenant colonel, and 1744 to colonel. In June 1747, Pennavaire was awarded the
Pour le Mérite. After serving in the Second Silesian War (the latter half of the
War of Austrian Succession, on 14 July 1748 he was promoted to
major general. He succeeded the former chief, Caspar Ludwig von Bredow.
Seven Years' War In September 1756, Pennavaire entered the Seven Years War as a major general in Field Marshall
James Keith's column, commanding five squadrons each of the Gens d'Armes and Prince of Prussia Cuirassiers. By early October 1756, at
Lobositz, Pennavaire's cavalry brigade had been augmented with another squadron of the
Garde du Corps (178 men), giving him a brigade of just under 2000. At 11:00, with the field still shrouded in mist, Pennavaire's troopers were sent to reconnoiter the Austrian line, supported by the Bayreuth Dragoons. Quickly, though, the reconnaissance turned into a firefight as the right flank of cuirassiers was
enfiladed by the fire of the Austrian occupying
Sullowitz. Several squadrons of Austrian dragoons also charged, and Pennavaire's most forward troops were rescued by the Bayreuth dragoons. Subsequently, Frederick pulled the cavalry out of the battle, but they had served a purpose: Frederick knew where his opponent's strengths lay. The battle lasted another seven hours, but Pennavaire and his brigade were observers. In the course of the first moments of battle, the brigade overthrew two Austrian cavalry regiments, took three standards and captured Austrian field marshal
Fürst Lobkowitz. In February 1757, Pennavaire was received as a Knight in the
Black Eagle Order. Pennavaire was promoted to
lieutenant general on 18 June 1757. In the
Battle of Kolin, Frederick's plan fell short of success when he attacked the Austrian front, rather than its wing. Pennavaire commanded cavalry in the center of the Prussian line, including 10 squadrons of cuirassiers. Frederick ordered several cavalry attacks in the course of trying to retrieve the battle. Pennavaire, augmented with another 10 squadrons of horse, was instructed to assault the Krzeczor Heights, supported by Zieten's cavalry and some infantry. Zieten's cavalry had problems of its own and the Duke of Bevern's infantry was already engaged. Pennavaire's men were thrown back. Historian
Christopher Duffy noted that Pennavaire's cavalry performed poorly at Kolin and that the general was nicknamed "The Anvil" because he was beaten so often. At the
Battle of Breslau, the 80-year-old lieutenant general led his brigade in a charge on the Austrian crossing the Lohe river at
Klein Mochbern. They were heavily strafed by Austrian grape shot and canister fire. He was badly wounded and although he recovered, he did not serve again.
Joachim Christian von Bandemer succeeded him as proprietor of the regiment. For his service, Pennavaire's name was immortalized in 1851 on one of the honorary plates on the
Equestrian statue of Frederick the Great. ==References==