Friedrich Wilhelm Quirin von Forcade de Biaix,Lehmann, Band 1, Page 34, Nr. 245 (in German) baptized Quirin Frideric de Forcade, aka Friedrich Quirin von Forcade, aka Frédéric Quérin de ForcadeTollinen, Band III, Abteilung 1B, Page 72 (in German) (11 January 1699 – 23 March 1765) was a Prussian military officer,König, Band 1, Page 430 (in German)Heinsius, Issue 52, Page 241, Nr. V (in German) the second son of Jean de Forcade de Biaix, an early Huguenot immigrant to Brandenburg-Prussia and a descendant of the noble family of Forcade. He was one of Frederick the Great's most active and most treasured officers.Zedlitz-Neukirch, Band 2, Page 179 (in German)Zedlitz-Neukirch, Band 4, Page 390 (in German) He was wounded three times and once left for dead on the battlefield. Together with his wife, he fathered 23 children.
He was Regimentschef of the 23rd Prussian Infantry Regiment, recipient of the Kingdom of Prussia's highest military order of merit for heroism, Knight of the Order of Pour le Mérite, Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle, Canon () of Havelberg, Castellan () in Neuenrade in the County of Mark, Lord Seneschal () of Zinna, President of the Ober-Collegium Sanitatis in Berlin and Lieutenant governor of Breslau.
In 1851, his name was place on the north facing commemorative plaque on the Equestrian statue of Frederick the Great in Berlin.
Early life Friedrich Wilhelm Quirin von Forcade de Biaix was the second son of Lieutenant General Jean de Forcade de Biaix (1663–1729) and his wife, the Baroness Juliane von Honstedt, daughter of the Major General Baron Quirin von Honstedt,Zedlitz-Neukirch, Band 2, Page 436 (in German)Zedlitz-Neukirch, Band 5, Page 245 (in German) from Württemberg but in the service of Prussia. His baptismal Godfather was Frederick I of Prussia.
His father was a Huguenot religious exileKönig, Band 1, Page 429 (in German) who was among the earliest arrivals in Brandenburg-Prussia,Chaix d'Est-Ange, Tome 18, Page 316 (in French) after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes by the Edict of Fontainebleau in October 1685. Unlike his father and his eldest brother, choosing to not abjure from his Calvinist beliefs, he left his native Béarn in France for Brandenburg-Prussia, where Frederick I of Prussia, then Elector of Brandenburg, was not only encouraging, but actively facilitating, Huguenot immigration.
Von Forcade is erroneously referred to in some Prussian 19th century historical sources as the Marquis de Biaix,Priesdorff, Band 1, Page 354, Nr. 371 (in German) but for neither his father or him there is evidence that he was a marquis. Biaix was not a marquisate, but rather a noble house. He was also never the Seigneur de Biaix; that title, inherited from the grandfather who purchased the Biaix Manor in 1659, went to h is father's eldest brother and then to his son.Chaix d'Est-Ange, Tome 18, Page 315 (in French)
Military career
The lives and careers of both Friedrich Wilhelm Quirin von Forcade de Biaix and his father are intricately linked to the history of the 23rd Prussian Infantry Regiment, founded in 1713 and disbanded in 1806. Forcade spent the majority of his career on the infantry side of this regiment. The regiment also included a company of Grenadiers, the 2nd Grenadier Company. It was garrisoned in Berlin from 1716 until 1806. He later commanded the entire regiment, including the Grenadiers, for 17 years, (14 July 1748 - 23 March 1765). His father commanded the regiment during 13 years (February 1716 - 2 February 1729). During much of its existence, as well as more than 200 years after, it was referred to as Forcade's Regiment. The Regiment is immortalized in the German military marching composition "Das Regiment Forcade" that was in use as late as World War II.
Forcade entered Prussian military service in 1713Lange, Page 91 (in German) during the reign of King Frederick William I of Prussia (1713–40), beginning what would become one of the most notable military careers in the history of the Kingdom of Prussia, spanning some 53 years, and further serving under King Frederick the Great (1740–65).
21 September 1713, appointed as a Fähnrich, an entry-level commissioned officer with the Grenadiers of the Weiße Füsilier-Leibgarde Nr. 1, in the 1st Prussian Infantry Regiment, aka General Field Marshall Count von Wartensleben's Infantry Regiment (in 1788, called von Bornstedt's Regiment).
Great Northern War (1715)
Following Brandenburg-Prussia's declaration of war against Sweden in the summer of 1715, Forcade fought in the Pomeranian Campaigns. He fought at the Siege of Stralsund (15 June 1715 - 23 December 1715), where he was wounded for the first time, the storming of the Peenemuende Lair (21–22 August 1715) and on Rügen Island (16–18 November 1715).
11 January 1716, promoted to second lieutenant. Promoted on 26 May 1719 to first lieutenant. 24 January 1721, promoted to captain in his father's Regiment, the 23rd Prussian Infantry Regiment. At the time, still commonly referred to as the Regiment von Sydow. In 1732, promoted to major in the same regiment. Promoted to lieutenant colonel in 1740.
First Silesian War (1740–1742)
He fought near Glogau (29 December 1740 - 2 January 1741), Breslau (29 December 1740 - 2 January 1741), Ottmachau Palace (12 January 1741), Troppau (23 January 1740), Graetz (25 January 1741), the Battle of Mollwitz (10 April 1741), at Neisse (19 October 1741 - 31 October 1741), Laa (12 March 1742), Bruenn (31 March 1742 - 3 April 1742), Austerlitz (10 April 1742) and Wartha (25–26 May 1742).
30 May 1743, promoted to colonel. In June 1743, he was appointed Amtshauptmann von Zinna (the civil official heading the Zinna district government).
Second Silesian War (1744–1745)
Forcade and the 23rd Prussian Infantry Regiment fought at Prague (2–18 September 1744), Pless aka Josephstadt (27 November 1744), Patschkau (27 December 1744) the Battle of Hohenfriedberg (4 June 1745), Gross- and Klein Bocken (31 July 1745), around Neustadt in Böhmen (11–12 September 1745), at the Battle of Soor (30 September 1745) and at Trautenbach and Schatzlar (16 October 1745).
The regiment lost its Regimentschef, Major General Wolf Alexander Ernst Christoph von Blanckensee, at the Battle of Soor. Forcade himself, was shot through the calf of his right foot. Badly wounded, he was left for dead on the battlefield. King Frederick the Great attributed the glory of the victory to him for his actions on the battlefield that day, and, on 6 January 1746, awarded him the Kingdom of Prussia's highest order of merit, the Pour le Mérite, as well as a pension of 600 Thaler and the title of Canon (Domherr) of Havelberg.
Another episode in 1746 demonstrates just how much King Frederick the Great treasured Forcade. During a ritual presentation at court at the Berlin Palace, Forcade had to lean on a window because of his wounded right foot. The King personally brought him a chair, graciously saying: "My dear Colonel von Forcade, so brave and worthy a man, as He is, well deserves that even the King himself brings him a chair."Komander, Page 310 (in German)Naumann, Band 1, Page 522 (in German)
In 1747, on occasion of the baptism of his son, Friedrich Heinrich Ferdinand Leopold, the King Frederick the Great was the Godfather. As a gift, the King ordered von Forcade to accept the title of Drost zu Neuenrade (the Official responsible for the militarily administrative district of Neuenrade) in the County of Mark with the royal command that it be later transferred to the child. May 1747, promoted to major general, with rank retroactive to 4 December 1743. Appointed on 14 July 1748 as Regimentschef of his father's old regiment, the 23rd Prussian Infantry Regiment, at the time also referred to as Donha's Regiment, after his predecessor, Count Christoph zu Dohna.Gieraths, Band 8, Page 79 (in German)
Seven Years' War (1754–1763)
Forcade commanded his regiment in early engagements near Pirna (11 September 1756 - 16 October 1756).
10 February 1757, promoted to lieutenant general.
Forcade and the 23rd Prussian Infantry Regiment were particularly active during the Seven Years' War.
1757
He commanded his regiment, fighting alongside of his men, at
the Battle of Reichenberg near Kratzau (21 April 1757); Infantry the Battle of Prague (6 May 1757 - 20 June 1757); Infantry and Grenadiers Aussig (27/29 July 1757); Infantry and Grenadiers Kotta (24 August 1757); Grenadiers Markranstädt (29 October 1757); Infantry and Grenadiers the Battle of Rossbach (5 November 1757); Infantry and Grenadiers the Battle of LeuthenLange, Page 92 (in German) (5 December 1757); Infantry and Grenadiers Klein-Mochbern and Maria-Höfchen, near Breslau (6 December 1757); Grenadiers the Siege of Breslau (7–20 December 1757); Infantry Nikolaivorstadt at Görlitz (12 December 1757); Infantry Landeshut (22 December 1757); Grenadiers
Forcade's infantry lost 600 men during each of the battles at Prague and Leuthen.
On 7 December 1757,Ledebur (1835), Band 17, Page 43 (in German) after commanding the Battle of Leuthen in which distinguished himself beyond description, he was awarded the Knight of the Order of the Black Eagle.
When the King took possession of Leuthen, he personally wrote of von Forcade:
English translation: "My dear Lieutenant General von Forkade. I know that he has endured much at this siege, and it is our fortune because of him, that we were soon able to become masters of the city, because he otherwise, without my being able to help or relieve him, would have had to endure even more. So I thank him for it, and because he endured the most here : so shall he also alone have the honor from it. So, I herewith award him not only the Order of the Black Eagle, but also appointed him as Lieutenant governor of Breslau. I have awarded the vacant {command of} the Bremen Grenadier Company in Golz' Regiment to his eldest son, who is my Adjutant, because he well deserves it".
1758
Holice in Bohemia (11–12 July 1758); Infantry the Battle of Zorndorf (25 August 1758); Infantry and Grenadiers the Battle of Jenkwitz (11 October 1758); Infantry the Battle of Hochkirch (14 October 1758); Infantry and Grenadiers
Forcade was wounded again at the Zorndorf. The Prussians lost 12,800 men, the Russians lost 18,000 men at Zorndorf. Forcade lost 1,600 of his men that day, 800 each from his infantry and Grenadiers, as well as the Grenadier's commanding officer, Major Ernst Sigismund von Wedell.
He again lost 1,600 of his men again at Hochkirch, 800 each from his infantry and Grenadiers, where the Prussians were defeated on the battlefield.
1759
the Battle of Friedland in Bohemia (9 September 1759); Infantry
During this successful battle, Forcade's infantry took 700 prisoners and destroyed an important munitions depot.
1760
in April 1760, he marched the regiment to Pomerania and forced the Russian General Tottleben to retreat from the province to the Polish border. the Siege of Dresden (13–22 July 1760); Infantry and Grenadiers Adelsdorf (9 August 1760); Grenadier the Battle of Liegnitz (15 August 1760); Infantry and Grenadiers Hochgiersdorf (17 September 1760); Grenadier Schöna (2 November 1760); Grenadier the Battle of Torgau (3 November 1760); Infantry and Grenadiers
At the Battle of Torgau, Forcade lost 15 officers and more than 600 men.
1761
Schwadronschef (Rittmeister) of the 2nd Grenadier CompanyGieraths, Band 8, Page 111 (in German) under Prince Augustus Ferdinand of Prussia. an entrenched camp near Bunzelwitz (20 August 1761 - 25 September 1761); Infantry
1762
1762, commanded a special corps under Prince Henry of Prussia in Saxony. the Battle of Grethen (9 March 1762); Grenadiers
Although Forcade's Grenadiers won the Battle of Grethen against 4,000 Austrians, they lost their commanding officer, Major Joachim Friedrich von Rathenow, who died from his wounds a week after the battle.
Döbeln (12 May 1762); Grenadiers