Carl von Clausewitz

Carl von Clausewitz was born in 1780 in a small town near Magdeburg in Prussia, joined the Prussian army as a cadet at twelve and first saw battle at thirteen. He graduated first in his class from the military academy in Berlin and became the favourite pupil of the military reformer Scharnhorst. In 1806 he was captured by the French in the campaign of Jena. Unwilling to serve an alliance with Napoleon, he resigned his Prussian commission and joined the Russian army, fighting against Napoleon in 1812 and witnessing the battle of Borodino and the great French retreat. Returning later to the Prussian army, he took part in the Waterloo campaign. He then directed the military academy in Berlin for twelve years, devoting himself to writing On War, but died of cholera before he could finish it. His wife edited the manuscript for publication.