Friedrich Christoph von Saldern

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Friedrich Christoph von Saldern (2 January 1719 – 14 March 1785) was a Prussian general and military writer,

Saldern was born in the Prignitz. He entered the Prussian Army in 1735 and, on account of his great stature, was transferred to the Guards in 1739. As one of Frederick II's aides-de-camp he was the first to discover the approach of Neipperg's Austrians at the Battle of Mollwitz.

He commanded a guard battalion at the Battle of Leuthen, again distinguished himself at the Battle of Hochkirch and was promoted major-general. In 1760 at Liegnitz Frederick gave him four hours in which to collect, arrange and despatch the spoils of the battle, 6000 prisoners, 100 wagons, 82 guns and 5000 muskets. His complete success made him a marked man even in Frederick's army.

At the Battle of Torgau, Saldern and von Möllendorf with their brigades converted a lost battle into a great victory by their desperate assault on the Siptitz Heights. The manoeuvring skill, as well as the iron resolution, of the attack, has excited the wonder of modern critics, and after Torgau Saldern was accounted the "completest general of infantry alive" (Carlyle). In the following winter, however, being ordered by Frederick to sack Hubertusburg, Saldern refused on the ground of conscience. Nothing was left for him but to retire, but Frederick was well aware that he needed Saldern's experience and organizing ability, and after the peace the general was at once made inspector of the troops at Magdeburg. In 1766 he became lieutenant-general.

The remainder of his life was spent in the study of military sciences in which he became a pedant of the most pronounced type. In one of his works he discussed at great length the question between 76 and 75 paces to the minute as the proper cadence of infantry. There can be no question that "Saldern-tactics" were the most extreme form of pedantry to which troops were ever subjected, and contributed powerfully to the disaster of Jena in 1806. His works included Taktik der Infanterie (Dresden, 1784) and Taktische Grundsatze (Dresden, 1786), and were the basis of the British "Dundas" drill-book.

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• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.