I have two questions about the following Prussian officer: Oberst Alexander Wilhelm von der Goltz was commanding a Brigade of the prussian occupying forces in France after the campaign of 1815. In October 1817 he was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Legion of Honor. The prussian king approved a permission to wear the French award.
Can anyone tell me the reason for this award?
On 1.12.1817 he became Commander of the prussian 16th Brigade in Koblenz and was promoted to Generalmajor on 19.09.1818.
Obviously he had some personal problems with his Division-Commander General von Ryssel II. On 20 January 1820 Generalmajor von der Goltz died in a duel with General von Ryssel II in Koblenz.
Does anyone know more about the circumstances of this duel?
Thank you very much, Rob. You are probably right in assuming that command alone was enough to get the award. Other senior officers also received the award. I dare not imagine what the greater part of the french officer corps thought about it ...
In the meantime, I've found out something about the duel. It already took place in September. General von der Goltz was shot in the shin. The wound became infected, but the general refused to amputate the foot. He died of gangrene four months later. Still searching for the cause of the duel...
According to Wikipedia from 1815 til 1817 he commanded a brigade of the Prussian Army Corps in France. That, I think, would be enough to explain the reward of the Legion of Honor.