Baron Frederick Bianchi duke of Casalanza, was born in Vienna in 1768; since his
childhood, he showed a special disposition towards military life. He was only
11 when his mother died and he was entrusted to the care of a bourgeois from Vienna;
this good-natured, thoughtful man followed the advice of an old officer and consented
to invest Frederick's mother's modest heritage and pay for his board and tuition
at the Military Engineer Corps Academy in Vienna. Frederick's father, Giacomo
Bianchi, had been called to teach physics and chemistry at Paris University. He
died in Paris around 1785.
Thanks to the influence of a few men of learning, who were friends of his father's,
young Frederick was able to enter the Military Engineer Corps Academy in Vienna,
where he soon made such progress to be appointed lieutenant in the Engineer Corps
in Sirmia Slavonian army. In 1788, Laudhon, who commanded the army, opened the
campaign laying siege to the strongholds of Dubitza and of Novi . This entreprise
had failed several times, but it was successful in Dubitza. Bianchi was mentioned
as one of those who had most distinguished themselves and the general appointed
him first lieutenant. After peace was made with the Turks, lieutenant Bianchi
assumed the command of the garrison of Gradisca fortress, but he was soon called
back to the battlefields by the war that broke out in 1792. In 1793, when he was
at the sieges of Valenciennes and of Quesnoy, he was made a captain towards the
end of the former. He was called back to the Engineer Corps in 1795, joined marshal
Wurmser's Army and reached Italy from the Rhine. He was again serving as a staff
officer when Brescia was captured; he then took Joachim Murat prisoner, who was
only an aide-de-camp at the time. On 14th January 1797, he commanded the count
of Lusignano's column, which was composed of six battalions, and took his position
at the base of mount Pipoli behind Rivoli. Colonel Lusignano ignored all the warnings
he received and didn't take part in the battle. When the French came back to face
Lusignano's column, after they had fought against the other troops, they found
it hadn't moved; captain Bianchi was caught in the disastrous retreat and was
taken to Milan as a prisoner. A few days later, he was given back his freedom
thanks to an exchange Napoleon asked general Alvinzy; and was given a safe-conduct
to return to Tyrol through the territory of Verona. At the end of 1798 prince
Frederick of Orange assumed the command of the army and captain Bianchi was appointed
his aide-de-camp. Unfortunately, the prince died before he could start the campaign.
Nevertheless, the Emperor, who had been told about Bianchi's merits, entrusted
him with the task of taking young archduke Ferdinand to archduke Charles, who
was starting the 1799 campaign in Germany and in Switzerland. Even if he had been
a lieutenant - colonel for only three months, Bianchi was appointed colonel thanks
to archduke Ferdinand's loyalty. When peace was made, in 1804 colonel Bianchi,
who had assumed the command of 48th infantry regiment, was entrusted with an expedition
to Cattaro, whose inhabitants had been raised by the people of Montenegro.
At the end of the short compaign in Germany, adjutant - general Bianchi commanded
the 48th regiment until 1807; in that year he was made a brigadier. In 1809 he
took part in several battles in front of Ratisbon and in the retreat of Vienna.
During the battle of Aspern, general Frederick Bianchi was given the command of
the city. After this memorable combat, archduke Charles wanted to pass the Danube
near Presburg, where they were trying to build a bridge as well as a trench on
the right bank. The prince knew he could count on Bianchi's courage, so he sent
him there with ten battalions, six squadrons and seventeen artillery pieces. They
had just reached their positions, on 3rd June, when marshal Davoust arrived with
his troops and tried to push the Austrians back beyond the Danube. Even if attacks
were often repeated and artillery fire and bombing from the city were intense
for three days and three nights, Bianchi resisted and managed to finish the bridge
head, which he kept until the end of the battle of Wagram. Bianchi was immediately
awarded Mary Therese's military cross.
In the same year he was promoted lieutenant-general; the following year he commanded
the 63rd infantry regiment and was infantry inspector in Ungary. In 1813, Bianchi's
division was placed in the reserves of the Great Army; on August 26th they were
in front of Dresden and were ordered to attack the trench that was situated in
front of Freyberg gate. When the enemies learned that Napoleon was coming back
from Silesia, general Bianchi was attacked with such vigour, that he was only
able to resist in front of the trenches thanks to a strenuous defence, which cost
his division the lives of 200,000 men. Bianchi distinguished himself in the battle
of Leipzig, where he maintained his position even if he ran the risk of being
attacked from the rear side. In the night between 16th and 17th october, emperor
Alexander asked prince Wolkonski for Saint George's cross, which he was wearing
on his neck, and sent it to general Bianchi by one of his aides-de-camp as a reward
for his behaviour during the sanguinary battle of Leipzig. The battle started
again on 18th October; Bianchi's division had three thousand men who were either
wounded or dead.
On the day after the battle Bianchi was awarded Mary Therese's military commander's
order cross. All the brigadiers and the division colonels were awarded the knight's
cross of the same order. Such a rapid and distinguished promotion had never been
seen in the Austrian army. In 1814 Bianchi commanded the first army corps; the
vanguard division had occupied Fontainebleau when the French started their attack
against Montereau. On 21st February, the first Austrian army corps was sent to
Dijon to contrast general Augereau's advance. On 11th March the French attacked
the Austrian troops and pushed them back as far as Macon, where they fought for
several hours. In 1815 Murat, king of Naples, decided to fight against the Austrians
in Italy; Bianchi was given the command of a large number of troops in order to
put down Murat's unespected riot. When Napoleon came back from Elba Island, general
Frimont, who commanded the Lombardy army, deprived general Bianchi of a part of
his troops. Thus, Bianchi was left with only an army corps of about 20,000 men,
who, according to general Frimont's order, were divided into two divisions and
were separated by the Apennines.
This decision had been taken in order to join them when the Neapolitan army would
reach Ancona; nevertheless, it was to have serious consequences. In fact, king
Murat saw Bianchi's division coming from Foligno towards Tolentino, so he decided
to fight lieutenant-general count of Neipperg's division in front of Senigallia,
on the Adriatic coast, even if his troops were inferior in number; after that,
he would attack Bianchi's division, which was heading for Macerata, with a larger
army. General Frimont, who had foreseen Murat's plans, ordered general Bianchi
to withdraw and avoid the combat if it was necessary. King Murat was known to
be both courageous and expert in military matters; if he had managed to reach
his State with his whole army, he would have continued the war as long as he wanted.
Bianchi, who was confident both of his troops and of the strong position of Tolentino,
decided to try and resist for two more days, so that count of Neipperg's division
could reach him from Jesi. The outcome of the battle of Tolentino is known, as
well as the events that followed. General Bianchi's exploits were appreciated
as they deserved; several Courts granted him honours; king Ferdinand I of the
Two Sicilies made him duke of Casalanza and added a remarkable allowance. Emperor
Francis granted him an increase in his salary, which baron Bianchi generously
and tactfully employed for charity. Field-marshal lieutenant Bianchi was appointed
brigadier general; he died in Sauer Brunn in 1855.