Scharnhorst, Gerhard Johann David von (1755–1813)

Prussian soldier. In 1801 he became director of the military academy at Berlin. Chief of the general staff in the war of 1806, he distinguished himself in the retreat of the Prussian army, being wounded at Auerstadt. His greatest work was the reorganization of the Prussian army, based on universal conscription, after the collapse of 1806–07. Scharnhorst was born in Bordenau, near Hanover, Germany. He died of a wound received at Lützen, Germany.