Wenzel Joseph von Colloredo-Mels und Wallsee (15 October 1738 – 4 September 1822) served in the army of Habsburg Austria from the middle to the end of the 18th century. For the subsequent two decades, he continued to serve the Austrian military in non-combat roles. During the Seven Years' War, he fought at Prague, Maxen, Torgau, and other actions. He held field commands in the Austro-Turkish War. During the War of the First Coalition he led troops at Neerwinden, Raismes, Famars, Caesar's Camp, and Maubeuge. In 1784, he became Proprietor (Inhaber) of an Austrian infantry regiment and held the position until his death. He was promoted Field Marshal in 1808.
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Family
Born on 15 October 1738, Wenzel Joseph von Colloredo was the fifth child and fourth son of Rudolph Joseph von Colloredo-Wallsee (1706–1788), a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, and Marie Gabriele von Starhemberg (1707–1793). His brothers were Franz de Paula Gundackar von Colloredo (1731–1807), Hieronymus von Colloredo (1732–1812), and Joseph Maria von Colloredo (1735–1818). His sisters were Maria Antonie (1728–1757), Marie Gabriele (1741–1801), Marie Therese (1744–1828), Marie Franziska (1746–1795), Marie Caroline (1752–1832). Wenzel Joseph had nine other siblings who died young. Hieronymus became Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg in 1772. Joseph Maria was promoted Field Marshal in 1789. Wenzel Joseph never married.
Seven Years and Austro-Turkish Wars
Colloredo joined the Austrian Carl Colloredo Infantry Regiment Nr. 40 before the Seven Years' War as an ensign and distinguished himself at the Battle of Prague in 1757. He also fought at the Battle of Maxen in 1759 and at the Battle of Torgau in 1760 where the regiment withstood the first Prussian assault. For this exploit, Colloredo was promoted major. After fighting in several more actions, he was appointed Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel) of the Waldeck Infantry Regiment Nr. 35 on 1 April 1762. He replaced his brother Joseph as Oberst (colonel) of the Lacy Infantry Regiment Nr. 22 on 8 February 1764 and remained the regiment's commander until 1770 when Anton Mittrowsky assumed leadership. Colloredo became a knight of the Teutonic Order in 1764. He earned promotion to Generalmajor on 1 May 1773 and to Feldmarschall-Leutnant on 10 April 1783.
Colloredo was appointed inhaber (proprietor) of Infantry Regiment Nr. 56 in 1784. He succeeded the previous inhaber, Jacob Nugent who held the position since 1767. From May 1784 to August 1786 he was commanding general in Slavonia and Syrmia. At the beginning of the Austro-Turkish War, he commanded a body of troops on the Almaș River. In 1789–1790, he led an observation corps in Galicia. In June 1789, he commanded a division in Field Marshal András Hadik's main army. It consisted of 6,895 infantry and 2,350 cavalry. Colloredo was promoted Feldzeugmeister on 26 December 1789. He was commander of Inner Austria and the Tyrol from September 1790 to March 1797.
War of the First Coalition
After the French Republican army overran the Austrian Netherlands, a 40,000-man Allied army under Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld was assembled to reconquer the province. At the Battle of Neerwinden on 18 March 1793, Coburg with 30,000 infantry and 9,000 cavalry faced Charles François Dumouriez with 40,000 infantry and 4,500 cavalry. The French were beaten and withdrew behind the French border. At Neerwinden, Colloredo commanded the Second Rank of the Main Body, a force of 6 battalions and 10 squadrons. There were two battalions each of Infantry Regiments Brechainville Nr. 25 and Callenberg Nr. 54 and one battalion each of Infantry Regiments Alton Nr. 15 and Joseph Colloredo Nr. 57. The mounted troops consisted of 6 squadrons of Zeschwitz Cuirassier Regiment Nr. 10, and two squadrons each of Karaczay Chevau-léger Regiment Nr. 18 and Coburg Dragoon Regiment Nr. 37.
Colloredo was named Reichs-General of the Cavalry for the Holy Roman Empire on 8 April 1793. In an action preliminary to the Battle of Raismes on 1 May 1793, the French attacked the Coalition army covering the Siege of Condé. One French column under François Joseph Drouot de Lamarche set out from Curgies. When the French soldiers encountered Austrian cavalry led by Colloredo, they panicked and fled. Colloredo pursued them until they withdrew into their fortified camp. Colloredo was not involved in the 8 May fighting.
In the Battle of Famars on 23 May, Coburg attacked the French army with two main columns and seven lesser columns. He sent 16 battalions, 18 squadrons, and 38 position guns under Frederick, Duke of York and Albany in a wide sweep around the French right flank and 12 battalions, 12 squadrons, and 23 position guns under Joseph de Ferraris on a narrower sweep. Colloredo led a column that covered Ferraris' right flank. Colloredo's force was named the First Small Column and included one battalion each of the Austrian Infantry Regiments Beaulieu Nr. 31, Splenyi Nr. 51, and Wenzel Colloredo Nr. 56, two squadrons of the Esterhazy Hussar Regiment Nr. 32. Colloredo's Hanoverian contingent consisted of two battalions of the 5th Infantry Regiment, and two squadrons each of the 5th and 7th Cavalry Regiments. He also commanded two 12-pounder position guns. Ferraris' assault overran part of the French defenses, but York's column did not reach an attacking position until nightfall, so its assault was called off. During the night, the French withdrew from the Camp of Famars. The lesser columns were mostly unsuccessful. On 28 May, Colloredo was awarded the Commander's Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa.
Later career
Colloredo became deputy to the commanding general in Moravia and Silesia in 1797–1798. He was appointed Inspector General of the Military Border in November 1798. He held the position until March 1802 when he was selected to be a captain of the Trabanten Life Guard. He served in the Hofkriegsrat from August 1806 to April 1810 and from November 1813 to June 1814. In December 1814, Colloredo was promoted Field Marshal on 6 September 1808. He was again appointed captain of the Trabanten Life Guard from December 1814 until his death. In 1805–1806, he was province commander of the Koblenz bailiwick in the Teutonic Order. He was awarded the Golden Civil Honor Cross on 26 May 1815. Colloredo died at Vienna on 4 September 1822. Carl von Fürstenwerther was appointed the next inhaber of Infantry Regiment Nr. 56 in 1825.