Knobelsdorff, originally a cavalry officer, had received awards in the Silesian Wars and was commander of the regiments of Brunswick-Severn on foot and black on foot before 1776 as a colonel and chief of the regiment took Stojentin walk in Stendal. In the War of the Bavarian Succession in 1778, he led a brigade in the army of Prince Henry, and distinguished himself in it. In the campaign against Holland in 1787, he led the division on the left wing. The army leader at that time was the Ferdinand, Duke of Brunswick. At the outbreak of war in 1792 against France, he remained in Stendal, while his regiment joined the corps of the Duke of Brunswick. However, as the worsening war situation in March 1793, when the Duke fell ill and had to leave the coalition forces, Knobelsdorff took over for hi