25 May 1896 no relation Second Italian War of Independence
Franz Kuhn von Kuhnenfeld (15 July 1817 – 25 May 1896) was an Austro-Hungarian military officer who fought against Giuseppe Garibaldi in the wars of Italian independence and served as Imperial and Royal Minister of War from 1868 to 1874. During his term, a unified system of conscription for both Cisleithania (Austria proper) and Transleithania (Hungary and Croatia) was introduced, corporal punishment in military service was abolished, and the Franz-Josephinian Land Survey was initiated. He was a supporter of the Austro-Hungarian polar expedition and an opponent of the Austria-Hungary's 1879 alliance with the German Empire.Life
Kuhn was born 15 July 1817 in Proßnitz, Moravia, Austrian Empire (now Prostějov in the Czech Republic), the son of Major Franz von Kuhn (1772-1842), who had been ennobled in 1823, and the farmer's daughter Johanna Schwab (1787-1856). He graduated with distinction from the Theresian Military Academy in Wiener Neustadt and entered military service in 1837. He served on the quartermaster general staff as a Major during the wars of 1848 and 1849 in Italy and Hungary. Subsequently, Kuhn was chief of the general staff of the 11th army corps in Hungary for several years. In 1852 he was granted baronial status and married Rosa von Thuren. He was promoted to Oberstleutnant (lieutenant colonel) in 1853. In 1856, Kuhn became professor of military strategy at the military academy in Vienna. He participated in the Second Italian War of Independence in 1859, as chief of general staff to Field Marshal Ferenc Gyulay, On 29 October 1863, he was promoted to the rank of Major General.
In the Third Italian War of Independence in 1866, General Kuhn was given independent command over the defence of Tirol against the Italians. Although outnumbered, he managed to fend off attacks by Giuseppe Garibaldi's forces in skirmishes at Monte Suello (3 July), Vezza (4 July), Spondalunga (11 July), Cimego (16 July), and Monte Notta (18 July). On the 21st of July, his central force was defeated by Garibaldi at the Battle of Bezzecca and Trento came under immediate threat, but he was able to recover the position in skirmishes against the Italian troops under Giacomo Medici at Borgo Valsugana on 23 July and at Vigolo on 25 July. Due to his well-chosen troop disposition and his flexible leadership, he was able to regain control of the Trentino. For his successful defence of the southern border of Tyrol, he was awarded the Commander's Cross in the Order of Maria Theresa and on 17 August 1866 he was promoted to lieutenant field marshal.
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