Hans Charles Johannes Beck

Beck was born on 1 October 1817 at Saint Croix, the son of Artillery Captain Hans Peter Gustav Beck, who was the fort commander. After Hans' death in 1822, Johannes Beck moved to Copenhagen along with his mother Gertrude Cathrine née Smith. He became a cadet in 1831 and was appointed as a second lieutenant in 1838 within the 2nd Life Regiment until he was transferred to the Royal Regiment from 1839 to 1844 when he graduated from the military college and became a candidate for the Danish general staff. By the time the First Schleswig War broke out in 1848, Beck was a first lieutenant, becoming an adjutant within the 1st Infantry Brigade. He participated in the Battle of Schleswig and the Siege of Steppinge. For his services, he was promoted to captain and awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of the Dannebrog. In 1849, he was made a member of the general staff and became deputy commander of the Ryes Corps which he would command in the Battle of Kolding and would participate in further skirmishes at Dons-Almind, Vejle and Aarhus during the retreat through Northern Jutland and he would be awarded the Golden Medal of Merit.^[2][3]

A part of the corps was then sent as a brigade from Helgenæs to Fredericia as Beck became the chief of staff there and initially participated under Major General Olaf Rye until his death at the Battle of Fredericia and Beck was made the deputy chief of the general command in Jutland under General C. F. Moltke [da] at the Battle of Helligbæk and at the Battle of Isted. After the peace treaty, he was first chief of staff of the Commandanture of Schleswig, later becoming deputy chief of staff at the general command in Northern Jutland and finally became the chief of staff at the general command at Holstein and Lauenborg in 1852. In 1857, Beck was promoted to major as he later made a long journey through Europe and then became chief of the general staff's tactical cepartment until his transfer to the 1st Division as chief of staff in 1863.^[2][3]