Friedrich Wilhelm von Schmettau

Friedrich Wilhelm Karl Graf von Schmettau (April 13, 1743 – October 18, 1806) was a Prussian lieutenant general, cartographer, topographer, and nobleman.

During his temporary retirement, Schmettau worked as a cartographer and topographer just as his father had and created some of the highest-quality maps of the Prussian realm at the time.

Schmettau made a brief return to military service in 1787 now under the rank of colonel, and was tasked by the new king Frederick Wilhelm II with mapping the Silesian Mountains.

This was in an attempt to dislodge the French forces under Marshall Davout, who had not expected to encounter such a large Prussian Army and aimed to mount a cautious defense.

Both the battles of Jena and Auerstedt would be crushing Prussian defeats, leading to the later dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire and the creation of the Confederation of the Rhine, though Schmettau would not live to see this.