[1] His education took place initially in his parents' home until the age of 15 when he enrolled in grammar school in Brandenburg an der Havel.

In the Berlin revolution of 1848, he was on duty at the royal palace as Colonel of the 1st Foot Guards Regiment.

[5] In the Second Schleswig War in 1864, Herwarth von Bittenfeld succeeded to the command of the Prussians when Prince Friedrich Karl became commander-in-chief of the allies, and it was under his leadership that the Prussians forced the passage into Als following the victory over General Steinmann on 29 June, ending the war soon after.

His troops won the actions of Hühnerwasser and Münchengrätz, and at Königgrätz formed the right wing of the Prussian army.

[5] Returning to command of the VIII Corps after the war, Herwarth von Bittenfeld became a member of the Reichstag of the North German Confederation from 1867 until 1870; representing the Wittlich-Bernkastel constituency as a conservative.

[5] In 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War, Herwarth von Bittenfeld was not employed in the field, but was in charge of the scarcely less important business of organizing and forwarding all the reserves and material required for the armies in France and later overseeing prisoner of war camps when the threat of French invasion was eliminated.