Joseph Nikolaus Freiherr de Vins or Joseph de Wins, joined the army of Habsburg Austria and fought in the Seven Years' War where he was decorated for bravery. By 1773 he earned promotion to general officer. From 1783 he held important posts on the Military Frontier and led an independent corps in Croatia during the Austro-Turkish War. In the French Revolutionary Wars he commanded the joint forces of Austria and the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont from 1792 until 1795. Though the French were held at bay during his tenure, his slowness and poor health prevented Piedmont's lost territories from being recovered. Throughout the period much tension existed between the two allies. Ironically, the day after De Vins resigned, the French attacked and badly defeated his replacement. He was Proprietor (Inhaber) of an Austrian infantry regiment from 1784 until his death.

The liberation of Cetingrad was a military conflict between the Croatian Corps of the Habsburg monarchy's army, led by Feldzeugmeister Joseph Nikolaus Baron de Vins, and the Ottoman army, led by Dizdar-Agha Ali-Bey Beširević, dealing with possession of Cetin Castle and its surrounding area, in central Croatia. The conflict was part of a military campaign within the Austro-Turkish War (1788–1791). Habsburg forces besieged the castle between 22 June and 20 July 1790, and, after almost a month, the operation ended victoriously for the Habsburg troops. Cetingrad, an important stronghold in the Croatian Military Frontier that had fallen into the hands of the Ottoman conquerors in the 16th century again became part of the Kingdom of Croatia.