The Battle of Sedan

This series has five easy 5 minute installments. This first installment: German Army Crosses the Meuse River.

Introduction
The Franco-Prussian War was the last major war that France fought without an alliance.

Napoleon meant to take a strong initiative and invade Germany but after his declaration of war (July 19, 1870), he found the movements of the German armies too quick for him. The first important battle was fought at Weissenburg in Lower Alsace, August 4, 1870, and was won by the Germans. The French were turned back, and their enemies became the invaders. German victories followed in rapid succession -— Woerth, Spicheren, Colombey-Nouilly, Vionville, Gravelotte were all won by August 18th -— the French were driven from all sides toward Sedan, and there, on September 1st, the decisive battle of the war was fought. Moltke’s account of this engagement, which, on the German side, he directed as chief of staff under King William, forms a part of his famous history of the Franco-Prussian War. The letter of Bismarck that follows Moltke’s narrative was written to Bismarck’s wife, but never reached her. It was captured in the mail by French soldiers and was published in a French newspaper. Bismarck, the “Creator of German Unity,” was at this time chancellor of the North German Confederation, and was often present with the armies in the field.

The selections are from:

• The Franco-German War of 1870-1871 by Helmuth von Moltke published in 1893.
• letter to wife by Otto von Bismark published in 1870.

For works benefiting from the latest research see the “More information” section at the bottom of these pages.

There’s 4.5 installments by Helmuth von Moltke and 0.5 installments by Otto von Bismark.

We begin with Helmuth von Moltke (1800-1891). He was the top general of the Prussian/German army.

Time: 1870
Place: Sedan, France

While the Fifth French Corps were still fighting at Beaumont [1], and before the rest of the army had crossed the Meuse, General MacMahon had given orders that it was to concentrate on Sedan.

[1: Here, August 30, 1870, the Germans defeated a division of the French army under General MacMahon.—ED.]

He did not intend to offer battle there, but it was indispensable to give his troops a short rest and provide them with food and ammunition. He meant to retreat afterward via Mézières, whither General Vinoy was just then proceeding with the newly formed Thirteenth Corps. The First Corps, which had arrived at Carignan early in the afternoon, detached two of its divisions to Douzy in the evening to check any further advance of the Germans.

Though pursuit immediately after the battle was prevented by the intervening river, the retreat of the French soon assumed the character of a rout. The troops were worn out with their efforts by day and night, in continuous rain, and with but scanty supplies of food. The marching to and fro, to no visible purpose, had undermined their confidence in their leaders, and a series of defeats had shaken their self-reliance.

Marshal MacMahon must have known that the only chance of safety for his army, or even part of it, was to continue immediately the retrograde movement on September 1st. Of course the Crown Prince of Prussia, [2] who held the key to every passage over the Meuse, would have fallen on the flank of the retiring army, and would have pursued it to the frontier, a distance of little more than a mile. That the attempt was not risked is probably owing to the state of the worn-out troops. They were as yet incapable of a retreat in close order; they could only fight where they stood.

[2: The Crown Prince Frederick William in the Franco-Prussian War commanded the Third Army.-ED.]

The Germans, on their side, still believed that the enemy would make for Mézieres. The Army of the Meuse was instructed to attack them in their position and detain them there; the Third Army to press ahead on the right side of the river, leaving only one corps on the left bank.

The rear of the French was protected by the fortress of Sedan. The Meuse and the valleys of the Givonne and the Floing offered formidable obstructions, but this line of defense must be obstinately held. The Calvary of Illy [Calvaire d’Illy] was one of their most important points, strengthened as it was by the Bois de Garennes in its rear, whence a ridge extends to Bazeilles and offers protection in its numerous dips and shoulders. The road ran past Illy, should it become necessary to enter neutral territory. Bazeilles, on the other hand, which, as regards situation, formed a strong point d’appui for the line facing the Givonne, stands on a promontory, which, after the loss of the bridges across the Meuse, was open to attack on two sides.

In order to cooperate with the Army of the Meuse and hem in the French in their position, General von der Tann sent his first brigade over the pontoon bridges toward Bazeilles by four o’clock in the morning in a thick mist. The troops attacked the town, but found the streets barricaded, while they were fired on from every house. The company at the head pressed forward to the north gate, suffering great losses, but the others were driven out of the western part of Bazeilles, while engaged in street fighting, on the arrival of the Second Brigade of the French Twelfth Corps. However, they kept possession of the buildings at the southern end of the town and thence issued to repeated assaults. As fresh troops were constantly coming up on both sides, and the French even were reinforced by a brigade of the First and one of the Fifth Corps, the murderous combat lasted for many hours with wavering success; the fight for the Villa Beurmann, near the end of the high street and commanding its whole length, was especially fierce. The citizens took active part in the struggle, and they too had to be shot down.

The strong array of guns drawn up on the left ridge of the valley of the Meuse could not be brought to bear on the crowded streets of Bazeilles, now blazing in several places; but when, at eight o’clock, the Eighth Prussian Division had arrived at Remilly, General von der Tann ordered his last brigade into action. The walled park of Monvillers was stormed and an entrance was gained to Villa Beurmann. The artillery crossed the bridges about nine o’clock, and the Eighth Division was required to give its aid in a struggle begun by the Bavarians at La Moncelle, to the south of Bazeilles.

Otto von Bismark begins here.

More information here and here and below.

We want to take this site to the next level but we need money to do that. Please contribute directly by signing up at https://www.patreon.com/history