Page 50 - History of War - Issue 29-16

GREAT BATTLES

once that was done, they turned their guns on “THE LONG LINES OF PRUSSIAN INFANTRY NORTHWEST OF THE
focused rst on disabling French batteries –
Lebrun’s XII Corps suffered converging re CITY SPELLED DOOM FOR THE FRENCH ARMY OF CHÂLONS”
the unsupported French infantry.
from Prussian guns to the east, as well as
dozens of Prussians guns on the opposite that reason, Wimpffen countermanded Ducrot’s caught in a deadly cross re from the Prussian
side of the Meuse. Lebrun said his corps orders for a general withdrawal from the guns in front of them, as well as Prussian guns
experienced, “an avalanche of iron.” Givonne line. He ordered Lebrun to drive the en lading them from across the Meuse.
Reinforced by the Saxons who attacked Bavarians from Balan and directed additional The long lines of Prussian infantry,
with xed bayonets, and assisted by massed French guns to support the counterattack. northwest of city, spelled doom for the French
artillery on both banks, the Bavarians pushed As the Bavarians and Saxons battled the Army of Châlons. The two Prussian corps
through Bazeilles and advanced on the next French east of the citadel, at 7.30am Crown steadily forced back the French VII Corps. The
village, Balan. Prince Frederick William sent two of his infantry French only had two days’ worth of rations in
A key event occurred that morning that corps to assail the French from the northwest. Sedan for their army. Unless the French could
would shape the course of the battle when Von Bose’s XI Corps led the way, followed by punch through that line, they were likely to be
MacMahon was severely injured in the leg General Hugo von Kirchbach’s V Corps. In order bottled up in Sedan with no rations to feed
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by shrapnel while riding at 5am towards the to reach their attack positions, the two corps the soldiers. Prussian
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had to march around a long bend in the Meuse.
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sound of battle east of the city. Ducrot, who had to march around a long bend in the Meuse. shells exploded
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was second-in-command, believed it was best Once his regiments reached their attack
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for the French to retreat west before they were positions, Von Bose hurled them against the left
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positions, Von Bose hurled them against the left
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surrounded. He therefore issued orders for ank of Douay’s VII Corps, which was waiting
the French I and XII corps to begin withdrawing for them at Floing. While von Bose’s attack
west. A short time later, Wimpffen handed was under way, Kirchbach led his men onto
Ducrot a directive signed by the French minister the plateau that Ducrot had hoped to use to
of war. The directive stated that if MacMahon facilitate a French withdrawal to the west. When
facilitate a French withdrawal to the west. When
was wounded, Wimpffen, not Ducrot, was to their regiments became intermingled, Kirchbach
their regiments became intermingled, Kirchbach
replace him as army commander. Ducrot had assumed overall control of both corps. The
no choice but relinquish command. French were ring from shallow trenches on
Unaware that an entire Prussian army was some of the ridges between the villages of
advancing up the right bank of the Meuse, Floing and Illy and it was hard to pry them
Wimpffen believed it might be possible for the out. The Third Army deployed 144 guns from
French to ght their way through the Prussian 24 batteries ring explosive shells to support
line east of Sedan and resume their march to the two corps. French batteries supporting
relieve the French army trapped in Metz. For the VII Corps near the village of Floing were
Two Prussian soldiers survey rank
upon rank of captured French
artillery following the battle
After victory in the Franco-Prussian war, Prussian
king William I was proclaimed as the German
Emperor at the Palace of Versailles
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