Battle of Gravelotte

The Battle of Gravelotte was the largest battle of the Franco-Prussian War. It took place on 18 August 1870. The fighting happened near the village of Gravelotte in Lorraine. This battle was a turning point in the conflict. It prevented the French Army of the Rhine from retreating west to Verdun. Instead, the French were forced into a long siege.

The battle began because the Prussian forces were pursuing the French army. The previous day, the two sides had fought at the Battle of Mars-la-Tour. After that fight, the French army under Marshal François Achille Bazaine retreated. The Prussians wanted to stop the French from joining other forces at Sedan. To protect themselves, the French occupied high ground east of the Moselle river. Their lines stretched from the town of Rozerieulles to the village of St. Privat. Because they lacked digging tools, the soldiers used hedges and low walls for cover.

The German forces were led by King Wilhelm I. This force included the Prussian First and Second Armies. The German side had 188,332 officers and men. They also brought 210 infantry battalions and 133 cavalry squadrons to the field. Most importantly, they had 732 heavy cannons to support their troops. The French defended their positions with powerful technology. They used the Chassepot rifle, which was a superior long-range weapon. They also used mitrailleuses, which were early rapid-firing guns. These weapons made the Prussian advances very difficult.

The fighting happened in several intense waves throughout the day. At 08:00, King Wilhelm ordered the armies to advance. By midday, German troops were moving toward the village of Amanvillers. At 14:30, General Steinmetz sent his VIII Corps across the Mance Ravine. However, the French rifle and mitrailleuse fire pinned them down. At 15:00, the Germans used new Krupp all-steel breech-loading guns. These artillery pieces fired shells to support the infantry. Despite this, the early Prussian attacks failed to break the French lines.

A major shift occurred in the late afternoon. At 16:50, the Prussian Guards attacked the French position at St. Privat. This area was commanded by Marshal Canrobert. The Prussian Guards faced lethal gunfire on the slopes. At 18:30, some units in the Prussian First Army panicked and withdrew toward Rezonville. To stop the attack from failing, Prince Friedrich Karl ordered a massive artillery barrage. By 20:00, the Prussian 4th Infantry Division arrived to stabilize the line. Finally, the Prussian Guards and the XII Corps captured St. Privat.

The human cost of the battle was extremely high. The Prussian and Hessian forces suffered 20,163 casualties. This number includes troops who were killed, wounded, or missing. The French army lost 12,275 men in total. This included 1,146 killed and 6,709 wounded. They also took 4,420 prisoners of war. The Prussian Guards suffered particularly heavy losses. They lost about 8,000 men out of their 18,000 total strength. In the village of St. Privat, the French units lost more than half of their soldiers.

The aftermath of Gravelotte changed the course of the war. Because the Prussians held the field, Bazaine's army could not reach Verdun. The French troops withdrew into the fortress city of Metz the next morning. This led to a siege that lasted over two months. The French Army of the Rhine finally surrendered on 27 October 1870. The victory at Gravelotte ensured that the German armies could continue their campaign against France.