Gravelotte-St. Privat, Battle of

Gravelotte-St. Privat, Battle of
(1870)
   One of the largest and most important engagements of the Franco-Prussian War. By mid-August of 1870, the invading German armies faced east; and the French army faced west, its back to the German frontier and to the key French fortress of Metz. The French commander, Marshal François Achille Bazaine, chose to fall back on Metz and spaced out his forces along a strong defensive ridge from Gravelotte in the south to St. Privat in the north. General Helmuth von Moltke intended to use his artillery to weaken the French, then outflank the French position around St. Privat and roll up the French lines from north to south, but subordinates launched frontal assaults on prepared French positions. German artillery took a toll on the French, but French rifle fire tore up the German attacks.
   By the evening, it appeared that the Germans were at the end of their tether, and a counterattack by the French would have carried the day. Instead, Bazaine ordered the troops to hold their positions. This gave the Germans time to conduct their flanking move around St. Privat, and the French were forced to retreat to the false security of Metz, where they were besieged. French losses were nearly 13,000; the Germans lost more than 20,000 men.
   FURTHER READING:
    Howard, Michael. The Franco-Prussian War. New York: Collier, 1969.
   DAVID H. OLIVIER

Encyclopedia of the Age of Imperialism, 1800–1914. 2014.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Battle of Gravelotte — Infobox Military Conflict caption= Massacre of Prussian Cuirassiers at Gravelotte . Drawing by Juliusz Kossak, 1871 partof=the Franco Prussian War conflict=Battle of Gravelotte date=August 18, 1870 place=Gravelotte, France result=Prussian… …   Wikipedia

  • Gravelotte — is a village and commune in the Moselle département , Lorraine, France. Population (1999): 652.HistoryGravelotte is located between Metz and the former French German frontier, as it was between 1870 and 1918. It was famous as the scene of the… …   Wikipedia

  • Mars-la-Tour and Gravelotte, Battles of — ▪ 1870, Franco German War  (Aug. 16–18, 1870), two major engagements of the Franco German War in which the 140,000 man French Army of the Rhine, under Marshal Achille François Bazaine (Bazaine, Achille ( François)), failed to break through the… …   Universalium

  • Saint-Privat — can refer to any one of these communes of France:* Saint Privat de Champclos of the Gard département * Saint Privat d Allier and Saint Privat du Dragon, both of the Haute Loire département * Saint Privat du Fau in the Lozère département * Saint… …   Wikipedia

  • Franco-Prussian War — Infobox Military Conflict caption=Pierre Georges Jeanniot s La ligne de feu (1886), depicting the Battle of Mars La Tour partof=the wars of German unification conflict=Franco Prussian War date=19 July 1870 – 10 May 1871 place=France and Prussia… …   Wikipedia

  • Campaign — Pays  Royaume Uni Langue Anglais Genre Histoire militair …   Wikipédia en Français

  • 14th Division (German Empire) — Infobox Military Unit unit name=14th Division ( 14. Division ); in 1870 71 and from August 2 1914, 14th Infantry Division ( 14. Infanterie Division ) dates=1818 1919 country=Prussia/Germany branch=Army type=Infantry (in peacetime included… …   Wikipedia

  • 16th Division (German Empire) — Infobox Military Unit unit name=16th Division ( 16. Division ); in 1870 71 and from August 2 1914, 16th Infantry Division ( 16. Infanterie Division ) dates=1818 1919 country=Prussia/Germany branch=Army type=Infantry (in peacetime included… …   Wikipedia

  • 13th Division (German Empire) — Infobox Military Unit unit name=13th Division ( 13. Division ); in 1870 71 and from August 2 1914, 13th Infantry Division ( 13. Infanterie Division ) dates=1818 1919 country=Prussia/Germany branch=Army type=Infantry (in peacetime included… …   Wikipedia

  • Mitrailleuse — de Reffye a.k.a Canon a Balles (1866) Reffye mitrailleuse Le Général Hanicque ( Canon à balles modèle 1866 ), manufactured in 1867, on display in Les Invalides. Type …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”