Battle of Buchy

Last updated
Battle of Buchy
Part of Franco-Prussian War
Date4 December 1870 [1]
Location
Result German victory [3]
Belligerents
Flag of France (1794-1958).svg  French Republic

Flag of Germany (1867-1919).svg  North German Confederation

Commanders and leaders
Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Guillaume Briand [4] War Ensign of Prussia (1816).svg August Karl von Goeben [5]
Units involved
Garde Mobile VIII Corps
Strength
12,000 - 13,000 troops of the Garde Mobile, 12,000 military reconnaissance Eclaireurs, 1 marine corps [3] 25,000 - 30,000 infantry
25 - 30 artillery
Casualties and losses
"Heavy casualties", 400 people captured [5] Unknown

The Battle of Buchy [6] [7] was fought during the Franco-Prussian War, [5] on 4 December 1870, [1] at Buchy, Seine-Maritime, France. [2] During the battle, the VIII Corps of the Prussian Army, under the command of General of the Infantry August Karl von Goeben, [5] suddenly attacked and defeated a French force under the command of General de Brigade Guillaume Briand. [4] [3] The French suffered heavy losses. After their victory at Buchy, German troops captured Rouen. [5]

Contents

Background

After capturing Amiens at the end of November 1870, the commander of the Prussian First Army, Edwin von Manteuffel, continued to march towards Rouen, [4] a city located on the Seine in Normandy. [3] Aiming to attack a French division under the command of General Briand, the First Army marched with VIII Corps on the right flank, through Poix and Forges, and I Corps, on the left, through Breteuil. [4] The French had deployed before Rouen to defend the city, but had not yet finished building up their defenses. [3]

On 2 December, French cavalry sent to scout the Germans discovered the enemy at Forges-les-Eaux and Formiere. Examining the situation, German forces departed for Grandvillers and Gaillefontaine on 3 December. Early in the morning of 4 December, the German VIII Corps descended on Formiere and discovered that the French had abandoned it. [1] Afterward, von Goeben's forces [3] fiercely attacked the French army stationed on the heights of Maquency and Bosc-Bordel, on the way to Rouen. The French were eventually dislodged from their defensive position by the German 15th Infantry Division and had to retreat to the village of Buchy.

Battle

At Buchy, the French turned and attempted to repel the Germans long enough to board their troops onto the railway carriages that were waiting for them. The French resisted weakly, despite their solid defensive position. [1] During the battle, although the scouts of the French Guards fought fiercely, the French Garde Mobiles and franc-tireurs were wiped out by German artillery. [3] The battle ended with the defeat of the French, forcing them to abandon the ambulance from Switzerland, along with their portable equipment. [3]

Aftermath

Eventually, the situation of the French National Guard assembled at Rouen became dire, and the French abandoned Rouen when the Germans advanced. [3] On 6 December, Rouen was occupied by a large German garrison. [5] The 5th of December is the anniversary of the victory of Frederick the Great over the Austrians at the Battle of Leuthen, and of von Goeben's victory when he entered Rouen without expending a single bullet. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Gravelotte</span> 1870 battle of the Franco-Prussian War

The Battle of Gravelotte on 18 August 1870 was the largest battle of the Franco-Prussian War. Named after Gravelotte, a village in Lorraine, it was fought about 6 miles (9.7 km) west of Metz, where on the previous day, having intercepted the French army's retreat to the west at the Battle of Mars-la-Tour, the Prussians were now closing in to complete the destruction of the French forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">August Karl von Goeben</span> Prussian general

August Karl Friedrich Christian von Goeben, was a Prussian infantry general, who won the Iron Cross for his service in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71.

The Battle of Chevilly was fought during the siege of Paris. The battle was the second French sortie from Paris against the German armies. On 30 September 1870 General Joseph Vinoy attacked the Prussian VI Corps at Chevilly and was easily repulsed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Amiens (1870)</span> 1870 battle of the Franco-Prussian War

The Battle of Amiens, also known as the Battle of Villers-Bretonneux, was fought on 27 November 1870 between French and Prussian forces during the Franco-Prussian War (1870–1871). It ended in a Prussian victory, forcing the French to retreat and allowing the Prussians to capture Amiens, France.

The 16th Division was a unit of the Prussian/German Army. It was formed as the 15th Division on September 5, 1818, in Koblenz from a troop brigade. It became the 16th Division on December 14, 1818, and moved its headquarters to Trier. The division was subordinated in peacetime to the VIII Army Corps. The division was disbanded in 1919 during the demobilization of the German Army after World War I. It was mainly recruited in the densely populated Prussian Rhine Province, mainly along the Rhine and the cities and towns along the Moselle River.

The Battle of Châtillon, also known as the Battle of Châtillon-sous-Bagneux, was a skirmish in the Siege of Paris between France and North German Confederation in the Franco-Prussian War, took place on 13 October 1870. This is also considered the first battle in the history of the French Third Republic. In this fierce battle – occurred at Châtillon and Sceaux, Corps V of the Prussian army under the command of Lieutenant General Infantry Hugo von Kirchbach, along with the II Corps of the Kingdom of Bavaria by the Supreme Minister infantry Jakob von Hartmann which were the forces of the army Group 3 of Prussia by Prince Friedrich Wilhelm as General command., won a victory against an attack by the XIV Corps under General Renault - of the French army under General Auguste-Alexandre Ducrot. Although some soldiers under Ducrot fought well, the majority of his army became agitated. The French were forced to flee to Paris, losing the Châtillon Plateau - a very favorable defensive position overlooking the fortresses south of Paris - to the Germans. This was a disaster for the "justice" of the French army during the war, although the French reported that they suffered only minor losses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Gerchsheim</span> Battle of the Austro-Prussian War

The Battle of Gerchsheim was an artillery battle during the Austro-Prussian War as part of the Campaign of the Main on July 25, 1866, between the Prussian Alliance and the German Federal Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Buzancy</span>

Battle of Buzancy was a battle of the Franco-Prussian War which took place on 27 August 1870 in Buzancy, France between the French Empire and the combined German forces of Prussia and Saxony. The midfield force of the 24th Brigade of a division Saxon cavalry of the Maas Army of the Prussian army won a victory over the Cavalry Regiment. 12th Chasseur light infantry of the V Army of the French Empire under the command of General Pierre Louis Charles de Failly. Taken by surprise in this cavalry battle, the French formation was torn apart and almost completely annihilated. On the Prussian - German side, the captains of the two cavalry squadrons involved in the battle were wounded. The defeat at Buzancy forced the retreat of the French cavalry squadrons, and the Battle of Buzancy is arguably the most characteristic cavalry and artillery clash of the war.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Nompatelize</span>

The Battle of Nompatelize, also known as the Battle of Etival, was a battle of the Franco-Prussian War on 6 October 1870, between Etival and Nompatelize in the province of Vosges from Strasbourg 64 km southwest. This battle marked the first major crackdown of franc-tireur operations in the Vosges region by the XIV Corps of the Prussians by Minister August von Werder in early October 1870. In matches fiercely this, A force of the Army of Rhône of the French Republic under the command of General Louis-François Dupré, who predominated to markedly document in terms of troop numbers, and attacked 6 infantry battalions of the Grand Duchy of Baden under the command of General Alfred von Degenfeld which were part of the XIV Corps, but were defeated. Compared to the casualties of the German military, the losses of the French side in this battle were much greater. After seven hours of fighting, the French were forced to flee in turmoil to Bruyeres and the Rambervillers. The Battle of Etival contributed to General Werder wiping out the French from Alsace.

The Siege of La Fère took place during the Franco-Prussian War from 15 November until 26 November 1870, at the fortress of La Fère in France. French troops stationed at La Fère under the command of Captain Jacques Ferdinand Planche resisted the siege from the Imperial German Army, but surrendered the fort after eleven days on 26 November 1870, which resulted in a German victory. During the siege, the German army captured thousands of prisoners, most of whom were Garde Mobile soldiers, and took control of many French weapons. The German shelling of La Fère took place over the course of two days and severely damaged the town. After the Germans captured La Fère, they used cannons to arm the stronghold of Amiens.

The Battle of Ognon was a battle in the Franco-Prussian War, which took place on October 22, 1870, at the Ognon River. In this battle the Prussian XIV Corps under the command of General Karl August von Werder, which also consisted of a division of the Grand Duchy of Baden, attacked elements of the French Army of the Rhine commanded by General Albert Cambriels. The Germans captured a large number of French prisoners. The German victory in the Battle of Ognon decided the fate of the Army of the Rhine, at least within two weeks thereafter.

The Battle of Dreux was a battle during the Franco-Prussian War, which took place on 17 November 1870. In this brief and drastic battle, the Prussian army who was commanded by Grand Duke Freidrich Franz II beat the French army who was commanded by Captain Keratry who ordered across the frontline and forcing the French to hurriedly flee, despite the numerical advantage of the French. The primary importance of the Prussian victory over Dreux in strengthening the frontline to its farthest and to weaken the French further to continue the Siege of Paris, and facilitate Minister Ludwig von der Tann of Bavaria who coordinated with Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia to attack the French army under General Louis d'Aurelle de Paladines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Artenay</span> Battle of the Franco-Prussian War

The Battle of Artenay' also known as the Battle of Arthenay, is a battle in the Franco-Prussian War, was held on October 10, 1870, in Artenay a small town located on the road from Orléans to Paris, France which was about 10 miles north of the city of Orléans. In this fierce battle, with superior strength compared to the opponent, The I Corps of the Kingdom of Bavaria, under the command of Lieutenant General Ludwig von der Tann-Rathsamhausen, in collaboration with the 22nd Division of the XI Corps of the Kingdom of Prussia and the two cavalry divisions of the Prussian army attacked and penetrated the defense system of the army of the Loire of the young French Republic, under the control of general Joseph Edouard de la Motterouge, causing heavy losses for the French military of which many people were taken prisoner. The winning conditions Artenay were favorable enough for Von der Tann to strike Orléans, while the forces of France knocked back on Orléans forest in an agitated state. Despite this, Nièvre's Garde Mobiles and the Pontifical Legion in the French army were noted for their strong resistance, while a monk in Prussian Cavalry under the command of Prince Albrecht demonstrated his prowess in the battle at Artenay.

The Battle of Ladon and Mézières was a battle fought at Ladon and Mézières-en-Gâtinais between the French Army of the Loire led by Louis d'Aurelle de Paladines and Imperial German Army led by Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia on November 17, 1870. During the battle the Prussians forced the French forces to retreat into the Bellegarde woods. Although the French army was quickly defeated in this battle, it showed the Prussians the substantial size of the French XX corps. the engagement showed the Germans that substantial forces of the French XX Corps were present on the battlefield. The defeat caused great damage to French morale. On November 17 the French attacked the Prussians again at the Battle of Beaune-la-Rolande, but they were defeated again.

The siege of Mézières was a siege battle during the Franco-Prussian War, it took place from November 17, 1870 until January 2, 1871, in Mézières-en-Gâtinais which is located on the banks right of the river Meuse in France. After suffering from a German artillery strike, the French army at Mézières under the command of Colonel Vernet, surrendered to Germany under the command of Major General Wilhelm von Woyna on January 2, 1871. Although lasting just over a day, German artillery bombardment caused French defenders and civilians in Mézières heavy losses. With the victory, the Germans captured many French officers and soldiers, with many cannons and supplies from the enemy's reserves. Not only that, the victory at the Siege of Mézières made the German army have complete dominance of the railway line in the north extending from Metz and Mézières to Paris, capital of France.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Varize</span> 1870 Battle in the Franco-Prussian War

The Battle of Varize was a battle in the Franco-Prussian War, that happened on November 29, 1870, in Varize, on the river Conie. In this battle, the First Bavarian Corps under the command of Lieutenant General Infantry Ludwig von der Tann attacked a guerrilla army franc-tireurs of the French Republic under the command of Colonel Ernest de Lipowski, and made them scatter. Despite this, the defense at Varize enabled General Antoine Chanzy, commander of the French Army of Loire, to establish a defensive formation against the Prussian army under the direction of Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin. With their victory at the Battle of Varize, Bavarian forces captured a number of well-equipped French guerrillas.

The Battle of Châteauneuf was a battle in the Franco-Prussian War that took place on December 3, 1870, at the Châteauneuf-sur-Loire, Loire, France. During this engagement, the 3rd Infantry Brigade of the Prussian army, which was a part of the Baden Division and was under the command of General Keller repelled an ambush of the French army under the command of General Camille Crémer. The battle facilitated the Prussian army to continue its withdrawal from Autun. The battle lasted for seven hours, and brought the Prussian army negligible losses, with 153 casualties. However, the Germans viewed this engagement as one of their most glorious victories of the campaign.

The Battle of Monnaie, also known as the Battle of Tours was a battle of the Franco-Prussian War. It took place on the December 20, 1870 at Indre-et-Loire, France. During this engagement, a Hanover division of the Imperial German Army under the command of General Schwarzkoppen, belonging to Legion X under the command of Konstantin Bernhard von Voigts-Rhetz attacked and won the victory against an army of Garde Mobile's 234 led by General Ferry Pisani, driving the French to Langreais. This victory allowed the Germans to enter and occupy the city of Tours.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Siege of Péronne</span>

The siege of Peronne was a battle during the Franco-Prussian War, from December 26, 1870 until January 9, 1871, in Péronne, Somme of France. The German siege force, under the command of Lieutenant Generals August von Goeben and Albert von Barnekow, forced the French army at Péronne- which could not be rescued and had to surrender after more than a week under the bombardment of the Prussian army. With the victory, the armies of Albert von Barnekow captured a defending force of thousands of French soldiers in Peronne, and obtained a large number of cannons and war materials to the Prussians hands. In general, the advantage of the artillery of the Prussians as well as the dynamism of German officers is credited with leading to German victories in the sieges of French fortresses, and the success at the Siege of Péronne solidified German control over the river Somme.

The siege of Longwy was a military conflict during the Franco-Prussian War, which took place from January 16 to the 25th, 1871, in the Longwy which was near the border of Belgium and Luxembourg. After the artillery fire from the Prussian army, the siege ended with the defenders of Longwy under the command of Colonel Massaroly surrendering to Prussia under the command of Colonel Von Cosel. With this victory, the Prussian army captured many prisoners and cannons of the enemy. This was one of the consecutive victories of the German army in a short period of time during the war. The town of Longwy was badly damaged during the siege.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Roberts, Randal Howland, Baronet (1871). Modern War: or the Campaigns of the First Prussian army, 1870-71. London: Chapman and Hall. pp. 354–355.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. 1 2 Georges d' Heylli, Journal du siége de Paris: Décrets, proclamations, circulaires, rapports, notes, renseignements, documents divers officiels et autres publiés , Volume 3, Page 623
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Edmund Ollier, Cassell's history of the war between France and Germany, 1870-1871, Page 34
  4. 1 2 3 4 Frederick Augustus Porter Barnard, Arnold Guyot, Johnson's New universal cyclopædia: a scientific and popular treasury of useful knowledge..., Page 286
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The French Campaign, 1870-1871: Military Description"
  6. George Stacpoole De Stacpoole (Duke), Irish and other memories, Page 217
  7. Hermann Kunz, Die deutsche Reiterei in den Schlachten und Gefechten des Krieges von 1870/1871 , Page 235