Battle of Pontarlier

Last updated
Battle of Pontarlier
Part of Franco-Prussian War
Doubs.joanne-08.jpg
Pontarlier in 1878
DateJanuary 29 – February 2, 1871 [1]
Location
Pontarlier, Doubs, France [2] [3] [4]
46°55′05″N6°21′31″E / 46.917985°N 6.358686°E / 46.917985; 6.358686
Result German Victory [5] [6]
Belligerents
Flag of France (1794-1958).svg  French Republic Flag of the German Empire.svg  German Empire [7]
Commanders and leaders
Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Justin Clinchant [8] Flag of the German Empire.svg Edwin von Manteuffel [9]
Units involved
Eastern Army Army of the South [5]
Casualties and losses
15,000 troops captured (among them 2 generals), 10 artillery pieces and mitrailleuse machine guns, a large amount of ammunition and weapons were seized [10] 19 officers and 365 soldiers killed [11]

The Battle of Pontarlier, [12] also known as the Battle of Pontarlier-La Cluse, [13] was the final military operation of the Franco-Prussian War, [14] that took place from January 29 to February 2, 1871, near Pontarlier and La Cluse-et-Mijoux, not long after the newly formed German Empire and French Republic had a ceasefire. [1] [3] During these engagements, the German Army of the South, under the command of Lieutenant General Edwin von Manteuffel won over the French Eastern Army under the command of General Justin Clinchant, [5] [15] the battle forced the French Eastern Army to withdraw to neutral Switzerland. [6] The strong efforts of the German armies led by General August von Werder in The previous Battle of the Lisaine, as well as that of General Von Manteuffel's armies at the Battle of Pontarlier, resulted in the collapse of the assault on southern Germany which the Eastern Army had expected to be ruined. [16] At the same time, the defeat of the Eastern Army finally forced the French Interior Minister Léon Gambetta to end resistance to the Germans. [6] The defeat at Pontarlier also brought the French heavy losses, [10] including a large number of soldiers being taken prisoner. [6]

Contents

Background

At December 1870, the French minister Charles-Denis Bourbaki was commanding the Eastern Army and march to Belfort to relieve the fortress. However, the German general August von Werder thwarted Bourbaki's attack at the Battle of the Lisaine in early 1871. [17] On January 22, 1871, Bourbaki and his weary army withdrew to Besançon. [8] Another German army under General Von Manteuffel also appeared and the French Eastern Army was in danger of being caught between the two German armies.[17] . The situation forced Bourbaki to retreat to Pontarlier as the only way. [8] Feeling the disgrace of his army, the ill-fated general handed over command of the corps to General Clinchant on 24 January, after which he shot himself in the head but did not die. [14] That same day, in their swift eastward march, Manteuffel's forces crossed the Doubs and captured the canyons of the Swiss border to close the siege with Werder. [10] Meanwhile, Clinchant had made the retreat of all his legions to Pontarlier, [14] and was followed closely behind by Manteuffel. [8] And, on 29 January, Manteuffel launched a general offensive: [14] that afternoon, the midfield force of the German 14th Division defeated the French rear at Sombacourt and Chaffois and repelled the French to Pontarlier. On the same day, the midfielders of the 2nd German Army engaged a French army near Les Planches to cover the way that Clinchant could make the crossing into Switzerland. The French were again defeated, but the consequences of this defeat were mitigated when Manteuffel ordered the 2nd Army to turn to Frasne. The exhaustion of the French forces made it impossible for Clinchant to consider fleeing south if possible. [15] After a full day of fighting, [18] on January 30, the German 2nd Army attacked Frasne and defeated the French, driving the French further away. [14]

The Battle

That day, information about the armistice agreement between the two countries on January 28 enabled Clinchant to enter the negotiation phase, but Manteuffel did not accept. But in a fierce battle on January 31, he captured the roads at St. Marie, in the mountains south of Pontarlier. By mid-February 1, 1871, the German army was ready to launch an attack on Pontarlier. [14] At the beginning of the day, General Clinchant signed an agreement with the Commander-in-Chief of the Swiss Army under which his army was allowed to cross the border and disarm in Switzerland. The retreat was made after the agreement was finalized, [14] and in the afternoon, a brigade commanded by Du Trossel of the 2nd North German Army successfully attacked the town. The French army suffered heavy losses. After this victory, Du Trossel pursued the enemy across the pass and to the fortresses of Larmont and Joux, where the Germans were delayed. [15] The last French resistance finally withdrew, [19] the retreat to Switzerland was a great disaster for the French army. [14] The intense marches and battles of Von Manteuffel's three-week campaign brought him an important victory. It also shows the season of the German army under the ingenious and daring command. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles-Denis Bourbaki</span> French soldier and officer

Charles Denis Sauter Bourbaki was a French general.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Clinchant</span> French general

Justin Clinchant was a French Army general of the 19th century.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edwin Freiherr von Manteuffel</span> German field marshal (1809–1885)

Edwin Karl Rochus Freiherr von Manteuffel was a Prussian Generalfeldmarschall noted for his victories in the Franco-Prussian War, and the first Imperial Lieutenant of Alsace–Lorraine from 1879 until his death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">August von Werder</span> Prussian general (1808–1887)

Karl Wilhelm Friedrich August Leopold Graf von Werder was a Prussian general.

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

The siege of Belfort was a 103-day military assault and blockade of the city of Belfort, France by Prussian forces during the Franco-Prussian War. The French garrison held out until the January 1871 armistice between France and the German Empire obligated French forces to abandon the stronghold in February 1871.

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

The Battle of the Lisaine, also known as the Battle of Héricourt, was fought from 15 January to 17 January 1871 between German and French forces. The French were led by Charles Denis Bourbaki, and were attempting to relieve the Siege of Belfort. The Germans prepared XIV Corps and several other divisions, some 40,000–45,000 men, to halt the French advance of about 110,000 men. The Germans had their outer posts overran quite swiftly but the Prussians forced back and counterattacked the French forces, breaking the morale of French troops and leaving them to either die or retreat. In the end their efforts failed, and they were forced to flee into Switzerland where they were all interned soon after.

<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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">XIV Corps (German Empire)</span> Section of the Imperial German army

The XIV Army Corps / XIV AK was a corps level command of the German Army before and during World War I. It was, effectively, also the army of the Grand Duchy of Baden, which, in 1871, had been integrated into the Prussian Army command structure, as had the armies of most German states. Both divisions and the bulk of the corps' support units were from the grand duchy. The corps was established in 1870, after the Siege of Strasbourg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Villersexel</span> Battle in France

The Battle of Villersexel took place on 9 January 1871 as part of the Franco-Prussian War. Elements of the French Armée de l'Est under General Bourbaki engaged August von Werder's German forces. It resulted in a French victory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armée de l'Est</span> French army of the Franco-Prussian War

The Armée de l'Est was a French army which took part in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71. It was formed towards the end of the war out of the remains of the Loire Army, paramilitaries (Freischärlern) and new recruits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eduard von Fransecky</span> German general

Eduard Friedrich Karl von Fransecky was a Prussian general who served in the Austro-Prussian War and the Franco-Prussian War.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armistice of Versailles</span> Ended the Franco-Prussian War (1871)

The Armistice of Versailles that came into effect on 28 January 1871 brought to an end the active phase of the Franco-Prussian War. The signatories were Jules Favre, foreign minister in the provisional Government of National Defence, for the French and Otto von Bismarck, chancellor of the newly established German Empire, for Prussia and her allies. The suspension of hostilities initially lasted until 19 February, when it was extended through 26 February, when a preliminary peace treaty was signed, also at Versailles. The definitive Treaty of Frankfurt was signed on 10 May. Although technically an armistice, the military position of France at the time and the terms were such that it was de facto a conditional surrender by the vanquished to the victors.

The Battle of Ognon was a battle in the Franco-Prussian War, which took place on 22 October 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Dijon (1870)</span> Series of battles in the Franco-Prussian War

The Battles of Dijon were a series of battles that took place in 1870 and 1871, as part of the Franco-Prussian War, on the current territory of the French commune of Dijon between the French Republic and the German states of Prussia and Baden and later, the German Empire.

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

The siege of Thionville was a battle of the Franco-Prussian War which occurred in Thionville of the Moselle from November 13 to November 24, 1870. The small French garrison repulsed an attempted attack on August 14. It was subjected to a blockade and then besieged from November 13. After the capitulation of Metz, on October 28, 1870, the Prussians move part of their powerful artillery to Thionville. Bombed from November 22, the square surrendered on November 24. The capture of Thionville and that of Montmédy a month later gave the Germans control of the railroad to the Picardy front.

The Battle of Châteauneuf was a battle in the Franco-Prussian War that took place on 3 December 1870 at the Châteauneuf, Côte-d'Or, 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 Buchy was fought during the Franco-Prussian War, on 4 December 1870, at Buchy, Seine-Maritime, France. During the battle, the VIII Corps of the Prussian Army, under the command of General of the Infantry August Karl von Goeben, suddenly attacked and defeated a French force under the command of General de Brigade Guillaume Briand. The French suffered heavy losses. After their victory at Buchy, German troops captured Rouen.

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

The Battle of Longeau, was a battle of the Franco-Prussian War on 16 December 1870 in Longeau-Percey, near Dijon, France. The fighting lasted about three hours, and ended in a French retreat. Victory went to the Prussian Infantry Brigade under Colmar Freiherr von der Goltz and the German XIV Corps infantry under the command of Lieutenant General August von Werder, over French troops commanded by General Pierre Arbellot de Vacqueur, semt from Langres to Longeau. The French suffered significant losses of both manpower and equipment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Nuits Saint Georges</span>

The Battle of Nuits-Saint-Georges was a battle in the Franco-Prussian War, which took place on December 18, 1870. In this battle, the Baden Division of Germany commanded by General Adolf von Glümer and the XIV Legion under the command of General August von Werder, took Nuits from a French force led by General Camille Crémer, forced the French army to withdraw overnight with heavy losses for both sides. Glümer himself was also slightly wounded in this engagement, while the French lost much of their equipment to the German army. Crémer is credited with fighting with great courage in this battle, but the quality of his overall leadership has been questioned.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfred von Degenfeld</span>

Alfred Emil Ludwig Philipp Freiherr von Degenfeld (1816-1888) was a Badensian-Prussian general and a member of the Reichstag.

References

  1. 1 2 Tony Jaques, Dictionary of Battles and Sieges: A Guide to 8,500 Battles from Antiquity Through the Twenty-First Century, Volume 3, Page 809
  2. ↑ Elizabeth Peake, History of the German emperors and their contemporaries, Page 572
  3. 1 2 Pontarlier - Geographical Names
  4. ↑ Prussia (Kingdom). Armee. Grosser Generalstab. Kriegsgeschichtliche Abteilung II., Francis Coningsby Hannam Clarke, The Franco-German War, 1870-1871..., Volume 2, Issue Number 3, Page 74
  5. 1 2 3 "Bismarck in the Franco-German war, 1870-1871"
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Men who have made the new German empire. A series of brief biographic sketches"
  7. ↑ William J. Duiker, Jackson J. Spielvogel, The Essential World History, Volume 2: Since 1500, p. 481: "On January 18, 1871, in the Chamber of Mirrors in the […] Palace of Versailles of Louis XIV, Wilhelm I was crowned Emperor (Kaiser) of the empire. Second German Empire (First was the Holy Roman Empire Middle Ages)".
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Germany, 1815-1890"
  9. ↑ "Moltke, a biographical and critical study"
  10. 1 2 3 Edmund Ollier, Cassell's history of the war between France and Germany, 1870-1871, Volume 2, Pages 184-185.
  11. 1 2 "The Franco-German War of 1870—71" (Helmuth von Moltke)
  12. ↑ Hermann Klüting, Soldaten in Westfalen und am Niederrhein: das Königlich Preussische VII. Armeekorps: mit einer Bibliographie zur Geschichte der zum Korps gehörenden Einheiten, Page 35
  13. ↑ Julius von Pflugk-Harttung, Krieg und Sieg, 1870-71: ein Gedenkbuch, Page 554
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 August Niemann, The French campaign, 1870-1871: Military description, Pages 398-399.
  15. 1 2 3 Wilhelm Rüstow, The war for the Rhine frontier, 1870: Its political and military history, Volume 1, Pages 207-211.
  16. ↑ E. J. Hoffschmidt, German Army, Navy uniforms and insignia: 1871-1918, Page 7
  17. ↑ Spencer C. Tucker (biên tập), A Global Chronology of Conflict: From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East: From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East, Page 1455
  18. ↑ Geoffrey Wawro, The Franco-Prussian War: The German Conquest of France in 1870-1871, Page 298
  19. ↑ Michael Howard, The Franco-Prussian War: The German Invasion of France, 1870-1871, Pages 429-431.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.