Battle of Beaugency

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Battle of Beaugency
date 8-10 December 1870
place Beaugency , Arrondissement Orléans , Loiret department
output German victory
Parties to the conflict

North German ConfederationNorth German Confederation North German Confederation

Second empireSecond empire France

Commander

North German ConfederationNorth German Confederation Friedrich Franz II.

Second empireSecond empire Antoine Chanzy

Troop strength
27,000 infantry about 110,000 soldiers
losses

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Battles and Sieges of the
Franco-German War (1870–1871)

The battle of Beaugency from December 8-10, 1870 between the army group of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg and the French Loire Army was a battle of the Franco-German War . Because of the large extent of the fighting, there is also the name Battle of Beaugency-Cravant.

Division of the Loire Army to Orléans

After the Battle of Orléans , the Loire Army was split in two. The corps under the command of General Chanzy retreated in a south-westerly direction, staying on the right bank of the Loire. These units were now called the Second Loire Army. During this retreat there were many minor skirmishes between the Prussian , Bavarian and French units. After success at smaller meetings on December 6th and 7th, the XIII. Corps under the command of the Grand Duke on the right side of the Loire and reached Beaugency on December 7th . For this advance units of the X. Corps were called in for reinforcement, while small forces remained in Orléans as security against the other three corps (the later Eastern Army ). Greater resistance was not expected and even after the conquest of Orléans it had been reported that the Loire Army had dispersed in all directions and had ceased to exist as an army.

Beaugency until December 8th

In Beaugency, however, the French units that had receded from the city of Orléans had assembled with the units from the Loigny area and were reinforced by volunteer associations from Tours . In total, almost 110,000 French soldiers gathered between Beaugency on the Loire and Binas (about 20 kilometers to the northwest). The strength of the Prussian units had fallen to 27,000 operational infantrymen and low cavalry forces after the previous fighting . The Prussian front was now about 15 kilometers wide, but it was pulled together considerably after the meeting at Meung.

The Battle of Beaugency

From December 8th to 10th there was heavy fighting in and around Beaugency, in which the French repeatedly attacked. In particular, an attack by the XVI. Corps on December 8th under Rear Admiral Jauréguiberry brought the Prussians into considerable distress. Only because the left French wing (XXI. Corps) did not attack and did not use the opportunity to surround the right wing with the Bavarian corps, they were able to hold out. During the three days of the battle, the Grand Duke had all available troops, including the security troops in Orléans, marched to Beaugency to reinforce his units. Especially on December 10th, both sides tried to defeat their opponents with their own attacks. The Prussians even tried to encircle the three times superior enemy. However, all attacks failed, even if the French achieved some initial success in their attacks.

The battle is broken off on December 10th

The attacks up to December 10th had not resulted in a decisive victory for either side. At the same time, however, the IX. Corps under General Manstein , which had advanced on the left side of the Loire, crossed the Loire in Blois and was thus in the rear of the Loire Army. In this situation, the French ran the risk of being trapped, and General Chanzy therefore ordered a retreat via Vendôme to Le Mans . The persecution by the Prussians was only carried on as far as Vendôme, the supply routes were overstretched and their own forces were very weak. The German units stayed in Vendôme for almost a month until the Battle of Le Mans .

Remarks

  1. ↑ Friedrich Engels: About the war , transcription of a text from The Pall Mall Gazette No. 1824 of December 17, 1870.
  2. ↑ In several sources the battle is only scheduled for December 8th.
  3. ↑ Jauréguiberry was promoted to Vice Admiral on December 9th for services in this attack
  4. ↑ Chanzy had hoped for support from the French corps south of Orléans under Bourbaki , but this help did not arrive and was never set off.

swell

  • Compton's Home Library: Battles of the World
  • Friedrich Engels: About the war , transcription of a text from The Pall Mall Gazette No. 1824 from December 17, 1870.
  • Official press of Prussia

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