Battle of Spicheren
| Battle of Spicheren | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Franco-Prussian War | |||||||
The storming of the Spicheren Heights Anton von Werner, 1880 | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| France | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Karl Friedrich von Steinmetz | Charles Auguste Frossard | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 37,000 | 29,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
843 killed 3,656 wounded 372 captured |
1,982 killed or wounded 2,096 captured | ||||||
Spicheren Grand Est Region | |||||||
The Battle of Spicheren (also known as the Battle of Forbach) was fought on 6 August 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War. German forces won a victory compelled the French to withdraw to the defenses of Metz. The battle was the second of three critical French defeats. General Helmuth von Moltke the Elder had originally planned to keep François Achille Bazaine's army around the Saar until he could attack it with the 2nd Army in front and the 1st Army on its left flank, while the 3rd Army closed towards the rear. The aging General Karl Friedrich von Steinmetz made an overzealous, unplanned move, leading the 1st Army south from his position on the Moselle. He moved straight toward the town of Spicheren, cutting off Prince Frederick Charles from his forward cavalry units in the process.