The Campaign of Sedan: The Downfall of the Second Empire, August-September 1870Hooper, George
History
The Campaign of Sedan: The Downfall of the Second Empire, August-September 1870
Hooper, George
Franco-Prussian War, 1870-1871; Sedan Campaign, 1870
troops reached Beaumont “during the night,” except the rear-guard,
which did not enter the camp until five o’clock on the morning of the
30th.
_The State of Affairs at Sundown._
Thus, for the French, terminated another day of error and loss, which
left three Corps still on the left bank of the Meuse. When the sun went
down, the German horse were close to every one of them except the 12th,
which, it will be remembered, was on the right bank near Mouzon. The
active cavalry moved in the rear of the 1st Corps, seizing prisoners at
Voncq, riding up to Le Chesne, and keeping watch through the night upon
the wearied 7th Corps, as it sought repose in the camps of Oches and
St. Pierremont. The German Infantry Corps, meantime, had been closing
up for the final onslaught. The 12th Corps was in and about Nouart,
covered by outposts and patrols, which stretched away to Stenay. The
Guard was at Buzancy, the 4th Corps at Remonville; the 5th Corps was at
Grand Pré, with the Würtembergers near at hand; the Bavarians had come
up to Sommerance and its neighbourhood on both banks of the Aisne; the
11th Corps stood at Monthois on the left, while the 6th Corps was in
the rear at Vienne le Chateau. The head-quarters of King William were
set up in Grand Pré, under the old gloomy castle, the Prussian Prince
was near by at the little village of Senuc, and the Saxon Prince at
Bayonville. Thus, in three days, the whole Army had drawn together,
facing north, and was ready, at a signal, to spring forward and grapple
with the enemy who had committed himself so rashly to a flank march in
the face of the most redoubtable generals, and the best instructed,
disciplined and rapidly-marching troops in Europe.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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