The Franco-German War of 1870-71Moltke, Helmuth, Graf von
History
The Franco-German War of 1870-71
Moltke, Helmuth, Graf von
Franco-Prussian War, 1870-1871
The 4th Bavarian Brigade occupied the park extending to the west; the
quarries further in front were occupied by two battalions, two others
were sent to the right to the farmsteads of Ormeteau and Vaurichard, so
as to keep up some sort of communication with the 2nd Brigade. One
battery to the south and four batteries to the north of Coulmiers were
supported by the 5th Cavalry Brigade.
Thus at noon the Bavarian Corps, with only three brigades, held the
ground from Renardiere to the front of Gemigny, its front
disproportionately extended to a length of more than four miles. But the
French right wing remained quite inactive, so that the 3rd Brigade which
had been sent to Prefort was recalled to Renardiere.
When the French Corps had made good its foothold opposite the thin
Bavarian line, it attacked in earnest at about one o'clock.
The Riflemen in Renardiere had indeed repulsed the enemy's first rush,
but this position was no longer tenable with only four battalions
against the whole of Peytavin's Division. At about one o'clock General
Dietl retired unmolested, under cover of an intermediate position, on
the wood of Montpipeau, and occupied its border. Here he was joined by
the 3rd Brigade, which on its retirement from Prefort had found
Renardiere already evacuated. The French had followed up from thence but
hesitatingly, came under the fire of six batteries between the points of
the forests at La Planche and Coulmiers, and made no further advance
with their right wing.
In the centre Barry's Division about one o'clock had driven the Bavarian
Riflemen out of the stone-quarries in front of Coulmiers. Not till three
o'clock did it advance to a renewed general attack on the 4th Brigade,
which was repulsed by the fire of the German guns and the repeated
charges of the 5th Cavalry Brigade.
Meanwhile, d'Aries' Brigade of the XVth French Corps, after leaving
Renardiere, arrived southward of Coulmiers, and its batteries
strengthened the fire which was being directed on that village. The
Bavarian guns were compelled before the rush of the French tirailleurs
to take ground further in rear, where they resumed their activity, while
the infantry drove the French out of the park at the point of the
bayonet.
But after four hours' fighting the resistance of this single brigade
against three French brigades had become extremely arduous. Of the whole
Corps only two battalions remained intact as a reserve at Bonneville, no
reinforcement was to be looked for from anywhere, and on the right flank
the French threatened the communications with Chartres as well as with
Paris. At four in the afternoon General von der Tann gave orders to
break off the fight and to retire by brigades from the left wing on
Artenay.
Fresh troops of the enemy at this moment forced their way into the park
of Coulmiers. Colonel Count von Ysenburg held the eastern outlets of the
village, and withdrew his troops by alternate echelons through Gemigmy
in good order.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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