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{{More citations needed|date=September 2021}}{{Infobox military conflict

{{Infobox military conflict
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| date = November 21, 1870<ref>Kurt Schmidt, ''Gotha, das Buch einer deutschen Stadt'', Volume 2, Page 219</ref>
| date = 21 November 1870<ref>Kurt Schmidt, ''Gotha, das Buch einer deutschen Stadt'', Volume 2, Page 219</ref>
| place = [[Bretoncelles]], [[Orne]], [[French Third Republic|France]]<ref name="georgesheydllitra632">Georges d' Heylli, ''Journal du siége de Paris: Décrets, proclamations, circulaires, rapports, notes, renseignements, documents divers officiels et autres publiés'', Volume 3, Page 622</ref>
| place = [[Bretoncelles]], [[Orne]], [[French Third Republic|France]]<ref name="georgesheydllitra632">Georges d' Heylli, ''Journal du siége de Paris: Décrets, proclamations, circulaires, rapports, notes, renseignements, documents divers officiels et autres publiés'', Volume 3, Page 622</ref>
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| commander1 = ''Unknown''
| commander1 = ''Unknown''
| commander2 = {{flagdeco|Prussia|army}} [[Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin|Freidrich Franz II]]<ref name="edmundolliertrang520"/>
| commander2 = {{flagdeco|Prussia|army}} [[Frederick Francis II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin|Friedrich Franz II]]<ref name="edmundolliertrang520"/>
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The '''Battle of Bretoncelles'''<ref>Edmund Ollier, ''Cassell's history of the war between France and Germany, 1870-1871'', ''Appendix''.</ref><ref>Émile Louis Gustave Deshayes de Marcère, ''Le seize mai et la fin du septennat'', Page 301</ref> was a battle of the [[Franco-Prussian War]],<ref name="edmundolliertrang520"/> was held on November 21, 1870,<ref>''Revue de l'Anjou'', Page 470</ref> in [[Bretoncelles]], under [[Orne]], [[French Third Republic|France]].<ref name="georgesheydllitra632"/> This engagement ended with the defeat of the French army,<ref name="motchauaumoi17891889"/> against a force of the Prussian army under the command of [[Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin]], who forced the French to conduct a retreat. The Battle of Bretoncelles was one of the most important battles in the advance of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg in late 1870.<ref name="edmundolliertrang520"/>
The '''Battle of Bretoncelles'''<ref>Edmund Ollier, ''Cassell's history of the war between France and Germany, 1870-1871'', ''Appendix''.</ref><ref>Émile Louis Gustave Deshayes de Marcère, ''Le seize mai et la fin du septennat'', Page 301</ref> was an event in the [[Franco-Prussian War]].<ref name="edmundolliertrang520" /> It occurred on 21 November 1870,<ref>''Revue de l'Anjou'', Page 470</ref> in [[Bretoncelles]], [[Orne]], [[French Third Republic|France]].<ref name="georgesheydllitra632"/> This engagement ended with the defeat of the French army,<ref name="motchauaumoi17891889"/> when the Prussian army under the command of [[Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin]] forced the French to retreat. The Battle of Bretoncelles was one of the most important battles in the advance of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg in late 1870.<ref name="edmundolliertrang520"/>


==The Battle==
==The Battle==
The Battle of Bretoncelles broke out in a narrow gorge in the hills of a densely forested and treacherous area. French troops had deployed guns and cannons to quell the canyon door. They called one of these cannons on a German company carrying a cannon into the gorge. However, the Germans immediately launched their army of soldiers into combat, and at the same time, the German artillery forces entered the battle. Not long after that, the French batteries on the right side of the valley were silenced, and the French were badly beaten. The French batteries were moved in the opposite direction, where the battle continued. Behind the forests, covering the lower part of the hillside was an area with many fields and barriers; once the French were driven out of their first defense position, they flocked to this area. They hid in the bushes and other hiding places and shot quickly at the enemy while the German soldiers were advancing through open spaces before the French could retreat to their next vantage point. This sporadic skirmish continued for an extended time, and sometimes the French held out for 10 or 45 minutes. However, in the end, a powerful attack by a substantial German force descended on the village from the hillsides in the rear and completely overwhelmed the French position. Many French soldiers gave up their weapons and gathered in the orchards to become prisoners once the Germans arrived.<ref name="edmundolliertrang520"/>
The Battle of Bretoncelles took place in a narrow gorge in the hills of a densely forested area. The French had placed their artillery groups, or batteries, in a position to quell the gorge's opening, and these opened fire on the leading German companies when they entered it. The Germans retaliated and brought their artillery groups in position. Soon the French batteries on the right-hand side of the valley were silenced and had to retreat to the opposite side, where the battle continued longer. The French later had to retreat to the fields adjacent to the gorge. There they hid in bushes and other hiding places and quickly shot at the German soldiers who were advancing across the open space, before retreating to their next vantage point. The battle continued, with French forces occasionally providing resistance in short bursts, but the Germans were not kept from advancing.<ref name="edmundolliertrang520"/>


The main French army retreated in the direction of [[Nogent-le-Rotrou]]. However, for the next hour or two, the victors continued to shell them. The German army took 250 French troops as prisoners, and within three days, this number grew to 600. Several French POWs were temporarily held in a quaint church in Bretoncelles, and some of them were children. All of these prisoners were men who had no intention of joining the French army. Several other minor skirmishes also occurred during the campaigns of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, which were won by the German army.<ref name="edmundolliertrang520"/>
The main French army retreated in the direction of [[Nogent-le-Rotrou]]. However, for the next couple of hours, the victors continued to shell them. The German army took 250 French troops as prisoners, and within three days, this number grew to 600. Several French POWs were temporarily held in a church in Bretoncelles, some of them were very young. All of these prisoners were conscripts. Several other minor skirmishes also occurred during the campaigns of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, which all were won by the German army.<ref name="edmundolliertrang520"/>


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bretoncelles battle}}
{{coord missing|France}}


[[Category:1870 in France]]
[[Category:1870 in France]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1870]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1870]]
[[Category:Battles of the Franco-Prussian War]]
[[Category:Battles of the Franco-Prussian War|Bretoncelles]]
[[Category:Battles involving Prussia]]
[[Category:Battles involving Prussia]]
[[Category:Battles involving France]]
[[Category:Battles involving France]]

Latest revision as of 22:05, 2 August 2024

Battle of Bretoncelles
Part of Franco-Prussian War
Date21 November 1870[1]
Location
Bretoncelles, Orne, France[2]
Result German Victory[3][4]
Belligerents
 French Republic

 North German Confederation

Commanders and leaders
Unknown Friedrich Franz II[4]
Casualties and losses
250 Captured[4] Unknown

The Battle of Bretoncelles[5][6] was an event in the Franco-Prussian War.[4] It occurred on 21 November 1870,[7] in Bretoncelles, Orne, France.[2] This engagement ended with the defeat of the French army,[3] when the Prussian army under the command of Friedrich Franz II, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin forced the French to retreat. The Battle of Bretoncelles was one of the most important battles in the advance of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg in late 1870.[4]

The Battle

[edit]

The Battle of Bretoncelles took place in a narrow gorge in the hills of a densely forested area. The French had placed their artillery groups, or batteries, in a position to quell the gorge's opening, and these opened fire on the leading German companies when they entered it. The Germans retaliated and brought their artillery groups in position. Soon the French batteries on the right-hand side of the valley were silenced and had to retreat to the opposite side, where the battle continued longer. The French later had to retreat to the fields adjacent to the gorge. There they hid in bushes and other hiding places and quickly shot at the German soldiers who were advancing across the open space, before retreating to their next vantage point. The battle continued, with French forces occasionally providing resistance in short bursts, but the Germans were not kept from advancing.[4]

The main French army retreated in the direction of Nogent-le-Rotrou. However, for the next couple of hours, the victors continued to shell them. The German army took 250 French troops as prisoners, and within three days, this number grew to 600. Several French POWs were temporarily held in a church in Bretoncelles, some of them were very young. All of these prisoners were conscripts. Several other minor skirmishes also occurred during the campaigns of the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, which all were won by the German army.[4]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Kurt Schmidt, Gotha, das Buch einer deutschen Stadt, Volume 2, Page 219
  2. ^ a b Georges d' Heylli, Journal du siége de Paris: Décrets, proclamations, circulaires, rapports, notes, renseignements, documents divers officiels et autres publiés, Volume 3, Page 622
  3. ^ a b Reginald Welbury Jeffery, The new Europe, 1789-1889, Page 346
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Edmund Ollier, Cassell's history of the war between France and Germany, 1870-1871, Pages 520-521.
  5. ^ Edmund Ollier, Cassell's history of the war between France and Germany, 1870-1871, Appendix.
  6. ^ Émile Louis Gustave Deshayes de Marcère, Le seize mai et la fin du septennat, Page 301
  7. ^ Revue de l'Anjou, Page 470

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