Battle of St. Quentin (1871)

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Battle of St. Quentin
Part of Franco-Prussian War
Date January 19, 1871 Location St. Quentin, France Result Prussian victory
Combatants
Prussia	France
Commanders
August Karl von Goeben	Louis Faidherbe
Strength
40,000	33,000
Casualties
2,400	3,500 killed and wounded 9,000 captured

Franco-Prussian War
Wissembourg – Spicheren – Wœrth – Borny-Colombey – Strasbourg – Mars-La-Tour – Gravelotte – Metz – Beaumont – Noiseville – Sedan – Bellevue – Coulmiers –Amiens – Beaune-La-Rolande – Hallue – Bapaume – Le Mans – Lisaine – St. Quentin – Paris – Belfort

The Battle of St. Quentin was a battle during the Franco-Prussian War which defeated French attempts to relieve the besieged city of Paris. For other uses of the name see: Battle of St. Quentin

While the Prussian Armies under Wilhelm I besieged Paris, the Prussian I Army, now under the command of August Karl von Goeben was sent to deal with French forces north of Paris. After a first attempt to relieve Paris had been checked at the battle of Bapaume, the French were planning another relief effort.

Von Goeben marched his army north and met the French army under General Louis Faidherbe near Saint Quentin. On January 19 the Prussians attacked and decisevely defeated the French forces. The same day General Trochu attempted a breakout of Paris but it too was defeated. No other significant attempts would be made to lift the siege of Paris.

[edit] Sources

• Compton's Home Library: Battles of the World