✦ History

Part of Franco-Prussian War

Battle of Gravelotte

August 18, 1870 · Gravelotte, Lorraine

Result Prussian strategic victory

The largest battle of the war. Prussian and Saxon armies under Moltke drove Bazaine's Army of the Rhine back into the fortress of Metz, at heavy cost to both sides.

On the map Contemporaries

France

Germany

Other

France
North German Confederation
Kingdom of Prussia
Kingdom of Saxony
François Achille Bazaine Marshal, Commanded the Army of the Rhine François Certain de Canrobert military commander
Wilhelm I King of Prussia, Present with the headquarters Helmuth von Moltke the Elder Chief of the General Staff, Directed the German armies Prince Friedrich Karl of Prussia military commander Karl Friedrich von Steinmetz military commander

Strength and losses

Strength
113,000c. 113,000
Casualties
12,800c. 12,800
Guns
520c. 520
Strength
188,332c. 187,000
Casualties
20,160c. 20,200
Killed
5,237c. 5,240
Wounded
14,430c. 14,460
Missing
493c. 500
Guns
732c. 732

Units

Army of the Rhine (1870) Strength 112,000 French II Corps (1870)
Prussian First Army (1870) Prussian Second Army (1870) Guards Corps (German Empire) I Corps (German Empire) II Corps (German Empire) III Corps (German Empire) IX Corps (German Empire) VII Corps (German Empire) VIII Corps (German Empire) XII (1st Royal Saxon) Corps 13th Division (German Empire) 14th Division (German Empire) 15th Division (German Empire) 16th Division (German Empire) 18th Division (German Empire) 19th Division (German Empire) 20th Division (German Empire) 23rd Division (German Empire) 24th Division (German Empire) 25th Division (German Empire) 2nd Division (German Empire) 3rd Division (German Empire) 4th Division (German Empire) 5th Division (German Empire) 6th Division (German Empire)
1st Division (German Empire)