Battle of St. Quentin (1871)

Infobox Military Conflict


caption=
partof=the Franco-Prussian War
conflict=Battle of St. Quentin
date=January 19 1871
place=St. Quentin, France
result=Prussian victory
combatant1=flagicon|German Empire German Empire
combatant2=flagicon|France France
commander1=August Karl von Goeben
commander2=Louis Faidherbe
strength1=33,000
strength2=40,000
casualties1=2,400
casualties2=3,500 killed and wounded,
9,000 captured|

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

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 irregular French army under General Louis Faidherbe near Saint Quentin. On January 19 the Prussians attacked and decisively 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.

ources

* "Compton's Home Library:" Battles of the World
* [http://www.geocities.com/fpwar1870/history.html History of the Franco Prussian War]