Battle of St. Quentin (1871)

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

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

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 19 January 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.

Sources

• Compton's Home Library: Battles of the World
• History of the Franco Prussian War