Battle of Buzancy | |||||||
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Part of Franco-Prussian War | |||||||
![]() Battle of Buzancy (painting by Fritz von Uhde, c. 1895) | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
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Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Units involved | |||||||
V Army | XVII Corps | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Regiment Chasseur 12 of Corps No. 5[5] | 3rd Cavalry Regiment ( Saxony ), a cavalry squadron of the 18th Uhlan Regiment and the Zwinker battery[6] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown killed and wounded, 12 cavalrymen and Major de la Porte captured [7] | Unknown killed, 32 soldiers and 27 warhorses wounded; 2 captains wounded[7] |
Battle of Buzancy[10] was a battle of the Franco-Prussian War[1] which took place on 27 August 1870 in Buzancy, France[9][2] between the French Empire and the combined German forces of Prussia and Saxony. The midfield force of the 24th Brigade (under the command of Major General Friedrich Senfft von Pilsach ) of a division Saxon cavalry of the Maas Army of the Prussian army[1][11][12] won a victory over the Cavalry Regiment. 12th Chasseur light infantry of the V Army of the French Empire under the command of General Pierre Louis Charles de Failly.[7][9] Taken by surprise in this cavalry battle,[13] the French formation was torn apart and almost completely annihilated.[6] On the Prussian - German side, the captains of the two cavalry squadrons involved in the battle were wounded.[7] The defeat at Buzancy forced the retreat of the French cavalry squadrons, and the Battle of Buzancy is arguably the most characteristic cavalry and artillery clash of the war.[7]