Battle of Le Bourget

The battle of Le Bourget near Paris took place on October 30, 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War .

Battle of Le Bourget
Main Conflict: Franco-Prussian War
German Regiment at Le Bourget October 30, 1870
date	October 30, 1870
A place	Le Bourget (near Metz , France )
Total	Victory of Prussia
Opponents
Prussia France
Commanders
General Budritsky General Carre de Belmar

German troops in captured Le Bourget

On October 28, the French, under the command of General Carré de Belmar , captured an unexpected attack in Le Bourget , which was occupied by one company of the Prussians. Since, with the occupation of Le Bourget, the French could set up large-caliber artillery here and disturb the Prussian Guards Corps behind the floods of the Mare River, the head of the 2nd Guards Infantry Division, General Budritsky , was ordered to take Le Bourget back.

Meanwhile, the French within 48 hours strengthened Le Bourget and strengthened its internal defense. In addition, the Germans had to advance on flooded areas and under shots from the forts of Saint-Denis and Aubervilliers .

According to the disposition, the offensive was to be carried out in three columns: the right (two battalions ) - from the side of Dyuny (2 km north of Le Bourget), the middle (four and a half battalions and three horse batteries) - from Pont Iblon (2 km to the east from Dyuny), and the left (a little less than three battalions and two heavy batteries) - from Le Blanc-Menius (3 km north-east of Le Bourget). All columns were ordered to converge at Le Bourget at the same time. The beginning of the general offensive is scheduled for 8:30; however, the left column appeared an hour earlier, since it was facing a more circular movement and crossing the Molere stream. This column, crossing the Molera on the road to Drancy from Olne, was supposed to advance down the stream to attack Le Bourget from the south.

With the start of the movement, two heavy batteries at Blanc-Menius opened fire, under the cover of three companies of shooters, and three batteries at Pont Iblon. Artillery fire continued during the offensive from a long distance (2 km), with batteries at Pont Iblon fired on top of the advancing troops.

Meanwhile, the bypass movement was successful; the village of Drancy (southeast of Le Bourget) was left without resistance by the French. Around 9:00, all the columns approached Le Bourget.

Wanting to inspire the troops, General Budritsky, with a banner in his hands, rushed forward; by 10:00, the outer fence of Le Bourget was in the hands of the Germans; however, the losses they suffered were very large. An even more fierce battle began to boil inside Le Bourget, where the French arranged barricades and organized defense in the precincts. Each barricade, each building had to be taken by attack. Only at one in the afternoon the battle inside Le Bourget ended.

Forced to leave this village, the French randomly retreated and did not try to recover the lost, despite the reinforcements sent from Paris .

Following the capture of Le Bourget, the Germans, having reached their goal, suspended the offensive. The French detachment defending Le Bourget, whose forces are defined at 5,000, left up to 1,200 prisoners. Budritsky’s division lost 57 killed (including two regimental commanders), 431 wounded.

Field Marshal Moltke subsequently wrote:

“This new failure has increased the discontent of the Parisian population. More and more, respect for the government was disappearing. He was accused of inability, of treason. Noisy crowds of people demanded weapons, and even part of the national guard joined them. ”

Then, according to Moltke, the calls “Long live the commune !” Sounded.