The Battle of Spicheren (also known as the Battle of Forbach) was fought on 6 August 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War. German forces won a victory compelled the French to withdraw to the defenses of Metz. The battle was the second of three critical French defeats. General Helmuth von Moltke the Elder had originally planned to keep François Achille Bazaine's army around the Saar until he could attack it with the 2nd Army in front and the 1st Army on its left flank, while the 3rd Army closed towards the rear. The aging General Karl Friedrich von Steinmetz made an overzealous, unplanned move, leading the 1st Army south from his position on the Moselle. He moved straight toward the town of Spicheren, cutting off Prince Frederick Charles from his forward cavalry units in the process.
Battle of Spicheren: Prussia defeats France
The Battle of Spicheren (also known as the Battle of Forbach) was fought on 6 August 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War.
Historical Significance
The Battle of Spicheren (also known as the Battle of Forbach) was fought on 6 August 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War.
Events Before
US postage stamps featuring scenes are issued for the first time, depicting a post horse and rider, a locomotive, a shie
US postage stamps featuring scenes are issued for the first time, depicting a post horse and rider, a locomotive, a shield, an eagle, and a ship, the Adriatic
Dmitri Mendeleev presents the first periodic table of the elements to the Russian Chemical Society
Dmitri Mendeleev presents the first periodic table of the elements to the Russian Chemical Society
Cincinnati Red Stockings become baseball's first professional team with ten salaried players
The Cincinnati Red Stockings of 1869 were baseball's first all-professional team, with ten salaried players.
US Abolitionist Harriet Tubman marries civil war veteran Nelson Davis in Auburn NY
Harriet Tubman (1822–1913) was an American abolitionist and political activist. Tubman escaped slavery and rescued approximately 70 enslaved people, including members of her family and friends.
Hudson's Bay Company cedes its territory to Canada
The Hudson's Bay Company (abbreviated HBC and colloquially Hudson's Bay) is a Canadian holding company of department stores and commercial property.
Events After
Belgium disbands its salt tax
Belgium disbands its salt tax
Second German Empire is proclaimed by Kaiser Wilhelm I and Otto von Bismarck
Otto Eduard Leopold, Prince of Bismarck, Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen, Duke of Lauenburg (born Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck-Schönhausen; 1 April 1815 – 30 July 1898) was a German statesman and…
US President William McKinley (27) weds Ida Saxton (23) at the First Presbyterian Church in Canton
US President William McKinley (27) weds Ida Saxton (23) at the First Presbyterian Church in Canton
The Rugby Football Union is formed at a meeting of 21 clubs at the Pall Mall Restaurant, London, England
The Rugby Football Union (RFU) is the national governing body for rugby union in England.
Journalist Henry Morton Stanley begins his famous expedition to Africa
Journalist Henry Morton Stanley begins his famous expedition to Africa
More from the 1870s
Belgium disbands its salt tax
Belgium disbands its salt tax
The Moerdijk railway bridge over Hollands Diep in South Holland opens, becoming the longest bridge in Europe at that tim
The Moerdijk railway bridge over Hollands Diep in South Holland opens, becoming the longest bridge in Europe at that time
Japan adopts the Gregorian calendar
Japanese calendar types have included a range of official and unofficial systems. At present, Japan uses the Gregorian calendar together with year designations stating the year of the reign of the…
New York City annexes the West Bronx
The boroughs of New York City are the five major governmental districts that compose New York City. They are the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened on August 6, 1870?
- The Battle of Spicheren (also known as the Battle of Forbach) was fought on 6 August 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War. German forces won a victory compelled the French to withdraw to the defenses of Metz. The battle was the second of three critical French defeats.
- Why is Battle of Spicheren: Prussia defeats France significant?
- The Battle of Spicheren (also known as the Battle of Forbach) was fought on 6 August 1870 during the Franco-Prussian War.