Following Mars-la-Tour, French 
Field Marshal Bazaine retreated 
the Army of the Rhine into 
positions west of Metz.  
Anchoring his line along a 
ridge fronted by a deep ravine 
on the left, protecting it on 
the right with a series of 
fortified farms and villages, 
Bazaine planned one last 
delaying action before 
retreating into Metz' 
fortresses. 

Due to poor reconnaisance, the 
Prussian Army had lost contact 
with the French.  As a result, 
when the Prussian Second Army 
finally found the French lines 
south of Amanvillers around 
10 a.m., their commander, 
Prince Friedrich Karl, assumed 
that he had found the northern 
end of the French line, and 
ordered the army to attack 
there.  The attack began the 
18th of August, 1870.

To his south, the First Army, 
commanded by Gen. Karl von 
Steinmetz, was also ordered to 
attack.  At 11:45 a.m., French 
troops were sighted in St. 
Privat.  Second Army was 
ordered to redeploy before 
attacking, but the order to 
delay came too late for IX 
Corps, whose artillery advanced 
to within 1,000 yds of the 
enemy lines before the French 
artillery blasted them - and 
the infantry following - to a 
halt. 

VIII Corps assaulted the 
southern end of the French line 
shortly after hearing IX Corps' 
attack begin.  Close range 
Chassepot fire stopped their 
advance cold.  For the rest of 
the day, despite staggering 
losses, Steinmetz continued to 
throw infantry at the French 
positions, ruining not only 
VIII Corps, but his own VII 
Corps as well.  At several 
times a French counterattack 
could have easily driven First 
Army from the field, but none 
was ordered.

At the other end of the line, 
Friedrich Karl held his 
infantry back until artillery 
support could be brought up, 
after which he began to drive 
the French right flank from 
their positions.  The Krupp 
guns easily outperformed their 
French counterparts, forcing 
the French artillery to 
withdraw.  Prussian victory 
seemed assured. 

In a premature attempt to break 
the French line, the Prussian 
Guards were ordered to attack 
the French VI Corps at St. 
Privat - they were mown down 
with incredible losses.  Second 
Army massed its artillery, 
shelled the town, and tried 
again.  St. Privat was 
outflanked, then taken, and VI 
Corps began to collapse. 

Arriving late, the French 
Imperial Guard turned around 
and marched back to Metz 
without firing a shot.  Seeing 
the Guard leave, units from 
France's IV Corps began to join 
those from VI Corps in retreat, 
and the rest of the army fell 
back accordingly.  In the dark, 
the Prussians were unable to 
pursue. 