The Battle of Worth
Frederick III

Sulz, 6 August 1870

I have to-day completely defeated Marshal MacMahon, putting his troops to utter and disorderly retreat. So far as it has been possible to ascertain, his whole Corps was engaged, reinforced by Failly and Canrobert as well as by troops from Grenoble, approximately a force of 80,000 men against me, who brought 100,000 men into the fighting line. The engagement, which, alas! again cost us a very great number of officers and men, deserves the title of a veritable battle, in which the greater part of my Army fought. Generals von Kirchbach and von Bose are the heroes of the day; unfortunately the latter was seriously wounded. My ever-victorious comrades of the Vth Army Corps were again, as usual, well to the front. The XIth Army Corps, in this its baptism of fire, has proved its gallantry, and was vigorously supported by the Württemberg Division under the command of Lieutenant-General von Obernitz. The Bavarian troops were terribly slow, so that I was obliged to say the strongest things to them before, at last, they advanced and attacked properly. The Baden troops came little under fire, as they formed my own special reserve.

The native population has been talking ever since yesterday evening, with every sign of unfeigned anxiety for their goods and chattels, of a great battle fixed for to-day.

Quite early in the morning we had already heard brisk firing, and gathered from it that probably the enemy were making a demonstration against the troops of the Vth and XIth Army Corps in course of changing their bivouacs. Reports stated that from earliest daybreak outpost skirmishes had been going on. A battalion was then sent forward to support the outposts of the Vth Army Corps in the direction of Wörth, and were fired on, while in the case of the IInd Bavarian Army Corps, Lieutenant-General von Hartmann, a brisk engagement developed. In consequence of this the Vth Army Corps had gradually moved its artillery eastwards of Wörth and so afforded relief to the Bavarians, so that eventually, after an obstinate fight, the Division Count Bothmer was pushed forward as far as Neweiler. The enemy, however, seemed to contemplate no further efforts; in particular after the brisk firing no offensive movements had ensued, and a part of our troops had already found it possible to bivouac.

Directly I learnt of this state of affairs, I ordered the Vth Army Corps not to offer battle, and to avoid whatever might precipitate a new engagement, because I was unwilling, before the concentration of all my forces, to provoke a pitched battle, especially on such unfavourable ground. The Vth Army Corps sent on this order of mine to the Bavarian Division, Count Bothmer, who was still in action, and who interpreted it in the sense that they too should cease fighting, and accordingly retreated in the direction of Langensulzbach. At this moment it seemed to me at Sulz that no more fighting was going on in any quarter, and as we could hear no firing, we all supposed that no further action would occur to-day. My brother-in-law, the Grand Duke of Baden, left us in consequence and travelled back to Germany.

Towards twelve o'clock began a heavy cannonade, which quickly increased in violence; so I had my horse saddled and galloped for the firing to make personal inquiry on the spot as to the course of events. A large proportion of my Staff followed only later. After a dark, rainy morning the weather was beginning to clear up.

On the way I was met by hurrying orderlies, who were to bring up ammunition carriers. The gun-fire grew more and more intense, so that a battle appeared to me no longer doubtful. On the way also I received another proof of this, inasmuch as Captain of Horse von der Lancken, who had been sent on ahead by order of General von Kirchbach to report, told me that the advance guard brigade, the 20th of the Vth Army Corps, under Von Walther, was actually involved in the fighting, and that to break away was no longer practicable; he declared, moreover, he was bound to ask for reinforcements for both his wings, for in spite of the capture of the town of Wörth, the position of the Vth Army Corps might be endangered. On this, I let him know that on his right wing General von der Tann and on his left General von Bose would intervene.

I immediately despatched Lieutenant Count Harrach to the XIth Army Corps with orders, as rapidly as possible to make every effort to retire by way of Elsasshausen and past the Niederwald on Fröschweiler. This order found General von Bose already on the march in the appointed direction, for he had on his own initiative moved off towards the thunder of the guns. To Lieutenant-General von Werder I gave the order to follow up the XIth Army Corps with his Württemberg Division, advancing on Gunstett and crossing the Sauer, while the Baden Division was to remain behind in reserve. To the Ist Bavarian Army Corps under von der Tann I sent Major von Freyberg with the order, while leaving one Division in the rear as reserve, to march off with all possible speed in order to push in between the right wing of General von Kirchbach by Wörth and the left wing of General von Hartmann by Langensulzbach.

The Bavarian Captain von Xylander carried the order to General von Hartmann to take such action on the left flank of the enemy as to enable the IInd Bavarian Army Corps to take position westwards of the Sauer, consequently behind the French wing and facing Reichshofen. Lieutenant-General von Kirchbach I made acquainted through Captain von Sommerfeld with the order I had just given, on which the former reported to me that according to statements made by prisoners the whole of MacMahon's Army was opposed to us; that the engagement had gone favourably for us and that twice already brigades of the 10th Division had repulsed a hostile attack on Wörth; that at that moment one brigade was crossing the Sauer, to seize the neighbouring heights, so that only one remained in reserve. The main attack, however, he would only execute when the reinforcements on the wings had arrived. Lieutenant-General von der Tann soon after this had a personal meeting with Lieutenant-General von Kirchbach to discuss the necessary dispositions.

It was about two o'clock that the battle raged with especial fury. Lieutenant-General von Bose had at once sent Lieutenant-General von Schachtmeyer's Division into action, followed immediately by the Division von Gersdorff, and attacked Elsasshausen, while the French held the strong position of Fröschweiler and the heights near it with the utmost tenacity and conspicuous bravery. Wörth and Elsasshausen were now the main points about which the struggle raged; the town itself of Wörth was as good as in possession of the Vth Army Corps, as also the thickly planted vineyards to the north of that place. At this crisis the Bavarians again afforded little help; I therefore sent Lieutenant von Gustedt to Lieutenant-General von der Tann, to bring him as fast as possible to the support of the Vth Army Corps. The first-named came upon the Ist Bavarian near Görsdorf and was witness how Tann, who rode at its head, gave the requisite orders; from where I stood I could still perceive no sign of going into the battle line, so I despatched Major Dresow to the Ist Bavarian Army Corps with the order to bring all available forces at last into action; more particularly as on the part of Lieutenant-General von Hartmann again no effective movement was to be noted. The latter, as observed just above, had withdrawn the Division Bothmer in the direction of Langensulzbach; by this movement the enemy had been encouraged to concentrate his whole force (which, moreover, was being all the time increased by the continual arrival of troop trains) on Wörth, now that he found his flanks no longer threatened. By this time Kirchbach had convinced himself of the considerable reinforcement of the enemy's front of attack, but was unwilling to allow Marshal MacMahon time to complete his deployment, and, encouraged by the advance begun from the south by the XIth Army Corps, had decided on the attack on Elsasshausen-Fröschweiler. At once the 20th Brigade, von Walther (37th and 50th regiments of the line), followed by the 19th Brigade, von Henning (6th and 46th of the line), had been ordered forward in the direction of Elsasshausen-Fröschweiler; but as the enemy's resistance was a very gallant one, the 9th Division also, under Lieutenant-General von Sandrart, had to be brought up, so that soon the whole Vth Army Corps was in action. Again the Bavarian IInd Army Corps gave little helpful support to the extreme right wing, inasmuch as Lieutenant-General von Hartmann, in order to relieve Division Count Bothmer, which had already that morning been under fire and over-strained, had ordered forward the Division Walther--a movement which required a long time to execute, with the result that only the brigade Schleich was available. To the Württembergers, who were nearing Gunstett, I sent, not later than two o' clock, Prince William of Württemberg, accompanied by Lieutenant von Stülpnagel, with the order to despatch the cavalry and infantry with all possible speed by way of Eberbach against the enemy's line of retreat by Reichshofen; meantime I urged von der Tann most earnestly to drive the enemy out of the vineyards and out of Fröschweiler.

Little by little we gained ground as the battle progressed. The unceasing din of cannon and musketry re-echoed loudly in the hills, while the sun had now broken through the clouds. Already numerous convoys of prisoners were passing the spot where I stood, and the Duke of Coburg, who spoke with many of them, had discovered a regimental commander among them, as also the correspondents of the Gaulois and the Figaro. Many would have it Napoleon and his son were present. The volunteer stretcher-bearers attached to my headquarters, under the orders of Baron von dem Knesebeck-Tylsen, I could see carrying out their heavy and melancholy duties calmly and effectively. Colonel von Stosch, Commander of the Ist Lower Silesian Infantry regiment No. 46, was borne from the field not far from me. A sight I shall never forget was that of a rifleman shot through the mouth, who was carried by on a stretcher directly under my eyes, and kept briskly waving his hand to me as long as ever he could see me, as he was unable to speak.

The Ist Silesian Dragoon regiment No. 4 now rode up, without my having given them any definite order; by Major Mischke I sent directions to their Commander, Colonel von Schenck, to ride through Wörth followed by his Division, an order the whole regiment received with cheers. The men of the XIth Army Corps had been obliged to attack and take a wood before they could climb the steep slopes by Elsasshausen under the most furious fire from the enemy's artillery and mitrailleuses, and had had to make use of causeways just constructed across the extremely swampy banks of the Sauerbach. Luckily General von Bose was more and more surrounding the enemy's right wing, which rested on the village, by this time in flames; moreover, Lieutenant-General von Werder, carrying out my orders admirably, now began to cause MacMahon serious anxiety about his rear. I could clearly recognize that little by little the French right wing was being retired--a movement the enemy carried out with exemplary skill, while his left wing held its ground against the Bavarians with the utmost tenacity. Several times over I saw French advances pushed forward with the greatest impetuosity, in which Zouaves leapt about with incredible agility; yet our gallant fellows repelled every attack successfully. During these hostile attempts the battle generally had come to a standstill, especially round Fröschweiler, where from the eastwards the Vth Army Corps still continued to attack indefatigably, the more so as sundry reports gave me to understand that the troops held a difficult position, and support, particularly on the right flank, was much to be desired.

By Captain of Horse von Mutius I sent orders to the Ist Bavarian Army Corps at once to cross the Sauerbach and to engage the enemy on the right wing of the Vth Army Corps. Besides this, I demanded that any officer of rank, who in view of this order of mine was not advancing as promptly as might be, should be reported to me. Lieutenant-General von Kirchbach I informed of the state of matters at the moment, letting him know how already the enemy's line of retreat by Reichshofen was threatened by the Württembergers, while General von der Tann might at any instant be in action on his right flank. Lieutenant Count Seckendorf, who had been sent to the Vth Army Corps, brought me a message from Lieutenant-General von Kirchbach to the effect that the situation of his Army Corps gave him no anxiety.

The Bavarians were making very little progress, especially as the Turkos concealed in the vineyards maintained a well-aimed fire, which our men could not return in like measure, while enemy mitrailleuses directed their fire on the columns. I had already seen several Bavarian detachments leaping very nimbly down the hill slopes in the greatest disorder, while the unpleasant reports regarding the impossibility of bringing these troops forward kept pouring in. At last my patience gave out and I called out very loudly to Major von Freyberg, Bavarian Military Representative at Berlin: "Ride to your countrymen by Fröschweiler and tell them the Crown Prince of Prussia orders them in the name of their King now at last to engage the enemy properly and drive them back; everywhere we see our troops advancing victoriously; they alone came to a standstill in face of the foe!" It was a hard saying, but true, and a word of this sort at a grave crisis is not without effect; some while after an energetic advance was at last made.

About the same time the 2nd Württemberg Brigade, von Starkloff, very opportunely got in touch with my extreme left wing from Eberbach, just as several French cavalry brigades made a sudden attempt to throw themselves on our artillery. However, the artillery stood their ground, and with their fire once more inflicted notable losses on the enemy, finding in the calm courage of our infantry the most efficacious help and support. Simultaneously at the western issue from Elsasshausen, men of both corps, Colonel von Stein, Chief of the General Staff of the XIth Army Corps leading them in person, had quickly united, so as to open an annihilating fire on the enemy squadrons, resulting in the disorderly flight of this body of cavalry.

Little by little the thunder of the guns began to fall silent, as I received from the mouth of Lieutenant-General von Kirchbach the announcement he could now say that for to-day he had really and truly sent Marshal MacMahon about his business. The Bavarian fire still continued; yet this fighting had at any rate this advantage, that the French remained over-long in this part of the field and were forced to leave behind a host of prisoners in our hands. Suddenly there broke out again and again a brisk fusillade; we supposed it to indicate a new push on the part of the enemy, till the news came that the Bavarians were celebrating the victory in the prescribed way by letting off salvoes of jubilation.

The French then were actually on the run; they were beaten and we were the victors! MacMahon's tough resistance, his practical skill, fighting for a gradual withdrawal, were well worthy of admiration - but he relinquished the battle-field to me and I had vanquished him. I may say this much in the literal sense of the word, for throughout the action I was able from the different standpoints I took up to see quite well the movements of my troops and their gallant behaviour, issue the necessary orders, and into the bargain be readily found. Lieutenant-General von Blumenthal and Colonel von Gottberg seconded me with conspicuous clear-headedness, coolness and intelligence, so that this day of itself confirmed once more - if still necessary - my old admiration and unlimited confidence in the former, and won the latter my fullest appreciation. To my officers of the General Staff, Major von Hahnke above all, as likewise to the Adjutants and A.D.C.'s, I can give unqualified praise and express my entire satisfaction, for in the rendering of intelligent reports, in the right interpretation of orders and their carrying out, one and all have proved themselves thoroughly serviceable and dependable. Many of them were previously all but unknown to me, Weissenburg and Wörth had rapidly brought us together.

It was half-past four of the afternoon before I could telegraph the news of the victory to His Majesty the King, which was then in the same way communicated to my wife and the Kings and Princes. At the same hour the firing entirely ceased, and in a moment a deep stillness reigned, as though nothing had happened, while the lovely summer's evening spread its mantle over hill and plain.

I gave the needful orders for the pursuit of the flying enemy, who were retreating on Bitsch by way of Reichshofen.

Next I rode over the battle-field, beginning from our left wing, that is to say, in the neighbourhood of Elsasshausen, and then taking the line by way of Fröschweiler to Wörth. To begin with, a Pioneer Company had to be called up with all haste to build a temporary pontoon bridge, under direction of First Lieutenant von Kleist of the Engineers, over the Sauer, which was not to be crossed otherwise. A quite wonderful effect was produced by a fire that first broke out at the topmost summit of the churchsteeple of Fröschweiler, and, while the fight was still in progress, had given us the impression of its being gilded by the beams of the evening sun.

One must be familiar with the sight of battle-fields and of the look of troops that have just been in action to form any conception of the appearance of the bloody field of Wörth; to describe it is impossible. The losses on both sides were very heavy, many a contingent had lost half its officers, numerous regimental and battalion commanders had been killed and wounded, no single regiment had come off without very sensible losses. General von Bose was twice wounded, especially by a shot in the heel that actually threatened his life; his son, who was also his A.D.C., was seriously wounded by his father's side. Colonel von Bothmer, only on the outbreak of the War appointed to the command of the 17th Infantry Brigade, having up to that moment served under me as Commander of the 6th Pomeranian regiment, was saved from death only by his watch, albeit carried from the field severely wounded; the bent and crumpled watch was pointed out to me on the ground. Very wisely Colonel von Stein had taken over the command of the XIth Army Corps, acting for the Commanding General who had been carried to Wörth immediately after receiving a second wound. Lieutenant-General von Kirchbach was able to-day, despite his wound at Weissenburg, to command, if only from his carriage, his gallant Army Corps, seconded in this with the greatest activity and judgment by the Chief of his General Staff, Colonel von der Esch. When I encountered the first-named, we fell into each other's arms; as ever, my meeting with the Vth Army Corps was so affecting that I was moved to tears. Generals, officers, men - all dashed up to me, the bands struck up Heil dir im Siegerkranz and the Hohenfriedberg March, and the hurrahs of the brave fellows drowned any possibility of my expressing my gratitude, which to-day more than ever stirred me to the bottom of my heart.

Lieutenant-General von Sandrart, also Colonel von Voigts-Rhetz, I greeted before the front of the King's Grenadier regiment. These old war veterans acquitted themselves not less well to-day than in all my earlier successes. When I came to the 3rd Posen Infantry regiment No. 58, Lieutenant Baron was presented to me, who stormed Weissenburg, colours in hand, after his Battalion Commander had fallen. Every man was filled with well-justified pride to have won this most important victory over the French. No less enthusiastic was the crowd of wounded men who lay about us; so far as their shattered limbs and their sufferings allowed, all waved to me or tried to make some sign of greeting, and if only by a radiant look, gave me to understand that they claimed their share in the glory of the day. Enthusiasm such as this is proof enough of the spirit with which our People in Arms has entered on this struggle. The happiness of having won the victory speaks no less eloquently in the dimming eye of the fallen than in the loud jubilations of the survivors. I heard never a complaint from our men, but everywhere found a most touching resignation and an admirable patience, which years ago I had come to recognize as a characteristic of our nation.

Many regiments of the XIth Army Corps I saw to-day actually for the first time, especially those of the Thuringian States and several from Hesse. I congratulated them on the successes of the new confederate army and the baptism of fire it had so bravely confronted, this in view of thirty guns taken and six mitrailleuses, of which a proportion is to be credited to this Army Corps. Many a "Hoch" burst from the ranks of these brave fellows, among whom the Thuringians similarly greeted the Dukes of Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Meiningen. My nephew, the Hereditary Prince Bernhard of Meiningen, has proved to-day that Prussian blood flows in his veins. The XIth Army Corps had likewise to bewail serious losses, and the great number of the fallen about Elsasshausen and in the neighbourhood of the captured guns showed how hard the fighting had been there. I shall never forget the sight of Lieutenant-General von Blumenthal's nephew, who, severely wounded and pale from loss of blood, gave me a smile; while close by, all round him were crowding up in their curiosity to see the mitrailleuses, and get acquainted for once at close quarters with these much-belauded bullet-squirts. The artillerymen merely made bad jokes about this new-fangled innovation in their arm, the effect of which, however, is unmistakably deadly within the narrow limits of their zone of fire.

Not far from the burning village of Fröschweiler, Lieutenant Augustin (of the 3rd Hessian Infantry regiment No. 83) brought me a captured French eagle. I was really rejoiced to see this new addition to our old friends in the Potsdam garrison church, but could not, in spite of repeated and urgent inquiries, get any accurate information from anyone as to how this trophy was taken; it appears that Bavarians and Prussians both lay claim to the exploit. The capture of a second eagle has also been notified to me.

It was only to-day I made a first acquaintance with the Württemberg troops, but for this surely no moment and no place could be more fitting than the evening of a day of victory like this. They gave me cheers, which next minute were repeated among the Bavarian Ist Army Corps, already bivouacking not far from Fröschweiler, still burning fiercely in several places. I was glad to be able to say some appreciative words to them in recognition of the final, decisive attack at the finish of the battle. I was most heartily rejoiced that the South Germans were able to bear so real a part in this glorious day, for now is the cement found that will bind together the widely different portions of the German forces united under my supreme command. An event of the sort must mean something; it is a historical fact, the consequences of which are bound to be of immense and far-reaching importance - if only we make a serious endeavour not to suffer such a moment to pass without profiting by it!

The losses of the French must be extraordinarily heavy; the dead lay in heaps, and the red cloth of their uniform showed up wherever the eye fell. Six thousand unwounded prisoners have already been reported to me, including Regimental and Battalion Commanders, and over a hundred other officers. Among them I came upon a Colonel of Cuirassiers, who must have recognized me by my star, for he instantly gave me my proper title: "Ah, monseigneur, quelle défaite, quel malheur; j'ai la honte d'etre prisonnier, nous avons tout perdu!" I tried to comfort him by saying: "Vous avez tort de dire d'avoir perdu tout, car, après vous etre battus comme des braves soldats, vous n'avez pas perdu l'honneur." To this he replied: "Ah, merci, vous me faites du bien en me traitant de la sorte!" I had him give me the address of those belonging to him so as to send news to the family. Later I came on a great number of other officers in like plight, to whom I spoke to the same effect, commending their gallantry, and adding that we would endeavour to alleviate their lot as far as possible. "Ah, ca est-ce qu'on va nous laisser nos épées et sommes-nous prisonniers sur parole?" was the reply of one of the foremost, whereupon I assured them they would be treated as officers who had fought with honour. "Ah, mais néanmoins on m'a arraché mon révolver," one of them observed at this. "Comment va le maréchal?" others cried; I answered that rumours spoke of him as wounded, while only the death of his Chief of Staff, Colson, was definitely reported, and General of Division Raoult severely wounded. Others again praised the bravery of our soldiers. I impressed upon our escort parties to see to it that no affronts were put upon the prisoners, and this the men promised me. Wherever these details met me, endless hurrahs broke out; on one such occasion I saw a crowd of French prisoners wave their caps and heard their cheers!

In the village of Fröschweiler, where the church, along with several farm-buildings, was blazing fiercely, I found the French General of Division Raoult severely wounded in the thigh, lying in a small peasant's house. He was very friendly and ready to talk, but would accept none of my offers of help, saying he was quite comfortable on the bed and his friend standing at his side would take every care of him and even share his captivity with him, and had already sent news to his family of his hopeless condition, for so he considered it. I sought to comfort him, but he said he felt no fear at all at thought of his end; for he had lived as a soldier, and so he knew how to die like one, and God would surely be merciful to a brave warrior.

A chateau of the Counts Türckheim with graden was fitted up in the village of that name as a hospital and dressing-station and had been deserted by its inmates; while the battle was raging the Countess with her people had sought refuge in the cellar; later on, when the fight was over, to devote herself to the care of the wounded. Close by the chateau the fire was so fierce that the heat was unbearable, though it was still hopeless to think of extinguishing the flames while our men were all hurrying up and down in search of water and such-like camp requisites. Loud jubilation and triumphant joy on every face, and near by the dimming eyes of the dying, amongst whom the grinning masks of the Turkos made a hideous impression.

The evening was spent partly in issuing orders, partly in collecting information in view of drawing up the report of the battle to His Majesty. A talk with Herr von Roggenbach afforded me a welcome distraction after the intense emotions of the day, which leave me nothing else to say save: "God was with us, His be the honour!"

Late at night came the news of a victory won by Lieutenant-General von Goeben near Saarbrücken (battle of Spicheren). So with that Army too the War has opened prosperously. Undoubtedly the French will be already disconcerted by our successes, and an impression in our favour cannot fail to follow among the Great Powers.

A.R. Allinson, translator. The War Diary of the Emperor Frederick III. (New York: 1926), pp. 31-42.