The siege of Bitche was a battle during the Franco-Prussian War initially caused by the German forces on August 8, 1870 to March 26, 1871, where the two nations would sign a armistice. The siege was considered a brave siege under the command of governor Louis-Casimir Teyssier, and of the chief of the troops of the place: Geniès-Hippolyte Bousquet who both would be appointed lieutenant-colonels during the siege.
Background
Otto von Bismarck believed that a Franco-German war is necessary to achieve the unity of Germany for the benefit of Prussia—. The Ems Dispatch affair would ignite the casus-belli in accordance with his wishes and despite the lack of enthusiasm of Napoleon III. When France declared war the now North German Confederation on July 19, 1870, Prussia has 450,000 well-trained men, equipped with an efficient weaponry with an inconspicuous and practical uniforms. As for the French army, the army was reduced to the Army of the Rhine at the start of the conflict and despite the army's equipment, it was not prepared for war. Dressed too conspicuously and mis-use of its superior equipment, the French army presented a perfect target for the enemy. The facts will prove later that if the soldiers of the Imperial German army defeated France in most of the earlier battles, with the Germans advancing towards Bitche which had a stronghold which had been classified as a first-class stronghold in 1850 that would lead to a difficult siege.
According to an account on January 1. 1870, the Citadel of Bitche contained 53 cannons, 4,662 rifles and 1,399,416 cartridges, more than 120 tons of powder and 26,128 large caliber projectiles. When conflict broke out on July 19, 1870, there was no additional supply to the fortress. On July 9, 1870, Louis-Casimir Teyssier, a combat experienced French Army officer, was appointed commander of the citadel. He set up his headquarters in the town hall. Prior to assuming command at Bitche, Teyssier commanded an infantry battalion at the city. Before coming to Bitche, he was battalion commander of an infantry regiment in Thionville. It was only at the start of hostilities that he transferred his home to the fortress where the setting up of the guns only took place after the Battle of Wörth and under the direction of an artillery captain, Captain Rossin who retreated shortly after battle.
Bitche became the gathering point of the 5th Corps under the command of French General Failly. On July 18, 1870, the day before the official declaration of war, the square was home to seventeen battalions of infantry and two regiments of cavalry.
The July 23, 1870, General Failly transfers the headquarters to Bitche Sarreguemines, giving way to the troops of General Guyot Lespart with his 3rd Division consisting of 17th, 27th, 30th and 68th infantry regiments. On July 24, 1870, The German regiment, Uhlan regiment began sabotaging the railway of Bitche-Sarreguemines near Bliesbruck in order to isolate Bitche from supplies.
Beginning of the conflict
The July 29, 1870, the first clash took place near Breidenbach, about ten kilometers north of Bitche between a patrol of the 5th German Dragons and a French patrol. The French avant-garde reacted by establishing intrenchment work on the heights of Hanviller on July 31, 1870, which was a village six kilometers north of Bitche. On August 1, 1870, The light horse of Major von Egloffstein and men of the 12th Prussians under the command of Major Von Parry form a group of fifty soldiers to Eppenbrunn, village-border town, from where they head to the road Bitche- Wissembourg. These German scouts were attacked in Sturzelbronn by elements of the French infantry and retreated in the direction of Ludwigswinkel by taking the steep paths by the Mühlenbach farm. A German hussar was captured at the Mühlenbach farm while treating his injured horse.
General Failly was informed of the decision of the Germans heading for Wissembourg by the Germans and the progression of the 3rd East German Army. He was ordered to assemble all his troops in Bitche. Following these directives, the Lespart division which had advanced to the vicinity of Pirmasens withdrew to Bitche on August 2, 1870. General de Failly arrives at Bitche with the rest of the Corps on the evening of August 5, 1870.