Siege of La Fère
1870 CE.
Shown on the map at 49.662°, 3.366°.
The Siege of La Fère took place during the Franco-Prussian War from 15 November until 26 November 1870, at the fortress of La Fère in France. French troops stationed at La Fère under the command of Captain Jacques Ferdinand Planche resisted the siege from the Imperial German Army, but surrendered the fort after eleven days on 26 November 1870, which resulted in a German victory. During the siege, the German army captured thousands of prisoners, most of whom were Garde Mobile soldiers, and took control of many French weapons. The German shelling of La Fère took place over the course of two days and severely damaged the town. After the Germans captured La Fère, they used cannons to arm the stronghold of Amiens. Although La Fère was a small fortress, it still posed a threat to the rear of the German armies advancing upon Amiens. The Brigade Infantry No. 4 of the Corps of Prussia, under the command of Major General von Zhilinsky, was tasked with besieging La Fère. On 15 November, 1870, after a long journey from Metz, the Germans reached La Fère to blockade the fortress.
Text from the Wikipedia article Siege of La Fère, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.