THE ERANCO-GERMAN WAR (PART III.) 
569 
instructions to the Grand Duke to close in at once to Toury. While 
the two armies are thus in close contact, it will be well to view the aspect 
of affairs from the Drench side. 
After the defeat of Yon der Tann at Coulmiers (9th November) the 
Government was anxious that an advance on Paris should be at once 
made; but its views were opposed by General de Paladines, on the 
ground that his troops were neither sufficiently numerous nor well or¬ 
ganised to undertake such a movement. The middle of November 
passed in throwing up a double line of redoubts north of Orleans, and 
fortifying the line of the edge of the forest by a series of advance posts. 
The views of the military and civil authorities were at this stage 
always clashing; The latter placed too great a value on the fighting 
powers of the newly-formed levies, while the former attached perhaps 
too little importance to the advantage of immediate movement. The 
arrival of the II. German Army on the scene on the 20th rendered an 
advance for the moment inadvisable. Three new corps were now 
brought forward—the 18th from the eastern provinces, the 17th and 
20 th from the western—and gradually moved towards the main body. 
At the end of the month five French corps (the 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 
and 20th), amounting to about 170,000 men, were bivouacked along a 
very extended line stretching from the Marchenoir Forest to Montargis. 
In obedience to orders received direct from the Minister of War, an 
attack was made on the German X. Corps by the French right. The 
German troops at Beaune-la-Rolande, though inferior in numbers, held 
their ground with much pertinacity, and the French corps engaged 
(18th and 20th) were obliged to fall back on Bellegarde. It was 
undoubtedly the wish of the French General to maintain a defensive 
policy until his troops were thoroughly organised, but unfortunately 
the defective communication with Paris disarranged his plans. Owing 
to the miscarriage of a balloon, and a misleading telegraphic message, 
it was thought on the 30th that a sortie with some success had been 
attempted from the capital, and that it was necessary that an imme¬ 
diate advance should be made to second it. 
A forward movement was accordingly at once ordered for the 1st 
December. The original plan for attack was to advance from both 
flanks simultaneously, and assault both in front and flank the German 
centre at Pithiviers. From various causes this scheme was not carried 
out, and an advance was made from the French left only by the 15th, 
16th, and 17th Corps, the 18th and 20th Corps on the right remaining 
immoveable. The French movement met with varying success on the 
1st and 2nd December, being opposed obstinately by the troops of the 
Duke of Mecklenburgh, which had taken up a position across the Orleans- 
Paris road. 
On the 3rd December, Prince Frederick Charles retook the 
initiative, and observing the French right with cavalry only, made a 
concentric attack on the centre of their position. Owing to the exten¬ 
sion of the French line, the success of this movement resulted in cutting 
in two the French army. The 16th and 17th Corps retired down the 
right bank of the Loire, the 18th and 20th retreated in disorder 
towards Gien, while the 15th alone stood the brunt of the attack of the 
73 
Battle of 
Beaune. 
28 th Xot. 
Second 
battle of 
Orleans. 
