420 
THE FRANCO-GERMAN WAR. 
both the line and Landwehr simultaneously ; it being apparent that the 
coming struggle would in all probability assume gigantic proportions. 
Within ten days the local mobilisations of the army corps were com¬ 
plete, and on the 23rd the transport by rail to the frontier commenced. 
Precise details as to the way in which each corps was to be forwarded— 
including the very hours of departure and arrival, and the number of 
carriages in each train—had been prepared long beforehand, and on 
the 30th July the German forces, divided into three large armies, took 
up with their leading troops the line of the Bhine from Coblenz to 
Germershiem. 
Commander. Numbers. Position on 3ist July. 
I. Army.—General Steinmetz. VII. and VIII. Corps, Treves. 
60,000 inf., 4,800 cav. 
II. Army.—Prince Frederick Charles. III., IV., IX., X., and XII. Corps, and Gd. Mayence, 
152,000 inf., 22,200 cav. & S.W.of it. 
III. Army.—Crown Prince. V., XI., I. Bav. and II. Bav. Corps, 
Baden Biv., and Wurtemburg Biv. 
126,000 inf., 14,800 cav. Landau. 
Total. 328,000 inf., 41,800 cav., with 1,206 guns. 
The I. Corps joined the I. Army, the II. Corps the II. Army, and the 
YI. Corps the III. Army a few days later, forming with the addition 
of the 17th Inf. and four Landwehr divisions, a total of 462,000 inf., 
56,800 cav., and 1584 guns.* 
The French forces at this period consisted of 210,000 men,! divided into 
three main groups in the neighbourhood of St. Avoid, Strassburg, and 
Chalons. Though nominally one army, it was practically two, the right 
wing of which (47,000 men) was east of the Yosges, under the com¬ 
mand of Marshal Macmahon, while the left (128,000) was superintended 
by the Emperor personally at St. Avoid. The seven corps comprised in 
these totals were bivouacked in a very dispersed order, and echelonned 
along the whole frontier, from Thionville to Strassburg. Besides these 
troops, there was a reserve corps of about 35,000 men, chiefly at 
Chalons. It must be remembered, however, that the French numbers 
were increasing daily, owing to the constant influx of the reserves, 
and at the commencement of August the strength may be put down 
at from 260 to 270,000 men.J 
* The German corps consisted on an average of 25 battalions, 8 squadrons, and 15 batteries, and 
including the cavalry divisions may be valued at 30,000 combatants. Officers arid non-combatants 
not included in above totals. 
f Strength of French army the 29th July:— 
Guard (Bourbaki) . 20,500 
1st Corps (Macmahon) . 37,000 
2nd n (Frossard) . 23,430 
3rd n (Bazaine) . 35,800 
4th n (Ladmirault) . 26,000 
5th n (Be Failly) . 23,000 
6th n (Canrobert). 29,900 
7th a (Bouay) . 9,900 
Beserve Cavalry and Engineers . 4,550 
Total . 210,080 men, 
$ Vide Map 1 for positions on 31st July. 
