The previous blog left off in the aftermath of IR 169’s victorious, albeit costly struggle in the 20-21 August 1914 Battle of Sarrebourg. The results of Crown Prince Rupprecht’s mighty 6/7th Army surprise strike on the French across the Vosges Mountains sent the enemy reeling back into French territory and the safety of the Meurthe River, 20 miles away. These events sent into motion IR 169’s next major engagement, the 25 August 1914 Battle of Baccarrat.
The 22-25 August road march to the Meurthe was a hot, slow and miserable ordeal. There were simply too many troops for too few roads, all clogged by endless ranks of German infantry, cavalry, artillery and supply columns. On 23 August, IR 169 crossed into French soil, a symbolic milestone throughout the German ranks. Albert Rieth’s journal noted: “On the third Sunday we crossed the border, and our captain held an enthusiastic speech, stating that we would not return until the enemy was completely defeated, and we marched into France singing patriotic songs.”
One of XIV Corps’ primary objectives was seize a substantial stone bridge that spanned the Meurthe River at Baccarat. Then, and as today, the picturesque town of Baccarat is world-renowned for its spectacular crystal industry. The bridge in the town center divided Baccarat into east and west sections. On the east bank, where the German Army approached from, the grounds of a large chateau was centered close to the bridge. On the west bank, the church of St. Remy occupied the southern corner of the bridge intersection. The church opened onto a wide village square, with the Hotel d’Ville on the north corner.
The hasty French retreat left Baccarat, and more importantly – the bridge in the town’s center, abandoned. The lack of an organized defense enabled the leading German patrols to easily slip into Baccarat on the evening of 24 August. These vanguard units, including a squadron of the 29th Division’s 22nd Dragoons, crossed over the Meurthe Bridge to the western side of Baccarat. IR 169 spent the night in the forest just to the east of the town.
Late on 24 August, French commanders realized the consequences of not defending this strategic bridge. The 86th Regiment of Infantry (86th RI), which days earlier was badly mauled in the Battle of Sarrebourg, was the nearest French unit. Commanded by the rather elderly Colonel Couturaud, the regiment was ordered to reverse its retreat, drive out the German patrols and establish a defense on the eastern bank.
The German dragoon picket line were caught completely off guard when the French attack landed at 4:30 am. The dragoon’s fled, closely pursued by the 86th RI’s 12th Company. The French company dashed over the bridge and secured a block of buildings on the northern corner of east bank. A wild firefight raged in the streets as multiple German units raced into Baccarat. The swarm of German infantry soon trapped the isolated company and repelled French reinforcements attempting to cross over the bridge.
Sealing the French soldiers’ doom, two German machine guns set up on the walls of the chateau’s gardens, with direct, point blank fields of fire that covered the entire span of the bridge. The entrance to the bridge was only 60 meters away. With the hope of reinforcements fading, the 12th Company attempted to break off contact and retreat back across the Meurthe. It was a disaster. Many of the troops were shot down before they even neared the bridge. Some 30 French soldiers managed to surrender. Those who made it onto the bridge were cut down by the murderous German machine gun and rifle crossfire. Adding the French woes, guns from the German 50th Field Artillery Regiment opened up on the St. Remy Church, scoring direct hits on the steeple where French officers were observing the fighting.
The French regimental commander directed yet another futile assault across the bridge, this time with 1st Battalion leading. The charge was launched devoid of any artillery or machine gun support. A French platoon leader from the 2nd Company, Lieutenant Aussedat, described the 1st Battalion charge. Aussedat, who was wounded and captured in this action, wrote this account in a letter to the widow of his company commander, Captain Souques:
“The intensity of the shooting redoubled in our movement toward the bridge. In the midst of the clamor, we could distinguish the maddening noise of the machine guns. At this time, the enemy artillery fires at church steeple next to us; the situation becomes untenable – we must act. From my position behind the bridge’s parapet, I noticed Captain Souques calmly standing and giving orders despite the bullets whistling around him. The infernal machine gun fire did not seem to concern him. A bugle sounds “charge” on the colonel’s order to attack. Immediately, 1st Company, led by the 1st Battalion and 1st Company commanders, moves forward at a run down the left side of the bridge. On Captain Souques order, 2nd Company follows on the right side of the bridge. I led my section from our sheltered position behind the parapet, and raced forward with the rest of 2nd Company.
This becomes the most terrible spectacle imaginable. From across the river, enemy fire comes at us from homes, street corners, and especially, the storied chateau park gardens surrounded by large walls. From behind these walls, German machine guns rake the bridge with enfilading fire. The assaulting column fills the bridge, pushing forward with a great cry of ‘In before we die!’ Entire ranks of men are mown down by the enemy bullets. Piles of bodies block the path of those men courageously attempting to attack an invisible enemy. These men are also shot down and the attack is briefly halted. Officers and noncommissioned officers, through their example and encouragement, immediately restore the column’s forward movement. All this happened in the space of thirty seconds.
The middle of the bridge, I see Captain Souques, with a sword in hand, and shouting ‘Forward’ with all his might, and leading his men over a clusters of corpses. Following his example, I increase my pace forward and into the hail of bullets. Unfortunately, the circumstances did not allow me to continue, as I fall wounded, dozens of meters away before the bridge exit. It was here that Captain Souques fell.
Captain Souques’ leadership inspired the men forward, but their heroic efforts were unable to overcome the barrage of enemy bullets. They, like Captain Souques, are all fallen heroes, humbly and courageously fulfilling the most sacred of duties.”
In the midst of this horror, some of the wounded were able to roll over sides of the bridge, only to drown in the river below. Following this attack, the remaining elements of 86th RI withdrew, ceding the intact bridge to the Germans. The Germans later counted the bodies of 97 French soldiers killed on the bridge. One German noted that the firing was so intense that many of the dead were found with bullet holes in the soles of their boots.
My grandfather, Albert Rieth wrote of the battle and this scene in the following passage. [Apparently Rieth, along with IR 169’s 9th Company, crossed the bridge after the French dead and wounded had been removed to the vicinity of the shattered church. This scene left Rieth with the incorrect assumption that they had been shot down trying to escape the church.]
“We took bivouac over night near Baccarat, where we arrived on August 25. Our scouts were stationed at Baccarat, and were provided cover by a squadron of dragoons. Then came the order for the scouts to retreat while being covered by the dragoons. But the infantry neglected to tell the dragoons of the retreat. So it came that the unwitting dragoons were attacked, and lost all of their horses, which were tied to the trees in a park.
Our entire regiment was pulled in, but meanwhile about 200 Frenchmen had hidden themselves in church, and were prepared to ambush us as we marched through. But luckily we noticed this just in time when a French officer serving as an observer was noticed standing in the steeple. Our artillery fired on the steeple, which collapsed immediately. The church door opened. Apparently the French were uncomfortable in this house of God. Machine guns were now positioned approximately [100] meters away. The artillery shot into the church above and below the machine guns fired upon the Frenchmen trying to escape through the door. As we then passed, there were over one hundred dead and wounded before the church.”
The 86th RI lost over 1,000 men in the battle. Today, a memorial marker by the Baccarat City Hall lists the names of some 350 men from that regiment killed in the fighting. That evening, IR 169 took part in fierce fighting to capture the hamlet of St Barbe, four miles to the southwest.
Picture Legend and the Battlefield Today:
Note: In June 2019 I had the opportunity to visit Baccarat. I was fortunate to meet a guide at the town’s visitor center who was an expert of the battle. This young man was extremely patient and went to great lengths to explain the battle to me. [I was something of a novelty, American visitors who come to Baccarat to just visit the battlefield are indeed a rare sight!] There is an impressive memorial on the western side of the bridge to the 86th IR, with the names of the fallen. Across from the memorial is the modern (3.0) version of the Church of St. Remy, with previous churches destroyed in WW I and WW II. Across the bridge, I walked to the walls of the chateau’s garden and stood at the spot where the German MG’s mowed down waves of French soldiers attacking across the bridge. From this vantage point, it was clear how this terrible slaughter unfolded. For those interested in a map of the battle, members are welcome to visit the map page of my website, www.ironregiment169.com. All citations from this blog are found in The Iron Regiment of the First World War.
(1) A sketch of French soldiers attacking across the bridge. The Church of St. Remy is visible to the right, the bridge is just beyond. This image came from the cover a CD 100thanniversary commemoration of the battle.
(2) A photo of the bridge and battle damaged church taken one week after the battle.
(3) A modern image of this view.
(4) The 86th RI Monument.
(5) The chateau garden; this is the site of the German MG position, looking towards the bridge.
