Franco-Prussian War order of battle


This is an order of battle of the French and German Armies at the beginning of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870.

France

Order of battle at the beginning of the war:

Army of the Rhine

Commander in Chief: Emperor Napoléon III
Chief of Staff: Marshal Edmond Le Bœuf
French Infantry divisions were square divisions, with two infantry brigades of two infantry regiments each. Generally, one brigade per division also had a light infantry battalion. French cavalry divisions were also generally square, with two brigades of two regiments each, but the cavalry divisions of the Imperial Guard Corps, the 1st Corps, and the 6th Corps had three brigades.
:fr:Ordre de bataille lors de la bataille de Frœschwiller-Wœrth |French Regimental Histories

Germany

Order of battle on 1 August 1870:
Commander in Chief: Wilhelm I
Chief of the General Staff: General Helmuth von Moltke
Quarter-Master General: Generalleutnant Eugen Anton Theophil von Podbielski
Inspector-General of Artillery: General der Artillerie Gustav Eduard von Hindersin
Inspector-General of Engineers: Generalleutnant Franz von Kleist

Commissary-General: Generalleutnant Albrecht von Stosch

Staff Department Chiefs: Oberstleutnant Paul Bronsart von Schellendorff; Oberstleutnant Julius von Verdy du Vernois; Oberstleutnant Karl von Brandenstein

First Army

General Karl Friedrich von Steinmetz
General der Kavallerie Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia
Commander: Crown Prince of Prussia
Chief of Staff: Generalleutnant Leonhard von Blumenthal
Though not a belligerent in the conflict, the Belgian army was mobilized and placed on readiness at the country's borders in fear of a preemptive attack by either party through the neutral territory during the Franco-Prussian War..
Commander-in-Chief: King Leopold II
Chief of Staff: Lieutenant General Bruno Renard
Minister of War: Major General Henri Guillaume

Army of Observation

The Army of Observation numbered approximately 55,000 men. Its role was to defend the country's borders.
Commander: Lieutenant-General Baron Félix Chazal
Chief of Staff: Colonel Monoyer
The Army of Antwerp, based in the "National Redoubt" fortress in Antwerp, numbered approximately 15,000. It was a defensive force, designed to hold the city of Antwerp alone. Approximately 8,000 additional men served as guards at other fortresses around the country, including Liège.
Commander: Lieutenant-General Alexis-Michel Eenens
Chief of Staff: Colonel Henri Alexis Brialmont