Page 379 - General Giuseppe GARIBALDI - english version

THE FRENCH CAMPAIGN 1870 - 1871 361

Arrived at 15 kilometres from their destination, the scouts reported that in
Til-Châtel there where 12.000 Prussians - in reality there was half of the 4 th
Division of the IInd Corps - and that the other mass of the enemy’s troops was
more eastward – that was Dannenberg’s mixed Brigade. Garibaldi stopped his
march awaiting that the news be confirmed, since he thought insane to attack
forces three times as much as his own and well equipped with artillery. In the
meantime, from Val-Suzon the scouts reported the march on Saint-Seine of
Kettler’s mixed brigade, which they imagined was heading for Dijon. The only
possible decision was to go back to the stronghold. Now he had to resign him-
self to defend it from the enemy attack that had to be impending.
General Manteuffel, now fully advancing southward, ordered Kettler, on
th
the 20 , to capture Dijon the following day.
st
The days of Dijon. – On the morning of the 21 , Kettler’s Brigade - 4000
Infantrymen, 260 cavalrymen and 12 pieces – left St. Seine and, organised in
three columns, headed for the stronghold from the north and the west:
st
1 column, Colonel Weyrach: via the St.-Seine – Dijon route: 1 platoon
of Pomeranian dragoons, 1 battalion of the 8 th Pomeranian Infantry
Regiment, 1 heavy Battery, 2 companies of the 4 th Pomeranian Infantry
Regiment; followed by Colonel von Lobenthal’s detachment formed by 1
battalion of fusiliers from the 4 th Pomeranian Infantry and 1 light Battery;
2 nd column, Major Kroseck: Turcey-Dijon road; one squadron of
Pomeranian dragoons, 1 battalion of the 4 th Pomeranian Infantry, 1 battal-
ion of the 8 th Pomeranian Infantry;
3 rd column, Major von Conta: Is-sur-Tille –Dijon road: 1 squadron of
the Pomeranian dragoon Regiment, 1 battalion of fusiliers from the 8 th
Pomeranian Regiment.
The detachment of Colonel von Weyrach had just left St.-Seine when he
had to face groups of snipers that disappeared after shooting some bullets: they
were elements of Bosak’s brigade. In the deep valley of the Suzon, 400 men of
the 42 nd mobile of the Aveyron, after a semblance of resistance, withdrew
southward. At 1.30 pm the heads of the columns were welcomed at the farm-
house of Changey with artillery volleys from Talant and Fontaine-le-Dijon.
In the meantime, General Bosak, informed of the enemy advance, gath-
ered his troops near Fontaine and marched on the Bois du Chêne; but was
wounded to death, and his troops scattered towards Dijon.
The vanguard of von Weyrach spread across the road; the heavy Battery