Editing Franco-Prussian War (section)

===Battle of Sedan===

{{main|Battle of Sedan}}

[[File:BismarckundNapoleonIII.jpg|thumb|[[Napoleon III of France|Napoleon III]] and [[Otto von Bismarck|Bismarck]] talk after Napoleon's capture at the [[Battle of Sedan]], by [[Wilhelm Camphausen]]]]
On 1 September 1870, the battle opened with the [[Army of Châlons]], with 202 infantry battalions, 80 cavalry squadrons and 564 guns, attacking the surrounding Prussian Third and Meuse Armies totaling 222 infantry battalions, 186 cavalry squadrons and 774 guns. General [[Emmanuel Félix de Wimpffen]], the commander of the French V Corps in reserve, hoped to launch a combined infantry and cavalry attack against the Prussian XI Corps. But by 11:00, Prussian artillery took a toll on the French while more Prussian troops arrived on the battlefield. The struggle in the conditions of encirclement turned out to be absolutely impossible for the French—their front was shot through with artillery fire from three sides. The French cavalry, commanded by [[Jean Auguste Margueritte|General Margueritte]], launched three desperate attacks on the nearby village of [[Floing, Ardennes|Floing]] where the Prussian XI Corps was concentrated. Margueritte was mortally wounded leading the very first charge, dying 4 days later, and the two additional charges led to nothing but heavy losses. By the end of the day, with no hope of breaking out, Napoleon III called off the attacks. The French lost over 17,000 men, killed or wounded, with 21,000 captured. The Prussians reported their losses at 2,320 killed, 5,980 wounded and 700 captured or missing. By the next day, on 2 September, Napoleon III surrendered and was taken prisoner with 104,000 of his soldiers. It was an overwhelming victory for the Prussians, who had captured an entire French army and the leader of France. They subsequently paraded the defeated French army in view of the besieged army in Metz, which had an impact on the morale of the defenders. The defeat of the French at Sedan had decided the war in Prussia's favour. One French army was now immobilised and besieged in the city of Metz, and nothing was preventing a Prussian invasion.{{sfn|Wawro|2003|p=240}} This defeat was humiliating for the already morally defeated French army and paved the way for the [[Siege of Paris (1870–1871)|Siege of Paris]].