Battle of Villersexel Battle of Villersexel The Battle of Villersexel took place on 9 January 1871 as part of the Franco-Prussian War. Elements of the French "Armée de l'Est" under General Bourbaki engaged August von Werder's Prussian forces. It resulted in a French victory. In the turmoil and confusion following major reverses and capitulations at Sedan, Paris, and Metz, the remaining French armies faced major supply difficulties which restricted their movements. The "Armée de l'Est" was tasked with reaching and assisting Belfort, where Colonel Denfert-Rochereau still held out. Werder's Prussians caught up to Bourbaki in the evening of 9 January at Villersexel, where
Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War charity and common sense with respect to Reconstruction efforts, a wide and humane patriotism, an awareness that victory came to the North not by greater heroism but because of greater resources and population, sympathy for the liberated slaves, and decency in Congress." The initial reception in the major journals was sympathetic but not entirely approving. Richard Henry Stoddard, for instance, wrote Stoddard also found it More recent critics praise Melville's poetry in general and "Battle-Pieces" in particular. Lawrence Buell writes that, next to Walt Whitman, Melville wrote the best series of Civil War lyrics. Battle-Pieces and Aspects of the War