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 of the Frontiers army concentrated behind the Gete river, with two divisions further forward at Liège and Namur. Alfred von Schlieffen, Chief of the Imperial German General Staff ("Oberste Heeresleitung, OHL") from devised a number of plans that called for winning a decisive battle against the French army in Germany, Belgium or France as the war-situation required. was a contingency plan for a Franco-German war, in which France (due to fewer numbers) would be on the defensive and Germany would attack by invading Belgium between Antwerp and Namur and then advancing south to breach the Verdun–Marne–Paris defensive area. German forces would then hold