Second Battle of Orléans

The Second Battle of Orléans was fought during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870. It took place on December 3 and 4, 1870 and was part of the Loire Campaign. The Germans recaptured Orléans, which had been retaken by the French on November 11, 1870 after the Battle of Coulmiers, and divided the French Army of the Loire in two. Future king of Serbia, Peter, took part in the battle on the French side. The French lost 20,000 men in two days of combat, including 18,000 captured or missing, as well as 74 guns and four gunboats. German manpower losses amounted to 2,000, of which 400 killed and 1,600 wounded. The Germans lost 368 horses, including 175 killed, 183 wounded and 10 missing.