defeated the French at Spicheren, occupying the heights and driving General Frossard both from his first line of battle and from the position he afterwards tried to take near St. Avold.
The result of the movements of the Germans and the victories above mentioned was to drive Frossard in the direction of Metz, where Bazaine's corps was joined by L'Admirault's from Thionville, and by divisions under Bourbaki and Canrobert. There was now no obstacle to the junction of the three Prussian armies, and by the 11th they formed an unbroken line, with head-quarters in Saarbruck. On the 14th the first army was in the neighborhood of Metz, and frustrated the attempt of the French to retreat to the line of the Marne. The defeat of the French at Courcelles on the 14th, and at Vionville, or Mars-la-Tour, on the 16th, completed the cutting off of Bazaine's command from junction with other French forces, though it cost heavily to the Germans in loss of men. Bazaine now massed his troops at a position between Gravelotte and St. Privat le Montagne, and made ready for a battle that should be decisive. Winning it he would break through the German lines and retreat to the Marne, while by losing it he would be shut up in Metz, or at all events separated from the rest of the French army.
At the break of day on the 17th, the movement of the French army into its new position began. Late at night on the 16th one division of the 3d corps had reached the battle-field of Vionville, and this division was ordered into position between the Bois des Ognons and Malmaison, in order to cover the retreat of the left wing, which was the most exposed. There was great difficulty in moving the enormous train, as there was but a single way open for it, the road from Gravelotte to Metz. The French officers saw that the road was so blocked, and the wagons so closely crowded and in such a state of confusion, that a panic would have followed the appearance of even a few squadrons of German cavalry.
