Battle of Gravelotte - Outcome

Outcome

The casualties were severe, especially for the attacking Prussian forces. Casualties for the Prussians were 20,163 troops killed, wounded or missing in action during the 18 August battle. The French losses were 7,855 killed and wounded along with 4,420 prisoners of war (half of these were wounded), for a total of 12,275. While most of the Prussians fell under the French Chassepot rifle, most French fell under the Prussian Krupp shells. In a breakdown of the casualties, Frossard's II Corps of the Army of the Rhine suffered 621 casualties while inflicting 4,300 casualties on the Prussian First Army under Steinmetz before the Pointe du Jour. Losses of the Prussian Guards Corps were even more staggering, with 8,000 casualties out of 18,000 men. The Guards Jäger Battalion lost 19 officers, a surgeon and 431 men killed, wounded, or missing out of a total of 700. The 2nd Guards Infantry Brigade lost 39 officers and 1,076 men. The 3rd Guards Infantry Brigade lost 36 officers and 1,060 men. On the French side, the units holding St. Privat lost more than half their number in the village.

Still, the battle was a Prussian strategic victory in that it succeeded in blocking Bazaine's way to Verdun. In short time the Prussians trapped Bazaine in the city and the siege of Metz ensued.