Siege of Toul

Siege of Toul
Part of the Franco-Prussian War
Monuments aux morts in Toul for the dead of the 1870 conflict. French monument, designed by Jules Adeline, inaugurated in 1875.
Date 16 August – 23 September 1870 (1 month and 1 week) Location Toul, France Result German victory
Belligerents
North German Confederation  Prussia  Bavaria  Württemberg	French Empire French Republic
Commanders and leaders
Frederick Francis II Gustav von Alvensleben	Major Huck
Strength
up to 13,000 soldiers 104 guns and howitzers[1]	2,375 men 71 fortress guns
Casualties and losses
232 men 54 killed or died of wounds 169 wounded 9 missing 15 horses	2,375 men 26 killed 88 wounded 2,349 captured 8 civilians killed 20 civilians wounded 71 fortress guns captured 3 barracks destroyed Stores and supplies captured

The siege of Toul was the siege of the fortified French town of Toul from 16 August to 23 September 1870 by Prussian, Bavarian and Württemberg forces during the Franco-Prussian War. Toul controlled a railway line leading to Germany and it was vital for the Germans to secure it to resupply and reinforce their armies in northern France.

An attempt to seize the fortress on 16 August failed with heavy losses for the Germans. After a blockade of 37 days, the German siege artillery opened fire with 62 guns and howitzers at 0530 on 23 September and the fortress surrendered at 1530. The Germans captured 2,349 French soldiers and 71 fortress guns along with considerable stores of supplies and pushed the German railway terminus in France closer to the German forces besieging Paris.