Fifty-six Imperial eagles, 622 field and 2876
fortress guns, 72 mitrailleuses and 260,000 small
arms fell into the hands of the Germans.
The prisoners were transferred by way of Treves
and Saarbriicken under the escort of Landwehr
battalions, and as these would have also to guard
them when on foreign soil, their return was not to
be reckoned on.
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III.
OPERATIONS IN THE EAST AND ON THE
LOIRE.
New Distribution of the Army.
The capitulation of Metz, which Prince Frederick
Charles had brought about under such serious
difficulties, had materially improved the prospects
of the war for Germany.
At head-quarters at Versailles, even before the
catastrophe, but in confident anticipation of it, deci-
sions had been arrived at as to the destination of
the forces it would release for service, and com-
municated to the Commander-in-Chief.
The 1st, Vllth and Vlllth Corps, with the 3rd
Cavalry Division, were henceforth to constitute the
1st Army, imder the command of General von Man-
teuffel. Their orders were to advance on Com-
piegne and secure the blockade of Paris on the
north. But they had other duties to fulfil ; they
were to occupy Metz and lay siege to Diedenhofen
and Montmddy.
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2 24 The Franco-German War.
The Ilnd, Ilird, IXth and Xth Corps, with the
1st Cavalry Division, were to constitute the Ilnd
Army under Prince Frederick Chai-les, and were
ordered to advance on the Middle Loire.
Operations op the XIVth Corps in the
South-East.
(October.)

Since the fall of Strasburg the newly-formed
XIVth Corps had been employed in keeping up
communications between the armies before Metz
and the forces detained in blockading Paris.
