GRAVELINES, (Flem. Gravelinghe, Ger. Gravelingen). A small fortified town and seaport of France, in the Department of Nord, about 10 miles southwest of Dunkirk. Popula tion, in 1900, 6202. The town was founded about 1160, and after 1405 constituted a part of the possessions of the House of Burgundy. It is noted as the scene of a victory gained July 13, 1558, by the Spanish troops under Count Egmont over the French under Marshal Thermes, a victory which compelled the French to accept the severe terms of the Treaty of Cateau Cambr6sis (1559). In 1658 Gravelines was taken by Turenne, and was incorporated with France by the terms of the Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659).
grav'16tf. A village in Lor raine, about seven miles west of Metz, which has given its name to the most important battle of the Franco-German War, fought on August 18, 1870. It was the third in the series of battles around Metz, following on Ba zaine's attempt to retreat from the Moselle to Chalons and to effect a junction with the army of MacMahon. The battles of Colombey Nouilly (August 14th) and Vionville, or Mars la-Tour (August 16th), prevented the execution of this plan, and Bazaine, in fear of being cut off from Metz, fell back upon that fortress on August 17th, taking up an exceptionally strong position on a- ridge of hills to the west of the city, and westward, with his line extending from Rancourt and Saint-Privat on the north through Amanvillers and Chatel to Rose rieulles. In German headquarters, where great uncertainty prevailed as to the exact position of the French, it was determined to attempt a flank ing movement against the enemy's right, which was supposed at Amanvillers; at the same time the French left and centre were to be as sailed to insure the success of the attack on their right. As it turned out, however, the French
right extended sonic three miles to the north of Amanvillers, and the execution of the flanking movement was thus delayed. A premature at tack on the French centre and left which was begun about noon at Verneville was checked by a withering fire from the French, the irregular na ture of the terrain making the advance of the German infantry exceedingly difficult. An ill advised charge by the First Cavalry Division was repulsed and served only to throw the German right for a time into confusion; and though by nightfall the Germans had succeeded in carrying the heights of Moscou, Saint-Hubert, and Point du-Jour, the fighting in that quarter attained no decisive point. The outcome of the battle was decided on the French right, where the flanking inanceuvre of the Germans, though delayed, was finally carried out. Saint-Privat was carried by the Guards and Saxon troops at 7 o'clock in the evening, and the French right was driven from its position with immense loss. In the night Ba zaine fell back upon Metz, abandoning all hope of joining MacMahon. The German forces en gaged, which consisted of the armies of Stein metz and Prince Frederick Charles, and which were commanded by King William in person, numbered about 205,000 officers and men, and suffered a loss of more than 20,000 in killed and wounded. The French out of 180,000 en gaged lost nearly 600 officers and more than 13,000 men. The battle is often known as the battle of Saint-Privat.