21 October 2025

Von Bredow's 'Death Ride' - Mars-La-Tour, 1870

Tonight we refought the famous "Todesritt" ("Death Ride") performed by two of the regiments from Von Bredow's cavalry brigade - The Magdeburg Cuirassier and the Altmark Uhlans - at the battle of Mars-La-Tour during the Franco Prussian War.

Von Bredow was given the order to charge the assembled French artillery batteries to ease the pressure on the outnumbered Prussian infantry. Upon receiving the order, Von Bredow calmly stated "Koste es, was es wolle" ("it will cost what it will").

In our approximated refight of this scenario, indeed, it cost Bredow his life! when his brigade came under Chassepot rifle and artillery fire. That said, the undulating terrain and the associated dead ground mostly shielded both the Cuirassier and Uhlan regiments throughout their advance. The Uhlans charged a battalion of Chasseurs a Pied but were forced to retire with horrendous casualties. The Cuirassiers, as ordered, charged the French gun line - which had already been weakened by some accurate Prussian Krupp shelling. The Magdeburgers overran the guns and proceeded to charge into a French infantry battalion, routing this in turn.

All in all this was a solid victory for the Prussians who also managed to strongly rebuff a French cavalry brigade of Cuirassiers and Chasseurs a Cheval.

Here is an excellent link to the '1866 and All That' wargames blog article on the subject:

1866 and all that: Von Bredow’s “Death Ride”
































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