An Ambuscade in the Franco-Prussian War (colour litho)

An Ambuscade in the Franco-Prussian War. The autumn campaign of 1870 proved disastrous to France - everywhere the Prussians proved themselves victorious and the Battle of Sedan gave the final blow to the French Empire. During the early days of the siege there were a few skirmishes in the outlying districts of Paris, but these were the only military incidents of the first few months. The Prussians launched enormous shells, larger than any that had yet been known, into the city, on to the monuments which were the pride of civilisation, on to the hospitals and on to the schools, till at last the bombardment brought the siege to an end. Illustration for Hutchinson's History of the Nations (Hutchinson, c.1920).