The Battle of Sedan was fought during the Franco-Prussian War on 1 September 1870. It resulted in the capture of Emperor Napoleon III along with his army and practically decided the war in favour of Prussia and its allies, though fighting continued under a new French government. The 120,000 strong French Army of Châlons, commanded by Marshal Patrice MacMahon and accompanied by the French emperor Napoleon III, was attempting to lift the Siege of Metz, only to be caught by the Prussian Meuse Army and defeated at the Battle of Beaumont. The Meuse Army and the Prussian Third Army, commanded by Field-Marshal Helmuth von Moltke and accompanied by Prussian King Wilhelm I and Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck cornered MacMahon"s army at Sedan, in a massive encirclement battle. Marshal MacMahon was wounded during the attacks and command passed to General Auguste-Alexandre Ducrot.