After news reached Paris of the French defeat at the battle of Le Bourget and the surrender of Metz, morale began to drop in the city.

French artillery drove German advance units from the villages of Bry and Champigny and allowed Ducrot's troops to cross the Marne on pontoon bridges.

Helmuth von Moltke, the Chief of Staff, was annoyed with the lack of energy which Albert of Saxony, commanding the Army of the Meuse, had shown in sending reinforcements to the Württemberg Division.

The situation worried von Moltke enough to cause him to draw up plans in case the French renewed their attack the following day and succeeded in breaking through.

The Army of the Loire was defeated at the Battle of Orléans and Ducrot urged Trochu and Foreign Minister Jules Favre to sue for peace with Prussia.