[5] During the Sieges of Montmédy and Mézières, Prussian soldiers were dispatched to observe the detachment in Longwy, and sometimes carry out a campaign against the franc-tireur's of France.

Communication between the franc-tireur soldiers and French troops stationed in Longwy led to the officer commanding the fort to know the movements of the enemy.

Faced with this situation, he sent two battalions to hold back the Prussian detachments at Tellancourt and Frenois la Montague.

[2] On 22 January, however, the French were unable to prevent the Germans from building their own horizontal trenches, and on that day the Prussian Artillery reaped the rewards.

[5] Finally, on 24 January, when the Germans were preparing for the widening of the horizontal trench of their own, the French requested a ceasefire to negotiate their surrender.