On July 15, not long after the Third Conquest War began, France started mobilizing its forces. The following day, the French parliament voted to formally declare war on Prussia.
Immediately afterward, the four Southern German states swept up in surging nationalist sentiment—Bavaria, Baden, Württemberg, and Hesse—threw their lot completely behind Prussia.
Prussia currently had three army corps. In the south was the Third Army Corps led by Crown Prince Friedrich Wilhelm (Frederick III), composed of:
5th Army Corps: Corps Commander Kirchbach
6th Army Corps: Corps Commander Tumpling
11th Army Corps: Corps Commander Bose
Bavarian 1st Army: Corps Commander Tann-Rathsamhausen
Bavarian 2nd Army: Corps Commander Hartmann
Württemberg Division,
Baden Division,
2nd and 4th Cavalry Divisions
Hechingen Brigade.
Because of the Principality of Hechingen's special status, it had been designated as an independent combat unit, theoretically on the same level as a Prussian army corps.
In this war, the Hechingen Brigade had been entirely raised by the Hechingen Royal Family. Aside from providing the men, it was also fully self-sufficient in weapons and equipment, all supplied by the Hechingen Arms Factory in the German territories. Its standard equipment was identical to that of the Prussian Army, making it easier to integrate with Prussian logistics than the forces of the other Southern German states that had joined only temporarily.
Leopold served as commander of the Hechingen Brigade and answered directly to Corps Commander Frederick III.
The Principality of Hechingen had sent a total of 4,372 men. In addition to the original third-year cadets of Hechingen Military Academy, there were also some second- and first-year cadets, as well as volunteer soldiers recruited from Hechingen and Sigmaringen.
"Dong dong dong..."
As the bell rang, the newly formed Hechingen Brigade assembled on the Hechingen Military Academy Parade Ground.
The Hechingen Brigade consisted of two infantry