Batalla de Hallue

• La 1.ª División ocupó Vadencourt , Bavelincourt , Beaucourt y Béhencourt , manteniendo el rumbo hacia Arras.
• La 2.ª División conservó Querrieu, Pont-Noyelles , Bussy, Daours y Vecquemont .
• La 3.ª División estaba en reserva; su 1.ª Brigada vigilaba el río Somme, Corbie y Fouilloy , y destacó un regimiento en Lahoussoye .
• La Cuarta División, que estaba en proceso de formación, se instaló en los alrededores de Corbie.

• 
  General von Goeben
• 
  General Faidherbe, retrato 1860
• 
  General von Manteuffel

El VIII Cuerpo Prusiano partió el 23 de diciembre a las 8 de la mañana. La XV División recibió la orden de rechazar a las tropas francesas más allá del río Hallue, pero sin aventurarse en la margen izquierda hasta que se sintiera el efecto de un movimiento de flanqueo de la XVI División, más al norte. Por lo tanto, la XV División se dirigió hacia Allonville , seguida por tres cuerpos de artillería de campaña a caballo y artillería, y luego giró hacia Querrieu. Los puestos de avanzada franceses se replegaron al río, dando la alarma a las tropas ubicadas en la retaguardia.

• Aproximadamente a las 11 de la mañana, la 29.ª Brigada Prusiana (von Bock), acompañada por dos compañías de húsares y dos baterías, avanzó por la carretera Albert contra el 18.º batallón de infantería ligera francés que tomaba Querrieu con el suministro de tres baterías.
• Dos baterías prusianas, pronto reforzadas por otras dos, se ubicaron al sur de la carretera Albert; abrieron fuego y se desató un duelo particularmente violento. Tras una hora de combates, los prusianos tomaron posesión de Querrieu. La lucha continuó en Pont-Noyelles , defendida con tenacidad por el 18.º batallón de infantería ligera y dos batallones del 70.º regimiento de infantería. Recibidos por un intenso fuego iniciado por algunas unidades de la Brigada Gislain, apostadas en la margen izquierda del río, los prusianos fueron detenidos al este del pueblo.
• Al mismo tiempo, más al sur, el 20.º batallón de infantería ligera de la Brigada Foester, que defendía la aldea de Bussy-lès-Daours , fue atacado en una acción concéntrica por un batallón que venía del norte, dos compañías y una tropa de húsares que venían del este. Alrededor de la una de la tarde, los franceses evacuaron la aldea. Por la tarde, al oeste de la línea Querrieu-Bussy, se colocaron 42 cañones prusianos frente al mismo número de cañones franceses apostados en la margen izquierda del río.
• Then, in possession of Bussy-lès-Daours, the Prussians moved forwards to Vecquemont and launched a vigorous attack; they came up to the 19th light infantry battalion and marines of Captain Payen Brigade, sustained on their right by the Foester Brigade. Under a hail of bullets, the Prussians were unable to progress. Manteuffel himself came onto the heights above Querrieu on the west, asked for artillery fresh supplies, which arrived at about 4 p.m. The French Payen Brigade was constrained to evacuate Vecquemont and held a position on the left side of the river.
• In Pont-Noyelles, at about 3:30 p.m. the Prussians tried to climb the hills on the east of the river, but after a counter-attack conducted by a 70th regiment battalion and a company of the 101st mobile^[11] commanded by Captain d'Hauterive, bayonet charging, the French again took the village, but they were unable to keep it up.
• Far in the north, the Prussian 30th Brigade successfully attacked Fréchencourt; they were stopped by the fire guns of the 18th light infantry battalion and a battalion of mobiles coming down from Parmont wood. The Du Dressol Division held the heights.
• On the north of Fréchencourt, the 16th Prussian Division (von Barnekow) came from Amiens on the Doullens road to Poulainville and Rainneville without seeing anyone all along the morning. At 1 p.m. General von Goeben sent an order to Barnekow to turn to the right. Barnekow made his way to Beaucourt-sur-l'Hallue and Saint-Gratien.
• Passing beyond Saint-Gratien, the 31st Prussian Brigade (von Gneissnau) received an order to reach Montigny-sur-l'Hallue. At about 3 p.m. the Prussians brought into action with the 2nd French Brigade (Pittié) of the Derroja Division; after the fall of Montigny, they pushed the French back towards Béhencourt, who, in their withdrawal, destroyed the Hallue bridges, but the Prussians, under strong fire, launched a foot-bridge over the river.
• With fresh supplies coming from the 32nd Brigade (von Rex), the Prussians took possession of Beaucourt, Montigny, Béhencourt, and Bavelincourt while their artillery (six batteries) took up position on the north of Fréchencourt. This artillery cannonade was without any success, the French artillery was on a higher position on Parmont wood^[12] and too far away.

At 4 pm, night was about to fall. The Prussians keep under control the right side of the river and Pont-Noyelles village. Their turning movement on the north had failed and their troops were threatened by the Aynes Brigade of the Derroja Division, coming into sight on the south-east of Contay, marching to Beaucourt. At that time, General Faidherbe gave the attack order on all the front line. This attack continued from 4 to 6 p.m.:

• In the center, General Lecointe, having assembled all troops still organized, launched an offensive on Pont-Noyelles. Two successive attacks went ahead, but his troops, the 18th light infantry battalion and the 70th infantry regiment, not accustomed to night combat, had to withdraw, all the more that Manteuffel had launched two battalions to sustain his troops.
• In the south, the Foester Brigade succeeded in crossing the river between Querrieu and Bussy, but it was stopped by the fresh supplies sent by Manteuffel. At about 5 p.m. the Payen Brigade launched an attack on Vecquemont but was stopped in its turn.
• At 7 p.m. the battlefield was in complete darkness. The Prussians held all the villages in the valley and billeted there. The French Army was obliged to bivouac on its positions, by night on the heights on the snowy ground, where the temperature fell to −8 °C (18 °F) and an icy wind was blowing without any obstacle.

On the next day, 24 December at 9 am, the French artillery launched a cannonade to Béhencourt without any Prussian reply. General Faidherbe made up his mind to retreat. The withdrawal, protected by a line of retarding units, began at about 2 pm. The Prussians would only start the pursuit on the following day, 25 December. At that time, the French Army was arriving at Bapaume.