Part 2 - Ligneuville to Stavelot

12/30/07

The main body of the Kampfgruppe continued down the N23 road to Ligneuville (which the Germans called Engelsdorf).  Peiper thought there was a major American headquarters there, and wanted to capture it.  Peiper's advance did surprise an American brigadier-general, who escaped with his lunch still on the table at the Hotel du Moulin.  Other Americans were captured, and some of the prisoners again ran afoul of Peiper's soldiers; eight of them were killed later that evening.

Hotel du Moulin, Ligneuville.  (author's photo)

The monument erected by the Belgians to honor the memory of the eight Americans killed at Ligneuville.  (author's photo)

As afternoon darkened into evening on 17 December, Peiper continued his advance past Ligneuville toward Stavelot, the first city in his path.  Progress was reduced to a crawl along the steep and winding road, and it was dark by the time his lead elements approached Stavelot.  The road winds along a steep hill down into Stavelot, and at a narrow point the first tank encountered mines laid in the road by a squad of the 291st Engineer Combat Battalion.  Peiper decided to halt for the night.

A view of the road from Ligneuville to Stavelot. This may have been one of the stretches of his route that Peiper said was fit only for bicycles. (author's photo)

Early on the morning of 18 December Peiper advanced on Stavelot.  He was probably surprised to find the bridge over the Ambleve still intact, and after a slight pause his tanks poured across it.  Several American units defended Stavelot, but the Germans were able to gain the main road west.

The bridge over the Ambleve River at Stavelot.  The original bridge was badly damaged during the fighting, but the rebuilt one resembles its predecessor. (author's photo)

Today a US halftrack guards the bridge. (author's photo)

The citizens of Stavelot erected this monument to the US forces that defended the city. (author's photo)

Reminders of the battle for Stavelot can still be seen; this house in the Rue Haut Rivage still bears bullet holes. (author's photo)

Follow Peiper along his path toward the Meuse. 

All text copyright 2005-2008 Gregory A. Walden. All rights reserved; material from this website may only be republished with the author’s permission.