Here government troops stopped a vanguard of the militants who were advancing towards the city of Freiburg im Breisgau under Franz Sigel.

In order to monitor the whereabouts of these troops, the insurgents, who were practically surrounded, sent a delegation under Hermann Mors in the direction of Horben.

[1] Impressed by the request of the Freiburg delegation and spurred on by ambition, Struve rushed forward with his small force against Sigel's express orders.

But when they arrived at the mouth of the valley, they suddenly met - as could have been foreseen - the enemy who had positioned themselves there and, after a brief parley, opened fire with artillery and infantry.

Kunzer addressed the artillery team with the words: "You won't shoot, your fathers and brothers are over there," whereupon the commander gave the battalion standing next to him the order to fire.