But a new enemy, the famous Italian general of the French Army, Giuseppe Garibaldi, and his forces were ordered to march to the Gray railroad station.

On 27 October 1870, German forces that had already crossed the Saône River performed a reconnaissance towards Dijon after encountering and repelling several Garde Mobile soldiers from the forests northwest of Gray.

Two regiments of soldiers firing muskets of the Regiment Baden 2, with 4-gate fireworks of the 3rd heavy battery, which had sailed from Autrey to face an attack by several hundred French Garde Mobile soldiers who had retreated from La Fahy and the Pomilly woods to Mornay and St. Seine L'Eglise.

The stronger troops, stationed at the junction of Mirabeau and Pontailler-sur-Saône, retreated from Essertenne and the forest to the west after a minor skirmish with the 2nd battalion of the Baden Guards Regiment.

As the army continued through the forest, some German soldiers gained access to the entire military wing, which was not supported by a vertical lineup Garde Mobile marching from Talmay to L'Eglise Renève.