The Germans, commanded by Field Marshal von Moltke, began to assemble into three armies, which were to invade France and to occupy Paris.

[4] Lebœuf had been warned by his chief Intendant, Charles Joseph Francois Wolff, not to cross the Saar because they would be unable to supply men on the further bank.

On the right, 2nd Army, with 134,000 men under Prince Frederick Charles of Prussia containing the III, IV, IX, X, XII Corps, and the Prussian Guard, advanced towards Saarbrücken.

However, General von Steinmetz disobeyed and made an overzealous, ill-considered move, leading 1st army south from his position on the Moselle straight toward the town of Spicheren, in the process cutting Prince Frederick Charles off from his forward cavalry units.

The French II Corps under General Frossard had abandoned these heights in order to take up what he considered to be a position magnifique, a fortified line between Spicheren and Forbach.

Frossard distributed his corps as follows: holding the right and centre was the 3rd Division of General Laveaucoupet, which was deployed along the heights, with two companies entrenched on the Rotherberg.

General Bataille’s division was held back in reserve around Spicheren; in all, counting the corps cavalry and artillery, some 27,000 men with 90 guns.

Kameke's 28th Brigade under Wilhelm von Woyna arrived in the afternoon to bring the battle back to life, but again the Prussian attacks were repulsed.

[11] After 5pm the tide of battle turned again, as General Battaile's 2nd Division attacked with 15 battalions near Stiring and Spicheren, breaking the Prussian lines and pushing them back almost to Saarbrücken.

Frossard's troops started an orderly retreat from Rotherberg Hill and Stiring, though by some reports some fled in panic, with 3,000 arriving in Strasburg without arms.

[13] Alvensleben's infantry charge with more than 5000 men overran the French rear guard at dusk, thus gaining control of the Rotherberg Hill.

[9] The German infantry was exhausted and needed to rest and re-group, so even though fresh cavalry units were available the retreating French were allowed to slip away.

[15] In the morning when they had found out that their efforts were not in vain: Frossard had abandoned his position on the heights[16] and had ordered a retreat towards Moselle where he planned to withdraw and move to the fortress of Verdun, en route he was reinforced by Bazaine's division.