Hearing the firing, the XI. Corps' advanced guard, which had marched up behind in accordance with the general movement of the corps in changing front to the west, promptly came up to Spachbach and Gunstett. In this movement across country to Spachbach some bodies appear to have exposed themselves, for French artillery at Elsasshausen suddenly opened fire, and the shrapnel bursting high, sent showers of bullets on to the house roofs of Spachbach, in which village a battalion had just halted. The major in command thereupon ordered the march to be re sumed, and as he gave the order, his horse ran away with him towards the Sauer. The leading company, seeing the battalion commander gallop, moved off at the double, and the others of course followed. Under the impression that they were intended to attack, they deployed and crossed the river. By this time the French outposts lining the edge of the Niederwald, were firing heavily. The line of smoke was naturally accepted by all as the objective, and the German companies with a wild rush reached the edge of the wood.
A similarly unpremeditated encounter had happened at Gun stett and both sides brought up reinforcements. The Prussians, with all their attention concentrated on the wood in their front, and having as yet no superior commanders, soon exhibited signs of confusion, and thereupon Gen. Lartigue ordered a counter attack towards the heights of Gunstett, when all the Prussians between the Niederwald and the Sauer gave way. The French followed with a rush, and, fording the Sauer opposite Gunstett, for a moment placed the long line of German guns upon the heights in considerable danger. At this crisis a fresh battalion arrived and attacked the French on one flank whilst the guns swept the other. The momentum of the charge died out, and the French retired.
In the centre the fight had been going badly for the V. Corps. As soon as Kirchbach's 84 guns between Dieffenbach and Spach bach opened fire the French disappeared from sight. There was no longer a target, and, perhaps to compel his adversary to show himself, Kirchbach ordered four battalions to cross the river. These, however, were overpowered and driven back by infantry fire. But, once more, the dashing counter-attack of the French was thrown into confusion by the Prussian shell fire, and as the French fell back the Prussian infantry, now reinforced, followed them up (about I P.m.). The commander-in-chief of the German III. Army (the crown prince Frederick) now appeared on the field and ordered Kirchbach to stand fast until the pressure of the XI. Corps and Wurttemberg Division could take effect against the French right wing. The majority of these troops had not yet
reached the field. Bose, however, seeing the retreat of the troops of the V. Corps, had independently determined to renew the at tack against the Niederwald, and had ordered Schkopp's brigade, which was then approaching, to join the troops collecting to the east of Gunstett. Schkopp, however, seeing that his present line of advance led him direct on to the French right about Morsbronn and kept him clear of the confusion to be seen around Gunstett, disregarded the order and continued to advance on Morsbronn. This deliberate acceptance of responsibility really decided the battle, for his brigade quietly deployed as a unit and compelled the French right wing to fall back.
To cover the French retreat Michel's brigade of cavalry was ordered to charge. Without reconnoitring or manoeuvring for position, the French cavalry rode straight at the first objective which offered itself. Hence the charge was costly and only partly successful. However, the Prussians' attention was sufficiently absorbed while the French infantry rallied for a fresh counter stroke. This was made, about 1.20 P.M., with the utmost gallantry, and the Prussians were driven back. But the counter-attack soon came under the fire of the peat artillery mass above Gun stett, and Bose having at length concentrated the main body of the XI. Corps in the meadows between the Niederwald and the Sauer, the French had to withdraw. Their withdrawal involved the retreat of the troops who had defended Niederwald all day.
By 3 P.M. the Prussians were masters of the Niederwald and the ground south of it on which the French right wing had originally stood, but they were in indescribable confusion after the prolonged fighting in the dense undergrowth. Before order could be restored came another fierce counterstroke. As the Prussians emerged from the northern edge of the wood, the French reserves suddenly came out from behind the Elsasshausen heights, and striking due south drove the Prussians back. It was a grave crisis, but at this moment Schkopp, who throughout all this had kept two of his battalions intact, came round the north-west corner of the Wald, and these fresh battalions again brought the French to a standstill. Meanwhile Kirchbach, seeing the progress of the XI. Corps, had ordered the whole of his command forward to assault the French centre, and away to the right the two Bavarian corps moved against the French left, which still maintained its original position in the woods north-east of FrOschweiler.