190 
GERMAN MANOEUVRES. 
The orders sent in writing to the Independent Cavalry and Advan¬ 
ced Guard and dictated to the Orderlies of the Mainbody. 
P.S.—Officer’s patrols may pass the southern end of Ottersweier at 
8 a.m. 
Rendezvous : Independent Cavalry, northern end of Ottersweier, 
8 a.m. Advanced Guard, northern end of Ottersweier, 8.15 a.m. 
Mainbody on the Buhl-Ottersweier road, north of height marked 133 
at the cross road to Hatzenweier. 
INDEPENDENT CAVALRY. 
Commander Major Freiherr von Leoner. 
3 Squadrons, 20th Dragoons. 
ADVANCED GUARD. 
Commander Oberst, Freiherr von Spiegal. 
I Squadron, 14th Dragoons (less 1 section). 
3rd and 10th Battalions Jagers. 
1 Pionier Company. 
MAIN BODY. 
9 \ Battalions, 4 Squadrons, 4 Batteries, &c. 
The development of events was curious; South having to keep the 
roads leading from the Black Forest at their exits from the valleys 
would naturally be nearer to the exits than the enemy who was to 
block them, but by marching from Sasbach on Obersasbach, the 
Northern force came to be between the Southern and the hills, while 
be pushed on two battalions of Jagers who held Achern and blocked 
the advance of South. I rode to Kappelrodeck with General von 
Grone and staff, and remained with the Southern Force. I met a 
number of officer’s patrols who were scouring the country, followed by 
the Independent Cavalry, who were to reconnoitre the long line Biihl- 
Ulm-Lautenbach, while a special officers’ patrol was on its way to Lauf 
to watch the right. When the Cavalry reached Achern they were 
received with infantry fire from two battalions of Jagers, who lined 
the southern edge of that town. The Dragoons retired and hit upon 
the head of their advanced guard at Oberachern. Information was 
then received that the main portion of the northern troops had left the 
main road, Buhl-Achern, and was proceeding on Obersasbach, threat¬ 
ening the right of the South, the advance of whom was stopped at 
Achern. The southern commander then promptly turned to his left 
and took up a position above the Acher banking North’s advance— 
the Artillery being massed in the centre. In the meantime the North¬ 
ern Artillery came into action on the high ground south of Obersas¬ 
bach, and under cover of its fire North formed front to its right flank; 
so that each force had formed front to flank, and both were facing the 
direction or nearly so of their line of communications, reminding one, 
<parva componere m&gnis , of the situation of the Germans and French 
on the 18th August, 1870, at St. Privat-Gravelotte. 
After the Artillery duel had gone on for some time, North pivoting 
on Achern made a vigorous attack on the Southern position. South 
tnade a counter attack on the right of North at Achern which failed^ 
