GERMAN MANOEUVRES. 
199 
the enemy should be reconnoitred, as well as Maxau. 
(4.) The mam body will follow the advanced guard, its head march¬ 
ing from Gernsbacli at 7.30 a.m. 
(5.) The heavy baggage of the advanced guard will be parked at 
Rothenfels and Gaggenau on the left bank of the Murgh. 
O o o 
The heavy baggage of the main body will follow the latter at 
first as far as Gaggenau. 
(6.) The first line of columns and trains will march to Waisenbach, 
the second to Raumunzach. 
(7.) I shall be with the 29. Infantry Division. 
(Sd.), Yon Billow, 
General Commanding. 
Special Idea for the Western Force. 
(Markirte Feind.) 
On the 17th September the 1st Army Corps began its crossing of 
the Rhine at Plittersdorf in the course of the morning, but the 2nd 
Army Corps only began its crossing late in the afternoon. The latter 
merely pushed forward a weak advanced guard as far as Knielingen, 
while the 1st Army Corps as soon as its crossing was completed, advanc¬ 
ed the 1st Infantry Division on Rastatt and Oetingheim, in order to 
oppose the Debouche from the Murghthal of the enemy, reported to be 
marching down the Valley. 
The Commander of the 1st Infantry Division (12 battallions, 4 squad¬ 
rons, 6 batteries) halted, at 12 noon, the troops which had been on the 
march since day-break, and ordered the right column to bivouac about 
the Memorial stone of the 25th Regiment, north east of Rastatt, and 
the left at Muggensturm Railway Station. Both columns are of equal 
strength, viz., 6 battallions, 2 squadrons, 3 batteries. 
At one oAlock, the following troops were pushed forward as outposts 
from the respective columns. 
From the right column. No. 4 Jager battallion and No. 1 Squadron 
20th Dragoons on the Memorial stone—Rauenthal-Bischweier-Road. 
From the left column. Jager battallion No. 8 and No. 2 Squadron 
20th Dragoons on the road Muggensturm Railway Station—Muggen- 
sturm-Niederweier. 
The foremost bodies i.e. the vedettes of the outposts are not to ad¬ 
vance beyond the line Kuppenheim Railway Station—Margarethau 
Kapelle, Muggensturm, but the Murghthal is to be reconnoitred by 
patrols. 
At 5 p.m. the Commander of the 1st Infantry Division receives the 
following telegram :— 
H.Q. 1st Army Corps, Selz. 17.9. 4 p.m. 
“The crossing is more and more retarded and the 1st Division can 
hardly count upon any considerable support before noon to-morrow . 99 
(Sd.) General Commanding. 
Operations to begin to-morrow 18.9. at 5-30 a.m., but patrols may 
be sent forward as would be the case in war; and earthworks may be 
thrown up from this hour. 
(Sd.), Yon Billow, 
General Commanding. 
