Château-Salins was taken on 9 November, and the corps battled through firm German resistance to liberate Faulquemont on 20 November 1944. On 24 November, the corps crossed the Sarre River and then liberated Saint-Avold on 27 November 1944. From 1 to 11 December 1944, XII Corps fought for, and liberated the towns of Sarre-Union and Sarreguemines. On 12 December, the corps entered Germany and began operations against the Siegfried Line fortifications. Ardennes Germany's surprise offensive into the Ardennes on 16 December 1944, resulted in the U.S. Third Army being moved northward to attack the southern flank of the German army in Belgium and Luxembourg. Turning over its part of the front to the U.S. XV Corps, XII Corps moved to the area of Luxembourg city on 21 December 1944. Subsequently, the corps cleared the west bank of the Moselle River in Luxembourg until 11 January 1945. During 18–23 January, XII Corps assaulted across the Sauer River and cleared the twin confluences of the Our River and the Sauer, and then that of the Sauer and Moselle Rivers. Into Germany On 7 February 1945, the corps assaulted across the Our and Sauer Rivers between Vianden and Echternach, repelling German counter-attacks against the bridgeheads and gradually clearing Siegfried Line bunkers in the area until 15 February. On 18 February 1945, XII Corps drove on the Prüm River, which it assaulted across on the night of 24–25 February. Bitburg fell to XII Corps on 28 February 1945. The corps assaulted across the Kyll River on the night of 2–3 March 1945, and reached the Rhine River in the area of Andernach on 7 March. From 7–11 March 1945, the corps mopped up along the west bank of the Rhine and Moselle Rivers. Across the Rhine Assaulting across the Moselle River at Treis on 14 March 1945, the corps seized Bad Kreuznach on 18 March and Worms on 21 March. On 22 March 1945, XII Corps assaulted across the Rhine River at Oppenheim without involved preparation and caught the Germans in the area off-guard. From 21 to 27 March, the corps battled for, and seized Mainz. On 25 March, Darmstadt fell to XII Corps. Against the wishes of MG Eddy, General Patton ordered the XII Corps to dispatch a raiding force (Task Force Baum) to liberate the Hammelburg prisoner of war camp on 25 March. TF Baum was trapped and destroyed near Hammelburg on