Regiment moved against the western side, crossing open ground and suffering heavy losses in the process, including the injuring of the battalion's commander Major Joffroy. They reached the foot of the glacis and received reinforcements from the 1st Battalion, which also suffered casualties, with the battalion commander Lieutenant-Colonel Werner wounded. The Bavarian lancer brigade reached the scene and opened fire with its horse artillery batteries on the fort. With the fortress immune to the fire of skirmishers and a few batteries of artillery, the only means to take it was to gain a passage over the main ditch and storm it. At 1400, a German heavy gun fired eight rounds from a range of 80 meters at the gate near the St. Mansuy suburb to destroy it and bring down the drawbridge. The powder-smoke and large number of trees made aiming impossible and the attempt was discontinued. Between 1500 and 1600, Alvensleben ordered the coup de main to be abandoned. The Germans retreated in small groups to minimize casualties, though the French artillery fired on them with effect. The 2nd Battalion in the west did not get the order until 1900, having maintained a fire up until that moment and suffering serious casualties. It then withdrew north with few losses, as the French passively contented themselves with staying in the fort and launched no sorties. On arriving at his headquarters, Alvensleben received an order from Second Army commander to attempt a coup de main on Toul but decided that a second assault would be pointless and would tie down his troops in an extended siege and reported his thoughts to Second Army headquarters. IV Corps continued its march to the west. Siege The French commandant, Major Huck, controlled 2,375 men and 71 fortress guns. By early September, the German besiegers had Etappen troops from III Prussian Army, the 4th and 6th fortress artillery companies and captured French guns from Marsal with which to bombard Toul. The weather and unfavorable ground delayed the German preparations but by the night of 9–10 September they had deployed three artillery batteries on the Côte Barine slope with German infantry providing cover from the nearby railway embankment. After informing Major Huck of their intent, the German batteries opened fire at 0700 but only burned some houses in the town and received heavy French counter-battery fire. The French artillery continued firing on 11 September and the