▁entire ▁front ▁in ▁the ▁In ster burg ▁G ap ▁but ▁had ▁additional ▁forces ▁left ▁over . ▁He ▁sent ▁his ▁most ▁capable ▁units , ▁the ▁I ▁Corps ▁and ▁XVII ▁Corps , ▁far ▁to ▁the ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁lines ▁near ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁L akes , ▁and ▁sent ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁Reserve ▁Division ▁even ▁further ▁south ▁to ▁Ly ck , ▁about ▁ 3 0 ▁miles ▁from ▁the ▁southern ▁end ▁of ▁R enn enk ampf ' s ▁line . ▁ ▁H inden burg ' s ▁southern ▁divisions ▁began ▁their ▁attack ▁on ▁ 7 ▁September , ▁with ▁the ▁battle ▁proper ▁opening ▁the ▁next ▁day . ▁Through out ▁ 8 ▁September ▁the ▁German ▁forces ▁in ▁the ▁north ▁ham mer ed ▁at ▁the ▁Russian ▁forces ▁facing ▁them , ▁forcing ▁an ▁order ly ▁retre at ▁east ward . ▁In ▁the ▁south , ▁however , ▁things ▁were ▁going ▁much ▁worse . ▁The ▁German ▁XVII ▁Corps ▁had ▁met ▁their ▁counter part , ▁the ▁Russian ▁II ▁Corps , ▁but ▁were ▁at ▁this ▁point ▁out number ed . ▁The ▁Russian ▁II ▁Corps ▁man eu ver ed ▁well , ▁and ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁day ▁had ▁got ten ▁their ▁left ▁fl ank ▁into ▁position ▁for ▁a ▁fl ank ing ▁attack ▁on ▁the ▁Germ ans , ▁potentially ▁enc ir cling ▁them . ▁ ▁However , ▁all ▁hope ▁of ▁a ▁Russian ▁victory ▁van ished ▁the ▁following ▁day ▁when ▁then ▁the ▁German ▁I ▁Corps ▁arrived ▁in ▁support ▁of ▁the ▁XVII ; ▁now ▁the ▁Rus si ans ▁were ▁out fl ank ed . ▁Meanwhile , ▁the