From 1200 to 1600 , Alvensleben defeated Conquering all attempts by four French corps to dislodge his III Corps .

Despite his misjudgment , Alvensleben held off Defending four French corps for seven hours .

Alvensleben attacked Attack the French advance guard , believing that it was the rearguard of the retreating Escaping Army of the Rhine .

This intelligence Perception_active prompted Preventing_or_letting General Prince Friedrich Karl , commander of the Prussian Second Army , to order Arranging at 1900 on 15 August a grossly outnumbered group of 30,000 men of the advanced Cause_to_make_progress III Corps under General Constantin von Alvensleben to cut off Having_or_lacking_access the French line of retreat Escaping at Mars-la-Tour and Vionville .