The attack Attack at the Saint-Mihiel salient was part of a plan Arranging by Pershing in which he hoped that the Americans would break Destroying through the German lines and capture Conquering the fortified city of Metz .

The attack Attack on Metz was not realized Know , as the Supreme Allied Commander Ferdinand Foch ordered Request the American troops to march Motion_directional towards Sedan and Mézières , which would lead to Causation the Meuse-Argonne Offensive Attack .

One Prussian corps , reinforced Cause_change_of_strength by two more later in the day , encountered Hostile_encounter the entire French Army of the Rhine in a meeting engagement and , surprisingly , forced Motion the Army of the Rhine to retreat Escaping into the fortress of Metz .

9 , led by Rittmeister Oskar von Blumenthal , discovered Know that Marshal François Bazaine 's 160,000-man Army of the Rhine was attempting to escape Escaping from Metz to join with French forces at Verdun .

Prevented Preventing_or_letting from retreating Escaping , the French inside Metz had no choice Choosing but to fight Hostile_encounter the Battle Hostile_encounter of Gravelotte on 18 August .