The left brigade of the latter had crossed the columns marching on Versailles in the valley of the Bievre; but the sound of fighting from the field of strife induced General von Dietl[32] to advance with his detachments as they came up singly, on both sides of the high-road to Bicetre. A conjunct assault with the Prussians still fighting in the Bois de Garenne, was successful in repulsing the French at Pave blanc. Meanwhile the enemy by half-past eight had formed an artillery front of fifty guns, and three regiments of march advanced to renew the attack on Petit Bicetre and the Bois de Garenne. They were received with a destructive musketry fire, and not even General Ducrot's personal influence could persuade the troops, who were young recruits, to go forward. The Zouaves posted about the farm of Trivaux were finally thrown into such confusion by some shells falling among them that they hurried back to Paris in headlong flight. General Ducrot had to abandon his attempt. His Divisions retired in evident disorder on Clamart and Fontenay, under cover of the artillery and of the cavalry, which had resolutely endured the hostile fire; pursued at their heels by the German troops. The Bavarians stormed Pave blanc under a heavy cannon fire; the Prussians retook Dame Rose after a trivial skirmish, and pushed on past the farm of Trivaux into the forest of Meudon. The French still held the heights of Plessis-Piquet, which were to them of vast importance and very easy of defence, as well as the redoubt at Moulin de la Tour, where nine field-batteries at once came into action, the fire from which commanded the whole of the western field of operations.