The First Brigade, which had been placed in reserve, was ordered to take post, in Squares, upon the high road to Sombref, to check the pressure of the Enemy's Cavalry. Subsequently, when the direction of the retreat was decided upon, it fell back upon Tilly. The Fourth Brigade, with the exception of one or two Battalions, advanced again through Sombref towards Ligny, just as the French Cavalry pushed towards the high road. The Battalions of the Brigade formed Squares, and fell back upon the high road, whence they continued their further retreat.
At the time the French troops were debouching from Ligny, Colonel Stülpnagel's (the Twelfth) Brigade was posted in front of Sombref; and Colonel Rohr had just pushed forward towards Ligny with the 2nd Battalion of the 6th Kurmark Landwehr, when he perceived three French Cavalry Regiments advancing against the Right Wing of the Brigade; whereupon he gradually retired, and the whole Brigade threw itself into Sombref, just as the French Cavalry made an attack at the entrance of the Village, and captured the two guns of the Battery No. 12, which had been posted there. Major Dorville faced about the rear division of the 6th Kurmark Landwehr Cavalry, and gallantly attacked the French Cavalry, in the hope of checking their progress; but the lances of his brave followers were shivered against the cuirasses of their opponents, and for a moment the former could only defend themselves with their broken poles. The Prussian Infantry, however, hastened forward in support; the French were driven out of the Village; and one of the lost guns was retaken.
Every exertion was now made to secure the possession of Sombref. General Borcke (Ninth Brigade) sent thither two Battalions of the 1st Kurmark Landwehr; which, during this movement, fired upon the flank of the Enemy's Cavalry as the latter fell back. The defence of the entrance into the Village from the side of Ligny was confided to the 2nd Battalion of the 6th Kurmark Landwehr, under Colonel Rohr.
About this time, General Jürgass received Orders to cover with his Cavalry (of the Second Corps) the retreat of the Prussian Infantry from St Amand la Haye and Wagnelé. General Brause, perceiving that the Enemy had attacked Colonel Marwitz' Cavalry Brigade, on his right, and endangered his communication with the rear, hastened with the Fusilier Battalions of the 22nd Regiment (which had continued in reserve in rear of St Amand la Haye) towards the high road, upon which the greater part of the Seventh Brigade had by this time been collected. The Prussians, on retiring from St Amand la Haye, were closely followed by the French. The 1st Battalion of the 14th Regiment was still in the Hamlet of St Amand when it received the Order to retire. During its retreat it was attacked whilst in a hollow way. It immediately showed a front on each flank, and succeeded in driving back the Enemy. General Jürgass now sent forward the 4th Squadron of the Brandenburg Hussars to attack the Enemy's Tirailleurs, who were beginning to advance from out of St Amand la Haye. The latter were immediately forced back upon the Village. Somewhat later, however, the French Tirailleurs poured forth in greater numbers from out of Wagnelé, and threw themselves upon the Right Flank of the retreating troops. A mêlée ensued, in which General Jürgass was shot in the shoulder.
When the Centre of the Prussian Army had been broken by the French Cavalry, and the Prussian Commander had been placed so completely hors de combat, Lieutenant General Count von Gneisenau, the Chief of the Staff, having undertaken the direction of affairs, ordered the retreat of the First and Second Corps upon Tilly; and despatched Colonel Thile with directions to Thielemann, that if he could not effect a direct retreat upon Tilly, he was to retire upon Gembloux, there to unite with Bülow, and then effect a junction with the rest of the Army.
The occupation of Bry by General Pirch II. offered a safe point of retreat to the disordered Prussian Battalions; and, now that it had become quite dark, Pirch led all the troops from this post towards Marbais, where they reformed, and whence, soon afterwards, under the command of Lieutenant General Röder, they continued the retreat upon Tilly. Marwitz' Cavalry Brigade, which was not pursued with much vigour by the Enemy, fell back to the rear of the Battalions formed up to cover its movement, and now joined the rest of the Cavalry of the Right Wing, in the general retreat.
The Fifth Infantry Brigade was in full retreat upon Marbais when the 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 22nd Regiment still continued posted on the high road, not far from the Trois Burettes. The good order and perfect steadiness of these Battalions, which were commanded by Major Sack, completely checked the further advance of the French Cavalry, and greatly facilitated the retreat of the Prussian troops.
After General Jürgass was wounded, the command of the Rear Guard devolved upon Lieutenant Colonel Sohr, of whose Brigade (the Brandenburg and Pomeranian Hussars) it consisted. He executed this duty with great success, falling gradually back upon the Cavalry posted in advance of Tilly by Lieutenant General Zieten; who then took command of the whole of the Cavalry employed in protecting the retreat.