The Allied offensive across the middle Rhine caught Marmont in the midst of moving his two corps south to assist Victor in Alsace. Blücher's invasion separated the majority of Ricard's division from the rest of the VI Corps and shattered Marmont's command and control. For these reasons, his flight from the Rhine and his decision not to confront Blücher at Kaiserslautern are understandable, although Napoleon's political situation demanded that his marshals hold the Allies as close to the frontier as possible. Between the Rhine and the Saar, the marshal managed to slow Blücher's advance without engaging the Silesian Army and without suffering losses other than sickness and desertion. In this way he provided time for French authorities to complete the provisioning and garrisoning of Bitche, Saarlouis, Luxembourg, Thionville, and Metz. Conversely, the rapidity of his retreat did not allow French authorities to execute the levée-en-masse in either the countryside or the cities of the left bank.

Reaching the Saar, Marmont united with Ricard and Durutte, thus restoring command and control over his units. At this point, Marmont should have rallied his forces and contested every step of the Silesian Army. Instead, his mental and emotional fortitude started to crumble. Separated by the river, he faced the Silesian Army for two full days before the temptation to retreat overcame him. Rumors that Allied cavalry crossed the Saar induced the marshal to fall back on the Moselle and the fortress of Metz.