chanzy sent a division-sized column under general alphonse jouffroy to harass the german second army, while the rest of his 100,000-strong army dug in. jouffroy ambushed two german battalions on 27 december at troo but the germans fought their way out. the french column then attacked the german position in the town of vendôme on 31 december but was defeated. jouffroy prepared for another attack on 5 january that ran headlong onto friedrich karl's offensive.