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"From the official history of the war, commonly referred to as the "green books", "The Lorraine Campaign" volume, by Col. H.M. Cole:

"The successful attack by Combat Command "B", 4th Armored Division, on 11 September, and the seizure of a foothold across the Moselle in the Bayonne sector, dictated a prompt effort to cross the Moselle north of Nancy and start the left hook required by the XII Corps plan of concentric attack.  Furthermore, the XX Corps had achieved a crossing at Arnaville, just north of the zone selected for the thrust by the left wing of the XII Corps, and it might be expected that this would attract considerable German attention.  On the afternoon of 11 September, therefore, General Eddy gave orders for the 80th Infantry Division to start the Moselle crossing the following morning.

After the failure of the reconnaissance in force that the 317th Infantry had undertaken on 5-6 September, General McBride, his staff, and his regimental commanders laid plans for a carefully coordinated assault and adequate support in the next crossing attempt.  A new crossing site was selected in the neighborhood of Dieulouard, about four miles south of Pont-a-Mousson.  In the new plan, the 317th Infantry again would be responsible for seizing the river crossing and securing a hold on the enemy bank, it's initial objective to be the series of hills and ridges immediately east of Dieulouard.  Once the 317th was across, two battalions of the 318th Infantry(Col. H.D. McHugh) were slated to follow into the bridgehead, wheel north, and capture Mousson Hill and the surrounding heights.               

The 319th Infantry(Col. O.L. Davidson) was engaged astride the Moselle east of Toul;  therefore General McBride could count on only five battalions.  Combat Command "A", 4th Armored Division, assembled behind the 80th Infantry Division, was prepared to cross through the infantry bridgehead four hours after the heavy bridges were in and strike for Chateau-Salins, a strategic road and rail center, some twenty three miles east of Nancy. [Author's note; The idea being, to cut off supplies and reinforcements to the Germans defending Nancy.]  To give added weight to the armored drive, the 1st Battalion, 318th Infantry, was motorized and attached to Combat Command "A".  Engineer support for the 80th Infantry Division effort would be given by the 305th Engineer Combat Battalion(Lt. Col. A.E. McCollam), assigned the task of crossing the infantry assault force, and the 1117th Engineer Combat Group(Col. R.G. Lovett), designated to put in the heavy bridges and act as a combat reserve.

Captured German Photo

The initial attack by the 317th Infantry had shown that the Germans were well organized for defense in the Pont-a-Mousson sector, and it was probable that this first American effort had alerted the enemy all along the river line in the 80th Division zone.  Measures were therefore attempted to screen the direction of the new assault and assure at least some measure of tactical surprise.  On 8 September, patrols crossed the canal near Dieulouard and scouted as far as the river, selecting possible crossing sites and routes of approach.  No further patrolling was allowed and all movement of troops or vehicles into the 317th area was prohibited.           

Each day the American artillery fired concentrations on the targets selected for special treatment on the day of the assault, so as to forestall an enemy alert when the guns opened prior to H-Hour.  Counterbattery fire was laid on all known enemy gun positions but was none too successful.  The winds generally blew towards the German lines, thus curtailing effective sound ranging, and the numerous hills and hollows east of the river offered flash defilade.  Apparently, the enemy interpreted this artillery activity as normal harassing and counterbattery work.  No local reserves were moved into the Dieulouard sector and the daily German intelligence reports prior to 12 September concentrated on exclusively on the signs of coming American attacks at Metz and south of Nancy.

Although careful plans and preparations would increase the chances of a successful crossing, the Germans occupied a position so strengthened by the configuration of the ground, that there was no easy route of penetration if they chose to defend.  The heights of the Moselle Plateau, across the river from the 80th Infantry Division, were crowned by remains indicative of the historic military importance of the area.  On Mousson Hill lay the vestiges of a medieval church-fortress, at Ste. Genevieve lines of Celtic earthworks could still be traced on the crest, and at Mount Toulon the ruins of a Roman fort were still evident enough to be shown on the French General Staff maps.