utumnal night in his carriage, and advised
with his generals about the battle. The morning dawned, and a thick
fog covered the entire plain; the troops were drawn up in
battle-array, and the Swedes sang, accompanied with trumpets and
drums, Luther's hymn, _Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott_ ('A mighty
fortress is our God'), together with the hymn composed by the king
himself, _Verzage nicht, du Haeuflein klein_ ('Fear not the foe, thou
little flock'). Just after eleven o'clock, when the sun was emerging
from behind the clouds, and after a short prayer, the king mounted his
horse, placed himself at the head of the right wing--the left being
commanded by Bernard of Weimar--and cried, 'Now, onward! May our God
direct us!--Lord, Lord! help me this day to fight for the glory of thy
name!' and, throwing away his cuirass with the words, 'God is my
shield!' he led his troops to the front of the Imperialists, who were
well entrenched on the paved road which leads from Luetzen to Leipsic,
and stationed in the deep trenches on either side. A deadly cannonade
saluted the Swedes, and many here met their death; but their places
were filled by others, who leaped over the trench, and the troops of
Wallenstein retreated.

"In the mean time, Pappenheim came up with his cavalry from Halle, and
the battle was renewed with the utmost fury. The Swedish infantry fled
behind the trenches. To assist them, the king hastened to the spot
with a company of horse, and rode in full speed considerably in
advance to descry the weak points of the enemy; only a few of his
attendants, and Francis, duke of Saxe-Lauenberg, rode with him. His
short-sightedness led him too near a squadron of Imperial horse; he
received a shot in his arm, which nearly precipitated him to the
ground; and just as he was turning to be led away from the tumultuous
scene he received a second shot in the back. With the exclamation, 'My
God! my God!' he fell from his horse, which also was shot in the neck,
and was dragged for some distance, hanging by the stirrup. The duke
abandoned him, but his faithful page tried to raise him, when the
Imperial horsemen shot him also, killed the king, and completely
plundered him." Pappenheim was also mortally wounded, Wallenstein
retreated, and the victory was with the Swedes, but their noble king
was no more.

THE SWEDISH PROPOSAL.

The plan of this illustrious king was to found here upon the Delaware
a free state under his sovereign protection