walls of the town, and flanked
the bridge across the Danube, the position of the defenders was now
seriously menaced, but the Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg refused the demand of
Gustavus to surrender. The battery now opened fire, first demolishing a
large stone building by the river occupied by a force of Imperialists,
and then directing its fire upon the city gates.

The cannonade continued after nightfall, but in the darkness a body of
Imperialist horsemen under Colonel Cronenberg dashed out at full speed
through the gate, cut a passage through the musketeers in the suburb,
galloped up the hill, and fell upon the infantry and artillery in
the battery. So furious was their charge that the greater part of the
defenders of the battery were cut down. The guns were spiked, and the
cavalry, having accomplished their purpose, charged down the hill, cut
their way through the suburb, and regained the town.

This gallant exploit deranged the plans of the Swedes. Gustavus
reconnoitred the town accompanied by Sir John Hepburn, and by the advice
of that officer decided upon a fresh plan of operations. Hepburn
pointed out to him that by taking possession of the angle formed by the
confluence of the Wermitz and Danube to the west of the town the bridge
crossing from Donauworth into Bavaria would be completely commanded, and
the garrison would be cut off from all hope of escape and of receiving
relief from Bavaria.

The plan being approved, Hepburn drew off his brigade with its
artillery, and marching five miles up the Danube crossed the river at
the bridge of Hassfurt, and descended the opposite bank until he faced
Donauworth. He reached his position at midnight, and placed his cannon
so as to command the whole length of the bridge, and then posted his
musketeers in the gardens and houses of a suburb on the river, so that
their crossfire also swept it.

The pikemen were drawn up close to the artillery at the head of the
bridge. Quietly as these movements were performed the garrison took the
alarm, and towards morning the duke, finding his retreat intercepted,
sallied out at the head of eight hundred musketeers to cut his way
through; but as the column advanced upon the bridge the Green Brigade
opened fire, the leaden hail of their musketeers smote the column on
both sides, while the cannon ploughed lanes through it from end to end.
So great was the destruction that the Bavarians retreated in confusion
back into the town again, leaving