at daybreak Gustavus would be confronted by a force nearly equal to
his own, and occupying a position very strongly defended by natural
obstacles.

Before the day was won, Pappenheim, for whom Wallenstein would have sent
as soon as he heard of the Swedish advance, might be on the field,
and in that case the Imperialists would not only have the advantage of
position but also that of numbers. It was an anxious night, and
Gustavus spent the greater part of it in conversation with his generals,
especially Kniphausen and Duke Bernhard.

The former strongly urged that the army should repass the morass and
march, as originally intended, to effect a junction with the Saxons.
He pointed out that the troops were fatigued with their long and weary
march during the day, and would have to fight without food, as it had
been found impossible to bring up the wagons with the supplies; he
particularly urged the point that Pappenheim would arrive on the field
before the victory could be won. But Gustavus was of opinion that the
disadvantages of retreat were greater than those of action. The troops,
hungry, weary, and dispirited, would be attacked as they retired, and
he believed that by beginning the action early the Imperialists could be
defeated before Pappenheim could return from Halle.

Gustavus proposed to move forward at two o'clock in the morning; but
fate was upon this occasion against the great Swedish leader. Just as on
the previous day the expected length of the march and the heavy state of
the roads had prevented him from crushing Wallenstein's scattered army,
so now a thick fog springing up, making the night so dark that a soldier
could not see the man standing next to him, prevented the possibility of
movement, and instead of marching at two o'clock in the morning it was
nine before the sun cleared away the fog sufficiently to enable the
army to advance. Then, after addressing a few stirring words to his men,
Gustavus ordered the advance towards Chursitz, the village in front of
them.

The king himself led the right wing, consisting of six regiments of
Swedes, supported by musketeers intermingled with cavalry. The left,
composed of cavalry and infantry intermixed, was commanded by Duke
Bernhard. The centre, consisting of four brigades of infantry supported
by the Scottish regiments under Henderson, was commanded by Nicholas
Brahe, Count of Weissenburg.

The reserves behind each of these divisions were formed entirely o