"
At nightfall the troops were mustered, and, led by the men who
had brought the arms, they passed by the secret passage into the
castle, and thence sallied suddenly into the town below. There
they fell upon a patrol of Imperial cavalry, who were all shot down
before they had time to draw their swords. Then scattering through
the town, the whole squadron of cuirassiers who garrisoned it were
either killed or taken prisoners. This easy conquest achieved, the
first care of Munro was to feed his troops. These were then armed
from the stores in the town, and a strong guard being placed lest
they should be attacked by the Austrian force, which was, they
learned, lying but seven miles away, on the other side of the river,
the troops lay down to snatch a few hours of needed rest.
In the morning the country was scoured, and a few detached posts
of the Austrians captured. The main body then advanced and blew
up the bridge across the river. Five days later an order came from
Oxenstiern, to whom Munro had at once despatched the news of his
capture of Rugenwalde, ordering him to hold it to the last, the
position being a very valuable one, as opening an entrance into
Pomerania.
The passage of the river was protected by entrenchments, strong
redoubts were thrown up round Rugenwalde, and parties crossing the
river in boats collected provisions and stores from the country
to the very gates of Dantzig.
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