Count Mansfeld took the command
of another, composed of his own soldiers and fifty more of the
townspeople. The third consisted of eighty of the best fighting
men of the town under their own leaders. These were to enter by
the gate, while the other two parties came in by the breaches. The
moment the attack began the defenders of the castle were to open
as rapid a fire as they could upon the foot of the road so as to
occupy the attention of the enemy's force there, and to lead them
to anticipate a sortie.
The breach by which Malcolm was to enter was the farthest from the
castle, and his command would, therefore, be the last in arriving
at its station. When he reached it he ordered the trumpeters who
accompanied him to sound, and at the signal the three columns rushed
into the town uttering shouts of "Gustavus! Gustavus!"
The Imperialists in the houses near were slaughtered with scarcely
any resistance. They were for the most part intoxicated, and such
as retained their senses were paralysed at the sudden attack, and
panic stricken at the shouts, which portended the arrival of a
relieving force from the army of the King of Sweden. As the bands
pressed forward, slaying all whom they came upon, the resistance
became stronger; but the three columns were all headed by parties
of pikemen who advanced steadily and in good order, bearing down
all opposition, and leaving to those behind them the task of slaying
all found in the houses.
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