He had been joined by Maximilian of
Bavaria, and his force amounted to 40,000 men.
Gustavus gave his army four days' rest at Donauworth, and then
advanced with 32,000 men against the Lech. His dragoons, who had
been pushed forward, had found the bridges destroyed. He first
attempted to repair that at Rain, but the fire of the artillery
and musketry was so heavy that he was forced to abandon the idea.
He then made a careful reconnaissance of the river, whose course
was winding and erratic.
Finding that at every point at which a crossing could be easily
effected Tilly's batteries and troops commanded the position, he
determined to make his attack at a point where the river made a
sharp bend in the form of a semicircle, of which he occupied the
outer edge. He encamped the bulk of his army at the village of
Nordheim, a short distance in the rear, and erected three powerful
batteries mounting seventy-two guns. One of these faced the centre
of the loop, the others were placed opposite the sides.
The ground on the Swedish bank of the river was higher than that
facing it; and when the Swedish batteries opened they so completely
swept the ground inclosed by the curve of the river that the
Imperialists could not advance across it, and were compelled to
remain behind a rivulet called the Ach, a short distance in the
rear of the Lech. They brought up their artillery, however, and
replied to the cannonade of the Swedes.
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