Even if the desire for plunder does not draw men away, many are
forced to fall behind either from sickness, sore feet, or other
causes.
The number of these was comparatively small in the army of Gustavus,
for discipline was strict and the spirit of the troops good. As
soon, however, as it was found that every straggler who fell into
the hands of the peasantry was murdered under circumstances of
horrible atrocity it became very difficult for the officers to keep
the men together, so intense was their fury and desire for vengeance
against the savage peasantry, and on every possible occasion when
a village was seen near the line of march men would slip away and
slay, plunder, and burn.
Gustavus endeavoured to repress these proceedings. He shared the
indignation of his troops at the barbarous conduct of the peasantry,
but throughout the war he always tried to carry on hostilities
so as to inflict as little loss and suffering as possible upon
noncombatants. This state of warfare too between his troops and the
country people added to his difficulties, for the peasantry drove
off their cattle and burned their stacks, and rendered it necessary
for provisions and forage to be carried with the army. Parties
were therefore sent out on the flanks of the column for the double
purpose of preventing soldiers stealing off to plunder and burn,
and of picking up stragglers and saving them from the fury of the
peasants.
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