On the other hand, should the Elector of Saxony join
the Imperialists, his position after the capture of Vienna would
be perilous in the extreme. The emperor would probably leave his
capital before he arrived there, and the conquest would, therefore,
be a barren one. Gustavus reluctantly determined to abandon his
plan, and to march to the assistance of Saxony.
CHAPTER XVII THE DEATH OF GUSTAVUS
The determination of Gustavus to march to the assistance of Saxony
once taken, he lost not a moment in carrying it into effect. General
Banner, whom he greatly trusted, was unfortunately suffering from a
wound, and until he should recover he appointed the Prince Palatine
of Burkenfeldt to command a corps 12,000 strong which he determined
to leave on the Danube; then strengthening the garrisons of Augsburg,
Rain, and Donauworth, he set out with the remainder of his army on
his march to Saxony.
From Donauworth he marched to Nuremberg, stayed there forty-eight
hours to recover the fortress of Lauf, and, having forced the
garrison of that place to surrender at discretion, pushed on with all
possible speed to Erfurt, which he had fixed upon as the point of
junction for his several corps. The Green Brigade formed a portion
of the force which Gustavus left behind him in Bavaria under the
Prince Palatine. So terribly weakened were the Scottish regiments
by the various battles of the campaign, in all of which they had
borne the brunt of the fighting, that Gustavus determined reluctantly
to leave them behind for rest and reorganization.
Pages:
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285