Vain now was the energy of Horn, and ineffectual the valour
of his troops. Time after time did the Swedes climb the hill and
strive to obtain a footing on its crest, each assault was repulsed
with prodigious slaughter. Duke Bernhard was now fully engaged
with the Imperialists on the Allersheim, and was gradually gaining
ground. Seeing, however, how fruitless were the efforts of Horn
to capture the Weinberg, he despatched as many of his infantry as
he could spare to reinforce the marshal. Among these was Munro's
regiment.
"Now, my brave lads," Colonel Munro shouted, as he led his regiment
against the hill, "show them what Scottish hearts can do." With a
cheer the regiment advanced. Pressing forward unflinchingly under
a hail of bullets they won their way up the hill, and then gathering,
hurled themselves with a shout upon the heavy masses of Spanish
veterans. For a moment the latter recoiled before the onset; then
they closed in around the Scotch, who had already lost a third of
their number in ascending the hill.
Never did the famous regiment fight with greater courage and fury;
but they were outnumbered ten to one, and their opponents were
soldiers of European reputation. In vain the Scotchmen strove to
break through the serried line of pikes which surrounded them. Here
and there a knot of desperate men would win a way through; but ere
others could follow them the Spanish line closed in again and cut
them off from their comrades, and they died fighting to the last.
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