The Lion of the North: A Tale of the Times of Gustavus AdolphusHenty, G. A. (George Alfred)
History
The Lion of the North: A Tale of the Times of Gustavus Adolphus
Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
Gustav II Adolf, King of Sweden, 1594-1632 -- Fiction; Thirty Years' War, 1618-1648 -- Fiction
Munro's regiment, as it was still called--for he was now its full
colonel, although Lieutenant Colonel Sinclair commanded it in the
field--had suffered terribly, but less, perhaps, than some of those
who had in vain attempted to force their way up the slopes of the Alte
Veste; and many an eye grew moist as at daybreak the regiment marched
into its place in the ranks of the brigade and saw how terrible had been
the slaughter among them. Munro's soldiers had had but little of that
hand to hand fighting in which men's blood becomes heated and all
thought of danger is lost in the fierce desire to kill. Their losses
had been caused by the storm of cannonball and bullet which had swept
through them, as, panting and breathless, they struggled up the steep
slopes, incapable of answering the fire of the enemy. They had had their
triumph, indeed, as the Imperial regiments broke and fled before their
advance; but although proud that they at least had succeeded in a day
when failure was general, there was not a man but regretted that he had
not come within push of pike of the enemy.
Malcolm Graheme had passed scatheless through the fray--a good fortune
that had attended but few of his brother officers. His uncle was badly
wounded, and several of his friends had fallen. Of the men who had
marched from Denmark but a year before scarce a third remained in the
ranks, and although the regiment had been strengthened by the breaking
up of two or three of the weaker battalions and their incorporation
with the other Scottish regiments, it was now less than half its former
strength. While Gustavus and Wallenstein had been facing each other at
Nuremberg the war had continued without interruption in other parts, and
the Swedes and their allies had gained advantages everywhere except in
Westphalia and Lower Saxony, where Pappenheim had more than held his own
against Baudissen, who commanded for Gustavus; and although Wallenstein
had checked the king he had gained no material advantages and had
wrested no single town or fortress from his hands. Gustavus was still in
Bavaria, nearer to Munich than he was, his garrisons still holding Ulm,
Nordlingen, and Donauworth, its strongest fortresses.
He felt sure, however, that it would be impossible for Gustavus to
maintain at one spot the army which he had at Windsheim, and that
with so many points to defend he would soon break it up into separate
commands. He resolved then to wait until he did so, and then to sweep
down upon Northern Germany, and so by threatening the king's line of
retreat to force him to abandon Bavaria and the south and to march to
meet him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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