204 SOLDIERS AND SAILORS situation ; and that man was Albrecht von Wallenstein. He was himselt, too, fully aware of his preciousness and the terms which he exacted of Ferdinand were hard, not to say extortionate. Ferdinand II., however, had no choice but to accept them. It was not long before Gustavus became aware that Wallen- stein, with an army which seemed to have risen out of the ground, was moving in his rear, resolved, apparently, to cut him off from his communication with Sweden. He had no alternative then but to return northward to face this new enemy. On the field of Lutzen in Saxony they met November 6, 1632. A thick mist covered the battle-field, and both armies tarried with the attack in the hope that it would lift. Toward noon, however, Gustavus made a brief address to his soldiers and knelt in prayer before them, whereupon all sang Luther's hymn, " Our God he is a fortress strong." Then the signal was given for the attack. The army of Gustavus, including his German allies, numbered from twenty to twenty-five thousand, and the Imperialists about thirty thousand. The king, who suffered from an imperfectly healed wound which he had received in the Polish war, found it painful to wear a cuirass ; and on the morning of the day of Lutzen refused to put it on. "God is my armor," he said, and mounted his horse. It was this sublime confidence in divine Providence which led him perhaps to expose himself overmuch. He led the attack in person. Before the battle was far advanced, a report reached him that his left wing was wavering. With prompt resolution he started across the field, but, mistaking the direction in the fog, found himself in the midst of a detachment of imperial cuirassiers. A pis- tol shot pierced his arm ; but he still pressed on. Growing faint from pain and loss of blood, he turned to one of the German princes who accompanied him and said : " Cousin, lead me out of this tumult ; for I am hurt." But scarcely had he spoken, when a second shot hit him between the shoul- ders and he fell from his horse, dead. The rumor instantly spread through the Swedish army that the king had been taken prisoner. The troops rushed like an avalanche upon the Imperial- ists, who wavered and gave way. In the end the victory was claimed by both sides, the advantage remaining however with the Swedes. Gustavus Adolphus was a man of handsome appearance, tall of stature, and of most impressive presence. He was hot-tempered ; but at the same time kindly, generous, and affable. He possessed all the qualities required of a mili- tary leader, and has justly been accounted one of the world's greatest generals. He was thirty-eight years old at the time of his death. Having no son, he was succeeded on the Swedish throne by his daughter Christina.
