Lützen, battle of (1632). Gustavus Adolphus caught up with the imperial army under Wallenstein entrenched at Lützen on 16 November. The latter had split his force, sending the best of his cavalry under Pappenheim to Halle, and Gustavus seized the opportunity. The ground around Lützen was flat on either side of a road running east to west, with a ditch on the northern side, and further north there were three large windmills. Wallenstein had drawn up his forces, some 12, 000-15, 000 strong, between the road and the windmills, with a large body of camp followers in the rear to give the impression of greater numbers. Gustavus came up to the south of the road. Both armies faced each other from 08.00 until about 10.00, while the artillery kept up a harassing fire. Gustavus opened the proceedings leading an attack with his right-wing cavalry, breaking the imperial horse, driving them through their own guns, and panicking the camp followers in the rear. On the opposite flank the imperial Croatian cavalry, covered by smoke from the burning village of Lützen, conducted a spirited attack against Bernhard of Saxe-Weimar's men.
Sometime after midday, and accounts disagree as to the exact time, Pappenheim rejoined the army, summoned by an urgent despatch from the beleaguered Wallenstein. His cuirassiers plunged into the thick of the fray at once, driving the Swedes pell-mell back across the ditch and road. Pappenheim was shot and killed and Gustavus's horse was seen careering about the field riderless. When the Swedes learned that their king was down, they boiled forward in an unstoppable attack. After dark, Gustavus was found dead from a number of wounds, which made it an excessively expensive victory.
— Toby McLeod
