Lutzen, 16 November 1632

Gustavus Adolphus caught up with Wallenstein's Imperialist force entrenched at Lutzen on 16 November 1632. Wallenstein had split his force, sending the best of his cavalry, under Pappenheim, to Halle and Gustavus seized the opportunity presented. The ground around Lutzen was flat either side of a road running east to west, with a ditch on the northern side, and further north three large windmills.

It was between the road and the windmills that Wallenstein drew up his forces, some 12 to 15,000 strong, with a large body of hangers-on 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 eight until about ten in the morning, 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 horse covered by smoke from the burning village of Lutzen conducted a spirited attack against Bernard of Saxe-Weimar's men. Some time after midday, and accounts disagree as to the exact time, Pappenheim arrived back with the army, summoned by an urgent despatch from the beleaguered Wallenstein. Pappenheim's cuirassiers plunged into the thick of the fray at once, sending the Swedes pell-mell back across the ditch and road. Pappenheim was shot and killed for his pains, and Gustavus' horse was seen careering about the field riderless. The cry went up that the King of Sweden was dead, which served to enrage the Swedes who boiled forward to the attack, sweeping all before them. After dark on the deserted battlefield Gustavus body was found dead from a number of wounds. The Imperial strategy had been shattered at Lützen but the Swedes and their allies were inconsolable at the death of the Lion of the North.

The Battle of Lutzen from Wagner: European Weapons and Warfare 1618-1648

A: Battle formation of Swedish troops, B: Battle formation of Imperial troops, C: The town of Lutzen, D: Road to Leipzig, E: Windmills, F: Imperial guns, G: Swedish guns, H: Swedish battalion guns, I: Baggage camp, K: Ditch, L: Chursitz, M: Schoelsinger Hoelslein, N: Miller's House, O: Gibbet, P: Ammunition Caissons.