in his ground until the return of Pappenheim,
who could not have advanced farther than Halle, five miles distant.
Messengers were hastily dispatched to recall him, while Wallenstein
moved forward into the wide plain between the Canal and Luetzen, where
lie awaited the King in full order of battle, and, by this position,
cut off his communication with Leipzic and the Saxons auxiliaries.

Three cannon shots, fired by Count Colloredo from the castle of
Weissenfels, announced the king's approach; and at this concerted
signal, the light troops of the Duke of Friedland, under the command
of the Croatian General Isolani, moved forward to possess themselves
of the villages lying upon the Rippach. Their weak resistance did not
impede the advance of the enemy, who crossed the Rippach, near the
village of that name, and formed in line below Luetzen, opposite the
Imperialists. The high road which goes from Weissenfels to Leipzic is
intersected between Luetzen and Markranstadt by the canal which extends
from Zeitz to Merseburg and unites the Elster with the Saal. On this
canal rested the left wing of the Imperialists, and the right of the
King of Sweden; but so that the cavalry of both extended themselves
along the opposite side. To the northward, behind Luetzen, was
Wallenstein's right wing, and to the south of that town was posted the
left wing of the Swedes; both armies fronted the high road, which ran
between them and divided their order of battle; but the evening before
the battle, Wallenstein, to the great disadvantage of his opponent,
had possessed himself of this highway, deepened the trenches which ran
along its sides, and planted them with musketeers, so as to make the
crossing of it both difficult and dangerous. Behind these, again, was
erected a battery of seven large pieces of cannon, to support the fire
from the trenches; and at the windmills, close behind Luetzen, fourteen
smaller field-pieces were ranged on an eminence from which they could
sweep the greater part of the plain. The infantry, divided into no
more than five unwieldy brigades, was drawn up at the distance of 300
paces from the road, and the cavalry covered the flanks. All the
baggage was sent to Leipzic that it might not impede the movements of
the army; and the ammunition-wagons alone remained, which were placed
in rear of the line. To conceal the weakness of the Imperialists, all
the camp-followers and sutlers were mounted and posted on the left
wing,