nds of
the peasantry was murdered under circumstances of horrible atrocity
it became very difficult for the officers to keep the men together,
so intense was their fury and desire for vengeance against the savage
peasantry, and on every possible occasion when a village was seen near
the line of march men would slip away and slay, plunder, and burn.

Gustavus endeavoured to repress these proceedings. He shared the
indignation of his troops at the barbarous conduct of the peasantry,
but throughout the war he always tried to carry on hostilities so as
to inflict as little loss and suffering as possible upon noncombatants.
This state of warfare too between his troops and the country people
added to his difficulties, for the peasantry drove off their cattle and
burned their stacks, and rendered it necessary for provisions and forage
to be carried with the army. Parties were therefore sent out on the
flanks of the column for the double purpose of preventing soldiers
stealing off to plunder and burn, and of picking up stragglers and
saving them from the fury of the peasants.

A strong rear guard followed a short distance behind the army. It was
accompanied by some empty wagons, in which those who fell out and were
unable to keep up with the march were placed. Two days after the advance
from the Lech, Malcolm was in charge of a small party on the right flank
of the column. There was no fear of an attack from the enemy, for the
Swedish horsemen were out scouring the country, and the Imperialists
were known to have fallen back to Ingolstadt. The villages were found
deserted by the male inhabitants, the younger women too had all left,
but a few old crones generally remained in charge. These scowled at the
invaders, and crossing themselves muttered curses beneath their breath
upon those whom their priests had taught them to regard as devils. There
was nothing to tempt the cupidity of the soldiers in these villages.
Malcolm's duty was confined to a casual inspection, to see that no
stragglers had entered for the purpose of procuring wine.

The day's march was nearly over when he saw some flames rise from a
village a short distance away. Hurrying forward with his men he found
a party of ten of the Swedish soldiers who had stolen away from the
baggage guard engaged in plundering. Two peasants lay dead in the
street, and a house was in flames.

Malcolm at once ordered his detachment, who were twenty strong, to
arrest the Swedes and