nd believing that
for some time to come he should meet with no serious opposition, he had
on the very day after the Swedes reached Erfurt despatched Gallas with
12,000 men into Bohemia. A division of his troops was at the same time
threatening Naumburg, whose possession would enable him to block the
only easy road with which Gustavus could enter the country held by him.

But Gustavus at Erfurt learned that Naumburg had not yet fallen, and
marching with great rapidity reached the neighbourhood of that town
before the Imperialists were aware that he had quitted Erfurt, and
cutting up a small detachment of the enemy who lay in his way, entered
the town and at once began to intrench it. Wallenstein first learned
from the fugitives of the beaten detachment that Gustavus had arrived at
Naumburg, but as his own position lay almost centrally between Naumburg
and Torgau, so long as he could prevent the Swedes and Saxons from
uniting, he felt safe; for although together they would outnumber him,
he was superior in strength to either if alone. The Imperialist general
believed that Gustavus intended to pass the winter at Naumburg, and he
had therefore no fear of an immediate attack.

In order to extend the area from which he could draw his supplies
Wallenstein despatched Pappenheim to secure the fortress of Halle; for
although that town had been captured the fortress held out, and barred
the main road to the north. From Halle Pappenheim was to proceed to the
relief of Cologne, which was menaced by the enemy.

Having done this, Wallenstein withdrew from the line of the Saale and
prepared to distribute his army in winter quarters in the towns of the
district, he himself with a portion of the force occupying the little
town of Lutzen. But Gustavus had no idea of taking up his quarters for
the winter at Naumburg; and he proposed to the Elector of Saxony that if
he would march to Eilenberg, midway to Leipzig, he himself would make
a detour to the south round Wallenstein's position and join him there.
Without waiting to receive the answer of the elector, Gustavus, leaving
a garrison in Naumburg, set out at one o'clock in the morning on the
5th of November on his march; but before he had proceeded nine miles he
learned from a number of gentlemen and peasants favourable to the
cause that Pappenheim had started for Halle, that the remainder of
the Imperial army lay dispersed among the towns and villages of the
neighbourhood, and that Wall