s than 9000 having
fallen upon each side--a proportion without precedent in any battle of
modern times, and testifying to the obstinacy and valour with which on
both sides the struggle was maintained from early morning until night
alone terminated it.

It is said, indeed, that every man, both of the yellow regiments of
Swedish guards and of the blue regiments, composed entirely of English
and Scotchmen, lay dead on the field. On both sides many men of high
rank were killed. On the Swedish side, besides Gustavus himself, fell
Count Milo, the Count of Brahe, General Uslar, Ernest Prince of
Anhalt, and Colonels Gersdorf and Wildessein. On the Imperialist
side Pappenheim, Schenk, Prince and Abbot of Fulda, Count Berthold
Wallenstein, General Brenner, Issolani, general of the Croats, and six
colonels were killed. Piccolomini received ten wounds, but none of them
were mortal.

Holk was severely wounded, and, indeed, so close and desperate was the
conflict, that it is said there was scarcely a man in the Imperial army
who escaped altogether without a wound.

CHAPTER XVIII WOUNDED

A controversy, which has never been cleared up, has long raged as to the
death of Gustavus of Sweden; but the weight of evidence is strongly in
favour of those who affirm that he received his fatal wound, that in
the back, at the hand of Franz Albert of Lauenburg. The circumstantial
evidence is, indeed, almost overwhelming. By birth the duke was the
youngest of four sons of Franz II, Duke of Lauenburg. On his mother's
side he was related to the Swedish royal family, and in his youth lived
for some time at the court of Stockholm.

Owing to some impertinent remarks in reference to Gustavus he fell into
disfavour with the queen, and had to leave Sweden. On attaining manhood
he professed the Catholic faith, entered the Imperial army, obtained
the command of a regiment, attached himself with much devotion to
Wallenstein, and gained the confidence of that general. While the
negotiations between the emperor and Wallenstein were pending Franz
Albert was employed by the latter in endeavouring to bring about a
secret understanding with the court of Dresden.

When Gustavus was blockaded in Nuremberg by Wallenstein Franz Albert
left the camp of the latter and presented himself in that of Gustavus as
a convert to the Reformed Religion and anxious to serve as a volunteer
under him. No quarrel or disagreement had, so far as is known, taken
place betwe