Before the Swedes had fully recovered themselves the Spanish cavalry,
which at the first sound of the conflict the cardinal had ordered to
the spot, charged them in flank and forced them to a precipitate retreat
down the hillside. Bitterly regretting his delay at midnight, Horn
brought up fresh troops, and after addressing encouraging words to those
who had been already repulsed, led the united body to the assault.

But the Weinberg, which had been occupied in the early morning by only
four hundred men, was now defended by the whole of the Spanish infantry.
Vain now was the energy of Horn, and ineffectual the valour of his
troops. Time after time did the Swedes climb the hill and strive to
obtain a footing on its crest, each assault was repulsed with prodigious
slaughter. Duke Bernhard was now fully engaged with the Imperialists on
the Allersheim, and was gradually gaining ground. Seeing, however,
how fruitless were the efforts of Horn to capture the Weinberg, he
despatched as many of his infantry as he could spare to reinforce the
marshal. Among these was Munro's regiment.

"Now, my brave lads," Colonel Munro shouted, as he led his regiment
against the hill, "show them what Scottish hearts can do." With a cheer
the regiment advanced. Pressing forward unflinchingly under a hail
of bullets they won their way up the hill, and then gathering, hurled
themselves with a shout upon the heavy masses of Spanish veterans. For a
moment the latter recoiled before the onset; then they closed in around
the Scotch, who had already lost a third of their number in ascending
the hill.

Never did the famous regiment fight with greater courage and fury; but
they were outnumbered ten to one, and their opponents were soldiers of
European reputation. In vain the Scotchmen strove to break through the
serried line of pikes which surrounded them. Here and there a knot of
desperate men would win a way through; but ere others could follow them
the Spanish line closed in again and cut them off from their comrades,
and they died fighting to the last.

Fighting desperately in the front rank Munro and his officers encouraged
their men with shouts and example; but it was all in vain, and he at
last shouted to the remains of his followers to form in a solid body and
cut their way back through the enemy who surrounded them. Hemmed in as
they were by enemies the Scottish spearmen obeyed, and, headed by their
colonel, flung themselves with a sudden