OIIAP. XI.] 



THE THIRTY YEARS' WAR. 



267 



from the bloodless battles in Italy, with their iron-cased 

 soldiers, their clumsy manoeavres, and their losses by 

 suftbcation in the mud ! 



Something had put a bolder and more gallant spirit 

 into the leaders of this age. The Duke Bernard of 

 Wiemar took the command after the death of the king, 

 and his prompt decision of character at that crisis is 

 deeply marked upon the pages of history. Ketreat was 

 suggested to him. The fiery duke answered that i^- was 

 a question of vengeance, not of retreat. He then assumed 

 the command, and ordered the lieutenant-colonel of the 

 Steinbock regiment to advance. H(} hesitated to obey 

 the order, and was at once run through the body by the 

 impetuous Bernard, who, placing himself at the head of 

 the regiment, led a victorious charge. 



The outpost and reconnoitring service was fairly per- 

 formed in these wars. Patrols were used very freely, 

 and were sent to great distances in every direction. 

 When the enemy was far removed, the patrols were 

 smaller in number, consisting of one sub- officer and six 

 or seven men. When the armies were closer to each 

 other, the patrols were larger and more numerous. The 

 reconnoitring parties then consisted of an officer and 

 about twenty men in each.' 



Information was obtained by spies, and by prisoners 

 who were always closely questioned when captured ; and 

 the small parties of cavalry were always on the watch 

 for couriers carrying despatches, from which, of course, 

 the most useful information could be obtained. 



' Duparcq, ii. 150, 151. 



I 1 



