The sufferings of his army in an intrenched camp soon became intolerable to Gustavus Adolphus.

In spite of inferiority of forces, he attacked the enemy's redoubts, and was repulsed; the king revictualled Nuremberg, and fell back upon Bavaria.
Wallenstein at first followed him, and then flung himself upon Saxony, and took Leipzig; Gustavus Adolphus advanced to succor his ally, and the two armies met near the little town of Liitzen, on the 16th of November, 1632.
There was a thick fog.

Gustavus Adolphus, rising before daybreak, would not put on his breastplate, his old wounds hurting him under harness: "God is my breastplate," he said.

When somebody came and asked him for the watchword, he answered, "God with us;" and it was Luther's hymn, _"Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott" (Our God is a strong tower),_ that the Swedes sang as they advanced towards the enemy.

The king had given orders to march straight on Lutzen.