As Gustavus came through the country he received the most enthusiastic welcome. His soldiers were generously fed and lodged, they held prayers night and morning with their hosts, and while the people thanked them for coming, the soldiers thanked the people for their kindness and hospitality. It was John George who was vacillating, not his people, they were always true to the evangelical faith.
Gustavus rode at the head of his army on a large white horse, he wore a plain gray suit, a gray hat on which was a large white feather. This was the only distinguishing mark of rank in his costume. All soldiers and sailors are more or less superstitious. An incident which the army took as a good omen occurred as they passed the Thuringian forest. The king saw a hawk pursuing a lark, which flew into the bosom of the king, who took the trembling bird in his hands, holding it till the hawk was out of sight, then he said, "Go, poor little bird, may God protect you." The army took this to mean that Austria was the bird of prey, and that Protestantism had thrown itself into the arms of the king of Sweden for protection, and the privilege would be given him of God to set it free.
On October 23d the different divisions of his army met in Arnstadt. Here he and his best loved friend, Chancellor Oxenstiern, parted to meet no more on this earth. At Erfurth he met his queen, who was waiting for him. He had but little time to talk with her of the home land, or of the little maid upon whom their love was lavished. Wallenstein was not far away, so, on the 28th, he called the town council of Erfurth together, and addressing them in their own language, he said:
"I intrust you with my most precious jewel, the queen, my well beloved wife. You know, gentlemen, that all things are subject to vicissitudes, and above all war, a scourge which God uses to chastise men for their sins. Like another, I may meet with misfortune, perhaps death. If that is the will of God, show to my beloved wife the loyalty, the devotion, of which you have always given me proof."
The queen broke out into weeping. He clasped her in his arms, saying, "Cheer up! We shall see each other again, if not in this life, it will be sooner or later in the celestial abodes of eternal bliss."
Then, holding her in his arms a moment in silence (doubtless in prayer), he sprang on his horse, rode to the head of his moving army, and kept that place till he reached Naumburg, November 1st, 1632, before the division which Wallenstein had hastened toward that town could arrive.
The king strongly entrenched himself here, and placed three hundred cannon to overlook the approaches. The inhabitants fell on their knees before him. He cried out: "Oh, think not of me; think only of the cause! God will punish me if I accept such homage from you. Yet, I hope that He who knows that I take no delight in such honor will not suffer my work to fail, whatever becomes of me, seeing it is for the glory of His Holy Name."
Wallenstein was preparing to march on Dresden when he learned that Gustavus was ready to leave Erfurth, so he determined to throw one corps into Naumburg, and to entrench himself at Weisenfels, about ten miles from Naumburg. Wallenstein expected the Swedes would now go into winter quarters, and make no further advance or attack until the warmer weather of Spring should come.
The first days of November were exceedingly cold, and Gustavus had his men on the outside of Naumburg brought in for shelter, comfort and food. All this made Wallenstein think that the king was really hibernating. So Wallenstein permitted Pappenheim to march away again to the Weser and Towerkline, where General Baudissin, with a regiment of Swedes, kept guard for the king. Pappenheim took with him eight thousand men in order to take Halle on the way. Wallenstein had twenty-five thousand men left, and he silently made his way toward Lutzen.
The king called his two generals to him to consult. "Fight," said Bernard. "Wait," said Knipenhausen, "till the Saxon army can join us." The king knew Saxony too well for that, but he wrote to John George to bring in his forces at once. The duke replied: "I am deeply sensible of the importance of the occasion, and I will at once send two regiments to join you; the rest I need for the maintenance of my own fortresses."