Three cannon shots, fired by Count Colloredo from the castle of Weissenfels, announced the king’s approach; and at this concerted signal, the light troops of the Duke of Friedland, under the command of the Croatian General Isolani, moved forward to possess themselves of the villages lying upon the Rippach.  Their weak resistance did not impede the advance of the enemy, who crossed the Rippach, near the village of that name, and formed in line below Luetzen, opposite the Imperialists.  The high road which goes from Weissenfels to Leipzic is intersected between Luetzen and Markranstadt by the canal which extends from Zeitz to Merseburg and unites the Elster with the Saal.  On this canal rested the left wing of the Imperialists, and the right of the King of Sweden; but so that the cavalry of both extended themselves along the opposite side.  To the northward, behind Luetzen, was Wallenstein’s right wing, and to the south of that town was posted the left wing of the Swedes; both armies fronted the high road, which ran between them and divided their order of battle; but the evening before the battle, Wallenstein, to the great disadvantage of his opponent, had possessed himself of this highway, deepened the trenches which ran along its sides, and planted them with musketeers, so as to make the crossing of it both difficult and dangerous.  Behind these, again, was erected a battery of seven large pieces of cannon, to support the fire from the trenches; and at the windmills, close behind Luetzen, fourteen smaller field-pieces were ranged on an eminence from which they could sweep the greater part of the plain.  The infantry, divided into no more than five unwieldy brigades, was drawn up at the distance of 300 paces from the road, and the cavalry covered the flanks.  All the baggage was sent to Leipzic that it might not impede the movements of the army; and the ammunition-wagons alone remained, which were placed in rear of the line.  To conceal the weakness of the Imperialists, all the camp-followers and sutlers were mounted and posted on the left wing, but only until Pappenheim’s troops arrived.  These arrangements were made during the darkness of the night; and when the morning dawned all was ready for the reception of the enemy.

On the evening of the same day, Gustavus Adolphus appeared on the opposite plain and formed his troops in the order of attack.  His disposition was the same as that which had been so successful the year before at Leipzic.  Small squadrons of horse were interspersed among the divisions of the infantry, and troops of musketeers were placed here and there among the cavalry.  The army was arranged in two lines, the canal on the right and in its rear, the high road in front, and the town on the left.  In the centre the infantry was formed, under the command of Count Brahe; the cavalry on the wings; the artillery in front.  To the German hero, Bernard, Duke of Weimar, was intrusted the command of the German cavalry of the left wing; while, on the right, the king led on the Swedes in person, in order to excite the emulation of the two nations to a noble competition.  The second line was formed in the same manner; and behind these was placed the reserve, commanded by Henderson, a Scotchman.