 Spinola raised his camp at Alsheim, and performed a great maneuver of distraction, simulated a march over Worms to distract the forces of the Protestant Union.Joachim Ernst, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach, who commanded the Protestant army stationed in Oppenheim and surroundings, about 24,000 soldiers, took the bait and went with most of his troops to Worms, leaving a small garrison in Oppehneim.Spinola, between therefore, taking advantage of the night approached to Oppenheim, where he arrived with his army to dawn on 14 September, and the assault on the positions of the town not long in coming.