midnight
Gustavus reconnoitred the town accompanied by Sir John Hepburn , and by the advice of that officer decided upon a fresh plan of operations . Hepburn pointed out to him that by taking possession of the angle formed by the confluence of the Wermitz and Danube to the west of the town the bridge crossing from Donauworth into Bavaria would be completely commanded , and the garrison would be cut off from all hope of escape and of receiving relief from Bavaria . The plan being approved , Hepburn drew off his brigade with its artillery , and marching five miles up the Danube crossed the river at the bridge of Hassfurt , and descended the opposite bank until he faced Donauworth . He reached his position at midnight , and placed his cannon so as to command the whole length of the bridge , and then posted his musketeers in the gardens and houses of a suburb on the river , so that their crossfire also swept it . The pikemen were drawn up close to the artillery at the head of the bridge . Quietly as these movements were performed the garrison took the alarm , and towards morning the duke , finding his retreat intercepted , sallied out at the head of eight hundred musketeers to cut his way through ; but as the column advanced upon the bridge the Green Brigade opened fire , the leaden hail of their musketeers smote the column on both sides , while the cannon ploughed lanes through it from end to end . So great was the destruction that the Bavarians retreated in confusion back into the town again , leaving the bridge strewn with their dead .