two o'clock in the morning
But Gustavus was of opinion that the disadvantages of retreat were greater than those of action . The troops , hungry , weary , and dispirited , would be attacked as they retired , and he believed that by beginning the action early the Imperialists could be defeated before Pappenheim could return from Halle . Gustavus proposed to move forward at two o'clock in the morning ; but fate was upon this occasion against the great Swedish leader . Just as on the previous day the expected length of the march and the heavy state of the roads had prevented him from crushing Wallenstein 's scattered army , so now a thick fog springing up , making the night so dark that a soldier could not see the man standing next to him , prevented the possibility of movement , and instead of marching at two o'clock in the morning it was nine before the sun cleared away the fog sufficiently to enable the army to advance . Then , after addressing a few stirring words to his men , Gustavus ordered the advance towards Chursitz , the village in front of them . The king himself led the right wing , consisting of six regiments of Swedes , supported by musketeers intermingled with cavalry . The left , composed of cavalry and infantry intermixed , was commanded by Duke Bernhard .