Source:
Memoirs of Christina, Queen of Sweden, volume 1, pages 212 to 216, by Henry Woodhead, 1863; original at the University of Michigan
Kristina's letter of May 10/20 (Old Style), 1646, to General Lennart Torstensson is here:
The account:
The Swedish army had met with almost uninterrupted success since Torstenson took the command. After he had beaten Gallas, he marched into the Austrian hereditary States, where he was opposed by the Imperial General Hatzfeld. The battle of Jankowitz took place in February, 1645.
The Austrians met with the ill fortune to which they have so often been doomed; they fought well and obstinately, but they were totally defeated.
Charles Gustavus particularly distinguished himself on this occasion.
Nearly every officer in his regiment was killed, and he himself received a ball through his hat, one through the long hair which he wore according to the fashion of the time, and another through his coat.
The firing was heard at Prague, in which place the Emperor caused prayers to be offered for the success of his arms. He hastened to Vienna as soon as the result of the battle was known. The greatest confusion prevailed in the Imperial army. The Archduke was attacked and plundered by some of his own troops, to whom he was personally unknown, and Gallas nearly shared the same fate.
Torstenson continued his advance until he came opposite to Vienna, but he was unable to cross the river in the face of the enemy; and his illness, against which he had so long contended, increased to such a degree that he was obliged to resign the command. Christina wrote to him on the 10th of May, 1646, thanking him for his great services, and accepting his resignation on account of his increasing infirmities.
Among the able Generals who succeeded Gustavus Adolphus, no one equalled Torstenson in military genius, or in the magnitude of his successes. It is true that he did not show such resources as Banér did, when his cause appeared desperate; but Torstenson had no occasion to use his invention to save his army from imminent destruction, — he never placed it in situations which success alone redeemed from the stigma of rashness.
Yet Torstenson was by no means deficient in enterprise. Regardless of his own sufferings, and although often obliged to be carried in a litter, he was especially feared by the enemy for the celerity of his movements, and was called by his own soldiers "Blixten" (the lightning). His ill health was not caused, like that of Banér, by his own excesses, but by the fortune of war. He had been taken prisoner in 1632, at the battle of Nürnberg, and was treated with much harshness. He was confined in a damp and unwholesome dungeon, and from that time he was always the victim of gout or rheumatism.
Voltaire said he was the only general in that age whose genius supplied the place of experience. He served, when quite a boy, as the page of Gustavus Adolphus, during his campaign of 1624 in Livonia. In one of the battles which took place, the King had no staff officer near him, and consequently sent Torstenson with orders to a general to perform a certain movement. In the meantime the enemy changed his plan, and Gustavus was in despair at having given an order which might have led to a serious reverse.
He was reassured when Torstenson returned. "Sire", said the youth, "forgive me, but I saw the enemy had changed his plan, I therefore made a corresponding change in your Majesty's orders." The King did not answer, but in the evening[,] when the page was about to serve at table as usual, he made him sit by his side instead.
The next day Torstenson was appointed to an Ensigncy in the Guards, and fifteen days after he received a Company.
Torstenson was of a mild and generous disposition. He checked the excesses of the Swedish army, and restored something like their ancient discipline: this was very distasteful to the soldiers, and he never acquired the popularity of Banér.
His whole conduct, both public and private, was ruled by religion; he was a generous enemy as well as a faithful friend. He supported the widow and children of Seckendorf, who had attempted to assassinate him.
His great services were not forgotten in Sweden. His health did not permit him to attend the Court, but Christina visited the hero in his own apartments and conferred the dignity of Count upon him.
Neither his native air, nor the esteem of his countrymen, could restore his shattered constitution: he lingered a short time, and died in 1651, at the early age of 46.
Torstenson belonged to an old West Gothland family, who continued longer than any other the ancient custom of being named only from their father's Christian name. They had no surname until they took one from the renowned Leonard Torstenson. ...
Above: Kristina.
Above: Lennart Torstensson.
Notes: Jankowitz is the German name for the village of Jankov in the Benešov District in the Central Bohemian Region of what is now the Czech Republic.
Torstensson was 47, not 46 when he died (he was born on August 17/27 (Old Style), 1603 and died on April 7/17 (Old Style), 1651).
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