Frederick replied by sending some troops into the duchy.
"No active operations took place, until the beginning of this year.
Up to that time, Sweden had not doubted the friendship of the King
of Poland, and Charles, at first, could hardly believe the reports
he received from the governor of Livonia, that the Saxon troops
were approaching the frontier.
"A few days later, however, came the news that they were advancing
against Riga. The governor prepared for defence, and hastily
mounted cannon on the walls. His powers of resistance, however,
were lessened by the fact that the river Duna was frozen over.
Fleming, who commanded the Saxon troops, arrived before the town,
early in February, with four thousand men. The governor had set
fire to the suburbs on the previous day; and Fleming was surprised
to find that, instead of taking it by surprise, as he had hoped,
the place was in a position to offer a stout resistance. However,
he attacked the fort of Cobrun, on the opposite side of the river,
and carried it by assault.
"The news was brought to young Charles the Twelfth when he was out
hunting, a sport of which he is passionately fond. By all accounts,
he is an extraordinary young fellow. He is not content with hunting
bears and shooting them, but he and his followers engage them armed
only with forked sticks.
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