Assassination Is the Quickest Way 229A clandestine assassination with explanations afterwards looked a
safer prospect, but raised equally difficult problems of justification and
authority. On Saturday morning Gordon may have received ‘the neces-
sary information’ which Diodati recorded that he sent to him, probably
a copy of the first Imperial order not to obey the generalissimo and his
associates. It also seems likely that Butler had been given an intimation
of the secret sentence on Wallenstein – arrest if possible, death if not –
as he surreptitiously sent a captain from Eger with a further message to
the Imperialist commanders that he would seize and if necessary kill the
generalissimo, notwithstanding the imminent arrival of enemy forces.^16
Nevertheless to assassinate the commander-in-chief on the strength of a
verbal message was a daunting prospect. Piccolomini himself had earlier
demanded a written order from Gallas before considering an attempt
to seize Wallenstein in Pilsen, but as the order was not forthcoming
nor was the attempt. The proclamations, even had the three officers
seen them, announced only Wallenstein’s dismissal and said nothing
about arresting him dead or alive. To kill him, and his adherents as
well, without even an attempt at an arrest, would not only be against
the terms of the secret sentence but could easily expose those involved
to a charge of murder, as convenient scapegoats should Piccolomini,
Gallas and even the emperor want to absolve themselves of responsibil-
ity for the deed. Ironically Ilow had provided them with the way out.
If Swedish or Saxon forces were about to occupy Eger an arrest would
be ineffectual, as those arrested would shortly be freed. Hence the only
way that the emperor’s presumed order could be carried out was to kill
them before the enemy arrived. That was still a risky undertaking but
on balance the least dangerous course, particularly as dead men tell no
tales and the only account available of the circumstances leading up to
the assassination would be that of the executioners themselves.
Although Gordon was reportedly more reticent about the deed
than the others, once the course of action had been decided all three
went about planning and organising the details swiftly and efficiently.
Butler’s Irish dragoons would do all that was necessary, and three of his
officers, Major Geraldine and Captains Devereux and Macdaniel, were
secretly briefed as to the situation. The garrison duty officer, a German,
was instructed to allow 40 of the Irishmen to enter the town at the
appropriate time, but probably he was told no more than that they
were required for some routine assignment. Dealing with Wallenstein
was the lesser problem, as he was in no condition to defend himself,
and Ilow had seen no need to post a strong guard around his house,
which was patrolled only by four town watchmen whose main duty