 On the early morning of October 13 , Báthory appeared on the " heights beyond the brook . " Ali was forced to stand ground in order to secure an eventual redrawl and evacuate his booty . " Báthory ordered his army to prepare for battle : his 3 @,@ 000 Transylvanian Saxons , supported by a second line of Transylvanian Wallachians , comprised the right flank on the Mureş River , while the Hungarians comprised the left flank — he and his heavy cavalry were placed in the middle . The Ottoman leaders were in disagreement and had their preparations for the battle delayed ; after " three hours of idle waiting , Báthory , confident that Pál Kinizsi would arrive any minute , gave the order to attack . " The Transylvanian Saxons opened the attack , but were routed ; the Transylvanian Wallachians followed their fate , with many being wounded or killed ; and later , the Hungarian line would be pressured to retreat to the centre . Báthory then charged with his heavy cavalry , but fell off his horse ; this alerted his companions who interpreted it as a bad omen and advised him to either turn back or retreat to the mountains . He ignored their advice and as head of his cavalry , charged the first Ottoman line with a great force , routing them . Ali then charged with his cavalry and a fierce battle took place that lasted for three hours . Báthory was seriously injured , as he bled from six wounds ; " his horse had been killed under him . " Surrounded by a " wall of corpses " and barely holding onto his life , he was about to lose the battle when Kinizsi 's army appeared on the hill , with drums and trumpets making their noise . Some 900 Serbs under a Demeter Jakšić assisted by " numerous courtiers of the king " , charged against the Turks . The Turks , who were taken by surprise , were slaughtered by the furious Kinizsi and after a renewed attack , he managed to save Báthory . 
