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 io:moirs 
 
 OF THE 
 
 MARCHIONESS 
 DE LA ROCHEJAQUELEIN. 
 
 TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH. 
 
 EDINBURGH : 
 PRINTED FOR CONSTABLE AND CO. 
 
 1827.
 
 EDINBURGH : 
 PRIXTEl) BY JAMES BALI.ANTVN'E AN'l) CO.
 
 CONTENTS. 
 
 PACK 
 
 Preface, '^ 
 
 To my Children, ... ^ .... 19 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 My Birth — Coalition of Poitou — My Marriage — Order to 
 remain at Paris^Period which preceded the 10th of 
 August 179-2, 21 
 
 CHAPTER 11. 
 The 10th of August— Flight from Paris, ... 33 
 
 CHAPTER ill. 
 
 Description of the Bocag-e — :Maim:Ts of the Inhabitants 
 — First Effects of the Revolution — Insuirectif^n of Au- 
 gust 1792 — The Period which preceded the War in La 
 Vendee, li 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Commencement of the War — Departure of M. de la 
 Rochejaquelein — Our AiTest, 56 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Retreat of the Army of Anjou — An Advantage gainea at 
 Aubiers by 31. de la Rochejaquelein — The Army of An- 
 jou repairs its Losses — 3Iassacres at Bressuire — The 
 Republicans abandon the Town — Arrival of M. de la 
 Rochejaquelein at Clisson, 71 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 The Vendeens occupy Bressuire — Account of the Royalist 
 Army, 87 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 Thouars, Parthenay, and Chataigueraie taken — Defeat at 
 Fonteuay — Fontenay taken, 104 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 Formation of the Superior Council — Victories of Vihiers, 
 of Doue, of 31ontreuil — Taking of Saumur, . . 120 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 Taking of Angers — Attack of Nantes — Retreat from Par- 
 thenay — Buttle of the Wood-du-Moulin aux Chevres, 13* 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 Retaking of ChatiUon — Battles of Martlgne and Vihici*s 
 —Election of M. d'Elbee— Attack uf Lucou, . . OS
 
 IV CONTENTS. 
 
 PAOK 
 CHAPTER Xr. 
 Anivgl of M. Dc Tlnteniac — Second Battle of Lucon— 
 Victory of Chuutoiiiiay, 159 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Battles of La Roche Erigne, IVIartlcrne, Done, Thouars, 
 Cororj, Bfuuli^'U, Torfou, Montaigu, St Fulgent — At- 
 tack of the Convoy from Clisson, .... 173 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 Battle of Moulin aux Chevres — Recapture of ChatillOD'— 
 Battles of La TrcmblaVe and Chollet, . . . .191 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 Passage of the Loire — JManh by Ingi-ande— Cande, Cha- 
 teau- Gonthicr, and Laval, 203 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 Battles between Laval and Chateau-Gonthier — Route by 
 Mayenne, Ernee, and Fougeres — Death of M. de Lc- 
 scuie, 219 
 
 CHAPTER XVL 
 Arrival of two Emigrants sent from England — Route by 
 Pontorson and Avranches — Siege of Granville— Return 
 by Avranches, Pontorson, and Dol, .... 234 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 Battle of Dol — March by Antrain, Fougeres, and La 
 Flech©— Siege of Angers, . . . . . . 247 
 
 CHAPTER XVin. 
 
 Return to La Fleche— Defeat of Mans, .... 263 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Attempt to repass the Loire^ — Defeat at Savenay— Dis- 
 pei'sion of the Army, 274 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 Hospitality of the Bretons— Winter of 1793 and 1794, . 289 
 
 CHAPTER XXL 
 
 Abode at the Chateau of Dreneuf, 902 
 
 CHAPTER XXIL 
 The Amnesty — Detailsof the Vendeen Fugitives, . . 815 
 
 CHAPTER XXIIL 
 
 An Account of tlie Fate of the different Vondocn OfiHcers 
 who continued tlie War — Our Rctuin to Bordeaux, 825 
 
 SUPPLEIMENT, S46
 
 MEMOIRS 
 
 OF 
 
 THE MARCHIONESS 
 
 OF 
 
 ROCHEJAQUELEIN
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 The civil war of La Vendee forms one 
 of the most interesting events of the Revo- 
 lution in France. It was little known in 
 this country while it was raging, and there 
 is much room for censuring the ministers of 
 Britain, who did not avail themselves of the 
 opportunities which it aiforded, of obtaining 
 the most important advantages for the al- 
 lied cause. We knew, indeed, generally in 
 England, that the Royalists had a force in 
 part of Poitou, and that they had several ren- 
 counters with the Republicans, which had 
 terminated to their advantage. But few Eng- 
 lish, if any, were fully aware, that while every 
 other province in France submitted more 
 or less patiently to the dominion of Robes- 
 pierre and his associates, La Vendee, a pro- 
 vince hardly known to us by name, had on 
 foot large armies which fought pitched bat- 
 tles, — gained decisive victories, — took forti- 
 fied towns, and more than once might, with 
 a moderate degree of assistance from troops
 
 4 PREFACE. 
 
 and money, have perhaps ended the Revo- 
 lution by a marcli to Paris. It was reason- 
 able to infer that a country capable of such 
 exertions in a cause almost deserted by all 
 France besides, had something peculiar in its 
 circumstances ; and when we consider the 
 nature of these peculiarities, they will be 
 found to form a great lesson both to princes 
 and people. 
 
 No one will venture to deny, that in the 
 last years of Louis XVI. some great change 
 in the old despotic constitution of France 
 was become absolutely necessary. The bur- 
 dens of tlie state, which should have been 
 equally discharged by all its subjects, in pro- 
 portion to their means, were thrown entirely 
 on the class of the commons, while the clergy 
 and gentry paid nothing to the support of the 
 general expenditure. The finances were in 
 a state of ^^rtual bankruptcy ; the subjects 
 generally irritated at their rulers, and desi- 
 rous of reclaiming those rights of freemen 
 from which they were debarred by the old 
 feudal laws. This was not a state of things 
 to be endured in the eighteenth century; 
 and, accordingly, a change was loudly and 
 generally called for. Designing and ambi- 
 tious men took advantage of the national 
 fervour of the French people, to drive this 
 spirit of laudable reformation into all the 
 excesses of the most furious revolution which 
 the world ever saw. Instead of restoring to
 
 PREFACE. D 
 
 the people their just liberties, and securing 
 the king, the church, and the aristocracy? in 
 possession of such rights as might be consis- 
 tent with a settled and well-balanced govern- 
 ment, they rooted up and pulled down every- 
 thing which was established, overthrew the 
 throne, banished the nobility, disowned not 
 their church only, but their religion and 
 Deity, and, by the direction of the vile mis- 
 creants who had created this anarchy, com- 
 mitted the most horrible cruelties under the 
 pretext of preserving liberty. 
 
 These demagogues could not have pos- 
 sessed the power over the passions of the 
 populace necessary to the execution of their 
 criminal schemes, if, previous to the Revo- 
 lution, the French aristocracy had been in 
 the habit of discharging those duties towards 
 the lower classes of the community, which 
 are. necessary for cementing the union be- 
 twixt the various ranks of society. The no- 
 bleman or gentleman of property ought, in 
 ordinary cases, to reside, for a certain sea- 
 son at least, on his estates. He is the na- 
 tural superior, and the best patron, of his 
 farmers and his poorer neighbours. The 
 expenditure of his income among them is 
 one source of their prosperity, — his bounty 
 ought to relieve them in cases of distress — 
 he is umpire of their disputes — they are com- 
 panions and assistants in his field-sports. 
 Amidst the interchange of mutual good of- 
 a2
 
 6 PREFACE. 
 
 fices, the chains by which the feudal system 
 binds the plebeians to the nobles, are na- 
 turally superseded by the gentle and ho- 
 nourable ties of mutual affection for mutual 
 kindness. 
 
 Unhappily, this order of things had been 
 totally changed in France. A fatal policy, 
 first practised by Cardinal Richelieu, had 
 seduced the wealthier and more dignified 
 part of the French nobles. La Haute No^ 
 blesse, as they were termed, to place their 
 importance in a constant residence at court, 
 and in their successful intrigues for the royal 
 favour. The management of their estates 
 was left to stewards; and the tenants neither 
 felt the favours, nor feared the displeasure, 
 of a landlord, who left all to his deputy, and 
 whose existence they knew only by his drain- 
 ing them of money. When the two prin- 
 cipal classes of society lived in this state of 
 disunion, it was easy to sow dissension be- 
 tween them, and to exasperate the lower 
 orders against the nobility and gentry, 
 from whom they neither received favours 
 nor experienced influence. There were ho- 
 nourable individual exceptions to this ge- 
 neral error, but it prevailed over the king- 
 dom at large, and was the principal cause 
 of the French Revolution extending beyond 
 the limits of wholesome and moderate refor- 
 mation. Far from being able to raise in the 
 provinces and on their estates such a force
 
 PREFACE. 7 
 
 as might have enabled them to stem the tor- 
 rent of Jacobinical fury, the nobles found 
 often their worst foes among their own pea- 
 sants, and were driven from their estates by 
 the insurrections of their very tenants, who, 
 in other circumstances, would have been 
 their surest protectors. This tended much 
 to the increase of emigration ; a fatal mea- 
 sure in itself, as seeming to unite with the 
 armies of strangers those proprietors, who 
 had, by birth, the deepest interest in the 
 country about to be invaded. 
 
 La Vendee and the neighbouring districts 
 stood in a peculiar degree exempted froiii that 
 discord between the peasants and the nobility, 
 which caused such melancholy consequences 
 through the rest of France. This arose, in 
 a great measure, out of local circumstances. 
 
 The extensive country of which La Ven- 
 dee is the centre, comprehends a much lar- 
 ger space than properly bears that name, 
 as it includes a considerable portion of the 
 departments of Maine and Loire, of Loire 
 Inferieuse, and of Les Deux Sevres, as well 
 as La Vendee Proper. The soil is not fit 
 for the plough, but admirably adapted to the 
 raising of cattle, and lies divided into pas- 
 tures of small extent, but very rich in pro- 
 duce, which are scattered among groves and 
 forests so extensive, that the whole district 
 is known by the name of the Bocage, or 
 Thicket. The peasants inhabited each his
 
 8 !• HE FA CI.. 
 
 little separate farm, all were easy aiul in- 
 dependent, and none possessed overgrown 
 wealth. They were little oppressed hy the 
 public burdens, having a dispensation from 
 the heaviest, on condition of their main- 
 taining the various cuts and canals by 
 which their country is drained. These ca- 
 nals, joined to the extreme badness of the 
 roads, the intervention of numerous hedge- 
 rows and thickets, and the frequent rains, 
 render La Vendee very inaccessible unless 
 to the natives, who, familiar with these dif- 
 ficulties, are accustomed to bound over the 
 obstacles, by means of a pole or quarter-staff 
 guarded with iron, which they are wont to 
 carry, and which, in the course of the war, 
 they sometimes used as a formidable weapon. 
 They were a religious, moral, and contented 
 race, desiring nothing more than to possess 
 the enjoyment of the faith, laws, and pos- 
 sessions, which had belonged to their fathers. 
 The noblesse, or, as we should say, the 
 gentry of La Vendee, had, like their depen- 
 dants, a character belonging to the ancient, 
 rather than to the modern w^orld. They lived 
 much on their properties, and in a state of 
 primitive simplicity. Even such as went 
 occasionally to Paris, had the good sense to 
 lay aside the manners of the metropolis, and 
 resume their provincial simplicity, so soon 
 as they returned to the Bocage. When the 
 ladies went abroad, it was on horseback, or
 
 PREFACE. 9 
 
 in carriages drawn by bullocks. When the 
 Seigneur went to the chase, which was fre- 
 quent in that woodland district, the peasants 
 attended, and attained considerable dexterity 
 in the art of shooting, besides enjoying the 
 sport with an appetite equal to that of their 
 master himself. The pajnnent of rent and 
 their management of farms, were upon a foot- 
 ing highly favourable for the continuation 
 of mutual regard between the proprietor and 
 tenant, as the interests of both were com- 
 mon. The tenant managed the stock of 
 cattle, and accounted for a proportion of 
 the profit to the landlord; and thus they 
 shared together the prosperity or adversity 
 of the season. The farms seldom exceeded 
 fivc-and- twenty or thirty pounds in rent, 
 and he was a great proprietor who had 
 twenty or thirty such farms; so that, among 
 great and small, there was but little wealth, 
 and no poverty. A holiday was a scene of 
 mutual hospitality to gentleman and pea- 
 sant. The family of the latter danced in the 
 court-yard of the chateau, and the Seigneur 
 and his family usually joined in the amuse- 
 ment. Thus, in sport and in business, in 
 pecuniary interests and in the rites of reli- 
 gion, the gentry and peasants were united to- 
 gether; and the better-instructed understand- 
 ings, as well as the natural superiority, of 
 the proprietors, preserved that influence over 
 the minds of the lower classes, which else-
 
 10 PREFACK. 
 
 where through France had been generally 
 lost. 
 
 It was not, however, the influence of the 
 nobles which at first raised the insurrection, 
 of which the following pages contain an in- 
 teresting history. Two other circumstances 
 more immediately occasioned the rising of 
 La Vendee. 
 
 The National Convention had imposed 
 upon the Catholic clergy an oath, which, as it 
 declared them independent of the supremacy 
 of Rome, was in direct contradiction to the 
 religious vows which they had taken upon 
 entering the church. The great body of the 
 clergy resigned, or were forcibly depriv^ed of 
 their cures, in consequence of their refusing 
 this oath ; and the Vendeens saw, with great 
 indignation, the curates, upon whose reli- 
 gious instruction they relied, and who had 
 discharged tlieir office with much paternal 
 zeal, displaced and exiled, and their room 
 supplied by persons less scrupulous in con- 
 science, and consequently less correct in 
 morals. This gave great and general dissatis- 
 faction amongst the peasants of the Bocage. 
 
 Another cause which more immediately 
 instigated the inhabitants of La Vendee to 
 assume arms, was the attempts to enforce 
 the conscri])tion, and to send the youth of 
 their country to recruit the armies engaged 
 in foreign conquests. For this purpose, a 
 compulsory levy of two hundred thousand
 
 PREFACE. 11 
 
 men was enforced over all France. As the 
 Vendeens took no interest in the revolution- 
 ary motives by which other provinces were 
 actuated, and regarded with aversion and 
 horror the steps taken against the established 
 chui'ch and the person of the king, they were 
 inaccessible to the motives which induced 
 France at large to submit to this severe mea- 
 sui'e ; and the attempts to resist it in different 
 quarters, were the first cause of their taking 
 up arms. When assembled in great force of 
 numbers, they chose officers chiefly, though 
 not exclusively, amongst the nobility, gave 
 battle to the regular forces of the republic, 
 were not only repeatedly victorious, but 
 showed great alertness in rallying after 
 defeat, and did infinitely more damage to 
 the Republicans than was achieved by the 
 best troops of the allied armies. In their 
 case, as in many other instances, the intel- 
 ligence of those whom they chose to be lead- 
 ers, together with the desperate courage of 
 the Vendeens themselves, formed a peculiar 
 species of tactics, adapted, at the same time, 
 to the character of the troops, and local cir- 
 cumstances of the country. This proved 
 on many occasions superior to the discipline 
 of regular forces, which, against determined 
 and active men, does not always give the 
 expected advantages. Their principal mode 
 of attack was by a species of bush-fighting. 
 By a manoeuvre, which they termed in their
 
 12 PREFACE. 
 
 dialect S'egailler, they spread themselves like 
 a party of sharp-shooters, on every side of 
 the close columns of the enemy, who, ad- 
 vancing tlirough a country in itself extreme- 
 ly difficult, found themselves assailed by a 
 destructiv^e and well-aimed fire from every 
 quarter, while they saw no tangible point 
 on which they might direct an attack with 
 any chance of decisive success. The cries 
 of the insurgents, the continued fire on every 
 point, and their dispersion over so large a 
 space, appeared to double their numbers ; 
 and if at any point the Republicans dis- 
 banded, or showed symptoms of confusion, 
 the Vendeens, led by their most spirited 
 chiefs, did not hesitate to rush on and com- 
 plete, by a close attack, the terror which 
 they had inspired by their more distant style 
 of fighting. 
 
 It is needless to observe, that the disper- 
 sing and rallying necessary for such a mode 
 of warfare required the highest degree of 
 individual zeal and intelligence in the troops 
 who practised it, since every small body of 
 marksmen, nay, in some degree, every in- 
 dividual, acted on his own responsibility in 
 the choice of his position, and the selection 
 of the favourable moment of advance or re- 
 treat. 
 
 While the Vendeens were in arms, and 
 triumphant, there was also a large army of 
 Bretons on foot for the monarchy, command-
 
 PREFACE. 13 
 
 ed by the celebrated LaChaiTette, and wliieh 
 gained many successes. It was unhappy for 
 their cause, that the chiefs of these indepen- 
 dent armies do not appear to have acted 
 "wdth cordiality, or upon united views ; other- 
 wise more important advantages might have 
 been derived from their frequent victories. 
 It was also unfortunate for them that the Bri- 
 tish ministers seem, as already mentioned, 
 not to have been aware of the benefits which 
 might have accrued from supplying them 
 with arms' and ammunition, as well as with 
 a body of auxiliary forces. When the roy- 
 alists were in possession of the isle of Noir- 
 moutier, this could have been accomplished 
 without difiiculty. The only serious attempt 
 made to encourage these brave men was by 
 the ill-concerted expedition of Quiberon, un- 
 dertaken after the royalist cause in Bretagne 
 was entirely lost. 
 
 The insurrection of La Vendee be^an in 
 March 1793, and, considering it as a great 
 and general war, terminated upon the defeat 
 at Quiberon, on 20th July 1795. 
 
 The mind is naturally led to draw com- 
 parisons between the ci\dl wai-s of England 
 during the middle of the seventeenth cen- 
 tui'y, and the revolution of France in the 
 end of the eighteenth ; and, in doing so, is 
 struck mth the similarity betwixt the in- 
 surrection of La Vendee and the war con-
 
 14 PREFACE. 
 
 ducted by Montrose and the Scottish High- 
 landers in the preceding century. 
 
 The parallel, doubtless, is not exact in all 
 its points. The Highlanders were brought 
 to the field by their natural love of war, by 
 their habitual use of arms, and by their pa- 
 triarchal attachment to their chiefs. The Ven- 
 deens, a peaceful race, were driven to arms 
 by aggressions on their religion and personal 
 liberties. The Highlanders, commanded by 
 the supereminent genius of one, of whom 
 Du Retz said, that he best filled up his ideal 
 sketch of the heroes of Plutarch, extended 
 their victories more widely, and improved 
 them more successfully, than the Vendeens, 
 but sunk under a single defeat. Tlie inha- 
 bitants of La Vendee, commanded by differ- 
 ent chiefs, did not evince the same energy in 
 improving success ; but, relying less on the 
 fortune of one man, they rallied, and were 
 again \^ctorious, after repeatedly sustaining 
 the greatest reverses. The mode of fighting 
 of the Highlanders and the Vendeens was 
 different ; the marksmen of the Bocage re- 
 lying upon bush-fighting, while the moun- 
 taineers, after giving one volley, charged in 
 small but compact columns upon different 
 points of an extended line, and trusted to 
 their superior use of the broadsword in close 
 combat. Religion, which made a great fea- 
 ture in the Vendeen war, was not among the 
 motives which instigated the army of Mon-
 
 PREPACK. 15 
 
 trose. These are tlie points of difference, 
 but tliose of resemblance are more general 
 and more strongly marked. 
 
 On both those memorable occasions, a se- 
 questered and primitive race arose against 
 the regular force of the rest of the nation, 
 in defence of the ancient institutions which 
 had been handed down by their fathers. In 
 both cases, high courage, natural sagacity, 
 hardiness of constitution, and activity of per- 
 son, rendered the insurgents superior to their 
 disciplined adversaries, in fierceness of on- 
 set, judiciousness of combination, celerity of 
 marches, and the power of enduring the fa- 
 tigues of war. In both cases, they obtained 
 splendid victories against every odds of num- 
 bers, aggravated by want of suitable arms, 
 and especially of ammunition. 
 
 These foresters of the Bocage equally re- 
 sembled the Scottish mountaineers, in the 
 disadvantages which attended their peculiar 
 mode of warfare. Being all volunteers, and 
 serving without pay, they conceived them- 
 selves at liberty to leave the array when they 
 pleased, and a victory was, more frequently 
 than a defeat, the signal for a diminution of 
 their force. The Vendeens, like the High- 
 landers, were unskilled in the attack of for- 
 tified places ; and several of their greatest 
 reverses were sustained in consequence of 
 rash enterprises of this nature. In an open 
 country, favourable for the action of caval-
 
 16 PREFACE. 
 
 ry, these primitive warriors engaged with 
 less advantage than in strong and inclosed 
 grounds. The number of independent chiefs 
 and commanders was apt to introduce dis- 
 cords into their councils, which sometimes 
 disorganized even the plans of Montrose, 
 and almost always paralyzed the exertions of 
 the Vendeens. To conclude ; a war which 
 did so much honour to the leaders who con- 
 ducted it, terminated in both cases in their 
 ruin and extinction. Many died by military 
 execution, or the form of judicial process ; 
 their families were exiled or disinherited; 
 and they left behind no other fruits of their 
 success, save the glory they had won. 
 
 The accomplished and amiable authoress 
 of the following Memoirs was born and bred 
 up in the precincts of a court, yet writes with 
 the virtuous simplicity and quiet dignity of 
 a matron of Rome. Her style is entirely free 
 from a species of literary coquetry, that is 
 sometimes to be found in the very best spe- 
 cies of French composition, which is gene- 
 rally more marked by ingenuity than by 
 simplicity. Her person was always delicate, 
 and so feminine as to seem incapable of sus- 
 taining the personal difficulties and priva- 
 tions in which she was involved, and which 
 the manner she was bred up in must have 
 rendered less endurable. She was herself 
 sensible of this, and said to an English lady, 
 who had beei* anxious to be introduced to
 
 PREFACE. 17 
 
 80 celebrated a person, " You must allow, 
 you expected to see something more like a 
 heroine." Her character in private life was, 
 as might have been expected from the pure 
 and virtuous style of her writings, totally 
 unblemished. 
 
 It is remarkable, that two other female 
 historians, Mesdames Bonchamps and Sapi- 
 naud, were, like Madame de la Rochejaque- 
 lein, widows of distinguished leaders during 
 the disastrous war of La Vendee. 
 
 Abhotsford, February 1, 1896. 
 
 b2
 
 TO MY CHILDREN. 
 
 It is for you, my deai- Children, that I have had 
 the resolution to finish these Memoirs, begun long 
 before your birth, and many times abandoned. I 
 feel a moumfid pleasure in recounting to you the 
 glorious history of the life and death of your pa- 
 rents and friends. Other books may acquaint you 
 with the principal actions by which they were dis- 
 tinguished ; but I have thought that a simple reci- 
 tal, written by your mother, woidd inspire you 
 with a more filial and tender sentiment for their il- 
 lustrious memory. I regarded it also as a duty, to 
 render homage to their brave companions in arms. 
 But how many traits have escaped me I I had no 
 notes. What remained on my memory of the deep 
 impression received at the time, has been my only 
 resource. Far from being able to write the com- 
 plete history of La Vendee, I have not even rela- 
 ted all that passed during the times I witnessed. 
 I have to regret the omission of many interesting 
 facts, and many names worthy of being recorded ; 
 but I felt both unable and unwilling to relate any- 
 thing beyond my immediate recollections, and did
 
 , 20 
 
 not pretend to write a history of the Civil War. I 
 fervently hope that other pens, hetter qualified tlian 
 mine, will undertake the melancholy task. 
 
 I availed myself of an opportunity I iiad, of suh- 
 mitting these Memoirs to persons in our army, in 
 whose accuracy I could confide, and by their means 
 con-ected some errors. M. Prosper de Barante 
 undertook the revisal and correction of the whole, 
 but without any attempt to improve the extreme 
 plainness of the style, which, perhaps, accords best 
 with the simple tnith. The description of the coun- 
 try in the Third Chapter is entirely his. 
 
 DONNISSAN DE LA RoCHKJ ACiUELKI!^. 
 
 Aus/ust 1, 1811.
 
 MEMOIRS, &c. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 MY BIRTH — COALITION OF POITOU — MY MARRIAGE 
 
 ORDER TO REMAIN AT PARIS — PERIOD WHICH 
 
 PRECEDED THE IOTH OF AUGUST 1792. 
 
 I WAS born at Versailles the 25th of October 1772, 
 only daughter of the Marquis de Donnissan, gentil- 
 homme d'honneur of Monsieur (now Louis XVIII.) 
 My mother, daughter of the Due de Civrac, was 
 (dame d'atours) lady-in-waiting of Madame Vic- 
 toire. The goodness, I had aknbst said friendship, 
 of this Princess, rendered her the protector of all 
 our family, and I had the honour of being her god- 
 daughter, and that of the King. 
 
 I was educated in the Palace of Versailles, till 
 the 6th of October 1789, at which epoch I set out 
 in the carnage of the Princesses, who followed in 
 the train of the unfortmiate Louis XVI., then drag- 
 ged to Paris. They obtained permission to stop 
 at Bellevue, under the guard of the Parisian troops.
 
 22 MY BIHTH. 
 
 The first misfortunes of the Revolution aflfected 
 my mother extremely. She anticipated the most 
 hoiTible consequences, and begged Madame Vic- 
 toire to permit her to pass some time on her estate 
 in Medoc. My father obtained the permission of 
 Monsieur, and we set out the end of October. I 
 had been destined in infancy to be the wife of M. 
 le Marquis de Lescuro, born in October 1766. He 
 was son of a sister of my mother's, who died in 
 childbed. His father, dying in the year 1784-, left 
 him 800,000 francs of debt, which broke off our 
 marriage. The greatest part of the fortune was 
 then in the hands of the Countess de Lescure, his 
 grandmother. Although advised by lawyers to re- 
 nounce the succession of his father, he had the de- 
 licacy, as well as the Countess de Lescure, to be- 
 come answerable for the whole ; and they practised 
 such strict economy, that, at the age of twenty- 
 four, M. de Lescure had only 200,000 francs of 
 debt, and the certainty of an income of 80,000 
 francs. My parents now consented to a union 
 which had been equally desired by us all. M. de 
 Lescure had entered the military school at thirteen 
 years of age, and left it at seventeen. Among the 
 young people of his own age, none were better in- 
 formed, more virtuous in every respect, more per- 
 fect in short ; he was at the same time so modest, 
 that he seemed ashamed of his owti merit, and his 
 endeavour was to conceal it. He was timid and 
 awkward, and although of a good height and figure, 
 his manners and unfashionable dress might not be 
 prepossessing at first. He was born with strong 
 passions, yet, notwithstanding the general example, 
 and particularly that of his father, whose hal)its 
 were irregular, he conducted himself with the most
 
 M. DE LESCURE. 5*3 
 
 perfect correctness. His great piety preserved him 
 from the contagion, and insulated him in the midst 
 of the court and of the world. He took the sacra- 
 ment every fortnight. The constant habit of resist- 
 ing his inclinations and all external seductions, had 
 rendered him rather unsocial and reserved ; his opi- 
 nions were strongly fixed in his mind, and some- 
 times he showed himself pertinaciously attached to 
 them. At the same time, he had the most perfect 
 gentleness, and being entirely free from anger or 
 even impatience, his temper was always equal, and 
 his calmness unalterable. He passed his time in 
 study and meditation, from taste and not from va- 
 nity, for he only wished to enjoy what be knew ; 
 of which I shall mention an example. One day at 
 the Duchess de Civrac's, our grandmother, he had, 
 according to his custom, taken a book, instead of 
 joining in the conversation. iNIy gxandmother re- 
 proached him with it, adding, " that since the book 
 was so interesting, he ought to read it aloud." He 
 obeyed ; — at the end of half an hour some one look- 
 ing over him, exclaimed, " Ah, it is English ! 
 Why did iiot you say so ?" He answered, with a 
 disconcerted look, — " My good grandmother not 
 understanding English, it was necessary that I should 
 read in French." His father, although a good-na- 
 tm'ed man, was unhappily addicted to dissipation 
 and play. He had for a companion in his irregu- 
 larities the governor of his son ; but that son was so 
 remai'kably rational and gentle, that they often con- 
 fessed their faults to him, seeking advice and con- 
 solation. Notwithstanding this unnatural situation, 
 he always preserved towards his father a respectful 
 attachment. 
 
 ^I. de Lescure came to the houise of my parents
 
 24 COALITION OF POITOU. 
 
 in the month of June, 1791. He then belonged to 
 a very important confederacy, that had been form- 
 ed in Poitou ; and could command 30,000 men. 
 Almost all the gentlemen of the country had enga- 
 ged in it, and they thought they might depend 
 upon a great part of the inliabitants of the pro- 
 vince. The event proved them in the right. They 
 had gained two regiments, with one of which they 
 formed the garrison of Rochelle, and the other was 
 at Poitiers. On a given day they were to pretend 
 orders from the goverament ; the regiments were 
 to unite ; and, in concert with all the gentlemen, 
 they were to operate a junction with another con- 
 federacy forming towards Lyons, and wait for the 
 Princes, then in Savoy. The flight of the King, 
 and his subsequent an-est, disconcerted all these 
 projects. M. de Lescure, learning the depaiture 
 of his Majesty, left us to go where his duty called 
 him, but returned a few days after, because the 
 noblesse of Poitou, perceiving that the purpose of 
 their confederacy had failed, resolved to emigrate 
 as others had done : Although far from being per- 
 secuted on their estates, many of them command- 
 ed the local national guard, and every day the pea- 
 sants came to ask permission to arm themselves 
 against the republicans. The Princes knew the 
 state of things, and did not imagine that the Poite- 
 vins would emigrate ; but the young people were 
 determined to follow the torrent. It was in vain 
 represented to them, that they ought tO remain 
 where they might be useful, and that, having the 
 happiness to belong to a faithful province, they 
 ought not to leave it. Listening to nothing, they 
 would not even wait the retm-n of two persons 
 who liad been sent to receive the definitive orders
 
 COALITION OF POITOU. 25 
 
 of the Princes. Tims the whole confederacy of 
 Poitou was dissolved. They emigrated in crowds, 
 and those who were of a different opinion, found 
 themselves obliged to imitate the rest. M. de Le- 
 scure set out from Gascogne, with the Count de 
 Lorges, our cousin-german. They encountered 
 risks in going out of France, were obliged to take 
 guides among the smugglers on the frontiers, and 
 to travel on foot by circuitous roads. 
 
 M. de Lescure, the day of his arrival at Tour- 
 nay, learaed that his grandmother had had an at- 
 tack of apoplexy, and was near expiring. He ask- 
 ed permission from the chiefs of the emigiants to 
 return to Poitou, which being granted, he returned 
 to Madame de Lescure; and, seeing there was 
 still some hope of her life being prolonged, he 
 thought of rejoining the emigrants ; but wished to 
 see me first, and to pass a day with us. My mo- 
 ther had consulted, respecting M. de Lescure's in- 
 tended emigi'ation, M. le Count de Mercy Argen- 
 tau, former ambassador from Austria in France, 
 her friend. He was in the confidence of Prince 
 Kaunitz, and knew better than any other person 
 the disposition of the cabinet of Vienna. He said 
 they were not ready for war ; — that the diflferent 
 governments would not begin, imless they should 
 be forced to the measure ; — and that M. de Le- 
 scure might veiy well pass the winter in France. 
 But he had already set out when this answer ani- 
 ved. 
 
 IVIadame de Chastellux, my aunt, who had fol- 
 lowed the Princesses to Rome, had sent from the 
 Pope the dispensation necessary for my maniage. 
 It intimated that it could not be celebrated but 
 by a priest who had refused the new oath, or who 
 c
 
 26 MY MARRIAGE. 
 
 liad i<!tiactc(l it. This was, I believe, llie first time 
 tlie Pope had tleclared liis'opinion upon the subject. 
 Many priests in the neighbourhood, on hearing it, 
 retracted the oath tliey Iiad taken. There was 
 found also, by gi-eat chant-e, a priest in our parish 
 who had not been sworn, L'Abbe Queyriaux. The 
 new constitutional bishop had at first appointed 
 another curate ; but he was a German, who, not 
 being able to make himself miderstood by the pea- 
 sants of Medoc, withdrew. The parish, finding 
 themselves without a curate, demanded another of 
 the bishop. As he was but an unbeliever, and at- 
 tached no importance to the diversities of religious 
 opinions, he told the inhaljitauts to engage their old 
 curate to return provisionally to his parish. He 
 was there often insulted by worthless people ; but 
 he supported his situation with piety and courage. 
 
 All these circumstances, and, still more, the mu- 
 tual sentiments of M. de Lescure and myself, de- 
 termined my mother to conclude my marriage. 
 
 M. de Lescure learned, upon his arrival, that our 
 banns were published ; he saw M. de Mercy's let- 
 ter, and remained with us. Three days after, on 
 the 27th of October, we were married. I was then 
 nineteen, M. de Lescure twenty-five. He heard, 
 tliree weeks after, that his grandmother had another 
 attack, and we both went to visit her. She passed 
 two months between life and death, in continual 
 vomitings, frequent attacks of apoplexy, and with 
 an open cancer. She articulated with difficulty a 
 few words to pray to God, and to thank us for the 
 rare we took of her. Never did any one die with 
 a resignation so angelic. Her titles could no longer 
 be engraven upon her tomb ; Ijut the peasants in- 
 scribed upon it, " licit lies the mothtr of the poor ;'
 
 ARRIVAL AT PARIS. 27 
 
 — a truly glorious epitaph. M. de Lescure regret- 
 ted her extremely. Eleven years before her death, 
 she had made a wdll, such as her situation then ad- 
 mitted of. It was burdened with a great number 
 of legacies. Had she been able to reflect on the 
 debts her grandson had to pay, and the effects of 
 the Revolution upon his fortime, she would certain- 
 ly have changed her intentions. The will wanted 
 some necessar)' formalities, and was, therefore, not 
 binding. But M. de Lescure scrupulously confonn- 
 ed to it. He even wished that the domestics, who 
 had since that time deserved reward, but who were 
 not mentioned in the will, should not imagine them- 
 selves forgotten; and he gave all of them donations 
 in the name of his grandmother, as if they had been 
 left by her. 
 
 In the month of February 1793, we took the re- 
 solution of emigrating. M. Bernard de Marigny 
 accompanied us. He was the relation and fiiend 
 of M. de Lescure, a naval officer, and Chevalier de 
 St Louis, and had distinguished liimself in his pro- 
 fession. He was extremely handsome, tall, and 
 {>ossessed great bodily strength ; was gay, spirited, 
 oyal, and brave. Never have I seen any person 
 so obliging ; ever ready to do what was agreeable 
 to others ; and to such a degiee, that I remember, 
 as he had some knowledge of the veterinary art, all 
 the peasants of the canton were in the habit of 
 coming to ask his advice when they had sick cattle. 
 He was extremely lively, and, when excited, his 
 spirits became almost immoderate. As his name 
 will have to appear frequently in these Memoirs, I 
 thought it necessary to make him known. He was 
 then forty-two yeai's of age. 
 
 We anived at Paris. The disrepair of our car
 
 28 PARIS. 
 
 riage detained ua there a considerable time. I could 
 not be presented to the King, as, since his Majesty 
 had come to Paris, all presentations had been sus- 
 pended. I went to the Tuilleries, to the house of 
 Madame la Princesse de Lamballe, She was the 
 most intimate friend of my mother, and she received 
 me as if 1 had been her daughter. The next day, 
 M. de Lescure went to the Tuilleries. The Queen 
 condescended to say to him, " I know you have 
 brought Victorine : There is no court now ; but 
 I wish to see her notwithstanding. Let her come 
 to-morrow at noon to the Princesse do Lamballe's." 
 M. de Lescure gave me this flattering order, and I 
 went to the Princess. The Queen embraced me, 
 and we all withdrew into a closet ; and, after some 
 words full of goodness, her Majesty said to me, 
 " And you, Victorine, what do you intend to do ? 
 I suspect you are come here for the purpose of 
 emigrating." I replied, it was the intention of M. 
 de Lescure ; but that he would remain at Paris if 
 he thought he could be useful to her Majesty. The 
 Queen reflected for some time, and said to me, in 
 a very serious tone, " He is a good subject ; he has 
 no ambition, let him remain." I replied to the 
 Queen, that her orders were laws. She spoke to 
 me afterwards of her children. " It is a long time 
 since you have seen them ; come to-morrow at six 
 to the house of Madame de Tourzel, and I will 
 bring my daughter there." She at that time found 
 consolation in superintending the education of Ma- 
 dame Royale ; and Madame de Tourzel had the 
 charge only of M. le Dauphin. 
 
 After the departure of the Queen, Madame la 
 Princesse de Lamballe expressed to me how much 
 she rejoiced in the reception I had met with. I
 
 PARIS— THE COURT. 29 
 
 said I felt the full value of it, and that M. de Le- 
 scure would certainly remain. She recommended 
 the greatest secrecy upon what had passed. 
 
 The next day I went to Madame de Tourzel's. 
 The Queen entered with Madame Royale. She 
 came to me, and said, in a low voice, warmly press- 
 ing my hand, " Victorine, I hope -you stay with 
 us ?*' I answered, " Yes." She again pressed my 
 hand. She then went to converse with Mesdames 
 de Lamballe and de Tourzel, and raising her voice 
 in the course of the conversation, said, " Victorine 
 remains with us." After that, M. de Lescure went 
 every day to the Tuilleries, and on each day the 
 Queen addressed him. 
 
 Yet we soon felt uneasy in our situation. The 
 emigration increased rapidly ; M. de Lescure was 
 blamed for not joining in it, and it seemed to me 
 that his reputation would suffer. On coming to 
 Pans, he had announced his design of emigi-ating ; 
 and it happened that he had changed his resolution 
 precisely two days after the decree for confiscating 
 the property of the emigrants. This was a terri- 
 ble circumstance ; — everybody wrote to him in 
 the strongest terms. In my anxiety, I desii'ed Ma- 
 dame de Lamballe to speak again to the Queen. 
 Her Majesty desired her to repeat to me word for 
 word her answer. " I have nothing more to say to 
 M. de Lescure ; it is for him to consult his con- 
 science, his duty, his honour ; but he ought to re- 
 member, that the defenders of a throne ai-e always 
 in their proper place when near their King." I then 
 became easier, certain that the Princes would ap- 
 prove of those who remained to defend the King. 
 Their cause was the same, and they were in con- 
 stant correspondence.
 
 30 PARIS— THE COURT. 
 
 When M. de Lescure knew the answer of the 
 Queen, he hesitated no lonp^er. " I should he con- 
 temptihle in my own eyes," said he to me, " if I 
 could balance an instant between my reputation 
 and my duty. I ought above all to obey the King. 
 I may suffer from it, but at least I shall have no 
 self-reproach. I esteem the emigrants too much 
 not to believe that each of them would conduct 
 himself as I do were they in my place. I hope I 
 shall be able to prove, that if I remain, it is neither 
 from fear nor avarice ; and that opportunities will 
 occur here, as well as out of France, to prove it. 
 If they should not, I shall have sacrificed my honour 
 also to the King, but I shall only have done my 
 duty." 
 
 Two months after, M. de Calvimont Saint-Mar- 
 tial came from Coblentz to pass some days at Pa- 
 ris. I obtained permission to desire him to inform 
 my uncle of Lorges that M. de Lescure had pri- 
 vate orders. 
 
 M. de Marigny, seeing that M. de Lescure did 
 not set out, and that he was constantly at the pa- 
 lace, said to him, that, without demanding any con- 
 fidence, he esteemed him too much not to follow 
 his fate. We answered for him to Madame de 
 Lamballe ; and she succeeded in procuring him or- 
 ders to remain. She gave them in charge to M. de 
 Lescure ; but the most absolute secrecy was always 
 enjoined, not to give suspicions to the National 
 Assembly. 
 
 We lodged at the hotel Diesbach, and received 
 no company. M. de Lescure was often at the 
 Tuilleries. Whenever he feared any commotion, 
 he passed the whole day there. 
 
 On the 20th of June, I went alone to the Prin- 
 cess de Lamballc's. I was in court-mourning on
 
 PARIS THE COURT. 31 
 
 account of the death of tlie empress, which had 
 ah-eady exposed some persons to insults from the 
 people. But the carriage could not penetrate far- 
 ther than the Carrousel. The crowd was immense. 
 I saw the populace disarm and ill-treat the guards 
 of the King. The gates of the Tuilleries were shut ; 
 nobody could get in, and I withdrew without ha- 
 ving been observed. 
 
 The summer passed away nearly in this manner. 
 M. de Lescure was always at the Tuilleries, or in 
 public places, even among the mob, disguising him- 
 self, to judge better of the state of the public mind. 
 As for me, I shunned society, i went but seldom 
 even to the Princess de Lamballe's, yet saw all her 
 uneasiness and distress. Never was there a person 
 more courageously devoted to the Queen ; to her 
 she made the sacrifice of her life. A short time 
 before the 10th of August, she said to me, " As 
 the danger augments, I feel more strength. I am 
 ready to die ; — I fear nothing !" She had not a 
 thought that was not for the King and the Queen. 
 Her father-in-law, the Due de Penthievre, adored 
 her. She had shown him the most tender atten- 
 tions, and he died of the anguish occasioned by her 
 cruel death. 
 
 About the 25th of July, Madame de Lamballe 
 informed me that the Baron de Viomenil had arri- 
 ved from Coblentz, and that he was to take the 
 command of the gentlemen who remained with the 
 King. At that moment he came in ; and she told 
 him that M. de Lescure had received orders, and 
 recommended him to the Baron. The 29th of July, 
 my father, mothet, and some others of my family, 
 airived in Paris, flying from Medoc, on account of 
 scenes which had passed at Bordeaux, in which 
 two priests had been massacred.
 
 S2 i»ARis — riii: coukt. 
 
 We ourselvps were witnesses of a horrible deed 
 committed in the street in whicli we lived. In the 
 front of our hotel, a priest lodged who dealt in I^p 
 ther. He had excited the populace against him by 
 saying, " that the assignats would raise the price 
 of shoes, and that very soon they would pay twen- 
 ty-two francs for them." From that moment they 
 accused him of being a monopolizer. The next 
 load of leather which came for him, a man of the 
 national guards, a woman, and some children, stop- 
 ped the cart, calling out, " A la lanterne !" (To the 
 lamp-post ! that is, hang him up at the lamp-post.) 
 Tlie priest descended to appease them, hut could 
 not succeed. They wished to carry by force this 
 leather to the section, which was some doors high- 
 er up the street. He consented to it, and they all 
 went there. We had been walking in the Champs 
 Elysees, and on returning we saw the street full of 
 people, but the tumult was not very great. Scarce 
 were we in the hotel, when shoutings began. The 
 priest was at the section ; the people wished to have 
 him delivered up to them. Some administrators 
 wislied to save him, others opposed it. We feared 
 the disorder would increase, and we quitted the 
 hotel. The crowd, some steps further on, broke the 
 windows of a coftee-house, the master of which 
 they accused of aristocracy, but said nothing to us. 
 A moment after, the unfortunate priest was thro-um 
 fiom the window, and the people tore him in pieces. 
 
 Tlie 9th of August, M. de Gremion, a Swiss of- 
 ficer of the King's constitutional guards, came to 
 our hotel to occupy a lodging that M. Diesbach 
 had reserved for him. He arrived in the evening, 
 and by a happy cliance was unobserved. 
 
 There was a mmour of a commotion the next
 
 PARIS — ^THE COURT. 33 
 
 (lay. M. de Lesciire was preparing to pass the 
 night at the palace, when jNI. de INIontmorin came 
 in. He was governor of Fountainbleau, major of 
 the regiment of Flanders ; the King honoured him 
 with his particular confidence, well merited by his 
 virtues ; and he had remained in Paris by his orders. 
 " It is useless," said he, " to go to the palace to-night ; 
 I am just come from it. The King knows posi- 
 tively that they will not attempt an attack till the 
 12th. There will be a disturbance to-night ; but 
 it will be on the side of the arsenal. The people 
 wish to seize the powder, and 5000 of the national 
 guards are commanded to oppose them. Thus do 
 not make yourselves uneasy ; whatever you may 
 hear, the palace is in safety. I return to it only be- 
 cause I am to sup with Madame de Tourzel." 
 
 Pei-fidious information had thus lulled the court 
 into security, and deceived us likewise. 
 
 CHAPTER 11. 
 
 THE TEXTH OF AUGUST — FLIGHT FROM PARIS. 
 
 Towards midnight we began to heai* marching 
 in the streets, and a gentle knocking at the doors. 
 We looked out of the windows and saw it was the 
 battalion of the section, that assembled with little 
 noise. We imagined it was for the attack of the 
 arsenal. Between two and three in the moraing, 
 the tocsin was heard. INI. de Lescure, extremely 
 uneasv, could not remain at home, and, ai'mins:
 
 34 THE TENTH OF AUGUST. 
 
 himself, he went out with M. de Maripmy, to see 
 if the populace assembled towards the Tuilleries. 
 My father and M. de Gremion had amved so re- 
 cently, that they had no cards of admission to the 
 palace. They were therefore obliged to remain, but 
 the cards would have been of no service. IM. de 
 Lescure and M. de Marigny endeavoured in vain 
 to penetrate by some of the avenues they knew so 
 well. Piquets of the national guards defended the 
 entry of each gate, and prevented the defenders 
 of the King from approaching. M. de Lescure, 
 after having gone round the Tuilleries, and seen M. 
 Suleau massacred, returned to disguise himself as 
 <me of the populace ; but scai'cely was he in the 
 hotel, when the cannonade began. Despair seized 
 him. He could not forgive himself for not having 
 penetrated to the palace. We at first heard the cry 
 of " Help ! 5ec the Swiss ! We are lostT The bat- 
 talion of the section returned, and were joined by 
 three thousand men, armed with pikes newly made, 
 from the faubourg. For a minute we believed the 
 King was successful ; but very soon the cries of 
 " Vive la Nation I Vivent les Sans Culottes I" suc- 
 ceeded those we at first heard. A deadly feeling 
 took possession of us. 
 
 M. de Maiigny had been separated from M. de 
 Lescure. He was carried forward by the crowds 
 that attacked the palace. At the beginning of the 
 attack, a woman was wounded at his side; he 
 took her in his arms, and, carrying her out, he 
 escaped the horrid situation of marching against 
 the King he wished to defend. It was impossible 
 for some others to avoid this misfortune. 
 
 M. de Montmorin reached our hotel after esca- 
 ping a great danger. He saw himself followed by
 
 THE TENTH OF AUOUST. 03 
 
 four of the national guard, drunk with blood-, who 
 wanted to fight with him. He went into a grocer's 
 shop, and asked for a glass of brandy. The four 
 guards furiously entered with him. The grocer sus- 
 pected that M. de Montmorin had come from the 
 palace, and, assuming the air of an acquaintance, 
 said to him, " Ah, well, cousin, I did not expect 
 you to come fiom the country to see the end of the 
 tyrant ! But come, let us drink to the health of 
 these brave comrades, and the nation :" and thus 
 he was saved by the presence of mind of this good 
 man, who did not even know him ; but it was for 
 a short time, for he v/as massacred the '^d of Sep- 
 tember. 
 
 Many other persons came to ask an asylum from 
 us. We passed the day in cruel apprehensions. 
 They massacred the Swiss in our neighbourhood ; 
 the inscription upon the door of cur hotel was I£o' 
 iel de Dksback, and many passengers remarked it. 
 M. de Lescm-e had been pointed at as a Knight of 
 the Dagger. This was the name the people had 
 given to the secret defenders of the King. Happily 
 they were ignorant of the arrival of JNI. de Gre- 
 mion. Besides, we were liked in the street, be- 
 cause we purchased all we wanted from their shops. 
 The evening was expected \\'ith impatience, that 
 we might leave the hotel. We agreed to repair 
 secretly, and in disguise, to the house of an old fe- 
 male servant who lived in the street de I'Universi- 
 te, faubourg St Germain. My father and mother 
 went out together, and anived there without meet- 
 ing any accident, I went with M. de Lescure, and 
 begged that he would leave his pistols, as I found 
 they would make him be known as a knight of the
 
 36 THE TENTH OF AUGUST. 
 
 dagger. He yielded, from compassion for my si- 
 tuation. I was then seven months gone with child. 
 We went by the alley de Marigny, and from 
 thence we entered Les Champs Elysees. They 
 were deserted ; and all was obscurity and silence, 
 except the firing at tlie Tuilleries, heard in the dis- 
 tance. Suddenly we distinguished the voice of a 
 woman, coming towards us, and entreating protec- 
 tion. She was pursued by a man, who threatened 
 to kill lier. She darted towards M. de Lcscure, 
 and seized his arm, crying, " Defend me, sir !" He 
 was extremely embarrassed, unarmed, and held by 
 two women, who clung to him, and were almost in a 
 Bwoon. He endeavoured in vain to disengage him- 
 self to go to the man, who, levelling his gun at us, 
 said, " I have killed several aristocrats to-day, and 
 this will be some more." He was completely drunk. 
 M. de Lescure asked Iiim what he wanted with 
 this woman. " I asked her the way to the Tuil- 
 leries, to go and kill the Swiss." In reality, he had 
 not at first intended to do her any harm ; but ha- 
 ving been frightened, and taken flight without an- 
 swering, he had pm-sued her. M. de Lescure, with 
 his usual presence of mind, said to him, " You are 
 right ; I am going there also." The man then be- 
 gan to converse with him ; but from time to time 
 be raised liis musket, saying, that he suspected we 
 were aristocrats, and that he must at least kill that 
 woman. M. de Lescure wished to disarm him ; but 
 the woman and I clung to his arms more and more, 
 without knowing what we did. At last he per- 
 suaded the man that we were going to tlie Tuil- 
 leries. He then wished to accompany us ; but M. 
 de Lescure said to him, " I have my wife liere.
 
 FLIGHT FROM PARIS. ST 
 
 who is with cliild, and near her time. I am taldng 
 her to her sister's, and then I shall join you." They 
 agreed upon a place of meeting before they parted. 
 
 I desired to leave the walks for the high road 
 which divides the Champs Elysees. Never shall I 
 forget the spectacle that presented itself to my eyes. 
 On the right and left were the Champs Elysees, in 
 which more than a thousand persons had been mas- 
 sacred during the day. The most profound silence 
 and obscurity now reigned around. In front, we saw 
 the barracks of the Tuilleries in flames, and heard 
 the firing and cries of the populace. Behind us, the 
 buildings of the barrier were also on fire. We wish- 
 ed to get into the walks on the right, and gain the 
 bridge of Louis XV. ; but the swearing and shout- 
 ing heard that way deterred us. Terror seized me ; 
 and I drew away M. de Lescure to the left side, 
 along the gardens of the faubourg St Honore. We 
 arrived at-the place Louis XV., and were going to 
 cross it, when we saw a mob coming out of the 
 Tuilleries by the draw-bridge, and firing muskets. 
 We took then to the street Koyale, and thus to the 
 street St Honore. We passed through a crowd of 
 men, armed with pikes, hooting ferociously. The 
 most part were drunk. 
 
 I had lost my senses so completely, that I went 
 on, crying, " Vivent les Sans- Culottes ! Uluminez! 
 Cassez les vitres /" and repeated mechanically the 
 vociferations I heard. M. de Lescure could not 
 calm me, nor prevent my cries. At last we anived 
 at the Louvre, which was dark and solitary ; passed 
 the Pont Neuf, and reached the Quay. 
 
 The most profound silence reigned on this side 
 of the Seine, whilst we saw on the other bank the 
 flames of the Tuilleries, which threw a gloomy light 
 
 D
 
 38 FLIGHT FROM PARIS. 
 
 on every object ; and heard the noise of the can- 
 non, the dischariije of musketry, and the hallooinga 
 of the multitude. It was a striking contrast. The 
 river seemed to divide two different regions. I 
 was exhausted witli fatigue, and unable to reach 
 the place to which my mother had retired. I slept 
 in an obscure street of tlie faubourg St Germain, 
 at the liouse of an old housekeeper of M. de Le- 
 scure. I found there two servants, who had come 
 to conceal some diamonds, and other things of va- 
 lue, which they had secured at the risk of their 
 lives ; for the populace massacred all those whom 
 they supposed had carried off anything. I learned 
 from them that my mother was safe, and begged of 
 them to tell her of my safety. They could not, 
 however, return to her ; and she passed the night 
 in anguish ; while my father wandered about the 
 town, to discover, if possible, what had become of 
 me, which they did not learn till the next morning. 
 
 We found, by two or three women who had re- 
 mained at the hotel Uiesbach, that the mob had 
 been employed the whole night in massacring the 
 Swiss in our street. Agatha, my maid, had a man 
 killed at her side, when she herself was canying 
 to one of the Swiss guards clothes for disguising 
 himself. Next day the carnage continued. M. de 
 Lescure, notwithstanding my entreaties, went to 
 obtain news of our friends, and saw two men mur- 
 dered. 
 
 We remained eight days in our asylum ; but my 
 mother and I visited each other disguised as com- 
 mon people. One day returning from her, M. de 
 Lescure with me, and passing before a guard-house, 
 a vohinteer, seated before the door, said to his com- 
 panions, '* There are many knights of the dagger 
 about ; they are disguised, but they will be soon
 
 FLIGHT FliOM PARIS. 39 
 
 known." I concealed my emotion ; but, on enter- 
 ing the house, I fell lifeless. 
 
 The administrators of the section of the Roule 
 were said to be tolerably good ; but we durst not 
 return to the hotel Diesbach, and retired to a fur- 
 nished lodging in the street of the University. It 
 was here that my mother, already overwhelmed 
 with misfortunes, was seized with an inflammatory 
 fever, on learning, by the public rumour, that Ma- 
 dame deLamballe had been transfeiTed to the Force. 
 When she was a little better, we thought of leaving 
 Paris, Every day there were numerous arrests, 
 and we expected our turn, yet feared to hasten it 
 by applying for passports. Heaven sent us a de- 
 liverer. M. Thomassin, who had been governor of 
 M. de Lescure, was devoted to us, and determined 
 to save us or perish. He was a man of talent and 
 resources ; a great swordsman, and very bold. Al- 
 though much attached to M. de Lescure, he was a 
 little connected with the Revolutionary party ; and, 
 such as I have described him, it would have been 
 easy for him to acquire favour and influence. He 
 was a commissary of police, and captain of the sec- 
 tion de St Magloir. Having ol.)tained a commission 
 to purchase forage, he took us himself to the sec- 
 tion, dressed in his uniform, talking the language 
 of the day with all the boastmg of one of the he- 
 roes of the sections. An honest secretary dispatch- 
 ed our passports without examination. M. Tho- 
 massin took afterwards all the other steps at the 
 municipality. 
 
 The next day we thought would have proved 
 fatal to us. M. de Lescure wished, with the as- 
 sistance of M. Thomassin, to obtain two other pass- 
 ports ; the one for M. Henri de la Rocbejaquelein,
 
 40 FLIGHT FROM PARIS. 
 
 his cousin and friend, the otlier for Mr Charles d'- 
 Autichamp, both of the constitutional guards of the 
 King. When they had been disbanded, the officers 
 had received from the King himself orders not to 
 emigrate, and to remain near him. M. d'Autichamp 
 was twenty-three years of age, of a fine and noble 
 figure, and liad a distinguished reputation among 
 the officers. These two gentlemen were in the pa- 
 lace on the 10th of August, aiid had miraculously 
 escaped. M. d'Autichamp had killed two men in 
 his ouTi defence. 
 
 In order to rescue them from the imminent dan- 
 ger they were exposed to in Paris, M. de Lescure 
 wished to employ the same means that had suc- 
 ceeded for us ; but two witnesses being required to 
 sign their passports, he applied to the master of the 
 coffee-house, whose windows the mob had broken 
 on the 8th of August. This person obligingly con- 
 sented, and even promised to bring a second wit- 
 ness. M. de Lescure, his two friends, the witness- 
 es, and M. Thomassin, still in his military dress, 
 went to our section. M. de Lescure declared the 
 gentlemen lodged in his house. The passports were 
 promised, but they had to wait a few minutes till 
 some other persons had been dispatched. During 
 this interval, the second witness happened to throw 
 his eyes upon a paper posted up in the hall. This 
 was a new decree, which condemned to imprison- 
 ment in irons false witnesses of passports. The 
 man, terrified, approached the secretary, and an- 
 nounced to him that he must decline appearing for 
 these gentlemen, as they w^ere, in fact, unknown 
 to him. Having made this declaration in a low 
 voice, the secretary alone heard him. He, being 
 by great fortune a humane man, whispered to M. de
 
 FLIGHT FROM PAllIS. 41 
 
 Lescure, " You are lost / Save yourself,** Then, 
 affecting ill-humour, he said aloud, '• That he had 
 not time to write out their passports, and that they 
 must call again." The gentlemen thus escaped. 
 
 At last we set out for Poitou on the 25th of 
 August, my father, and mother, and me, all very 
 poorly dressed. We went in a carriage with M. 
 Thomassin in his full uniform. M. de Lescure rode 
 on horseback, with a single servant. 
 
 An-ived at the barrier, we showed our passports, 
 but were told that another was also requisite for the 
 post-horses, with their description, and that we 
 must go and ask for it at the section of St Sulpice. 
 M. Thomassin alighted, and, the captain of the post 
 happening to be an acquaintance, he obtained per- 
 mission to proceed immediately. There was before 
 us another carriage stopped for the same cause, but 
 to whom the captain refused the same favour. This 
 carriage resolved to return to the section. Our pos- 
 tilion, who was a bad man, and drunk, chose to 
 return also, and followed at full gallop the first car- 
 riage, in spite of the cries of M. Thomassin. As we 
 reached the section, the people collected round the 
 carriage, crying, "A la lanterne, a VAbbayeT-^ 
 " These are Aristocrats who are escaping" M, 
 Thomassin alighted, showed our passports, and dis- 
 played all his commissions. The commissaries re- 
 membered having seen him on vai'ious occasions. 
 He obtained leave to proceed. ]Meanwhile, the tu- 
 mult and clamours augmented round the carriage ; 
 and when M. Thomassin came out, the populace 
 seemed to wish to oppose our departure. M. Tho- 
 massin then began to harangue them from the top 
 of the steps before the door of the section. He dis- 
 played again his commission; said that we were 
 I) 2
 
 42 FLIGHT FROM PARIS. 
 
 hie relations, and tliat we went to purchase forage 
 for the army ; and, affecting to abandon himself in 
 his enthusiasm, he exhorted all the young men to 
 fly to the defence of their country ; and swore 
 that, his mission fulfilled, he would return, and put 
 himself at their head, to fight for liberty; " and 
 now, my friends, repeat with me, Vive la nation/'* 
 Whilst the excited populace applauded him, he 
 threw himself into the carriage, ordered the pos- 
 tilion to drive off, and we took again the road to 
 Orleans. 
 
 This postilion exposed us to a still greater dan- 
 ger. A league from Pans, we met a detachment 
 of the Marseillais ; it was the rear-guard of the 
 troops that went to Orleans to seek the prisoners, 
 whom they afterwards puttothe sword at Versailles, 
 on their way to Paris. The postilion took it into 
 his head to drive through the very middle of them, 
 throwing do\vn two or three. In an instant we 
 saw guns levelled at us. M. Thomassin showed 
 himself at the coach door. " My comrades," said 
 he to them, " kill this rascal. Vive la nation T* 
 On seeing the uniform and the manners of M. Tho- 
 massin, they were appeased, 
 
 The soldiers we met on the road, in numerous 
 columns, going to join the armies, were insolent, 
 stopped and insulted carriages ; but our Parisian 
 captain, presenting himself, and crying, " Vive la 
 nation /" extricated us from every difficulty. 
 
 At the barrier of Orleans, where we arrived in 
 the evening, our passports were demanded — the 
 people collected about us, inquiring eagerly, and 
 with uneasiness, whether it was true that the pri- 
 soners were going to be taken away. They told 
 us, these prisoners were good people, that the town
 
 FLIGHT FROM PARIS. 43 
 
 was devoted to them, and would take their de- 
 fence, if necessary. 
 
 I was much moved by these sentiments, and the 
 scene we had here will be ever present to my me- 
 mory. 
 
 After Beaugency, we arrived at a village where 
 our passports were again demanded. 
 
 As soon as the people knew that there was a 
 captain of the national guard of Paris, they begged 
 him to come out and review fifty volunteers of the 
 village, who were going to join the army. M. Tho- 
 massin alighted immediately, gravely drew his 
 sword, made a patriotic speech to them, and got 
 into the carriage again, amid the cries of " Vive la 
 nation /" 
 
 We met with many similar adventures ; but the 
 Parisian uniform had everywhere great power. — 
 M. Thomassin played liis part admirably; he had 
 quite the ascendancy of manners of a general; and, 
 thanks to him, we travelled a road covered with 
 forty thousand volunteers without being arrested^ 
 or even insulted. 
 
 At Tours we learnt there were disturbances at 
 Bressuire, the very town near which our estate of 
 Clisson was situated. 
 
 We stopped in the suburbs of Tours. But M, 
 de Lescure continued his route to Poitou.
 
 L 44 ] 
 
 CHAPTER IIL 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE BOCAGE — MANNERS OF THE 
 INHABITANTS — FIRST EFFECTS OF THE REVOLU- 
 TION — INSURRICTION OF AUGUST 1792 — THE 
 P!;RI0D WHICH PRECEDED THE WAR IN LA VEN- 
 DEE. 
 
 We passed two days In tolerable tranquillity in 
 the suhurbs. There was, however, at the time, 
 some sliii;ht tumult in the town. The people made 
 the j)Oor women who did not choose to hear mass 
 from the constitutional priests, ride through the 
 town upon asses. 
 
 M. de Lescure sent us an express as soon as he 
 knew the true state of Poitou. He told us that 
 everything was quiet there, and that we might con- 
 tinue our journc^y. We took the road of Saumur. 
 In a village through which we passed, a peasant on 
 duty stopped the carriage, and insisted on seeing 
 our passports, and opening our trunks. This, .as 
 our female servants, who had the keys, were not 
 with us, embaiTassed us extremely. The people of 
 the village began to collect. M. Thomassin asked 
 for the commanding officer, showed him our pass- 
 ports, and complaining of the insubordination of the 
 soldiers, desired the sentinel should be sent to pri- 
 son. The officer apologized, and bowed respect- 
 fully. We arrived at Thouars. 
 
 This town had embraced with warmth the po- 
 pular party. The insurrection of pome neighbour-
 
 DESCRIPTION OF THE BOCAOE. 45 
 
 ing districts, against which the national guard had 
 marched, augmented the fermentation. They al- 
 lowed us, however, to pass, after having rummaged 
 and overturned our trunks, and opened pots of 
 sweetmeats, seeking for gunpowder. At last we 
 arrived at Clisson. The chateau *of Clisson is si- 
 tuated in that part of Poitou named Lepays du Bo' 
 cage, but known since the civil war by the glorious 
 name of Vendee, The Bocage comprehended a 
 part of Poitou, of Anjou, and of the county of 
 Nantes, and makes now part of four departments, 
 Loire-Inferieure, Maine-et-Loire, Deux-Sevres, 
 and Vendee. Its limits were the Loire to the north, 
 from Nantes to Angers ; to the west, the marshy 
 countries along the sea-coast ; to the south and 
 cast, a line beginning at Sables, and passing be- 
 tween Lugon and La Roche-sur-Yon, by Fonte- 
 nay, La Chataigneraie, Parthenay, Thouars, Bris- 
 sac, and ending at the Loire, a little above the bridge 
 of Ce. The war did not extend beyond these limits 
 permanently. 
 
 This country differs in its aspect, and still more 
 in the manners of the inhabitants, from most of the 
 other provinces of France. It is formed in gene- 
 ral of small hills, unconnected with any chain of 
 mountains. The valleys are neither deep nor wide ; 
 inconsiderable streams run throi^h them in various 
 directions, towards the Loire, or the sea ; others 
 uniting, fonn small rivers. Granite rocks appear 
 everywhere. It may easily be conceived that a 
 country without either chains of mountains, rivers, 
 extensive valleys, or even a general slope, forms a 
 sort of labyrinth. You scarcely find any hill suffi- 
 ciently elevated above the others to serve for a 
 point of observation, or to command the country.
 
 46 DESCRIPTION OF THE BOCAGE. 
 
 Approaching Nantes along the Sevre, the country 
 assumes an aspect of more grandeur. The hills are 
 more elevated and steeper. The river is rapid, 
 and- flows between Jiigh banks ; and the general 
 appearance becomes wild instead of rural. The 
 eastern part of the Bocage is comparatively level 
 and open. The whole country, as may be supposed 
 from the name, is well wooded, although without 
 extensive forests. Each field or meadow, general- 
 ly small, is fenced with a quickset hedge, and trees 
 very close together, — not high nor spreading, the 
 branches tieing lopped off every five years, twelve 
 or fifteen feet above ground. The soil is not fer- 
 tile in grain ; and being often left untilled, be- 
 comes covered with broom and furze. There is 
 much grass land and pasture, and the landscape is 
 in general very green, and varied with many dwell- 
 ings and farm-houses, the flat tile roofs of which, 
 together with the steeples of churches, peep here 
 and there through the trees : the view, in general 
 bounded, extends occasionally to a few leagues. 
 
 Besides two main roads running through the 
 country, one from Nantes to Rochelle, the other to 
 Tours and Bourdeaux by Poitou, it is intersected 
 by cross roads in all directions, narrow and deep, 
 between hedges and trees arching over; miry in 
 winter, and rough in summer ; and, when they hap- 
 pen to follow the declivity of a hill, often serving, 
 at the same time, for the bed of a rivulet. In some 
 instances, these cross roads ascend the heights by 
 irregular steps over rocks. At the end of each 
 field, almost, you meet with a short turn or a 
 branching off, whicJi leaves the traveller in uncer- 
 tainty what course to follow, finger-posts being un- 
 known. The inhabitants tJheraselvee are frequently
 
 MANNERS OF THE INHABITANTS. 47 
 
 at a loss when they happen to go two or three 
 leagues from home. There are no great towns in 
 the Bocage ; small ones, of two or three thousand 
 inhabitants, are dispersed over the surface. The 
 villages ai-e not" numerous, and distant from each 
 other. The ground is divided into small farms, 
 each inhabited by a family and some servants. 
 
 It is seldom that a farm yields to the proprietor 
 more than 600 francs a-year ; the revenue is prin- 
 cipally from grazing. The gentlemen's residences 
 were built and furnished without magnificence, and 
 had neither extensive parks nor fine gardens. Their 
 owners lived without pomp, and even with extreme 
 simplicity. When called to the capital on business 
 or pleasure, they generally did not retuni to the 
 Bocage with the airs and manners of Paris. Their 
 gi*eateS|t luxury at home was the table, and their 
 only amusement field-sports. At all times the 
 gentlemen of Poitou have been celebrated sports- 
 men. This exercise, and the kind of life they led, 
 accustomed them to fatigue, and to the privation 
 of those conveniences to which the rich attach ge- 
 nerally such importance. The women travelled on 
 horseback, and in litters or carriages drawn by oxen. 
 The mutual relation that subsisted between the 
 Seigneur (feudal lord) and his tenants, was rather 
 peculiar. The proprietors did not lease out their 
 land, but divided the produce with the farmer. A 
 certain community of interest and personal acquaint- 
 ance was the consequence of this system, often pro- 
 ductive of mutual esteem and attachment. The 
 farms being small, a seigneur had twenty or thirty 
 such tenants, in the midst of whom he lived pater- 
 nally, conversing with them about their affairs, the 
 care of their cattle, and taking an interest in their
 
 48 MANNERS OF THE INHABITANTS. 
 
 good or ill fortune, in which he was himself con- 
 cerned. He went to the weddings of their child- 
 ren, and drank with the guests. On Sunday, the 
 tenants danced in the court of the Chateau^ and the 
 ladies often joined. When there was to be a hunt 
 of the wolf, the boar, or stag, the information was 
 communicated by the curate to the parishioners in 
 church after the service. Each took his gun, and 
 went joyfully to the place assigned. The hunters 
 posted the shooters, who conformed strictly to the 
 orders given them, and this was very like their 
 tactics during the civil war. With these habits, the 
 inhabitants of the Bocage were an excellent people, 
 mild, pious, hospitable, charitable, full of courage 
 and vivacity ; of pure manners, and honest princi- 
 ples. Crimes were never heard of; and lawsuits 
 were rare. They were devoted to their landlords, 
 and their manner, although free, was respectful ; 
 naturally suspicious, their confidence, when once 
 bestowed, was unbounded. 
 
 The inhabitants of the towns and the small pro- 
 prietors did not entertain the same sentiments to- 
 wards the seigneurs and landholders ; nevertheless, 
 as they were always received with kindness and 
 familiarity when they came to their houses, and 
 many of them were under obligations, they also had 
 an affection and respect for the principal families 
 of the country. Some had embraced with warmth 
 revolutionary opinions, but without any particular 
 animosity. The horrors which have been commit- 
 ted were often strongly opposed by them. 
 
 In the year 1789, as soon as the Revolution 
 commenced, the towns showed themselves favour- 
 able to it, while the people of the Plaine were fore- 
 most in burnmg and destroying. Those of the Bo-
 
 MANNERS OF THE INHABITANTS. 49 
 
 cage, on the contrary, saw with dread and regret 
 these excesses and innovations, which, far from 
 adding to, could only disturb their happiness. 
 
 When the national guards were formed, they 
 begged the seigneur in each parish to take the 
 command, and they likewise chose them for mayors. 
 The seignorial seats were ordered to be removed 
 from the churches ; but the order was not execu- 
 ted. In short, the peasants of the Bocage show- 
 ed themselves uniformly discontented with the 
 new order of things, and devoted to the gentle- 
 men. 
 
 The new oath required of the priests, added to 
 their discontent. When they saw themselves de- 
 prived of their curates, to whom they were accus- 
 tomed, who understood their manners and their 
 dialect, who almost all belonged to the coimtiy, 
 whom they knew and respected, and saw them re- 
 placed by strangers, they ceased to attend the mass 
 of their parish. The sworn priests were insulted 
 or abartdoned. The new curate of Echaubroignes 
 was obliged to withdraw, without having been able 
 even to obtain fire to light the tapers ; and this uni- 
 versal agreement existed in a parish of four thou- 
 sand inhabitants. The old priests concealed them- 
 selves, and said mass in the woods. In some places 
 rigorous measures were attempted ; and partial ri- 
 sings and considerable riots took place. The gen- 
 darmerie experienced some resistance ; and the 
 peasants began to evince steadiness and courage. 
 An unfortunate man of the Bas-Poitou fought a 
 long time with a pitchfork against the gendarmes. 
 After receiving twenty-two cuts with a sabre, they 
 
 E
 
 50 INSURRECTION. 
 
 called to him, " Rends-toi." He replied, " Rends- 
 moi, mon Dieu ;" and thus expired.* 
 
 The insurrection of August 1792 was more 
 important. After the 10th of Auofust, the revo- 
 lutionary measures had become still more severe ; 
 the refractory priests were warmly pursued, and 
 their churches shut up. The harshness and in-, 
 solence of the new administrators towards a people 
 accustomed to mildness and justice, together with 
 the news of the first successes of the coalesced 
 powers, inflamed the public mind. 
 
 The peasants assembled armed with guns, 
 scytlies, and pitchforks, to hear mass in the fields, 
 and to defend their curate, should there be an at- 
 tempt to carry him off. A particular circumstance 
 set all the people in motion. A man named De- 
 louche, Mayor of Bressuire, had a quarrel with 
 some other functionaries, and was driven from the 
 town, in which he had proclaimed martial law. 
 He then went to jMoncoutant, wliere he excited 
 the peasants to rise ; and more than forty parishes 
 united. M. Baudry d'Asson and Delouche, were 
 the leaders of this multitude. Three other gentle- 
 men, MM. de Calais, de Richeteau, and de Feu, 
 took also a part. All the other seigneurs of the 
 country, who had not emigrated, were still at Pa- 
 ris. This expedition was conducted with profound 
 ignorance. M. Baudry did not want courage, but 
 he had no skill, and was incapable of commanding 
 ten men. He led to slaughter these unfortunate 
 peasants. They hesitated whether they would 
 
 • This being a sort of a pun, cannot well be translated 
 ■ — "Surrender.'" — '* surrender me, my God!"
 
 INSURRECTION". 51 
 
 march first upon Chatillon or upon Bressuire ; at 
 last, against the advice of M. Delouche, they de- 
 cided upon attacking Chatillon, where the muni- 
 cipality was. They entered without resistance. 
 The municipality withdrew to Bressuire. They 
 burnt all their papers, and then marched to the 
 latter town. According to all appearance, Bres- 
 suire would have been taken, but for a dreadful 
 storm which dispersed the insurgents. This delay 
 gave time to the national guard of the Plaine to 
 succour the to^Ti : the peasants attacked it next 
 day. The national guards, who were in the first 
 fervour of their patriotism, showed sufficient cou- 
 rage, but it was not long necessary. The combat 
 was short, and the insurgents were dispersed im- 
 mediately. About a hundred poor peasants were 
 killed, crying Vive le Roi ! and about five hundred 
 taken prisoners. Delouche made his escape, but 
 was afterwards arrested at Nantes. M. de Riche- 
 teau was shot at Thouars, without a trial. M, 
 Baudry succeeded in concealing himself, and eva- 
 ded pursuit during six months. He appeared again 
 in the war of La Vendee, in which he was killed. 
 This victory of the national guard was stained 
 with atrocities. In spite of the indignation of the 
 greater part of the inhabitants of Bressuire, and the 
 efforts of some good people, there were several 
 prisoners massacred in cold blood. M. Duchatel 
 of Thouars, who afterwards in the Convention 
 showed so much courage at the trial of the King, 
 did all he could to save these imfortunate beings. 
 They were murdered in his arms ; and he was 
 wounded in endeavouring to preserve them. MM. 
 de Feu and de Richeteau, who, in consequence of 
 Bome conferences, had t-he evening befoie consent-
 
 52 INSURRECTION. 
 
 ed to remain as hosts^es, were also massacred. 
 Some of the national guard of the Plaine returned 
 to their homes, carrying as trophies, at the points 
 of their bayonets, noses, ears, and shreds of human 
 flesh. The commission for the trial of prisoners 
 at Niort showed, on the contrary, much gentleness 
 and humanity. It pronounced no condemnation ; 
 all the blame was thrown upon the dead or the 
 absent. 
 
 It was a few days after these sad events that 
 we arrived at Clisson. The parish of Boisme, in 
 which the chateau is situated, had taken no share 
 in the revolt. As it almost bordered on the Plaine, 
 the minds of the people were less heated, particu- 
 larly as they had preserved their priests. The cu- 
 rate and the vicar had taken the oaths, protesting 
 in it, however, against any thing in them contrary 
 to the Catholic religion. They continued to ac- 
 knowledge the former bishop, and not to obey the 
 constitutional one. The municipality, Avho knew 
 the danger of irritating the peasants upon this 
 point, shut their eyes to this irregularity, to such a 
 degree, that the vicar, having v\Titten to the muni- 
 cipality that he retracted even this species of oath, 
 received no reply. 
 
 Very soon after our arrival, we heard of the 
 massacres of September. VVe wished to conceal 
 from my mother the death of Madame de Lam- 
 balle ; but she suspected it, and interrogated us. 
 Our silence confirmed her fears — she fell lifeless, 
 and continued three weeks in a dangerous state. 
 We succeeded in concealing from her the assassi- 
 nation of some other persons, particularly that of 
 M. de Montmorin, the best friend of our family. 
 
 It was at that time that the nuns were turned
 
 insuhrection. 58 
 
 out of their convents. My mother had been edu- 
 cated at Angouleme, by her aunt. Abbess of St 
 Auxonne, sister of the Due de Ci\Tac, and enter- 
 tained for her much gratitude and attachment. 
 We sent M. Thomassin to bring her to us ; offer- 
 ing an asylum to other religieuses j but she came 
 alone. 
 
 INI. Henri de Larochejaquelein succeeded at last 
 in escaping from Paris. All his family having emi- 
 grated, he found himself alone at the Chateau of 
 La DurbeUiere, in the parish, of St Aubin de Bau- 
 bigne, one of those that had revolted. This cir- 
 cumstance, and being an officer in the King's 
 guard, gave reason to feai* some measure being 
 taken against him. M. de Lescure invited him to 
 come to Clisson, where there did not appear the 
 least symptom of disturbance. I was at that time 
 near my confinement. The Chateau was filled 
 with women and old people. M. de Lescmre was 
 not a man to commit any imprudence ; and besides, 
 he was much loved, and looked upon as entirely 
 devoted to rehgion and study. We hved unmo- 
 lested. Henri de Larochejaquelein was then twen-. 
 ty ; he had lived little in the world ; his manners 
 and laconic expressions had something in them re- 
 markably simple and original. There was much 
 sweetness in his countenance, as well as elevation. 
 Although bashful, his eyes were quick and ani- 
 mated. He was tall and elegant ; had fair hair, an 
 oval face, and the contour rather English than 
 French. He excelled in all exercises, pai'ticularly 
 in horsemanship. We had many other guests at 
 Clisson : M. d'Auzon, an infirm and respectable 
 old man, a near relation of M. de Lescure, and 
 who had acted towards him as a father ; M. De-
 
 54 INSURRECTION. 
 
 sessarts, our neighbour, a man that the family of 
 Lescure had always lovsd, and who, for many 
 years, had inhabited the chateau with his children. 
 One of his sons, a naval officer, had emigrated. 
 M. de Lescure was much attached to another, des- 
 tined for the church, who, although he had not yet 
 taken orders, was required to take the oath; which 
 refusing, he had been obliged to live at Poitiers, 
 under the superintendence of the police. Both 
 the father and son were men of talents and worth ; 
 Mademoiselle Desessarts possessed the same qua- 
 lities. There was at the same time at Clisson, a 
 Chevalier de , a distant relation. The Re- 
 volution had ruined him, and he had taken refuge 
 among us. He was a man of fifty, short, fat, good- 
 natured, foolish, and a coward. In his youth he 
 had been intended for the church ; and then he was 
 very dissipated. Since he had entered the army 
 he had become a bigot to a ridiculous degree. 
 
 Such was the society that inhabited Clisson. 
 They confined themselves at home from prudence, 
 neither making nor receiving any visits. Our do- 
 mestics were numerous, almost all trusty, and de- 
 voted to us and our opinions. The maitre-d'hotel, 
 and the valet-de-chambre surgeon of Madame de 
 Lescure, were nevertheless very revolutionary; 
 but M. de Lescure kept them in his service from 
 respect for the wishes of his grandmother, to whom 
 they had paid the most devoted attentions, and who 
 had recommended them in her last moments. 
 
 In the evening of the 31st of October, I was 
 brought to bed of a daughter. At any other time 
 I should have wished to nurse her ; but I foresaw 
 that soon or late the Revolution would reach us, 
 and I wished to be at liberty to follow M. de
 
 INSURRECTION. 55 
 
 Lescure wherever he might go, should it be to a 
 prison, if he were taken, or to the war, in which, 
 if it should break out, he had resolved to join. I 
 therefore hired a nurse for my child. 
 
 The King perished. MM. de Larochejaquelein 
 and de Lescm'e had charged some friends to give 
 them notice, if any measures were taken to save 
 him. Nothing was attempted. It may easily be 
 imagined the profound grief we were thrown into 
 on hearing of this outrage. For many days there 
 was nothing but weeping in the Chateau. 
 
 When the worst of the winter was past, my 
 mother thought of returning into Medoc. She 
 wished to take me along with her, but I could not 
 think of leaving M. de Lescure, and he would not 
 have consented to absent himself from Poitou. He 
 foresaw that soon or late the peasants, continually 
 vexed and tormented, would at last revolt, and he 
 would then wish to command them. My father 
 remained for the same reason. Travelling was be- 
 sides very dangerous, much more so than remain- 
 ing on the same spot. In the midst of these UTe- 
 solutions the war broke out. 
 
 I am now come to a period of awful celebrity. 
 It may be seen that this war was not, as has been 
 said, fomented by the nobles and the priests. The 
 unhappy peasants, wounded in every thing that 
 was dear to them, subjected to a yoke, which the 
 happiness they had formerly enjoyed made them 
 feel still heavier, revolted at last, and chose for 
 their leaders men in whom they had placed their 
 confidence and affection. The gentlemen and the 
 curates, proscribed and persecuted themselves, 
 marched with them, and supported their courage. 
 The insurrection began, ftom the impulse of the
 
 56 INSURRECTION. 
 
 moment, witliout plan, without concert, and almost 
 without hopes ; for what could a handful of men, 
 destitute of means of any sort, effect against the 
 forces of all France ? Their first successes infi- 
 nitely surpassed their expectations. 
 
 The minds of the people being universally dis- 
 posed to resistance, the first example was followed 
 generally without previous concert or understand- 
 ing. The different chiefs did not even know each 
 other. As to M. de Lescure, and our friends, I 
 can affirm that they took no step that could lead 
 to war. They foresaw it, they desired it even, but 
 it was a vague and remote idea. Had tliey pro- 
 voked the revolt by any secret means, or had ac- 
 tively laboured to excite the peasants, I should 
 have known it ; and certainly they were not in a 
 situation to have it concealed. I shall endeavour 
 to show how they were led to take a part in the 
 insurrection. Tliroughout the whole country it 
 began nearly under similar circumstances, and in 
 the same manner. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 COMMENCEMENT OK THE WAR. DEPARTURfi OP M. 
 
 DE LAROCHEJAQUELEIN. OUR ARREST. 
 
 The demand of three hundred thousand men for 
 the army was the cause of an almost general rising 
 in the Bocage. This movement assumed an im- 
 portance at two remote points ; Challans, in the 
 Bas-Poitou, and St Florent in Anjou, up<m the
 
 COMMENCEMENT OF THE WAR. 57 
 
 banks of the Loire. There was no concert between 
 these two insurrections ; and it was even a long 
 time before the parties concerned in the one dis- 
 trict, knew what was passing in the other. At St 
 Florent, the drafting had been notified for the 10th 
 of March. The young men assembled there, almost 
 determined to resist. When the administration 
 saw they were so ill-disposed, they attempted to 
 harangue them. The resistance increasing, they 
 came to threats ; the republican commander had 
 next a cannon pointed, and soon after fired on the 
 young men ; none of them were killed. They 
 rushed on the piece, and it was abandoned : the 
 gendarmes and the administrators fled. The mu- 
 nicipality was pillaged, the papers burnt, and the 
 cash distributed. The rest of the day was spent 
 in rejoicings. The young men then returned home, 
 without well knowing what would become of them, 
 or^ how they would escape the terrible vengeance 
 of the republicans. 
 
 Jaques Cathelineau, of the village of Pin en 
 Mauges, carrier and hawker of woollens, much re- 
 spected among the peasants, was kneading the bread 
 for his family, when he received intelligence of 
 what had passed. He immediately took the reso- 
 lution of heading his countrymen, and not leaving 
 them a prey to the calamities ready to fall upon 
 them. His wife supplicated him not to think of 
 this. He listened to nothing ; but, wiping his arms, 
 and putting on his coat, he went forth instantly, 
 and, assembling the inhabitants, spoke to them with 
 energy of the signal punishment to which they 
 would be subjected, if they did not defend them- 
 selves. The weight of Cathelineau's character, as 
 a wise and pious man, and the courage and warmth
 
 58 COMMENCEMENT OF THE WAR. 
 
 that animated his discourse, inspired all the young 
 men. Immediately ahout twenty of them, arming 
 themselves, prepared to march with him. They 
 set out directly for the villaj:^e of La Poiteviniere, 
 where Cathelineau, sounding the tocsin, assem- 
 bled the inhabitants, spoke to them as he had to 
 their neighbours, and with similar success. 
 
 His troop amounting now to more than a hun- 
 dred men, lie determined to attack a republican 
 detachment of eighty men, stationed at Jallais, with 
 one piece of cannon. They marched, recruiting 
 all the way. The detachment was beaten. They 
 made the men prisoners, and seized the piece, 
 wliich the peasants surnamed the Missionary, and 
 also arms and horses. 
 
 Encouraged by this first success, Cathelineau 
 attacked the same day Chemille, where he found 
 two hundred republicans, and three pieces of can- 
 non. The insurgents were already more than four 
 hundred. They stood a first discharge, then, rush- 
 ing upon their enemies, gained a complete victory. 
 
 Two other insurrections broke out at the same 
 time in the neighbourhood. A young peasant 
 named Foret, of the village of Chauzo, somewhat 
 better informed, and more intelligent than his com- 
 panions, had returned to France, after having fol- 
 lowed an emigi-ant, and appeared to exercise con- 
 siderable influence over the young people of St 
 Florent. The gendarmes came to arrest him. He 
 expected it ; and, as soon as he saw them ap- 
 proach, he fired, and killed one of them. He then 
 ran to the church, sounded the tocsin, assembled 
 the inhal)itants, urged them to revolt, and raised 
 a large troop in the neighbouring villages. Stof- 
 flet, garde-chasse of M. de Maulevrier, did as
 
 COMMENCEMENT OF THE WAR. 59 
 
 much on his part ; and, on the 14th of March, 4n 
 the morning, these two troops joined that of Ca- 
 thelineau. The same day tliey attacked Chollet, 
 which is the most considerable town of the coun- 
 try. They had to encounter, five hundred republi- 
 cans, who had cannon. The combat was neither 
 more uncertain nor longer than that of Chemille ; 
 but the results were most important. They found 
 there ammunition, arms, and money. 
 
 Easter approached, and the peasants, thinking 
 they had done enough, wished to return home. 
 The army was entirely dissolved, and every thing 
 returned to its accustomed order. A republican 
 column, sent from Angers, traversed the country, 
 and found no resistance ; but they dared not ex- 
 ercise vengeance. After Easter, there was a new 
 rising, to drive away the republicans ; but the pea- 
 sants wished to have higher leaders, and applied 
 to the gentlemen, requesting they would put them- 
 selves at their head. M. d'Elbee, who had taken 
 no share in the first insurrection, was seated quiet- 
 ly by his wife, who had just lain in, when they 
 came to him. M. de Bonchamp, a man of the first 
 consideration in the country, was taken unawares, 
 in the same manner. The insurrection of Bas- 
 Poitou began the 12th of March, nearly at the 
 same time as that of Anjou, and was more gene- 
 ral. From Fontenay to Nantes, scarcely a pai'ish 
 submitted to the drafting ; and they formed as- 
 sociations to resist the republicans. The most ex- 
 tensive were those of Challans and Machecoult. 
 One Gaston, a barber, commanded the first. Ha- 
 ving killed an officer, he dressed himself in his uni- 
 form. After taking Challans, he marched upon 
 St Gervais, but was killed there. This Gaston
 
 60 COMMENCEMENT OF THE WAR. 
 
 has since been absurdly mistaken for an officer of 
 the same name, commanding at Longwy, who had 
 opened the gates to the princes in the year 1792. 
 For a long time the public believed that all the in- 
 surgents of La Vendee were commanded by this 
 Gaston, whilst, in Poitou, his speedy death had 
 left his name almost unknown. 
 
 The insurgents of the district of Machecoult 
 had still greater successes, stained, unfortunately, 
 by atrocities ; it is the only place where a reproach 
 of that sort was justly incurred.* 
 
 Soon after the insurrection, the peasants chose 
 M. deCharette,f a man of family, for the chief of 
 these two bodies of insurgents, which very soon 
 became the most considerable army of Bas-Poitou. 
 Till that moment he had taken no part in tlie in- 
 surrection. The men were under no discipline, 
 and difficult to command ; he probably could not 
 prevent their cruelties, and certainly did not ap- 
 prove of them ; but thought, perhaps, that he could 
 depend more entirely upon men who had no mercy 
 to hope for, nor terms to expect. In a short time 
 
 • Three hundred patriots, or republicans, were executed 
 by parties of thirty men a-day ; an imitation, on the part of 
 the insurgents, of the worst crueliies of their enemies. 
 
 •f This celebrated chief had been bred in the navy of 
 France, and had held tlie rank of Lieutenant. He was un- 
 dauntedly brave and loyal, but his conduct was stained with 
 cruelty. His hatred to the revolution was so great, that it 
 was usual to say of a man suspected of itichisme, he is such 
 a patriot as Charette. He concluded peace with the repub- 
 lic on advantageous and independent terms, at Nantes, on 
 3d March, 1795. Renewing the war, he was made priso- 
 ner and shot by the Republicans. At his death, he be- 
 haved with the utmost fortitude, advancing to meet the 
 party who were to fire, and exclaiming, " Vive le Roi !'*
 
 COMMENCEMENT OF THE WAR. 61 
 
 he was the principal chief of this district. Mean- 
 while, five or six small corps remained under their 
 own particular commanders. On the side of Her- 
 biers and of Chantonnay, another army was foi-m- 
 ed on the same day, commanded from the first by 
 gentlemen, M. de Verteuil, M. de Bejany, and 
 some others. It was on this side that the insur- 
 gents obtained the most signal successes ; and it 
 was from hence the general name of Vendeens 
 came. They fought a republican general, and took 
 Herbiers, Chantonnay, and Pont Charran. M. de 
 Royrand, who had been formerly an officer, and 
 was much respected, was soon chosen their chief. 
 During all these transactions, we were perfectly 
 quiet at Clisson, without suspecting anything. Such 
 at that time was the state of inaction and stupor, 
 that no one knew what was passing at the distance 
 of a few leagues. M. Thomassin had gone to the 
 estate of M. de Lescure, near Sables. In return- 
 ing, he passed through the town of Herbiers, and 
 found everything perfectly calm there ; but he had 
 not left it two hours, when he was overtaken by 
 people flying at full gallop, who said that Herbiers 
 had been taken by six thousand English just land- 
 ed. He laughed at them, and continued his jour- 
 ney. On arriving at Bressuire, he found the re- 
 port had reached it, and was anxiously questioned 
 on the subject. The whole town was in alarm ; 
 two hundred volunteers were under arms, but none 
 knew what to believe. M. Thomassin, who had 
 continued to act the part of a patriotic captain, and 
 always wore his uniform, inspired the constituted 
 authorities with confidence. He made light of their 
 fears, and said he would undertake to defend their 
 town against all attacks. They took liim at his
 
 62 COMMENCEMENT OF THE WAR. 
 
 word, and exacted a promise that he would return 
 that same evenino:; and he really did retmn to 
 Bressuire, after havini? made his report to us, and 
 raised our curiosity and expectations. The next 
 day, he sent us notice that Herhiers and some other 
 towns had been taken, but that it was not known 
 whether by the rebels or by the disembarked troops. 
 A landing appeared improbable ; and yet such suc- 
 cess, gained by peasants, did not appear more pro- 
 bable. 
 
 Every hour brought us absurd and contradictory 
 accounts. M. de Larochejaquelein resolved to 
 send a servant to the house of Jiis aunt, Made- 
 moiselle de Larochejaquelein, who lived at St Au- 
 bin de Baubigne, from which Herhiers was only 
 four or five leatrues distant. He wrote a trifling 
 letter, charging the servant to bring us verbal in- 
 telligence. M. de Chevalier de , who was 
 
 also a relation and friend of Mademoiselle, gave 
 the servant, without telling us, a letter for her, 
 sending a dozen of consecrated hearts, which he 
 had painted on paper, with the following expres- 
 sions : " I send you a small supply of consecrated 
 hearts ; those who have faith in them, succeed in 
 all their undertakings." The servant was stopped 
 at Bressuire, and his letter opened. As it was said 
 that the insurgents had for their rallying sign a con- 
 secrated heart sewed to their clothes, the letter of 
 the Chevalier produced a terrible effect. The next 
 day, at seven in the morning, we were awakened 
 by the information, that the chateau was surround- 
 ed by two hundred volunteers, and that twenty 
 gendarm«^s were in the court. We supposed they 
 had come to arrest M. de Larochejaquelein. We 
 liid him ; and then M. de Lescure went to inquire
 
 COMMENCEMENT OF THE WAIl. 68 
 
 of the gendarmes the occasion of their coming. 
 They answered, that the municipahty demanded 
 
 that the Chevalier de should be dehvered 
 
 up, and also all the horses, equipages, arms, and 
 ammunition, that should be found in tlie chateau. 
 M. de Lescure laughed, and said to them, that 
 they seemed to take his house for a fort, com- 
 manded by the Chevalier ; yet there was surely a 
 mistake in the orders of the municipality, as the 
 Chevalier was a peaceable and infirm man, who 
 would die of fear, were they to arrest him, and 
 that he would be responsible for him. As to the 
 other things, he would deliver the horses, forage, 
 and fire-arms, as he thought tliey might have oc- 
 casion for them. 
 
 The brigadier of tlie gendarmes then took M. 
 de Lescure apart, and said, that he enteitained the 
 same opinions as we did, and that he saw clearly 
 a counter-revolution would soon take place. The 
 insurgents, or the disembarked troops, he added, 
 had defeated entirely the patriots at Montaigu. 
 He said that it was necessary in the mean time, to 
 satisfy the municipality in the best manner they 
 could ; and asked, as a favour of M. de Lescure, 
 to bear testimony for him in due time, that he 
 might preserve his place. My husband listened to 
 all these confi(fential communications of the timo- 
 rous patriot, without a reply ; and we came.off this 
 time for a few bad horses. 
 
 The insurrection gained ground every moment. 
 Bressuire was menaced. The municipality and 
 authorities had withdrawn to Thenars. M. Tho- 
 massin had found means of making his escape two 
 days after, and came to Clisson. He told us the 
 cause of the visit of the gendarmes, and tlie his-
 
 64 COMMENCEMENT OF THE WAR. 
 
 tory of the consecrated hearts. They wanted at 
 first to burn the chateau, but he had succeeded in 
 appeasing the first ebullition. We passed the day 
 in joy, expecting the royalist army. The parishes 
 in the environs of Bressuire had been disarmed, 
 after the affair of the month of August. The most 
 ardent among the peasants had been killed, or 
 obliged to conceal themselves. Thus our neigh- 
 bourhood was kept back, till they had received as- 
 sistance. The next day we heard the rebels had 
 been repulsed, and that the authorities had return- 
 ed to Bressuire. This threw us into consternation. 
 It was the signal of our ruin, as it became neces- 
 sary for M. de Lescure to take a decisive part : 
 the national guards were called together for the 
 defence of Bressuire, and he had been for four 
 years Commandant of his parish. There were in 
 the chateau more than twenty-five men capable of 
 bearing arms, and the orders for marching against 
 the rebels might be expected before long. We 
 should willingly have joined these ; but we were 
 ignorant where they might be, and we had no 
 means of escape. We all assembled to decide upon 
 this subject ; Henri de Larochejaquelein, who was 
 the youngest, spoke first. He said, with ardour, 
 that he would rather perish, than take up arras 
 against the peasants or the emigrants. M. de 
 Lescure expressed himself to the same purpose. 
 Every one agreed ; and, in that perilous moment, 
 none had any idea of proposing a timid counsel. 
 
 My mother then said, " Gentlemen, you are all 
 of the same opinion ; rather to die than live with 
 dishonour !" She pronounced these words with 
 firmness ; and, seating herself in an arm-chair, said, 
 " Well, we must die." M. Thomassin answered,
 
 COMMENCEMENT OF THE WAR. 65 
 
 " No, madam, I will go to-morrow to Bressuire, 
 and endeavour to save you ; — perhaps I am become 
 suspected by the patriots, from having- left them ; 
 it is possible they may arrest me : But no mat- 
 ter, I am determined to run the risk." We made 
 him our acknowledgments. M. Thomassin set 
 out, and we all began jur preparations, I sent 
 my little daughter to the village with her nurse ; 
 and my mother, my aunt, the abbess, and myself, 
 went to conceal ourselves at a farm. The gentle- 
 men continued in the chateau, prepared for every 
 thing, after having required of us not to remain 
 with them. We continued during four hours in 
 this farm, upon our knees in prayer, and dissolved 
 in tears. At last M. Thomassin sent to tell us, 
 that he had been well enough received — that there 
 was nothing decided against us ; and that, hitherto, 
 there had been merely threats. 
 
 We passed an anxious week. Our servants 
 could not enter the town without a pass, and they 
 were searched with care. M. Thomassin could 
 not write to us. 
 
 M. de Lescure and Henri had undertaken to 
 teach me to ride ; but I was so frightened, that, 
 even when a servant held the bridle of my horse, 
 and these two gentlemen were wal-king at each 
 side of me, I wept ffom feai*. But my husband 
 said, that, at such a time, it was necessary to be 
 inured to dangers. By little and little I became 
 less fearful, and took, at a slow pace, some rides 
 around the chateau. One morning we were all 
 three on horseback, when the gendarmes were ob- 
 served at a distance coming towards us. We for- 
 ced Henri to gallop away. The gendarmes agam 
 demanded horses, and especially those of M. de
 
 66 COMMENCEMENT OF THE WAE. 
 
 Larochejaquelein. He had one in the stable ; M. 
 de Lescure endeavoured to save it. The gendarmes 
 told him that M. de Larochejaquelein was much 
 more suspected than he was. " / do not know 
 why" answered he. " He is my friend mid cou- 
 sin, and our opinions are perfectly tlie same.'' The 
 gendarmes asking where he was, lie said, " Out 
 lualkingy They took away the horse, without 
 saying anything more. 
 
 Meanwhile we heard every day of new arrests. 
 All the gentlemen that remained, most of them old 
 and infirm, were imprisoned. Women were not 
 spared, and we expected our turn. During these 
 transactions, the order for drawing the militia ar- 
 rived. Henri was comprehended in it, which in- 
 creased our perplexity and distress extremely. Just 
 then, an express arrived from Mademoiselle de La- 
 rochejaquelein to her nephew. The messenger was 
 a young peasant, who gave us many particulars re- 
 specting the royalist army. Chatillon was taken, 
 and all the parishes in the neighbourhood had join- 
 ed the insurgents. The young man concluded by 
 saying to Henri, " Sir, they say you will have to 
 draw to-morrow for the militia at Boisme. The 
 peasants will probably rise, rather than submit to 
 be drafted. Come with us; the whole country 
 wishes for you, and will obey you I" Henri an- 
 swered, without hesitation, that he would follow 
 him. The peasant then told him it would be ne- 
 cessary to take by-paths, and go round several 
 leagues about, to avoid the patrols of the Blues, 
 wliich was the name given by the peasants to the 
 republican troops. M. de Lescure wished to ac- 
 company his cousin, but we opposed it ; and Henri 
 epresented that tljeir situations were not the same ;
 
 COMMENCEMENT OF THE WAR. 67 
 
 •—be was not called upon to draw for the militia ; 
 — the peasants in his neighbourhood were not ri- 
 sing ; — he could not leave Clisson without endan- 
 gering the fate of a numerous family ; — and that 
 he did not know the actual state of the insurrec- 
 tion. " I go," said he, " to examine things more 
 nearly, and to see if there is any rational hope. 
 My departure will not be remarked ; and if there 
 be, in reality, anything to be done for the cause, 
 then will be the time for you to act. At present 
 it would be madness." We joined our prayers to 
 these representations, and M, de Lescure at last 
 reluctantly yielded to them. After this. Made- 
 moiselle Desessarts wished to prevent even Henri 
 from going, and said to him, that it would most 
 certainly involve all the inhabitants of Clisson, and 
 occasion their being arrested. Henri replied, he 
 could oppose nothing to such objections, and that 
 he should be wretched were he to draw persecu- 
 tion upon us. On this M. de Lescure said to him, 
 *' Honour and your own principles made you re- 
 solve on going; pursue your design. I feel al- 
 ready sufficiently miserable in not being able to 
 follow you ; and never will the fear of a prison 
 lead me to prevent you performing your duty." — 
 " Well I I shall deliver you if you are arrested I" 
 cried Henri, throwing himself in his arms. I then 
 observed in him that animated air, and eagle-look, 
 which never left him afterwards. 
 
 After this aflfecting scene, the Chevalier de 
 ■ — told us he wished to set out with Henri, 
 
 to join the royalists. Since the story of his inter- 
 cepted letter, fear had turned his head. After some 
 other objections, we begged him to consider that 
 M. de Lescure had become answerable for him to
 
 68 DEPARTURE OF DE LAROCHEJAQUELEIN. 
 
 the municipality, and that it would be wrong to 
 sacrifice him in this manner. 
 
 The Chevalier wept ; — said we wished his death, 
 and forced him to resist the will of God, who had 
 inspired him with the desire, and given him the 
 means, of saving himself. He then, with clasped 
 hands, entreated of M. de Lescure permission to 
 go away. My husband granted it, from pity and 
 disgust ; but we were now troubled on Henri's ac- 
 count. The Chevalier was fifty years of age, and 
 imwieldy. We saw he would retard his companion ; 
 that he would not be able to walk nine miles in 
 the night across ditches and hedges, and would be 
 the occasion of Henri falling into the hands of some 
 patrol. " When we hear a noise, he may save 
 himself, and leave me." — " Do you suppose I am 
 such a poltroon as you are?" replied Henri. " Shall 
 I abandon any one who is with me ? If we are dis- 
 covered, I shall defend myself; and we shall either 
 fall, or save ourselves togeth£r." The Chevalier 
 then began kissing his hands, repeating, " He will 
 defend me 1 he will defend me I" 
 
 At night, when the domestics were all in bed, 
 Henri, armed with a stick and a pair of pistols, set 
 
 out, with one servant, the Chevalier de , 
 
 and the guide. 
 
 On the Sunday fixed for the militia ballot, our 
 people attended in town. We were at breakfast, 
 when suddenly the cry " To arms !" was heard, and 
 we saw twenty gendarmes gallop into the court. 
 On going down to them, they read an order from 
 the municipality, for the arrest of M. and Madame 
 de Lescure, M. d'Auzon, and all other suspected 
 persons found at Clisson. My father and mother 
 flrdared they would follow mo to prison, and per-
 
 OUR ARREST. 69 
 
 sisted in this generous resolution in spite of our en- 
 treaties. M. de Marigny said likewise he was de- 
 termined to share the fate of M. de Lescure. 
 
 The gendarmes held their pistols. Two of them 
 placed themselves by my side, and followed me 
 step by step. I asked to be allowed to retire to 
 my apartment to dress, desiring them, at the same 
 time, to observe, that, if I had intended it, I could 
 have fled, or concealed myself. M. d'Auzon re- 
 presenting that he was extremely ill, they permit- 
 ted him to remain. When the gendarmes saw that 
 we received them very civilly, that the chateau 
 was inhabited by women and old men, and that 
 all our people were gone to draw for the militia, 
 they began to soften. An expression of my mo- 
 ther's affected them extremely. When I was press- 
 ing her not to follow me, a gendarme said to her, 
 ** At all events, Madame, it is necessary you should 
 go, for the order includes all suspected persons." 
 — " You wish, then, to deprive me of the pleasure 
 of sacrificing myself for my daughter I" By de- 
 gi'ees the gendarmes became friendly to us, and 
 concluded by telling us that the order had been 
 issued ten days before ; but it was thought the gen- 
 darmes of the country were not to be trusted with 
 it, having shown such an unwillingness to the of- 
 fice. The municipality had therefore waited the 
 arrival of troops then expected fi-om a distance; 
 and, having come the evening before from Berry, 
 they had received the order. They then expressed 
 their regret at having to arrest people so beloved in 
 the country, and their inclination to do what they 
 could for us. This good-will, which they showed 
 more and more, was not purchased. None of us 
 had a thought of offering them money.
 
 70 OUR ARREST. 
 
 They yoked the oxen to the carriage, and we 
 all five set out, escorted by the gendarmes. On 
 leaving- the court, their officers said to them, " Ci- 
 tizens, I hope you will not fail to bear testimony to 
 the readiness with whith the order has been obey- 
 ed, and to the reception we have met with." 
 
 When we arrived at the gate of Bressuire, many 
 volunteers and the people began to cry, " AristO' 
 crats /" but the gendarmes bid them be silent, say- 
 ing that it would be well if all the citizens were as 
 good as we were. The most part of the arrested 
 persons had been taken to the Chateau de la For^t- 
 sur-SevTe, whicli was converted into a prison. The 
 gendarmes had communicated their apprehensions 
 respecting the safety of these prisoners, as they 
 feared a massacre. They promised to endeavour 
 to procure permission foi: us to remain at Bressuire. 
 They, therefore, urgently requested the municipa- 
 lity to allow us to return to Clisson with guards. 
 This was refused. They then solicited that we 
 should at least be permitted to remain confined in 
 the town. One of the municipality, a very good 
 man, and our grocer, offered to guard us in his 
 house, to which they consented. M. de Lescure 
 went himself to the municipality. He was so much 
 respected in the country, that the administrators 
 looked embarrassed, and durst not say they wished 
 to aiTest him. They alleged the order had been 
 given as much for his own safety as from any sus- 
 picions they might have ; and that he could not 
 complain, as they had not determined on the mea- 
 sure till long after all the other gentlemen had 
 been anestHd. My husband spoke with confi- 
 dence ; and demanded, if there were any positive 
 charges against him, that they should be brought
 
 OUR ARREST. Tl 
 
 forward. They said nothing to him of the Cljeva- 
 
 lier de , nor of M. de Larochejaquelein. 
 
 It was upon these points alone he could have been 
 implicated. M. and Mademoiselle Desessarts had 
 disguised themselves as servants, and were not ar- 
 rested. My father and mother might have done 
 the same. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 RETREAT OF THE ARMY OF ANJOU. AN ADVANTAGE 
 
 GAINED AT AUBIERS BY M. DE LAROCHEJAQUE- 
 LEIN. THE ARMY OF ANJOU REPAIRS ITS LOSSES. 
 
 —MASSACRES AT BRESSUIRE. THE RF PUBLICANS 
 
 ABANDON THE TOWN. ARRIVAL OF M. DE LA- 
 ROCHEJAQUELEIN AT CLISSON. 
 
 We were lodged five of us In two small rooms, in 
 the house of the municipal officer. He enjoined us 
 not to show ourselves at the windows, nor to come 
 down stau's ; in siiort, to make ourselves he forgot- 
 ten as much as poasijjle. It is probable that this 
 precaution saved our lives. We learnt that M. 
 Thomassiu had been arrested, and earned to the 
 Chateau de la Foret. Two days after, the troop 
 which was at Bressuire set out to attack the rebels 
 at Aubiers. Two thousand five hundred men filed 
 oflF under ourwmdows, sinoing in chorus the Mar- 
 seillais hymn, whilst the drums beat. I never heard 
 anything more striking and terrible. These men 
 had a warlike and animated appearance. The next 
 day a rumour spread, that they had defeated the 
 brigands, and that M. de Larochejaquelein was be-
 
 72 RETREAT OF THE ARMY OF ANJOU. 
 
 sieged in liis chateau of la Durbelliere. We passed 
 a miserable day ; but in the evening, we saw the 
 heroes of the preceding day returning in disorder, 
 calling out, " Help, citizens ! the brigands follow 
 us. Lights ! lights in your windows !" The 
 terror became so great, that General Quetineau, 
 who commanded, never was able to place a senti- 
 nel at the gate of the town. We began to hope, 
 and to expect the royalists. 
 
 Henri had arrived at the house of his aunt, after 
 a painful and perilous journey. Leaving the Che- 
 valier de there, he proceeded with some 
 
 young men from the environs of Chatillon, to the 
 rebel army of Anjou. It was then near Chollet and 
 Chemille. He arrived to witness a defeat, which 
 made the insurgents retire to Tiffauges. MM. de 
 Bonchamp and d'Elbee, who had for some time past 
 commanded the army, Cathelineau, Stofflet, and all 
 the other chiefs, agreed in telling him that all was 
 lost. They had only two pounds of powder, and 
 the army was disbanding. Henri, penetrated with 
 grief, returned alone to St Aubin. He arrived there 
 the very day that the Blues from Bressuire had 
 reached Aubiers, and dispersed a small body, that 
 for an instant had attempted to resist them. There 
 was still no chief, nor point of union in these can- 
 tons. The peasants in the parishes unoccupied by 
 republicans, hoisted the white flag, and went to join 
 the army of Anjou. Henri imagined he could do 
 nothing ; but the peasants, hearing of his arrival, 
 came in crowds, and entreated he would put him- 
 self at their head. They assured him, he would re- 
 animate the whole country, and that in a single day 
 he would Iiave ten thousand men at his command. 
 He did not hesitate; and declared himself their
 
 IIETREAT OF THE ARMY OF ANJOU. 73 
 
 cliief. During tlie nigbt, the parishes of Aubiers, 
 Neuil, St Aubin, Echaubroignes, Cerqueux, d'lzer- 
 nay, &c. sent their men — and the promised num- 
 ber was nearly completed ; but the only arms these 
 poor people had, were sticks, pitchforks, and spits ! 
 They had not above two hundred fire-arms, and 
 these only fowling-pieces. Henri, however, had 
 discovered sixty pounds of gunpowder m the house 
 of a mason, which he had purchased for blowing 
 up rocks. This was a treasure. 
 
 M. de Larochejaquelein appeared, m the morn- 
 ing, at the head of his peasants, and spoke thus to 
 them : " My friends, if my father were here, you 
 would have confidence in him. I am but a boy; 
 but, by my courage, I shall show myself worthy of 
 commanding you. Follow me if I go forward ; — 
 kill me if I fly ; — avenge my death if I fall ! " He 
 was answered by loud acclamations. Before set- 
 ting out, he wished to breakfast ; and, whilst some 
 of the peasants had gone to seek white bread for 
 their general, he took a piece of their brown loaf, 
 and ate it heartily along with them. Tliis simpli- 
 city, in which there was no affectation, touched 
 them extremely, without his being aware of it him- 
 self. 
 
 Notwithstanding all their zeal, tliese poor peo- 
 ple were a little frightened. The most part had 
 never seen fire, others had witnessed defeat, and 
 they saw themselves almost all unarmed. 
 
 The troop, however, arrived at Aubiers, which 
 the Blues had taken the evening before, and spread 
 themselves around the village, marching behind the 
 hedges in silence. Henri, with a dozen of good 
 marksmen, glided into a garden near the place 
 where the republicans were. Concealed behind
 
 74 RETREAT OF THE ARMY OF ANJOU. 
 
 the hedge, lie began to fire at them, the peasant* 
 supplying him with loaded guns. As he was a great 
 sportsman, and very expert, almost all his shots told. 
 He fired nearly two hundred, as did also a garde- 
 chasse that was beside him. The republicans, pro- 
 voked at thus losing men without seeing their ene- 
 my, and supposing they were going to be attacked 
 in line, made a movement to place themselves in 
 order of battle, on a height behind them. Henri 
 seizing the moment, called out, " See them flying, 
 my friends I " The peasants believing it, imme- 
 diately leaped from tlieir concealments, calling out 
 " Vive le lloi !" The echoes augmented the noise ; 
 and the Blues, surprised by an attack so unfore- 
 seen, and so strange, took to flight in disorder, aban- 
 doning two small pieces of cannon, their whole ar- 
 tilleiy. The Vendeens pursued them to within lialf 
 a mile of Bressuire. Seventy of them were killed, 
 and many wounded. 
 
 Such was neai'ly, and particularly in the begin- 
 ning of the war, the manner of fighting of the Ven- 
 deens. Their tactics consisted in spreading tliem- 
 selves silently behind the hedges around the troops 
 of the Blues ; they then fired from all sides : and on 
 the least liesitation, or at the first movement of the 
 republicans, they rushed upon them with loud cries. 
 The peasants first ran to the cannon. The strong- 
 est or most active were previously selected to seize 
 promptly the artillery, " to prevent its doi ng harm^* 
 as they used to say among themselves, 'i hey called 
 to each other, " you are the strongest, get on the 
 cannon." The chiefs always i-ushed the first to the 
 attack. This was necessary to give courage to the 
 •oldiers, who wore often a little intimidated at the 
 beginning of the action. This manner of fitting
 
 RETREAT OF THE ARMY Oi- AKJOU. t5 
 
 will appear no doubt siugular, but it was adapted to 
 the country. Besides, it must be remembered, that 
 the peasants did not even know the exercise, and 
 could hardly distinguish their right hand from their 
 left. Some of the officers were scarcely better. 
 The commanders and generals knew little of tlig 
 military art. They consisted of youths, church- 
 students, citizens, (bourgeois,) and peasants. Yet 
 it was those who, first by their courage and enthu- 
 siasm, and then by talents which a short experience 
 developed, made the republic tremble ! — conquered 
 a part of France, — obtained an honourable peace, 
 — and defended their cause with more glory and 
 success than all the allied powers I 
 
 Some facts will explain the success of the Ven- 
 deens, and the very great difference between their 
 loss of men, and that of the republicans. The pea- 
 sants, dispersed behind hedges, never exposed a 
 front to the ravage of the enemy's fire. The troops 
 of the line, without seeing their foes, fired accord- 
 ing to custom, at the height of a man. The pea- 
 sants aimed, and rarely missed. Thus five men 
 fell on one side, to one upon the other. When the 
 Blues were drawn up on more even ground, the 
 peasants endeavoured to carry their point by great- 
 er rapidity. Their first efforts were always direct- 
 ed towards the cannon. As soon as the flash an- 
 nounced a discharge, they threw themselves on the 
 ground to avoid it ; then instantly rising, ran for- 
 ward while the pieces were reloading, prostrating 
 themselves again at each explosion ; and in this 
 manner they reached the batter\', and attacked the 
 men hand to hand. These defeats were terrible 
 for the republicans, who were soon lost in the la- 
 bjTintha of tlie Bocage, without any clew to guide
 
 to uetui:at of tiik army of anjou. 
 
 tiieir retreat, and fell by small detachments into the 
 hands of the peasants, or found themselves, without 
 knowing it, near a village, at tlie mercy of its inha- 
 bitants. When our people, on the contrary, had 
 failed in an attack, they dispersed Avithout the ene- 
 my being able to overtake them, leaped over hedges, 
 took by-paths, and returaed home in the hope of 
 mustering again in a few days, and being more suc- 
 cessful. They were not discouraged, and repeated 
 as tliey went, " Vive le JRoi f qiuind meme''* 
 
 But the great and principal cause of the first suc- 
 cess in La Vendee, was the courage and devotion 
 of the royalists. The republican troops were com- 
 posed of raw volunteers, or national guards ; and 
 enthusiasm did not supply in them ability and ex- 
 perience as among our brave peasants. It was nei- 
 ther their ot\ti will, nor the desire of defending 
 their religion, their children, or their chief, that had 
 enlisted the soldiers of the republic. RequLsitions, 
 and measures of terror, had filled tlieir ranks ; they, 
 indeed, often fought reluctantly. Their generals 
 received, without ceasing, contradictory orders from 
 tlie administrators or commissaries ; and tJiey were 
 often displaced without reason, as they had been 
 appointed without merit. Weakness and incapa- 
 city presided in all their councils, as much as cruel- 
 ty and injustice. 
 
 After the engagement at Aubiers, we expected 
 that the rebels would follow up their successes, and 
 reach Bressuire ; but Henri thought it was neces- 
 sary' first to extricate the army of Anjou out of the 
 desperate situation in which he had left it. 
 
 • Qiuind 7/ieme means hcxtnctwiihstanding. This by-word 
 has been adopted on a late occasion by the Royalist party in 
 the Chamber of Deputies — Traiislator.
 
 ARMY OF A.NJUU HEPAIRS ITS LOSSES. "TT 
 
 He travelled all night to overtake MM. de Bon- 
 champ and d'Elbee ; and cairied them reinforce- 
 ments, and also the cannon and ammunition he had 
 taken. 
 
 The parishes of Anjou began to assemble again 
 with fresh ardour ; and, when the army was suffi- 
 ciently strong, attacked the Blues, and fought them 
 everywhere. ChoUet, Chemille, and all the places 
 they had quitted, were retaken without much loss. 
 M. de Bonchamp was slightly wounded in one of 
 these engagements. For some time after the over- 
 thi-ow at Aubiers, agitation and disturbances reign- 
 ed in Bressuire, and among the republican troops. 
 A reinforcement of fom- hundred Maiseil'ais arri- 
 ved there, and insisted on putting the prisoners to 
 death. They marched to the prison, and in spite 
 of the orders of General Quetineau, and the resist- 
 ance of all the authorities, they seized eleven un- 
 fortunate peasants, who had been taken in their beds 
 some days before, because ^hey were suspected of 
 a correspondence with the rebels. These poor men 
 passed under our windows, on their way to execu- 
 tion. When there, they were drawn up in a line ; 
 and the commandant of the Marseillais asked, if any 
 persons were desirous of joining the soldiers in the 
 execution ? This excited horror in the inhabitants 
 of the country ; yet some people from St Jean 
 d'Angely chose to join the Marseillais. The mayor 
 of Bressuire still attempted to save the victims, but 
 he was seized and carried off. They cut down the 
 peasants with their sabres, who received death on 
 their knees in prayer, and repeating " Vive le Roi ! " 
 
 We expected a similar death. It appeared im- 
 possible to avoid it. But happily the Marseillais 
 were ignorant of our retreat ; and the patriots of
 
 78 MASSACRE AT BIIESSUIRE. 
 
 Bres8uire and the country were incapable of betray- 
 ing us. Our host, in particular, was full of zeal and 
 anxiety for our safety. Two or three days after, he 
 brought us one of the commissaries of the depart- 
 ment, a foolish and tallvative young man, but who 
 seemed to favour us. He said, that the war had 
 rendered the anest of the nobles (gentry) neces- 
 saiy ; but that it was not he wlio had mshed to take 
 this step towards us, although it had been thought 
 extraordinary to see persons at liberty so natui-ally 
 suspected as we were. He added, that the war 
 was near a conclusion ; tliat the woods and enclo- 
 sures were to be razed, the inhabitants decimated, 
 and the rest sent into the interior of France. *' It 
 is unpleasant," added he, " to come to this deter- 
 mination ; but we are forced to it by the fanaticism 
 of the peasants, who, in other respects, are good 
 people. There is no instance in tliis country of a 
 tenant deceiving his landlord." He further said, 
 " Was it not a son of M. de Larochejaquelein who 
 commanded at Aubiers ? Do you know him ?" 
 »' Yes," answered M. de Lescure. — " He is your 
 relation too ? " " He is." I trembled during this 
 dialogue ; but the unembarrassed and cool manner 
 of IVI. de Lescure prevented any suspicion in the 
 commissary, who besides had come from Niort, and 
 did not know that Hemi had hvcd at Clisson. 
 
 There was so much alarm in the to^\'n and 
 army, that nobody thought of us. The confusion 
 that prevailed in all the proceedings, and in the 
 public mind, saved us as by a miracle. Every 
 moment troops were aniving, and sometimes a pa- 
 nic seized the iidiabitantR. Tliese were oiu" happy 
 moments. We hoped the town was on the j)oint 
 of being taken, and threw aside all idea of the dan-
 
 BRESSUIRE. 19 
 
 ger we might run in the attack. M. de Lescure 
 had no other expectation of deliverance, and looked 
 for it as a means of joining the royalist army, and 
 even wished to anticipate the moment, by escaping 
 from Bressuire. He could not bear the idea of 
 Wing kept inactive ; and certainly had they trans- 
 ferred us to Niort, as was spoken of, he would ra- 
 ther have died than been led there, and thus have 
 lost the hope he had in the promises of Henri. It 
 was during this crisis we saw the Abbe Desessarts 
 arrive. He was arrested at Poitiers, owing to the 
 discover)'' of a con-espondence with an emigrant ; 
 and the representatives of the people gave him his 
 choice between death, or enrolling himself in a re- 
 giment. He put on the uniform, and was sent to 
 Bressuire ; then secretly came to see us, and con- 
 certed with my husband the means of rejoining the 
 Vendeens. It was decided, however, that they 
 would not thus hazard either their own lives or 
 om-s, unless we should be transferred to Niort. 
 
 Every night there were new arrests. Citizens sus- 
 pected of aristocracy, and doubtful patriots, were 
 imprisoned. They w^ere on the point of making the 
 generous mayor, who had opposed the massacre, 
 share the same fate. Amidst increasing persecu- 
 tions, Providence continued to preserve us. 
 
 WTiilst every day added to om* fears, a new in- 
 cident occurred to redouble them. My mother re- 
 ceived, by post, a letter from an emigrant priest in 
 Spain, saying, in a very ill-concealed manner, that 
 a counter revolution was infallible, and that she 
 might make herself easy. 
 
 The very next day our letters were opened at the 
 post-office, and sent us unsealed. We trembled lest 
 a similar one to that of the priest's should arrive,
 
 80 BllESSUlKE. 
 
 and we were not even certain that it had not been 
 read. 
 
 During this period, efforts for recruiting were 
 continued in the parishes, which had not yet risen, 
 but, so far from succeeding, they only augmented 
 the number of rebels. The peasants were inflexible 
 on this point » nothing could make them submit to 
 the drafting. I shall cite two examples which took 
 place, near the conclusion of our stay at Bressuire. 
 
 The little ])arish of Beaulieu received notice of 
 the day on which the drafting was to take place. 
 When the day arrived, not a single man was to be 
 found in the village; the women alone remained. It 
 was signified to them, that if the men did not return 
 by the next day, the village should be burnt. The 
 next day the houses were found deserted, and not 
 a woman or child was to be seen. The village wa3 
 burnt to the ground. After tliis terrible execution, 
 tliey summoned in tlie same manner the parish of 
 Saint- Sauveur. But notwithstanding the example 
 of Beaulieu, all the inhabitants disappeared, except 
 the mayor, who remained with some women, to at- 
 tempt saving the village. They arrested him, and 
 were on the point of setting fire to it, when they 
 were stopped by learning that the royalists were 
 near Bressuire. 
 
 On the first of May 1793, the agitation and dis- 
 order increased at Bressuire, in consequence of a 
 report that the brigands had attacked Argenton-Ie- 
 Chateau : in the evening it was known they had 
 succeeded, and were directing their course towards 
 Bressuire, and within three leagues of it. The 
 troops were put under arms, but so panic-struck, 
 that General Quetineau found great difhculty in 
 forcing th« cavahy to reconnoitre. A few horsemen
 
 BRESSUIRE. 8! 
 
 went a short way, and returned precipitately, saying 
 they had seen at a distance a column of the enemy. 
 On Quetineau going himself, he discovered it was 
 a peasant ploughing his field with eight oxen I 
 Through the night, the fears of the republicans in- 
 creased every moment; and the expectation of being 
 either massacred or carried away, kept us in ago- 
 nizing terrors. At last, at break of day, the troops 
 began to evacuate the town silently. General Que- 
 tineau, seeing the disposition of his soldiers, deter- 
 mined to retreat to Thouars. He had five thousand 
 men, but he could not depend on them for the de- 
 fence of Bressuire, the walls of which were in ruins. 
 The castle stood in a good situation ; but it was also 
 in a state of dilapidation, as it had never been re- 
 paired since Duguesclin had taken it by assault 
 from the Englisli. 
 
 The retreat was tumultuous. In order that it 
 might not be retarded, and from want of better 
 means to carry off ammunition, Quetineau had di- 
 rected that each soldier should take four balls in his 
 knapsack ; but they left almost the whole at Bres- 
 suire. The military chest even had been left be- 
 hind, and a detachment came back to fetch it. Al- 
 most all the colours were abandoned. A great part 
 of the Marseillais deserted. Most of the inhabitants 
 followed General Quetineau, or fled to the neigh- 
 bouring towns. During this retreat we expected 
 our fate, not supposing we could be overlooked en- 
 tirely. Our window-shutters were closed, and every 
 time we heard a company halt before our door, wo 
 believed they came to seize us. At last, by degrees, 
 the town became deserted, without their having 
 thought of us, and we remained free. 
 
 The prisoners of La Foret had been canied to
 
 83 REPUBLICANS ArJANOON' TilK TOWN. 
 
 Niort, and thence to Angouleine, but none of theni 
 were killed. Our host came and beg-ged of us to 
 grant liim an asylum at Clisson. lie feared the town 
 would be burned and sacked by the royalists, in re- 
 venge for the massacre of prisoners twice repeated 
 at Bressuire, latterly by the Marseillais. He told 
 M. de Lescure that the brigands loved the iiohlesse, 
 and respected their dwellings. Many otlier inha- 
 bitants solicited the same favour. M. de Lescure 
 said lie would be l)a[)py to receive all wlio came to 
 him, but that he could not conceive what advantage 
 they could hope for in choosing that retreat. He 
 then sent to Clisson for carts to convey the effects 
 of those to whom he granted an asylum. 
 
 At eleven o'clock we were informed that the 
 town was completely evacuated, and almost totally 
 abandoned. We descended, and traversed the streets, 
 where we saw only some women in tears. After 
 passing the gates, M. de Lescure and I, leaving be- 
 hind us my father and mother, who walked more 
 leisurely, took by-paths, and arrived alone at Clis- 
 Bon. It is almost impossible to conceive what our 
 feelings were on this deliverance ! We could hardly 
 credit the reality ! We found at Clisson MM.De- 
 sessarts, D'Auzon, 8cc. Tlie Abbe Dcsessarts, who 
 since has always called himself Le Chevalier, had 
 found means to desert, and joined us the same day. 
 The chateau was also filled with fugitives from Bres- 
 Bulre. Towards the middle of the day we received 
 intelligence that the royalists liad changed their di- 
 rection, and were not marching to Bressuire. M. de 
 Lescure determined immediately on sending round 
 to nil the neighbouring parishes to inform the pea- 
 sants of an appointed place of rendezvous, and where 
 x\\ey sJ)mild find leaders. He then set out instantJy
 
 CLISSON. 83 
 
 for Ch&tillon, to obtain there ammunition and re- 
 inforcements, so as to occupy Bressuire before the 
 Blues could return. 
 
 We began to make all the preparations. M. de 
 Lescure had not communicated his designs except 
 to M. de Marigiiy, the Chevalier Desessarts, and 
 me. My parents had the same sentiments, but they 
 had not the same youthful ardour. We concealed 
 ourselves from them, fearing their objections and 
 remonstrances. We foui- shut om-selves up in an 
 apartment : and although the chateau was full of 
 patriot refugees, the gentlemen practised the exer- 
 cise, and I made white cockades. 
 
 About four o'clock M. de Lescure went to tell 
 my mother that all the preparations were ready for 
 escorting the women to Chatillon. " But if the pa- 
 triots return to Bressuire," said she, "what will be- 
 come of us ?"' — " By dawn to-morrow," replied M. 
 de Lescure, " I shall be master of Bressuire. Forty 
 parishes revolt this night by my orders." — " Ah I" 
 cried my mother, sinking back, " we are lost '"' She 
 represented to him that he had not taken these mea- 
 sures \\ath pnidence or deliberation ; that he was 
 ignorant of the position of either the royalist or re- 
 publican armies ; — that probably there would be 
 messengers from Parthenay to arrest us ; — and that 
 the parishes would rise without doubt, but with no 
 chance of success if left to themselves. M. de Le- 
 scure could not listen to these observations ; for he 
 had suffered too much by remaining passively at 
 home, and by having, in consequence of our first 
 entreaties, delayed so long joining the revolt. He 
 derived hope from the terror he had observed among 
 the republican troops ; as to his family, he thought 
 he could find a place of Bafety for them ; and, finally.
 
 84 CLISSOX RISING OF THE PKASANTKY. 
 
 it appeared to him that if all tlie possible chances 
 were so accurately weighed, no resistance to op- 
 pression could ever be undertaken. Once bee^in, 
 it must be carried tlu-ough ; reason and courage then 
 reconcile us with necessity ; but a certain degree of 
 daring temerity is requisite at first ; self-devotion 
 and enthusiasm must have the lead, and are, in fact, 
 the true foundation of such enterprises. 
 
 MM. de Lescure and de Marignyset out, mount- 
 ed on excellent horses. Scai'ce were they gone, 
 when I saw a patriot from Bressuire steal trembling 
 into the chateau, repeating, " They are there I they 
 are there !" "Who?" " The brigands are at Bres- 
 suire," replied he. Leaving the patriot to lament 
 with the other townspeople, I sent instantly after 
 M. de Lescure, who found me, on liis return, con- 
 versing with the terrified patriots. At the same 
 moment, one of the farmers, who had gone for their 
 effects, came back from Bressuire, and said that the 
 brigands had taken his oxen, but that, on learning 
 that they belonged to M. de Lescm*e, they said they 
 would restore them, on a note from him. " I see 
 you were right,'' said M. de Lescure, smiling, to 
 the people of Bressuire, " I perceive the brigands 
 have indeed a liking for us gentry. I shall send for 
 my oxen, and save your property at the same time. 
 You may remain here without apprehension." 
 
 After their second departure, less hazai'dous than 
 the first, I reflected that, if the royalists should ar- 
 rive without ^L de Larochejaquelein at their head, 
 they might be displeased with finding the chateau 
 full of patriots. To guard against this, I first made 
 all the refugees take off their cockades, observing, 
 that it would not be pmdent to show signs of par- 
 ticular opinion, when not prepared to defend them.
 
 ROYALISTS ENTER BRESSUIRE. 85 
 
 1 then placed them all in a wing of the chateau, 
 with injunctions to remain quiet. My father and 
 mother were with my aunt, who was ill; and, haying- 
 ordered every one to keep within doors, fearing 
 some imprudence, I happened to be alone in the 
 court, more from agitation than courage, when I 
 heard the galloping of horses, and cries of " Vive le 
 Roi !" It was 31. de Lescure and M. de Marigny 
 returning with M. de Larochejaquelein ; they had 
 met on the way with three other horsemen. At the 
 sound of "Vive le Roi!" all the inhabitants of the 
 chateau poured out. Henri thi'ew himself into our 
 arms, with tears in his eyes, and calling out, "I have 
 then delivered you !" 
 
 During this joy, the patriots of Bressuire opened 
 gently their door, and saw, to their great surprise, 
 that it was ourselves, and all the people of the cha- 
 teau, who repeated, " Vive le Roi !" M. de Le- 
 scure told their story to Henri, who said, the asylum 
 was indeed well chosen, and that they had done 
 mosfrwisely, to shelter themselves from the brigands 
 in their own chateau ! We then offered to embrace 
 some of the women, to reconcile them to the bri- 
 gands ; but they looked upon us as a species of mon- 
 sters ! We were all in a state of ecstasy. 
 
 Hem-i gave us many particulars respecting the 
 army, praising, above all, the valour and enthusiasm 
 of the peasants. W^e learned that there were seve- 
 ral corps of rebels, commanded by different chiefs; 
 that almost all were successful, but that no regular 
 correspondence existed between them. He told us 
 also, that ISl. de ChaiTette, one of the principal 
 leaders, had sui-prised L'lle de Noirmoutier. We 
 asked how they had procured ammunition. He 
 told us, that, at the attack of Argenton, each can- 
 
 H
 
 86 ROYALISTS ENTER BRESSUIRF. 
 
 non could only fire three times ; but they had found 
 powder there, and had then twelve charges, and 
 had never before been so rich. These details, which 
 previously would have been terrifying, noxv height- 
 ened our joy. Even my mother Iierself said, there 
 ought now to be no hcsiiation ; and that it was the 
 duty of every gentleman to take arms. The traits 
 of bravery among the peasants, related by Henri, 
 filled us with admiration, and I gave myself up to 
 hope with all the eagerness of youth. 
 
 Henri introduced to us a young man who accom- 
 panied him, M. Forestier. He was the son of a 
 shoemaker of Chaudron, but had been brought up 
 by M. de Dommaigne, and followed him from the 
 beginning of the insurrection. He was seventeen, 
 extremely handsome, and had just finished his stu- 
 dies. Henri said he was an othcer in the Vendeen 
 cavalry, very brave, and much esteemed by all the 
 officers and soldiers. 
 
 M. de Lescure, Henri, and M. Forestier, set out 
 soon after for Bressuire. M. de Lescure was ©ager 
 to join the generals, and to be acquainted with them. 
 My father, MM. de Marigny and Desessarts, were 
 also to join them the next day. It was agreed that 
 my mother and I, the women and old men, should 
 leave Clisson, and remove to the Chateau de la 
 Boulaye, belonging to M. d'Auzon, situated in the 
 parish of Mallievre, between Herbiers and Chatil- 
 lon, in the centre of the insurgent country.
 
 [ 87 ] 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 THE V£NDEENS OCCUPY BBESSUIRE. — J>CCOUNT OF 
 THE ROYALIST ARMY. 
 
 Early in the momlng I received a note from 
 M. de Leseure, desiring me to expect him with 
 Henri and twenty-four dragoons at CHsson. They 
 brought with them the Chevalier de Beauvolliers, 
 a yoimg man of eighteen, who had been enhsted 
 by force at Loudun, and sent to Bressuire. In the 
 evening on which tlie town was evacuated, he found 
 means of quitting his corps, and galloped full speed 
 to carry the intelligence to the rebels. His gen- 
 darme uniform procured him a bad reception from 
 the first soldiers he met ; but a peasant officer, 
 who was among them, was more disposed to trust 
 him. M. de Beauvolliers proposed to him to go 
 and cut down the tree of liberty at Bressuire. The 
 peasant said, ** Come along, then ; but if you de- 
 ceive me, I shall blow your brains out." " Agreed," 
 answered M. de B. " for I am neither a traitor nor 
 a poltroon." He was full of bravery and gentle- 
 ness, and became aide-de-camp and intimate friend 
 of M. de Leseure. None of the other dragoons 
 who came with these gentlemen had any military 
 or very respectable appearance. Their horses were 
 of all colours and sizes ; some had pack-saddles, 
 with ropes for stuTups ; wooden shoes for boots, 
 pistols at their girdles, with guns and sabres sus- 
 pended by pack-threads ! Some had white cock-
 
 88 VENDEENS OCCUPY UllESSUIKH. 
 
 ades, otliers black or green. All of them, liow- 
 ever, liad a consecrated heart sewed upon their 
 coats, and a chaplet hanging at their buttons. In 
 contempt of the Blues, they had fastened to their 
 horses' tails tri-coloured cockades, and epaulettes 
 taken from them. The officers were a little better 
 equipped than the soldiers, but had no distinguish- 
 ing mark. This troop came for the purpose of 
 showing tliemselves at the gates of Parthenay, that 
 the march of the army towards Thouars might be 
 the better concealed. 
 
 The soldiers sat down to breakfast ; the pea- 
 sants from the neighbouring parishes crowded from 
 all parts to join them. Women came with hatchets 
 in their hands, after having cut down the tree of 
 liberty. The chateau was full of people, who ate, 
 drank, sung, and repeated with acclamations, " Vive 
 le Roil" Meanwhile M. de Lescurc informed us, 
 that he had been received with open arms at Bres- 
 suire : That he was considered as the chief of all 
 the parishes in the Canton, and appointed one of 
 the council of war. My father, MM. de Marigny 
 and Desessarts, were expected with impatience. 
 Good officers were much in request, as the array 
 was very deficient in that respect. 
 
 In the midst of this conversation, we Iieard a 
 violent tumult in the court. The Vendeens had 
 tied their horses there, and, according to custom, 
 left no sentinels. Three inhabitants of Bressuire, 
 whose wdves were sheltered at Clisson, had come 
 for them. They were in the uniform of the na- 
 tional guard, well armed, and on horseback. See- 
 ing so many horses in the court, they imagined, 
 without examination, that a detachment from Par- 
 thenay liad come to carry us away ; and on meet'
 
 VENDEENS OCCUPY BIIESSUIRE. 89 
 
 iiig a servant boy of fifteen, addressed him with, 
 *' Good day, citizen." The child called out, *' There 
 are no citizens here. Vive le Roi ! To arms! See 
 the Blues !" Instantly the peasants rushed furi- 
 ously out with their sabres. My father and I ran, 
 and threw ourselves between them and the three 
 men they were going to attack. We explained to 
 the peasants that these men only came to carry 
 away their wives, who were now on their knees 
 supplicating mercy ; but they would listen to no- 
 thing, till M. de Larochejaquelein addressed them. 
 While he spoke, we made the three men enter the 
 house, change their dress, and put on the white 
 cockade; but, to calm the peasants, they were 
 obliged to spit upon the tri-coloured cockade, and 
 call out, *' Vive le Roi 1" Towards mid-day M. 
 de Lescure and Hemi set out for Parthenay, and 
 we for Bressuu'e; giving permission to the refugee 
 patriots to remain at Clisson as long as they should 
 consider themselves more in safety there than else- 
 where. They were honest and peaceable people. 
 
 We went in a carriage escorted by armed ser- 
 vants, and, as we drew near the town, perceived 
 the Vendeens. They knew who we were, and be- 
 gan to call cut " Vive le Roi I" We repeated it 
 with them, shedding tears of joy. I perceived 
 about fifty on their knees at the foot of the cruci- 
 fix. Nothing interrupted their devotion. 
 
 The town was occupied by about twenty thou- 
 sand men, but of whom not more than six thousand 
 had fire-arms. The rest carried scythes fixed on 
 handles, (a frightful-looking weapon,) blades of 
 knives, sickles fixed on sticks, spits, or gieat mas- 
 sy clubs of knotted wood. All the peasants were 
 intoxicated with joy, and believed themselves in- 
 h2
 
 UO VENDEENS OCCUPY BRESSUIRE. 
 
 vincible. The streets were full, the bells ning:, 
 and they had made a bonfire in the square with 
 the tree of liberty and the papers of the admini- 
 stration. 
 
 The gentlemen went to seek the generals, and I 
 walked about the town with my maids. The pea- 
 sants asked me if I had been at Bressuire before. 
 I told them of my having been a prisoner there, 
 and how they had delivered me. They were all 
 happy to have saved a lady. They told me the 
 emigrants were going to return, and assist them in 
 restoring tlieir king and their religion. They then 
 desired to show me Marie-Jeanne, a twelve-poun- 
 der, from the Chateau de Richelieu, where it had 
 originally been placed by the cardinal with five 
 others. It was of very fine workmanship, and 
 loaded with ornaments and inscriptions to the glo- 
 ry of Louis XIII. and the Cardinal. The repub- 
 licans had taken this cannon from Richelieu, to 
 employ it against the brigands, by wliom it was 
 captured in the first engagement at Chollet. This 
 cannon had received, for I know not what reason, 
 ♦he name of Marie- Jeanne ; was supposed to pos- 
 Kess some miraculous power, and looked upon as 
 a sure pledge of victory. I found it adorned with 
 flowers and ribands. The peasants embraced it, 
 and requested me to do so likewise, with which I 
 complied most willingly. 
 
 There were thirteen other pieces of different 
 calibres. In the evening I was both fiui*j)rised and 
 edified to see all the soldiers who lodged in the 
 same Iiouse with us, kneel, and repeat a prayer, 
 which one of them read aloud. I understood they 
 never failed to perform this devotion three timea 
 a-day.
 
 VENDEENS OCCUPY BRESSUIRE. 91 
 
 Their bravery and enthusiasm had not destroyed 
 their natural mildness ; and their love and respect 
 for religion, though not much enlightened, promo- 
 ted this disposition. In the first months of the 
 war, before the atrocities of the republicans had 
 excited the desire of revenge, or suggested the ne- 
 cessity of reprisals, the Vendeen army was as dis- 
 tinguished for its vii-tues, as admirable for its va- 
 lour. And even after the cruelties of the republi- 
 cans, similar excesses did not often stain the vic- 
 tories of the royalists. Though they took towns 
 by storm, they neither pillaged nor maltreated the 
 vanquished, nor did they exact either ransoms »r 
 contributions ; the inhabitants of the coimtry, at 
 least, were never guilty of these excesses. 
 
 Some young Srefon deserters, who had passed 
 the Loire, to evade the recruiting, and, therefore, 
 could not draw their subsistence from theii* homes, 
 were not always as irreproachable, but they were 
 severely punished. In the divisions of Bas-Poitou, 
 and the coimty of Nantes, tilings were not thus 
 managed, and some disorders were committed. 
 
 Dming the day I passed at Bressuire, I could 
 observe these characteristic features in the Ven- 
 deen soldiers. They detested the town, from the 
 massacres that liad been committed in it by the 
 troops ; yet never thought of doing the least injury 
 to an inhabitant, only demolishing the external 
 walls of the town. In the house where we were 
 lodged, and in the very apaiiment I was in, there 
 were many soldiers. I heard them lamenting the 
 want of tobacco ; and asked whether there was 
 none in the town. They replied, " There is plen- 
 ty to be sold, but we have no money." I sent, and 
 supplied^ them. Two dragoons quarrelled in th©
 
 92 ROYALIST ARMY. 
 
 street, under our windows. One of t)iem drew his 
 sabre, and wounded the other slightly ; the latter 
 was going to return the stroke, when my father 
 stopped his arm, saying, " Jesus Christ pardoned 
 his murderers; shall a soldier of the Catholic army 
 take away the life of liis comrade ?" Tliey in- 
 stantly desisted, and embraced each other I I ne- 
 ver heard of any duels in our army. No one ever 
 tliought of displaying liis courage, but against the 
 enemy. 
 
 The army which occupied Bressuire was compo- 
 sed of parishes bordering on Anjou, which, joined 
 to those which M. de Loscure had raised, formed 
 the Grand Army. Generally it had about 20,000 
 men ; but on important occasions it could easily bo 
 doubled. This army had most enemies to encoun- 
 ter, and met with the greatest successes. It acted 
 generally in concert witli the division of M. de 
 Bonchamp, which might be considered as forming 
 a part of it. This division belonged to the parish- 
 es that border on the Loire, near Saint Florent. 
 The Bretons, who crossed the river, joined it. It 
 consisted of 10,000 or 12,000 men. They were 
 mostly opposed to the republicans who occupied 
 Angers. 
 
 M. de Charrette commanded in the marsh along 
 the coast. He had 20,000 men at most, and had 
 to oppose the garrisons of Nantes and Sables. In 
 tlie same districts there were tluee or four small 
 bodies commanded by MM. de la Catheliniere, 
 Jolly and Savin, acting often in concert with M. 
 de Chfu-rette. M. de lloyrand occupied Montaigu, 
 and the adjacent districts. His division consisted 
 of 12,000 jnen, opposed to the troops stationed at 
 Luyon Between Nantes and Montaigu, MM. do
 
 ROYALIST ARMY. 93 
 
 L}Tot and d'lsigny had three or four thousand 
 men, and had to defend the country on the side of 
 Nantes. 
 
 The grand army was supported by these divi- 
 sions behind, but it had to defend a very extensive 
 line, and was unprotected to the north and to the 
 south. The republicans could attack it from Fon- 
 tenay, Parthenay, Airvault, Thouars,Vihiers, Doue, 
 and Brissac ; and it successively carried and occu- 
 pied these towns. 
 
 No general had yet been appointed. The sol- 
 diers followed the chiefs in whom they had confi- 
 dence, and these managed very well among them- 
 selves, without any reference to military rank. 
 
 M. de Bonchamp, chief of the army of Anjou, was 
 thirty-two years of age, and had served with dis- 
 tinction in India, under M. de Suffrein. His va- 
 lour and talents Avere unquestioned ; he was con- 
 sidered as one of the most able of the chiefs ; and 
 his troops as the best disciplined. He had no am- 
 bition, no pretensions, was gentle, of an easy tem- 
 per, much loved by the army, and possessing its 
 confidence. But he had the misfortune of being 
 wounded in most of the engagements, and the ar- 
 my was often deprived of his presence. Owing to 
 this circumstance, I never happened to see him. 
 
 There were excellent ofiicers in his division ; 
 the two de Fleurions, who were old military men, 
 and supplied his place when absent ; MM. Soyer, 
 Maiiin, and M. de Scepaux, brother-in-law to M. 
 de Bonchamp, &c. all brave and devoted to the 
 cause. 
 
 In the grand army, the principal chief at this 
 time was M. d'Elbee, who commanded particularly 
 the people aioimd Chollet and Beaupreau. He had
 
 94 ROYALIST ARMY. 
 
 bceu a sub- lieutenant, and retired for some years; 
 was forty, of a small stature, extremely devout, 
 enthusiastic, and possessed an extraordinary and 
 calm courage. His vanity, liowever, was easily 
 wounded, which made him irritable, although ce- 
 remoniously polite. He had some ambition, but 
 narrow, as well as all his vieAvs. His tactics con- 
 sisted in rushint^ on with these words, " My friends, 
 Providence will give us the victory !" His piety 
 was very sincere ; but as he saw it was a means of 
 attaching and animating the peasants, he carried it 
 to a degree of affectation and chailatanry, often 
 ridiculous. He had about his person images of 
 saints, read sermons and exhortations to the sol- 
 diers, and, above all^ spoke incessantly of Provi- 
 dence^ and to such a degree, that the peasants, much 
 as they loved him, and respected everything con- 
 nected with religion, called him, without meaning 
 a joke, " General Providence" In spite of these 
 little foibles, ]\I. d'Elbee was in reality so estimable 
 and virtuous a man, that he inspired every one 
 witli respect and attachment. 
 
 Stofflet was at the head of the parishes on the 
 side of Maulevrier. He was from Alsace, and had 
 served in a Swiss regiment. Since the revolt be- 
 gan, he had been garde-chasse of the chateau Mau- 
 levrier. He was a large and muscular man, forty 
 years of age. The soldiers did not like him, as he 
 was harsh, and absolutely brutal ; but they obeyed 
 him better than any other officer, which rendered 
 him extremely useful. He was active, intelligent, an(J 
 brave, and the generals had great confidence in him. 
 Since that period he has discovered a foolish and 
 unbounded ambition, which irgured himself and the
 
 leadehs op the royamst army. 95 
 
 army ; but at that time, as at all others, he was 
 devoted to the cause v/ithout thinking of himself. 
 
 Cathelineau, aged thirty-four, commanded the 
 people of Pin, in Mauge, and its environs. He 
 was. as I said before, a simple peasant, who had 
 for some time been a pedlar in the woollen trade. 
 Never was there a more gentle, modest, or virtu- 
 ous man — perfectly unassuming, and commanding 
 the more respect on that account. He possessed 
 a very superior understanding, a powerful elo- 
 quence, and natural talents for war. The peasants 
 adored him, and felt towards him the most pro- 
 found respect. 
 
 His reputation for piety was such, that the sol- 
 diers called him " The SaintofAnjou ;" and placed 
 themselves, when they could, near him in battle, 
 imagining that they could not be wounded at the 
 side of so holy a man. 
 
 When M. de Lescure was with the army, he was 
 also called " The Saint of Poitou ;' and they felt 
 for him, as for Cathelineau, a sort of religious ve- 
 neration. 
 
 M. de laRochejaquelein was chief of the parishes 
 around Chatillon. His courage was ardent and rash, 
 which acquired him the title of " The Intrepid^ 
 In battle he had a just and quick eye ; his mea- 
 sures were prompt and able, and he always inspired 
 the soldiers with ardour and confidence ; but he 
 was blamed for exposing himself to danger without 
 necessity ; going too far ; often engaging in per- 
 sonal combat with the enemy, and pursuing Iiim, 
 when defeated, without any regard to his own safe- 
 ty. He was thought to attend too little to the dis- 
 cussions of the council of war. In reality, he found 
 them oft^n idle and useless, and was apt to fall
 
 90 LEADERS OF THE ROYALIST AKMY. 
 
 asleep after having delivered liis o])inion. To theso 
 charges he only answered, " Why wns I made a 
 general ? jNIy only wish is to be a hussar, that 1 
 may have the pleasure of fighting ! " 
 
 Notwithstanding this natural taste for fighting, 
 he was full of gentleness and humanity ; and, the 
 battle over, felt nothmg but pity for the vanquish- 
 ed. In taking a prisoner, lie sometimes offered to 
 fight him singly. 
 
 The bravery of M. de Lescure did not resemble 
 his cousin's, for it never betrayed him out of his 
 habitual coolness ; and even when he showed te- 
 merity, he never ceased to be calm and collected. 
 He was the best informed officer in the army : for, 
 having always had a taste for military studies, he 
 had pursued them with zeal. He was famihar with 
 all the publications on tactics ; and he alone under- 
 stood something of fortification. When the en- 
 trenchments of the republicans were to be attack- 
 ed, his advice was always deemed necessary. Al- 
 though so much loved and respected, he was 
 thought tenacious of his opinions. But in his hu- 
 manity, there was something angelic and wonder- 
 ful ! In a war in which the generals were soldiers, 
 and fought frequently man to man, no one ever re- 
 ceived death from the hand of M. de Lescure. 
 Never did he allow, when in his power to prevent 
 it, a prisoner to perish or be ill treated — even 
 when the horrible massacres of the republicans 
 tempted the mildest of our officers to retaliate. 
 A man once fired close to his breast. Putting 
 aside the gun, he said, " Take away this prison- 
 er ;" but the enraged peasants killed him instant- 
 ly. He had never been seen so angry on any occa- 
 sion, nor had an oath ever escaped from him be-
 
 LEADERS OF THE ROYALIST ARMY. 97 
 
 fore. The number of lives he saved was astonish- 
 ing ; and his memory is cherished and venerated 
 by all parties throughout La Vendee. Of all those 
 who distinguished themselves in this war, none 
 acquired a purer glory. 
 
 MM. de la Rochejaquelein and de Lescure were 
 united as brothers. Their names were always men- 
 tioned together ; and their friendship was celebra- 
 ted through the whole army. With different cha- 
 racters, they had the same simplicity, the same 
 gentleness, the same absence of ambition or vanity. 
 Henri said, " If we re-establish the King upon the 
 throne, he will grant me a regiment of hussars." 
 The wishes of M. de Lescure were not less modest. 
 
 My father had not at first any particular com- 
 mand, although he was a Marechai-de- Camp, and 
 had seen service in Germany. A stranger to the 
 country, he did not desire to be a general in chief, 
 but only to do his duty in the army. He was much 
 respected in the council, but meddled little ; and 
 he anticipated the deplorable issue of the war. He 
 cared so little about making himself of consequence, 
 that when he airived at Bressuire, and M. d'Elbee 
 said to him, with an air of protection^ that he would 
 take care the King should know of those who de- 
 served reward ; and that he possessed powerful in- 
 terest by means of a relation of his who was INIas- 
 ter of the horse to the Prince of Conde 4 my father 
 did not even let him know that he had passed all 
 his life at Court, and never thought of turning into 
 ridicule the offers of M. d'Elbee ; simply answer- 
 ing, that he wished nothing but the honour of ser- 
 ving the King. 
 
 INI. de Marigny was appointed general of the ar- 
 tillery, and understood perfectly tliis branch of the
 
 98 LEADERS OF THE ROYALIST ARMY. 
 
 military art. During the war witli England, he had 
 been engaged in many disembarlvations, and bad 
 more experience than most of tlie officers ; but, 
 with great bravery, bis lieat and rashness made him 
 oftefi lose bis judgement, and injure the cause, to 
 which, however, his talents had boon still more fre- 
 quently useful. To this impetuosity, also, must be 
 attributed his severity and inliumanity towards the 
 vanquished. lie scarcely ever spnred them, and 
 was deaf to our expostulations, tliinldng it was use- 
 ful to the party. To this idea, firmly established 
 in his mind, the cruelties of a man hitherto so good- 
 natured, must be attributed. He always was kind 
 to our soldiers. 
 
 M. Dommaigne was general of the cavalry, and 
 was a brave and wortliy man. 
 
 M. de Boisy was always considered as one of 
 our generals, though prevented by bad health fi*om 
 being very useful. M. Duhoux d'Hautrive, bro- 
 ther-in-law to M. d'Elbee, and Chevalier de St 
 Louis, also a good of^cer, was not frequently with 
 the army. IVIany officers, even among those who 
 showed some talents, had no distinct place in the 
 army ; but fought where they happened to be want- 
 ed, and (lid whatever they were ordered. The prin- 
 cipal of these were, MM. Forestier, Tonnelay, 
 Foret, Villeneuve du Cazeau, the brothers of Ca- 
 thelineau, le Chevalier Duhoux, le Chevalier De- 
 eessarts, MM. Guignard, Odaly, the brothers Cadi, 
 Bourasseau, &c. 
 
 Some of them were gentlemen ; othera only citi- 
 zens or peasants. To these officers many others 
 were often joined. All who had formerly served 
 in the army ; every gentleman or well informed 
 man ; every one in whom the peasants showed con-
 
 CHARACTER OF THE ARMY. 99 
 
 fidence ; every soldier who discovered bravery or 
 intelligence ; were officers by right. The generals 
 gave thern a commission, and they did their best. 
 A body of officers, tlius composed, were not likely 
 to act well together ; and the service might be sup- 
 posed to have been a scene of dissensions and mis- 
 understandings ; but the absence of all precise rules 
 arose from their being superfluous, or even hurtful. 
 There existed a mutual and perfect confidence 
 among them ; they had the same object in view, 
 the sailie devotedness ; each individual performed 
 the utmost in his power, without any need of his 
 duty being strictly prescribed to him. Vanity and 
 ambition were scarcely distinguishable ; and as 
 there were engagements with the enemy almost 
 every day, very little time remained for disputes 
 and the display of pretensions. If ambitious hopes 
 were formed, they were so remote that it would 
 have been ridiculous to speak of them. The diffe- 
 rences of personal rank and birth were forgotten. 
 A brave peasant, the tradesman of a small town, 
 were brothers in arms to a gentleman. They en- 
 countered the same dangers, led the same life, were 
 almost dressed in the same manner, and conversed 
 on the same topics common to all ; — this equality 
 was real, and perfectly fi-ee from affectation. 
 
 There were originally different shades of opinion 
 among the officers respecting the llevolution ; and 
 they had not all begun at the same period to detest 
 it ; but being now all agreed on the same point, and 
 having all sho^Ti the same zeal, the mere date of 
 their opinions could not be an object of invidious 
 distinction among them. 
 
 Such was, with a few exceptions, the character 
 of the chiefs and officers in the beginning of tlie
 
 100 CHARACTER OF THE ARMY. 
 
 wai-. The formation and discipline of the army pre- 
 sented a state of things no less peculiar. The army 
 was never assembled for more than three or four 
 days together. Whether the battle was gained or 
 lost, the object effected or not, nothing could pre- 
 vent the peasants returning to their homes ; and 
 the chiefs were left with some hundreds of desert- 
 ers, or strangers, without a home to go to : But, 
 whenever the army was wanted for some new en- 
 terprise, it was as readily formed again as it had 
 been dissolved. The chiefs sent to all the parishes ; 
 and the tocsin being sounded, and the peasants as- 
 sembled, a requisition, in the following terras, was 
 read to them : — 
 
 " In the holy name of God, and by the King, 
 this parish is invited to send as many men as pos- 
 sible to such a place, on such a day and hour, and 
 to bring provisions with tliem." The chief, in whose 
 command the parish lay, signed the requisition. It 
 was obeyed with alacrity by the peasants, who 
 even struggled for the privilege of going. Each 
 man brought bread with him, and the generals pro- 
 vided a certain quantity of provisions besides. The 
 grain and oxen necessary for the support of the 
 army were obtained from the gentlemen's estates, 
 or proprietors of land in general, emigrants and 
 others ; but there was seldom occasion to have re- 
 course to a requisition — for there was extreme 
 willingness to funiish what was necessary. The 
 rich people gave with the utmost liberality, and 
 the parishes assessed tliemselves to send carts with 
 bread to the army as it passed ; and the women 
 on their knees, telling their beads, watched upon 
 the roads to offer provisions to the soldiers. Those 
 who were able, gave to the full extent of their
 
 CHARACTER OF THE ARMY. 101 
 
 means, and there was no instance of want of pro- 
 visions. 
 
 As the army at that time had neither waggons nor 
 baggage, it may well be supposed tliere could be no 
 tents ; but the sick and wounded met with parti- 
 cular cai'e and attention. They were all, whether 
 royalists or republicans, transported to St Laurent 
 BUT Sevre, where they were attended by the sisters 
 of La Sagesse, a species of scaurs griseSy* who had 
 taken refuge there in great numbers, persecuted as 
 they were everj^'here else, and driven away from 
 their other houses. In the same to\\Ti the mission- 
 aries of St Esprit had dedicated themselves to the 
 same functions ; some following the army as surge- 
 ons, and others superintending small hospitals in 
 different places. 
 
 When the ai-my was assembled, it was divided 
 into different columns, for the attack of certain 
 points previously determined upon by the generals. 
 They said, *' M goes such a way, who fol- 
 lows him ?" Those soldiers who knew the officer, 
 joined immediately ; and when the requisite num- 
 ber was made up, no more men were received. 
 The chiefs, when they arrived at the point of at- 
 tack, formed the different companies in the same 
 manner. The soldiers were not told, " To the 
 right;" " To the left;" but, " Go towards that 
 hou5-e, — towards that great tree, — then to the at- 
 tack !" The peasants scai'cely ever omitted saying 
 their prayers before engaging, and almost all of 
 them made the sign of the cross, each time they 
 fired. 
 
 *\n order of nuns, whose vow3 were to attend th« sick. 
 I 2
 
 109 CHARACTER OF THE ARMY. 
 
 It was found impossible, even for money, to make 
 them' stand sentinel, or make a patrol. The of- 
 ficers were obliged to perform this duty, when ne- 
 cessary. They had some colours which they dis- 
 played on important occasions ; but wlien the vic- 
 tory was gained, the peasants huddled together 
 colours and drums into a cart, and returned in a 
 joyous crowd. As soon as the battle began, and 
 the musketry and artillery were heard, the wo- 
 men and children, and all the inhabitants not 
 engaged, repaired to the churches, or prostrated 
 themselves in the fields, to pray for the success of 
 our arms. And thus, through a whole country, 
 and at one moment^ there was but one thought, 
 one prayer I The fate of all hung upon the same 
 battle. 
 
 Such was the Vendeen army, the first months 
 of the war ; and when it is considered how little 
 common prudence, order, or calculation, contribu- 
 ted to its successes, they will appear still more 
 surprising. Very different ideas had been formed 
 of this insurrection. It was naiiu^ally supposed to 
 have been brought about by intiigue and deep ma- 
 noeuvring, and that the chiefs were skilful politi- 
 cians, of whom tlie peasants were the blind in- 
 stniments, and that the whole had been the result 
 of a great plan previously concerted. Nothing 
 could be more remote from the truth. The war 
 was rather defensive than offensive, wholly with- 
 out a plan, and liad scarcely any object but the 
 immediate security of the country. After conti- 
 nued successes, the hope of powerfully contribu- 
 ting to a counter revolution, assuredly presented 
 itself to all the Vendeens, but without ujfluencing 
 their conduct. During those short moments, in
 
 CHARACTER OF THE ARMY. 103 
 
 which they could mdulge such hopes, the preten- 
 sions of the insurgents did not cease to be mo- 
 derate. I know not what dreams of ambition 
 may have been formed afterwards by some of the 
 chiefs ; but the views of the army, of tlie good 
 peasants and their officers, were extremely hum- 
 ble. 
 
 1st, They meant to ask that the name of La 
 Vendee, given by chance, should be preserved, 
 and a province formed of the Bocage, with a dis- 
 tinct administration. 
 
 It had long been a source of regret, that a 
 country united by manners, industry, and the na- 
 ture of the soil, should be separated in three parts, 
 each dependent on different provinces, whose ad- 
 ministrations had always neglected the Bocage. 
 
 2c?/y, They would have solicited the King to 
 honour for once that rude and remote country 
 with his presence. 
 
 Sdly, They wished that, in memory of the war, 
 the white flag might always be seen on the steeple 
 of each parish; and that a corps of Vendeens 
 should be admitted in the King's guard. 
 
 On other points, the peasants neither wished 
 for diminution of taxes, exemptions from the mi- 
 litia, nor particular privileges; and would even 
 have objected to the execution of former projects, 
 for opening roads, or navigation of rivers. 
 
 This account of our hopes and wij^hes will givo 
 an idea of the peculiar character of the Vendeen 
 war ; differing, by its simplicity, purity and zeal, 
 fi'om most other insurrections. 
 
 We set out from Bressuire, on the 4th of May^ 
 in the morning. At a quarter of a mile from Cha- 
 tiUon, we saw a gi'eat number of the townspeople.
 
 104 DEPARTURE FROM BRESSUIRE. 
 
 who camo armed to meet us, calling out, '* Vive 
 le Roi! La noblesse I* The priests!" They asked 
 where M. de Lescure was ; and when they were 
 tohl he was witli the army, their transports re- 
 doubled. At Chi'itillon, a counsel, just appointed, 
 made a speech, and would give us a guard of ho- 
 nour. We continued our route, and in a little while 
 took leave of our guard, giving them Thirty loiiis. 
 In the evening we arrived at the chateau de la 
 Boulaye, where my motWir, my aunt, M. d'Auzou, 
 M. Desessarts, his daughter, and myself, establish- 
 ed ourselves. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 THOUARS, PARTHENAY, AND CH ATAIOXERAIE TA- 
 KEN. — DEFi'AT AT FONTENAY. FONTENAV TA- 
 KEN. 
 
 As I was not at the scene of action, and as the 
 engagements were very numerous, I cannot give a 
 detail of each, and must even omit many of them. 
 
 TJie taking of Thouars was one of the principal 
 events of the war, and peculiarly important to me. 
 It was the first time M. de Lescure appeared in 
 battle ; and he gained so high a reputation for va- 
 lour, as instantly acquired him a great influence in 
 the army. 
 
 • La nnhUssc does not mean nobility, but more properly 
 the gently.
 
 TAKING OF THOUARS. 105 
 
 General Quetineau entered Thouars the 3d of 
 May ; and not imagining he should be attacked, took 
 no precautions. In the evening of the 4th, he was 
 informed that the Vendeens were marching to the 
 town, and he then hastened to take measures for 
 its defence. Thouars is situated upon a height, 
 nearly surrounded by the river Thoue ; all the roads 
 to it end on this river, except those from Saumur 
 and Poitiers. The Vendeens had, therefore, the 
 Thoue to cross, which nins between deep banks, 
 and is not fordable. 
 
 The passage was to be attempted at four points. 
 At the bridge of St Jean, which reaches the town, 
 my father and INI. de Marigny were charged with 
 this attack. At the Port du Bac du Chateau^ 
 MM. d'Elbee, Cathelineau, and Stofflet. At a 
 bridge which was half a mile from the toicriy near 
 the village of Vrine, MM. de la Rochejaquelein 
 and de Lescure. And at Pord aux Kiches, further 
 from Thouars, M. de Boncharap. 
 
 General Quetineau had sent troops in haste to 
 defend these points ; but his dispositions were de- 
 fective. It had been resolved that MM. de Le- 
 scure, de la Rochejaquelein, and de Bonchamp, 
 were to begin the attack two hours before the 
 others ; but some delays took place ; and as they 
 did not arrive at the place of action for five hours, 
 the false attack became the principal one. At five 
 in the morning, the column commanded by MM. 
 de Lescure and de la Rochejaquelein, issued from 
 the village of Ligron, which is situated on a height 
 facing the bridge of Vrine. The battalions of the 
 Nievre and of the Var defended this bridge, and 
 bad made a barricade, formed of a cai't and some 
 dung ; they had also artillery in a good position.
 
 106 DEFEAT OF THE REPUBLICANS. 
 
 For six hours there was a cannonade, ami firing of 
 musketry; but with little effect, from the distance. 
 About eleven o'clock the powder of the Vendeens 
 beginning to fail, M. de la Kochejaquelein went 
 for a supply, leaving M. de Lescure alone to com- 
 mand. A moment after, my husband perceived 
 the republicans less steady, and as if beginning to 
 give way; he instantly seized a musket with a 
 bayonet, and calling to the soldiers to follow him, 
 descended rapidly from the height, and gained the 
 middle of the bridge, amidst showers of balls and 
 case shot ! No peasant dared to follow him ! He 
 returned, called, exhorted — and again giving the 
 example, returned upon the bridge, but remained 
 alone ! His clothes pierced with balls, he made a 
 third effort. At that instant MM. de la Koche- 
 jaquelein and Foret airived, and flew to his assist- 
 ance ; he had been followed by one only of the 
 peasants. All four crossed the bridge. M. de 
 Lescure leaped the entrenchment; the peasant was 
 wounded ; but Henri and Foret got over it also ; 
 the men then rushed on to theii- assistance, and the 
 passage was forced. 
 
 A moment after, M. de Bonchamp succeeded in 
 passing Uie Guc-aux-RicJies, which was defended 
 by the national guard of Auvaux. These brave 
 men, ignorant that they were cut off by the bridge 
 of Vrine, refused to surrender — and perished, fight- 
 ing with great bravery. 
 
 Tliis action has been attributed to the men called 
 Marseillais ; but they were incapable of it, having 
 shown themselves through the whole war as desti- 
 tute of courage as of humanity. 
 
 As soon as the republicans opposed to M. de 
 Lescure saw the bridge carried, Uiey fled in disor-
 
 DEFEAT OF THE REPUBLICANS. 107 
 
 der towards the town. Thirty dragoons pursued 
 them to the walls of the town, hut returned after- 
 wards to take post hefore the bridge, and protect 
 the passage of the whole army. When it had filed 
 off, this advanced post fell back into the rear. The 
 republicans, mistaking this for a flight, advanced 
 upon the Vendeens, who allowed them to approach, 
 and then, with a warm discharge of musketry and 
 artillery, routed them a second time. They re- 
 tired with precipitation into the town. The Ven- 
 deens foUow^ed them closely, but finding the gates 
 shut, they determined upon an assault. The town 
 was surrounded by an old wall, without any ditch. 
 The peasants tried to demolish it with their pikes ; 
 but this was not speedy enough. ]M. de la Roche- 
 jaquelein, mounted on the shoulders of Texier, a 
 peasant of the parish of Courlay, reached the top 
 of the wall, where it was a little broken. He then 
 fired some shot, and with his hands began pull- 
 ing down the stones, maldng at last a kind of 
 breach, by which the troops rushed in. During 
 this time, the two other divisions had crossed the 
 river and begun their attack. General Quetineau, 
 seeing lie could no longer defend the town, yet 
 fearing to commit himself by capitulating, propo- 
 sed to the administrators of the district to hoist the 
 white flag, and send a deputation with ofl^rs of 
 submission. They hesitated a long time, for they 
 were decided republicans, and feai"ed the brigands ; 
 but on Quetineau demonstrating to them that re- 
 sistance was no longer practicable, they consented, 
 and went to M. d'Elbee to make their submission, 
 at the very moment that MM. de la Rochejaque- 
 lein and de Lescure were entering the touTi. Not- 
 withstanding this circumstance, there was no dis-
 
 108 TAKING OF THOUARS. 
 
 order, no inhabitant wa8 ill treated, nor a house 
 pillaged. The peasants hurried to the churches, 
 to ring the bells and pray. They burnt the tree 
 of liberty, and the papers belonging to the admi- 
 nistration — which, for what reason I know not, 
 always aftbrded them great amusement. After that, 
 they went and lodged in private houses, behaving 
 quietly and gently, exacting nothing but wine and 
 provisions. 
 
 The public functionaries of Thouars were at first 
 in gi'eat apprehension of being ill treated by the 
 peasants ; and putting themselves under the pro- 
 tection of the chiefs, never quitted them. MM. 
 de Lescure and de la Rochejaquelein undertook to 
 shelter them. On entering the town, the skirts of 
 their coats had been laid hold of by two or three 
 of these men as a safeguard. There was, however, 
 no favour granted to the priests who had taken 
 the oaths. They were imprisoned, and led away 
 when ou^;^ troops left the town, as also 300 prison- 
 ers taken before the capitulation; but there was 
 no injury done to them. 
 
 All the chiefs lodged in the same house with 
 General Quetineau. M. de Lescure, who had 
 known him a grenadier, and looked upon him as a 
 man of honour, took him to his own apartment, 
 where Quetineau said, " Sir, I perceived your win- 
 dow-shutters closed when I left Bressuire. You 
 believed yourselves forgotten — but it was not from 
 defect of memory that I left you at liberty." M. 
 de Lescure expressed his gratitude, and added, 
 " You have your liberty, and may leave us when 
 you please ; but I would advise you to remain 
 with us. We differ in opinion — therefore we shall 
 not expect you to fight for us ; but you will be a
 
 TAKING OF THOUARS. J 09 
 
 prisoner on parole, and you shall be well treated, 
 if you return to the republicans, they will never 
 pardon you tliis capitulation, which was, however, 
 unavoidable. It is an asylum I offer you from 
 their vengeance." Quetineau replied, " I shall be 
 thought a traitor if I go with you ; there will then 
 be no doubt that I betrayed the town, although I 
 only advised a capitulation at the moment it was 
 taken by assault. It is in my power to prove that 
 I did my duty; but I should be dishonoured if 
 they could suppose me in intelligence with the 
 enemy." This brave man continued inflexible in 
 bis resolution, although others renewed, but in 
 vain, the proposals M. de Lescure had made him. 
 This sincerity and devotion to his principles acqui- 
 red him the esteem of all oiu* chiefs. He never 
 lowered himself by any supplications, and always 
 preserved a firm and dignified tone. Stofflet, who 
 had not the delicacy of the other gentlemen, was 
 at first rude to General Quetineau, and wished to 
 make him relinquish his cockade. A dispute in 
 consequence was beginning to ensue, when the 
 other chiefs inteifered, and ob%ed Stofflet to de- 
 sist. The peasants also were fai* from conceiving 
 why any respect should be shown to a republican 
 general, and astonished to see him lodged in the 
 same house with theii- generals. The men of jNI. 
 de Bonchamp's division, learning that he and Que- 
 tineau slept in the same room, were in particular 
 much alarmed, and came in crowds to express 
 their fears, and entreat he would not do so. Feel- 
 ing provoked at this suspicion of Quetineau, he 
 received their remonstrances ungi'aciously, yet they 
 were repeated several times the same evening ; 
 K
 
 110 THOUARS — PRISONERS. 
 
 and at last, seeing tliat he would pay no attention 
 to tlicm, tliey introduced themselves into the house 
 after lie was gone to bed, and watched the whole 
 night upon the stair and before the door, to guard 
 their general. His garde-chasse, even, when he 
 thought him asleep, opened the door softly, and 
 laid himself do^Ti at the foot of his bed. On 
 awaking next morning, M. de Bonchamp scolded 
 these good people for this proof of attachment, 
 which a misconceived distrust had led them to 
 show him. 
 
 The Vendeens made some recruits at Thouars. 
 Many soldiers joined us, and some good officers, 
 who have since distinguished themselves. I should 
 mention in particular M. de la Ville de Bauge. He 
 was twenty-seven years of age ; had fought against 
 the Vendeens with the national guard of Thouars, 
 but abandoned a party in which he had been enrol- 
 led by force, and became, a i'ew months after, one 
 of the principal chiefs among the royalists. He was 
 full of bravery, talents, patience, simplicity, and 
 indefatigable zeal. He employed himself in every 
 way, and always usefully ; but he most frequently 
 commanded in the artillery. He acquiied the per- 
 fect friendship and confidence of MM. de Lescure 
 and de la Rochejaquelein. 
 
 MM. Daniaud Duperat and the Chevalier Piet 
 de Beaurepaire, both eighteen years old, celebrated 
 in the army for their bravery, became two of our 
 best officers. M. Herbold was a student for the 
 priesthood, but bad not taken orders, and had been 
 compelled to enter a republican battalion. His vir- 
 tues, modesty, piety, zeal, and courage, endeared 
 }iim to all the Vendeens. M. de Beauvolliers, the
 
 ACQUISITION OF OFFICERS. Ill 
 
 elder, brother of the Chevalier, was zealous and 
 active, and was particularly excellent Avherever care 
 or method was requisite. 
 
 MM. de la Marsonniere and de Sanglier, equal- 
 ly devoted to the cause, were of advanced age. 
 They belonged to the artillery, and the first often 
 performed great services. The Chevalier de Mon- 
 dyon, who was a boy of fourteen, also joined the 
 army. He had escaped from his boarding-school 
 at Paris, and, with a forged passport, came into 
 Vendee to fight for the King. He was very hand- 
 some, had an ardent courage, and great quickness 
 of parts. M. de Langerie was still younger, being 
 only thirteen. He was not allowed, at first, to 
 take an active part in the war, but could not be 
 hindered. In the first engagement he had a horse 
 killed under him. Being then made aide-de-camp 
 
 to M. , who commanded at Chatillon, he 
 
 deserted a post where he had nothing to do, pro- 
 cured another horse, and rejoined the army. M. 
 Renon was thirty. He came from Louduu before 
 the battle of Thouars, and distinguished himself by 
 the most extraordinary bravery. 
 
 After passing two days at Thouars, the chiefs 
 marched to Parthenay. The republicans had eva- 
 cuated it. The Chevalier de Marsanges, an emi- 
 grant, and five dragoons, his comrades, quitted the 
 republicans, and joined us the same day. The ge- 
 nerals always saw deserters with pleasure ; but the 
 peasants distrusted them, and always imagined 
 these turncoats were spies. 
 
 The army then approached Cliataigneraie, de- 
 fended by three or four thousand republicans. Here 
 all the new comers had their first trials to undergo. 
 M. de Lescme, wishing to put M. de Bauge to the
 
 112 TAKING OF LA CHATAIONERAIE. 
 
 test, placed him, at the head of two hundred meny 
 in a post of great difficulty. He succeeded in main- 
 taining it with great courage and coolness. The lit- 
 tle Chevalier de Mondyon was wounded ; as were 
 also the Chevalier de Beauvolliers and M. Dupe- 
 rat. The six dragoons who had joined at Parthe- 
 nay, observing the distrust of the Vendeens, and 
 desirous of removing it, fought with desperation. 
 One of them was killed ; the peasants, seeing this, 
 called out, " Enough ! Dragoons, enough I You 
 are brave men." 
 
 La CliHtaigneraie was earned, after some resist- 
 ance. My father's counsels contributed much to 
 this success. The peasants committed some dis- 
 orders in Chataigneraie. They had now been many 
 days under arms, and were seized with an extreme 
 desire to return to their homes. It was impossible 
 to restrain them. The next day, the 16th of May, 
 no more than seven thousand remained. Three 
 thousand more were procured, with great difficulty, 
 for the attack of Fontenay. 
 
 MM. de Lescure and de la Rochejaquelein com- 
 manded the left wing. They obtained at first an 
 advantage, and reached the faubourgs of the town, 
 after having repulsed the republicans ; but the right 
 wing and centre had been thi-own into complete 
 disorder. The peasants were disheartened, — the 
 dispositions ill made, — and the artillery was crowd- 
 ed together in a road where it could be of no use. 
 M. d'Elbee was wounded in the thigh ; M. de la 
 Marsonniere, surrounded, was taken, with more 
 than two hundred men. The day was thought lost ; 
 but MM. de Loscure and de la Rochejaquelein, 
 extricating themselves, retreated in good order, 
 saving even their cannon.
 
 ATTACK ON FONTENAY. 113 
 
 After this affair, tilings were in a very bad situ- 
 ation. Almost all the artillery was lost ;* Marie- 
 Jeanne had been taken, and there remained only 
 six pieces of cannon ; no more powder ; each soldier 
 had at most one cartridge ; a general was wounded, 
 and the peasants had lost then- first confidence. But 
 the chiefs were not discouraged ; they took imme- 
 diately the measures best suited to the occasion ; 
 made light of what had happened ; and told the 
 soldiers it would soon be their turn. The assist- 
 ance of the priests was employed in rekindling the 
 zeal of the people, who were told that God had 
 permitted this misfortune as a punishment for the 
 havock they had committed in some houses of Cha- 
 taigneraie. 
 
 An unforeseen circumstance, however, contri- 
 buted more than anything to reanimate the pea- 
 sants. 
 
 Whilst the army was at Tliouars, the soldiers 
 found in a house a man in the uniform of a volun- 
 teer. He told them he was a priest, who had been 
 forced to enrol in a republican battalion at Poitiers, 
 and requested to speak to jNI. de Villeneuve du 
 Cazeau, who had been his college companion. M. 
 de Villeneuve recognised him as the Abbe Guyot 
 de FolleviJle. Soon after, he said that he was Bi- 
 shop of Agra, and that the nonjuring bishops had 
 consecrated him in secret at St Germain. M. de 
 Villeneuve communicated all this to the Benedic- 
 tin M. PieiTe Jagault, whose knowledge and judge- 
 ment were much esteemed. Both proposed to the 
 
 • This apparent contradiction is in the text, and not 
 chargeable to the translator. 
 
 k2
 
 1 14 STATE OF THE ARxMY. 
 
 Bishop of Agra, that he should join the army ; but 
 he hesitated much, alleging his bad health. At last 
 they prevailed, and then introduced him to the ge- 
 neral officers. No one conceived a doubt of what 
 he told. M. de Villeneuve knew him, and he re- 
 ferred also to M. Brin, curate of Saint Lam^ent, 
 and the sisters of La Sagesse. He said that the 
 Pope had appointed four apostolic vicai's for France, 
 and that the dioceses of the west liad been com- 
 mitted to his charge. He had a fine figure, with 
 an air of gentleness and humility, and very good 
 manners. The generals saw, with great pleasure, 
 an ecclesiastic of such high rank and appearance 
 supporting their cause, and an influence likely to 
 prove very powerful. It was agreed upon that he 
 should go to Chatillon, and be received there as 
 bisliop. 
 
 Thus first appeared in La Vendee that Bishop 
 of Agi'a, who played so important a part, and be- 
 came so celebrated in tlie histoiy of the war. It 
 appeai-ed, in the sequel, that all this singular per- 
 sonage had said of himself was false. He deceived 
 the whole army and country without any apparent 
 object or motive. L'Abbe Guyot de Folleville had 
 at first, as it appears, taken the oath, had left Paris 
 some time before the war in La Vendee, to shelter 
 himself at Poitiers, in the house of a relation. His 
 manners, and his apparent mildness and piety, had 
 made him many friends. All pious persons, and 
 particularly the expelled nuns, had a very gi'eat pre- 
 dilection for the Abbe de Folleville. It was then, 
 probably, that in order to give himself still more 
 importance, he confided to these admiring friends 
 that he was Bishop of Agra. An absmxl vanity 
 seems to have been his sole motive. It was by
 
 STATE OF THE ARMY. 115 
 
 the correspondence of tliese devotees that the sis- 
 ters of Saint Laurent had learnt anything ; and 
 when he was introduced to the army, the decep- 
 tion, once begun, was canied on without the pos- 
 sibility of detection, or indeed suspicion. This is 
 the only explanation that can be given of the ex- 
 traordinary conduct of this abbe. He certainly 
 never betrayed us, and perished in our cause ; and 
 there was nothing equivocal in his conduct in other 
 respects. This imposture was not suggested to him 
 by ambition and the desire of becoming the first 
 personage of La Vendee, and acquiring an exten- 
 sive influence over the minds of the people ; for the 
 bishop, with much good-breeding, and the manners 
 of the world, was not a man of ability, and never 
 showed energy or strength of character. Besides, 
 if his tale had been calculated for the civil war, why 
 begin it at Poitiers before the existence of that war, 
 and in a different part of the countiy ? In short, 
 he became a gi-eat personage, by inventing an idle 
 story from mere foolish vanity. It has been sus- 
 pected that the generals were accomplices in this 
 fraud, and had contrived it for the obvious purpose 
 of influence over the peasants. But none of the 
 Vendeen chiefs were capable of using religion as a 
 tool ; and, had any one proposed such a project, 
 he would have met with the strongest opposition 
 from all the others. To deceive the army also, 
 would have required a unanimous consent, and im- 
 penetrable secrecy in all the principal officers, as at 
 that time there was no general in chief. All they 
 did was to believe, without much reflection, a pro- 
 bable story; and which, once admitted, became use- 
 ful to the cause. 
 
 It v/as particularly after the defeat at Foutenay
 
 116 STATE OF THE ARMY. 
 
 that they reaped great advantage from the presence 
 of this pretended Bishop of Agra. He anived the 
 very day of the overthrow at Chatillon. On his ar- 
 rival the hells were rung ; crowds followed him, on 
 •whom he bestowed benedictions ; he officiated pon- 
 tifically, and the peasants were intoxicated with joy. 
 The happiness of having a bishop among them made 
 them forget their reverses, and restored the whole 
 of their ardour. 
 
 The army again assembled, and was joined by 
 the division of M. de Bonchamp, which returned 
 into Anjou after the taking of Chataigneraie. They 
 again marched upon that town, which the republi- 
 cans had occupied anew, but evacuated without re- 
 sistance ; and the royalists slept there. The next 
 day, May 24th, towaids mid-day, they approached 
 Fontenay, and found 10,000 republicans, with a 
 numerous artillery, waiting for them. 
 
 Before the attack, the soldiers received absolu- 
 tion. The generals then said to them, " Now, 
 friends, we have no powder ; we must take these 
 cannon with clubs. We must recover Marie-Jeanne ! 
 Let us try who runs the best I" The soldiers of 
 M. de Lescure, who commanded the left wing, he- 
 sitated to follow him. He advanced alone thirty 
 ])aces before them, and then stopping, called out, 
 *' Vive le Roi 1" A battery of six pieces fiied upon 
 liim with case-shot. His clothes were pierced, his 
 left spur carried away, and his right boot torn ; 
 but lie was not wounded. " You see, my friends," 
 cried he instantly, " the Blues do not aim well." 
 The peasants took courage, and rushed on. IVI. de 
 Lescure, to keep up with them, was obliged to put 
 his horse to the full trot. At that moment, percei- 
 ving a large cnicifix, they threw themselves en
 
 BATTLE OP FONTENAY. 117 
 
 their knees before it. M. de Bauge wanted to urge 
 them on. " Let them pray," said M. de Lescui-e 
 calmly. They soon rose, and again rushed on. 
 Meantime, INI. de la Rochejaquelein, at the head 
 of the cavalry, with M. de Doramaigne, charged 
 successfully. The republican horse fled ; but, in- 
 stead of pursuing them, they turned upon the flank 
 of the left wing, and broke through it. This deci- 
 ded the victor)\ The republicans had held out 
 about an hour. A battalion of the Gironde alone 
 stood nobly ; the rest fled in disorder towards tlie 
 town. ]M. de Lescure was the first to reach the 
 gate of the town with his left wing, and entered it ; 
 but his peasants had not courage to follow him. 
 MM. de Bonchamp and Foret perceived from a 
 distance the danger he run, and darted forwai'd to 
 his assistance. These three had the temerity to 
 penetrate alone into the streets. They were full 
 of Blues, who fled in disorder, or fell upon their 
 knees, calling for " Mercy !" These gentlemen 
 said to them, " Ground your arms, and no harm 
 shall be done to you. Vive le Roi 1" When they 
 came to the public square, they separated, and 
 each took a different street. Scarcely had ^I. de 
 Bonchamp parted from IVL de Lescure, than a 
 Blue, who had thrown doTVTi his gun, took it up 
 again, and fired at him. The ball pierced his arm, 
 and the flesh near his breast. His peasants, who 
 followed at some distance, rushed forward furious- 
 ly, and massacred all the Blues found in that street, 
 lest the criminal should escape. 
 
 M. de Lescure turning into the street of tlie 
 Prisons, had them opened in the name of the King ; 
 M. de la rvlarsonniere, and all the Vendeens, carae 
 out instantly, and embpuced him as tlieir deliverei- !
 
 118 BATTLE OF FONTENAY. 
 
 They liad been condemned the evening before, 
 and were to have bfen executed that day. Ex- 
 pecting every moment during the battle to be put 
 to tlie sword, they had endeavoured to raise a bar- 
 ricade to defend themselves. 
 
 The same apprehension for their safety had in- 
 duced M. de Lescure thus to venture into the town, 
 and hasten to the prisons ; but he now left them 
 immediately to pursue the enemy. 
 
 Foret had followed the main street, and after tra- 
 versing the town, he found himself on the road to 
 Niort. He was bent on retaking Marie-Jeanne, to 
 the preservation of which the Blues attached so 
 much importance. Within a mile of the town, Fo- 
 ret overtook the piece, guarded by some foot sol- 
 diers, with some gendarmes, at a little distance ; 
 and For6t had advanced so imprudently, that he 
 found himself suddenly in the midst of them. 
 
 Fortunately, he was mounted on a horse taken 
 some days before from a gendarme, and had pre- 
 served the saddle and accoutrements. They, there- 
 fore, took him for one of themselves, and said to 
 him, " Comrade, there are 25,000 francs for those 
 who shall save Marie-Jeanne. It is attacked, let 
 us go back and defend her.'' Foret agieed, and said 
 he would be the first. When near the piece, he 
 turned suddenly upon the gendarmes, and killed 
 two of them. The peasants, who saw this, redou- 
 bled their efforts ; and Marie-Jeanne was retaken, 
 and carried off triumphantly, although with the 
 loss of some lives. 
 
 The battle of Fontenay, the most brilliant the 
 Vendeens had yet fought, procured them forty 
 pieces of cannon, many muskets, a great quantity 
 of powder, and ammunition of all kinds. They took
 
 BATTLE OF FONTENAY. 119 
 
 also two boxes filled with assignats, which had not 
 the impression of the King upon them. The first 
 was pillaged by the soldiers, who thought so little 
 of this species of money, that they burnt and tore 
 the assignats, and many cuiled their hair with them 
 in derision. The second box, which contained near- 
 ly 900,000 francs, was preserved by the generals 
 for the use of the army. They endorsed the assig- 
 nats, " Bon^ au nom du Ro^' with the signature 
 of all the members of the superior council then 
 formed. This measure inspired much confidence. 
 
 There was considerable embarrassment respect- 
 ing the republican prisoners, whose number amount- 
 ed to three or four thousand. The custom of giving 
 no quarter was not then fully adopted by the Blues, 
 and, therefore, retaliation was not yet become ne- 
 cessary. These people, besides, had been told, 
 " Surrender, and no harm shall be done to you." 
 To guard them was impossible, as we had neither 
 forts, nor any other place of safety ; their parole, 
 not to serve against us, or any of the coalesced 
 powers, would have been of no avail. My father 
 proposed to cut off their hair, which would secure 
 their being known again, and punished if taken a 
 second time : the measure was adopted, and occa- 
 sioned much mirth among our people. 
 
 Great advantages were expected from this, as it 
 would serve to establish throughout all France, 
 both the successes and moderation of the Vendeens ; 
 and as they would be obliged to acknowledge, 
 and tell, that the rebels, instead of being brigands, 
 as they were called, were, in fact, full of loyalty, 
 courage, and clemency. The Vendeens conducted 
 themselves also with prudence and moderation to- 
 wards the purchasers of forfeited ef tates ; whose
 
 120 TREATMENT OF PRISONERS. 
 
 titles were declared null, but their persons not mo- 
 lested. Many of them had ah-eady joined us. The 
 Chevalier Desessarts drew up a proclamation, 
 which was printed and signed by the council of 
 war ; many thousand copies were distributed among 
 the dismissed prisoners. 
 
 These measures had not the expected effects. 
 The revolutionary opinions were stronger, and more 
 extensively diffused than we were aware of, and 
 there were no means of such an understanding with 
 the other provinces, as to induce them to throw off 
 the yoke. That perfect unison of sentiments be- 
 tween the peasants and the higher classes, did not 
 exist elsewhere ; and the revolt made no progress. 
 
 The insmrections at Lyons, and in the south, 
 were unconnected with ouis, and undertaken in a 
 different spirit. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 FORMATION Of THE SUPERIOR COUNCIL VICTORIES 
 
 OFVIHIERS, OFDOUE, OF MONTKEUIL — TAKING OF 
 6AUMUK. 
 
 After the taking of Fontenay, some proposed 
 to march upon Sables, others on Niort ; and tliis 
 last was, I believe, preferable to the other, which 
 would liave led too far from the insurgent country. 
 Both were liable to many objections. During these 
 debates, the morning slipt away ; and the peasants, 
 who were fatigued, and had received no orders, be-
 
 I^ORMATION OF SUPERIOR COUNCIL. 121 
 
 gan to withdraw to their villages, where they had 
 an extreme desire to carry the news of their victo- 
 ry of Fontenay. It became impossible to undertake 
 guything new. 
 
 Meanwhile, such a victory, and the taking the 
 chief to\\Ti of a depaitraent, seemed to give to the 
 Yendeen insurrection much more importance than 
 it ever had before. 
 
 The chiefs having no military occupation at that 
 moment, wished now to establish some regularity 
 in theii' operations. They created a superior coun- 
 cil, to sit at Chatillon. The Bishop of Agra was 
 president, and M. Desessarts' father vice-president. 
 iCarriere, avocat of Fontenay, who had joined the 
 royalists, was chosen Procureur du Roi in the coun- 
 cil ; and M. Pierre Jagault, a benedictine, secretary. 
 Among the members of the council, should be dis- 
 tinguished M. de la Rochefoucauld, who was the 
 doyen (senior member) ; MM. le Maignan, Bou- 
 rasseau de la Renoliere, and Body. The other mem- 
 bers were, except two ecclesiastics, lawyers and 
 gentlemen, whose age or health prevented their 
 bearing arms. One of those who distinguished him- 
 self the most in the council, and who acquired most 
 influence in the army, was the Abbe Bernier, curate 
 of the pai-ish of St Laud a Angers. Of all those 
 engaged in the civil war, none had superior abilities 
 to the Abbe Bernier. He had the most admirable 
 facility in speaking or writing, and preached extem- 
 pore. I have heard him speak for two hours at a 
 time, with a force and brilliancy that captivated his 
 heai-ers. Wliat he said was always well-timed; 
 his texts were peculiai'ly well chosen, and happily 
 interwoven with his subject. He never hesitated ; 
 and though his eloquence was remote from fiery
 
 122 FORMATION OF SUPERIOR COUNCIL. 
 
 vehemence, it seemed inspired. His exterior and 
 manners coiTesponded with his words ; the sound 
 of his voice was soft and penetrating ; and his ac- 
 tion was remarkably simple. His unwearied zeal 
 never abated ; he never lost courage ; an(J his appa- 
 rent modesty added more value to his great quali- 
 ties. He often gave excellent advice to the gene- 
 rals, and entered into the military spirit without 
 derogating from his ecclesiastical character. Ho 
 ruled in the superior council, and he was loved by 
 the soldiers for his preaching and ardour for reli- 
 gion. Thus in a little time the Abb6 Bemier ac- 
 quired a universal ascendancy. But by degrees the 
 general opinion began to alter ; an ambitious aim 
 was discovered in all his conduct. Extremely te- 
 nacious of power, he continually grasped at more ; 
 he sowed discord everywhere ; flattered some at the 
 expense of others, in order to please and govern 
 more securely. In consequence, the esteem and re- 
 spect that had been conceived for him gradually 
 disappeared ; and after the war, the Vendeens im- 
 puted to him, justly or not, bad morals, a mean, 
 interested disposition, unbounded ambition, even 
 crimes, and with some probability. But the pre- 
 judice in his favour was not soon dissipated ; and 
 Iiis talents and capacity never ceased to command 
 respect and a kind of awe, felt even by those who 
 liked him the least. 
 
 Among the ecclesiastics of the superior council, 
 M. Pierre Jagault was also very distinguished by 
 his talents. He had neither ambition nor vanity. 
 He gave wise counsels without seeking, as the Abbe 
 Bemier did, to govern the army. He equalled him 
 in his facility of speaking and writing ; but though 
 endowed witjj all the talents requisite, he seldom
 
 REGULATION OF THE ARMY. 123 
 
 preadied. M. Brin, curate of Saint Laurent, was 
 also very considerable by his zeal and eminent 
 virtues. 
 
 The generals referred to the superior council all 
 that related to the administration of the country ; 
 and in each parish a council was formed to super- 
 intend the execution of the orders issued by the 
 superior council. It was established also, that in 
 the parishes where there was no military chief, the 
 peasants should name one among them who was to 
 attend to the levies of men, correspond with the 
 generals, command the men, and distribute the pro- 
 visions. Measures were taken to provide clothing 
 and shoes for those who were in need ; magazines 
 were formed, and various other useful arrangements. 
 It was necessary to appoint a treasurer of the army, 
 acting in concert with the superior council. M. de 
 Beauvolliers, the elder, could not refuse an office 
 for which he was better fitted than any other per- 
 son, although it occasioned him, to his extreme re- 
 gret, to be almost always absent from the engage- 
 ments ; but he preserved his place in the council of 
 war. As he was the only chief who had a fixed re- 
 sidence, all demands were carried to him. He had 
 a number of people employed under him ; some 
 charged with the distribution of stores, and others 
 whose department was to ascertain the wants of the 
 army and provide for them. These establishments 
 were at Chatillon, the head quarters. 
 
 The generals were occupied, during the three 
 days they parsed in Fontenay after the battle, in 
 regulating these affairs. The town was without de- 
 fence, and situated in the plain, where opinions 
 were in general favourable to the revolution ; yet 
 they left Fontenay without committing an injury.
 
 124« BATTLE OF VIHIERS. 
 
 and even released three administrators of the de- 
 partment, whom they had aUrested. 
 
 Scarcely had the army returned hito the Eocage, 
 when they learnt that the republican hussars had 
 shown themselves at Argenton-le- Chateau. MM. 
 de Lescure and de la Rochejaquelein received this 
 intelligence at the Chateau of La Boulaye. They 
 immediately sent expresses to summon the army 
 to assemble at Aubiers. On arriving there, they 
 found the hussars had returned to Vihiers, being 
 part of the advanced guard of a numerous republi- 
 can army forming at Saumur. 
 
 The Convention had bogun to consider the in- 
 surrection of La Vendee as formidable, and now 
 wished to send a great force against the rebels. 
 Some battalions had been raised at Paris, in which 
 soldiers drawn from the army of the north were in- 
 corporated. A numerous and warlike cavalry was 
 also sent. All these measures were taken \vith in- 
 conceivable rapidity. The troops and cannon tra- 
 velling post and in boats, came in five days from 
 Paris to Saumui*. Forty thousand men, of which 
 the half were troops of the line, occupied already 
 Saumur, Montreuil, Thouars, Doue, and Vihiers. 
 
 Stofflet was the first who attacked them. He 
 left Chollet with seventy horse, and entered Vihiers 
 without resistance. The republican cavalry fell 
 back. He instantly wrote to MM. de Lescure and 
 de la Rochejaquelein, that he waited for them ; and 
 those gentlemen began their maj'ch in perfect se- 
 curity. Meanwhile the Blues returned, and attacked 
 Stofflet with 2000 men, obliging him to withdraw 
 BO precipitately, that he had not time to send no- 
 tice to AIM. de Lescure and de la Rochejaquelein. 
 The pepublicans, learning that a Vendeen column
 
 BATTLE OF DOUE. 125 
 
 was advancing, warned the inhabitants, who Wfcrc 
 patriots, to let the rebels believe that the town was 
 still occupied by their own party, while they lay 
 in ambush on a neighbouring height. MM. de Le- 
 scureand de la Rochejaquelein, and Desessarts,with 
 about 4000 men, entered the town without suspi- 
 cion. After having traversed it, they perceived, up- 
 on the heiglit, men posted behind bushes ; and, be- 
 lieving them the troops of Stofflet, advanced to join 
 them. The peasants followed negligently, when 
 suddenly a masked battery opened upon them with 
 case-shot. M. de Lescure's horse was woimded ; 
 the branches of the trees all around were shattered ; 
 but he and two other chiefs beside him escaped un- 
 hurt. The peasants rushed undauntedly upon the 
 Blues, who, surprised by this attack, when they ex- 
 pected a flight, abandoned their camion, and fled 
 in disorder towards the town. 
 
 The grand army, and all the chiefs except MM. 
 de Bonchamp and d'Elbee, who were not yet ciu'ed 
 of their wounds, collected immediately at Aubiers, 
 and marched to Doue, which they canied. The 
 peasants eagerly pursued the republicans on the 
 road to Saumur, to within reach of the town, where 
 the fire of two redoubts, placed on the height of 
 Bouman, forced them to return to Doue. 
 
 During tlie action of this day, two hussars quit- 
 ted the enemy's ranks, and joined us. One of these 
 was M. de Boispreau, who has since distinguished 
 himself. 
 
 An attack on Saumur was now determined upon. 
 My father and M. de BeauvoUiers, judging that 
 there would be a difficulty in following the direct 
 road going by Montreuil-Bellay, advised cutting off 
 the communication of Thouars with Saumur. and 
 L 2
 
 126 ADVANCE TO 8AUMUR. 
 
 making an attack upon that side, which was cer- 
 tainly the weakest. Tliis advice was adopted, and 
 Montreuil was occupied by our troops. It was ex- 
 pected that the troops at Thouars would brings suc- 
 cours from Saumur; and towards eight o'clock 5000 
 or 6000 men, commanded by General Salomon, ap- 
 peared at the gate of Montreuil, not suspecting the 
 royalists had taken it. My father had placed a bat- 
 tery behind the gate ; and, unmasking it suddenly, 
 the Blues received a murderous dischai'ge : at the 
 same moment the division of Bonchamp made an 
 attack on their flank, which soon terminated in a 
 complete and bloody defeat. The Blues fled along 
 the road to Thouars, leaving their cannon and bag- 
 gage, and were so terrified that they did not even 
 stop there. We also suffered a great loss ; as, from 
 the darkness of the night, some of the troops fired 
 upon Bonchamp's division, when it was attacking 
 the enemy's flank. 
 
 After the battle, M. de la Rochejaquelein pro- 
 posed sending a detachment of cavalry to annoy 
 and keep the republicans on the watch during the 
 night, in order that fatigue might render them less 
 able to resist an attack in the course of the next 
 day. This was resolved on, and he undertook the 
 execution of it ; but the peasants, elated by their 
 successes, followed in crowds the small number of 
 men he wished to take Avith him : and, in a short 
 time, the whole troops were upon the road to Sau- 
 mur, shouting, " Vive le Roi ! We go to Saumur!" 
 The chiefs, unable to check this impulse, hastened 
 to place themselves at their head, and determined 
 on a real attack. 
 
 M. de Lescure, who commanded the left wing, 
 undertook to tuni the redoubts at the junction of
 
 TAKING OF SAUMUR. 127 
 
 the roads leading from Montreuil and Dou6. M. 
 de la Rochejaquelein foUowed the river along the 
 meadows; M^NI. de Fleuriot, StoflBet, and Deses- 
 sarts, at the head of Bonchamp's division, passed 
 by the heights above Thoue, towards the castle of 
 Saumur. 
 
 These three assaults began nearly at the same 
 time, on the morning of tbe lOth of June. The 
 point at which M. de Lescure commanded, pre- 
 sented the greatest difficulties. The manner in 
 which the troops had engaged, against the inten- 
 tions of the generals, increased the usual in-egula- 
 rity of their operations. Nevertheless, the redoubts 
 were turned, and the bridge passed ; when suddenly 
 a ball having wounded M. de Lescure in the arm, 
 the peasants, who saw him covered with blood, be- 
 gan to slacken their pace. Happily the bone was 
 not touched ; and M. de Lescm-e, binding up the 
 wound with a handkerchief, called to his men it was 
 of no consequence, and endeavoured to bring them 
 on again; but a charge of republican cuirassiers 
 frightened them ; and, when they perceived their 
 balls had no effect, nothing could longer stop them. 
 M. de Dommaigne endeavoured to make a stand 
 at the head of the Vendeen cavalry ; but he was 
 struck down by a discharge of case-shot, and his 
 troop overthro\^Ti. The route became general, and 
 the flying troops of iM. de Lescure took the road 
 from the abbey of Saint Florent, by Thoue. A sin- 
 gular chance redeemed the fortune of the day. Two 
 waggons, overturned on the bridge Fouchard, stop- 
 ped the cuirassiers, and enabled M. de Lescure to 
 rally the soldiers. The brave Loizeau, of the pai'ish 
 of Trementine, who had killed throe hoi-semen in 
 defending M. de Doiumaigue, and at last was
 
 V2S TAKING OF SAUMUR. 
 
 wounded and stnick down, got up, and placing 
 liimself at tho head of some foot soldiers, fired 
 tJirough tlie wheels of the waggons at the faces of 
 the cuirassiers and at tljeir horses, while M. de 
 Marigny directed some flying artillery upon them, 
 which turned the scale in favour of tho Vendeens. 
 
 Leaving M. de Baug6 at the head of 700 men 
 to guard the hridge of St Just, M. de la Rocheja- 
 quelein attacked tlie republican camp and turned 
 it ; the ditch was crossed, a wall beyond it thrown 
 down, and the post caiTied. M. de la Roche- 
 jaquelein, throwing his hat into the entrench- 
 ment, called out, '• Who will go and fetch it ?" 
 and, darting forward the first himself, he was quick- 
 ly followed by a great number of brave peasants. 
 The two assaults taking place at the same moment, 
 the Vendeens had again the misfortune of firing 
 upon each other. 
 
 M. de la Rochejaquelein, wishing to improve 
 tho advantage gained, set off with M. de Bauge 
 in pursuit of the republicans, without considering 
 whether they were followed by their troops. They 
 entered the to^vn at full gallop, A battalion, then 
 coming down from the castle, seeing them, threw 
 down their arms, and regained the castle. These 
 two gentlemen galloped on, the muskets scattered 
 about the street going off under their horses' feet. 
 After passing tlirough the town, they saw the whole 
 army of the Blues flying in disorder across the great 
 bridge of the Lou-e. Henri began to fire upon the 
 runaways from a convenient situation, wliilst M. 
 <le Bauge employed himself in loading tho pieces 
 for him. They were alone, yet no one thought of 
 tuiTiing upon tiiom. A dragoon at last came upon 
 tlicni and fired his pistol, but missed ; and Henri
 
 TAKING 05 SAUMUR. 129 
 
 cut him down with his eabre, and took his car- 
 touche-box. The batteries from the chateau also 
 fired upon them; and M. de Bauge received a vio- 
 lent contusion, wliich struck him down. jNI. de la 
 Rbchejaquelein raised him, and replaced him on 
 his horse. Several pieces of cannon had been' 
 abandoned ; and two of them, that were loaded, 
 they fired upon the castle. They aftenv^ards cross- 
 ed the bridge, and, being joined by about sixty foot 
 soldiers, pursued the Blues; but after following for 
 a little while the road to Tours, they returned to 
 see whether the Vendeens had entered the town, 
 as they still heard the cannon of the chateau and 
 the redoubts. They broke down the wooden bridge 
 called de la Croix Verfe, and placed there two of the 
 cannon taken, to prevent the Blues returning upon 
 them. They soon met M. de Lescure's division in 
 Saumur ; and M. de la Rochejaquelein, knowing 
 that the redoubts still held out, went instantly to 
 join M. de Marigny, who had attacked them. His 
 horse was killed under him. Night coming on, the 
 attack was suspended till next day; but the re- 
 publicans evacuated the place during the night. 
 About 1400 men remaining in the castle, with ar- 
 tillery, M. de Mai'igny went in with a flag of truce 
 the next day; and a capitulation was concluded, 
 by which the besieged were allowed to retire, 
 abandoning' their arms. 
 
 The capture of Saumur gave to the Vendeens 
 an. important post, the passage of the Loire, eighty 
 pieces of cannon, muskets innumerable, and a great 
 quantity of powder and saltpetre. In the course 
 of five days they had taken 11,000 prisoners; 
 these they shaved, and sent most of tliem away.
 
 130 TAKING OP SAUMUR. 
 
 Our Ios9 in this last affair was sixty men hilled, 
 and four hundred wounded, 
 
 M. de Lescure, knowing that General Queti- 
 neau had been found in the castle of Saumur, 
 where he had been imprisoned previous to his 
 trial for the loss of Thouars, sent for him, and said, 
 " Well, Quetineau, you see how the republicans 
 treat you I They accuse you, throw you into pri- 
 son, and would make you die upon the scaffold. 
 Come and save yourself with us. Notwithstand- 
 ing our difference of opinion, we esteem, and will 
 do you more justice than your patriots 1" " Sir," 
 replied Quetineau, " were I at liberty, I should re- 
 turn to my prison. I performed my duty, and 
 wish to prove it on my trial. Were I to desert, it 
 would be attributed to the consciousness of being 
 a traitor, and I could never support this idea. If 
 I follow you, I must abandon my wife, and she 
 would be made to suffer for me. There, sir, is 
 the memorial of my justification ; you know what 
 passed, and will see whether I have stated it cor- 
 rectly." M. de Lescure read the memorial, which 
 contained nothing but the truth. Quetineau added 
 sorrowfully, " The Austrians are masters of Flan- 
 ders, and you, sir, are also victorious; — a coun- 
 ter-revolution iff at hand, and France will be dis- 
 membered by foreigners I" " That," said M. de 
 Lescure, " the royalists would never permit ; and 
 would fight with equal ardour to defend the French 
 territory." "Ah !" cried Quetineau, " then I should 
 serve along with you I I love glory, and I love 
 my country, and thus am I a patriot." At that 
 moment he heard the people of Saumur bawling 
 in the streets, " Vive le Roi I" — and, opening the 
 window, called to them, " Rascals I you, who but
 
 ELECTION OF A GENERAL. 131 
 
 the Other day accused me of having betrayed the 
 republic, now, from cowardice, cry, * Vivo le Roil' 
 Ask these Vendeens if I ever did the same." This 
 brave man went to Tours, from whence they car- 
 ried him to Paris, where he was condemned to 
 death and executed ! His wife, for whose sake 
 partly he rejected M, de Lescure's advice, who 
 would not bear to survive him, cried out before 
 the revolutionary tribunal, " Vive le Roi !" and 
 perished ako on the scaffold. 
 
 M. de Lescure became feverish from fatigue and 
 suffering, having been seven hours on horseback 
 after his wound, and having lost much blood. He 
 was prevailed on to retire to Boulaye, till he shoidd 
 recover. Before setting out, he assembled the of- 
 ficers, and said to them, " Gentlemen, the insur- 
 rection has now become so important, and our 
 successes so promising, that we ought to appoint 
 a general in chief; and although, from several of- 
 ficers being absent, the present nomination can 
 only be provisional, I give my vote for Catheli- 
 neau." 
 
 The choice was universally applauded, except 
 by the good Cathelineau, who was astonished at 
 the honom* done him. My father, MM. de Boisy, 
 Duhoux, and d'Elbee, gave afterwards their full 
 approbation. The appointment of Cathelineau was 
 desirable in all respects; Of all the chiefs, he had 
 the most influence over the peasants, who were 
 captivated by a kind of natural eloquence he pos- 
 sessed, and revered him for his piety and virtues. 
 It was he that first raised the country, and gained 
 the first victories. ' He had a military coup-d'oeil, 
 extraordinary courage, and great judgement. It 
 was well known that his new rank would not ren-
 
 132 EOUALITY AMONG THE OFFICERS. 
 
 (ler him less modest, nor make him listen with less 
 deference to the opinions of others. 
 
 In addition to all these recommendations, it was 
 good policy to have for general-in-cliief, a common 
 peasant, at a moment when the spirit of equality, 
 and a keen jealousy of the noblesse had become so 
 general. It was, therefore, falling in with the ge- 
 neral disposition, and attaching the peasants still 
 more to the party they had embraced. The neces- 
 sity of attending to this general spirit was so much 
 felt, that the gentlemen took particulai* care to 
 treat the peasant officers as perfectly their equals, 
 although they themselves cUd not expect it. I 
 have seen them withdraw from the table of the 
 staff- officers, when I appeared there, saying, " they 
 were not entitled to sit at table with me;" acd were 
 only persuaded to remain, in consequence of ray 
 entreaties. Equality prevailed much more in the 
 Vendeen than in the republican army ; and to such 
 a degree, that I did not know at the time, whether 
 or not the greater part of our officers were gentle- 
 men or peasants. 
 
 Merit was the chief consideration. This just 
 and natural sentiment came from the heart ; and, 
 although not dictated by interest, was too con- 
 formable to it not to be universally adopted. A 
 different conduct might have cooled the general 
 zeal. 
 
 I shall mention only one very remarkable ex- 
 ample of this equality. M. Forestier, who was 
 the son of a shoemaker in the village of Chaudron, 
 in Anjou, always acted a very conspicuous and 
 distinguished part in our army, with the princes, 
 and in foreign courts, till he died in the year 
 1808.
 
 ACCESSION OP OFFICERS. 133 
 
 Two days after the taking of Saumur, MM. de 
 BeauvoUiers, with five or six hundred men, march- 
 ed to Chinon, which they entered without resist- 
 ance. They liberated and brought back to Sau- 
 mur Madame Beauvolliers, whom the patriots had 
 imprisoned. M. de Beauvolliers, the elder, had 
 his daughter also restored to him from Loudun, 
 where M. de la Rochejaquelein went with a party 
 of eighty dragoons. lilany officers joined the ar- 
 my while at Saumur. Henri had sent intelligence 
 to M. Charles d' Autichamp, who lived near Angers, 
 who came immediately and entered the division of 
 M. de Bonchamp, his cousin-german, where he 
 was very soon second in command under M. de 
 F]euriot. M. de Piron, from Brittany, joined the 
 same division, where they served with high repu- 
 tation. 
 
 The grand army likewise acquired at this time 
 M. de la Gueriviere, and M. de Bigotie, an emi- 
 grant who had returned. 
 
 It became necessary to appoint another general 
 of cavalry in the place of M. de Dommaigne. 
 MM. Foret and Forestier were balloted for ; and 
 the latter had the most votes. He w^as only eight- 
 een, but discovered daily more and more merit; 
 and had the modesty, while he accepted the com- 
 mission, to decline the title on account of his age. 
 
 The commissariat of the Vendeen army acquired 
 more importance, after the taking of Saumur, and 
 possessed infinitely greater resources. MM. de 
 Marigny and Duhoux d'Hautrive established at 
 Mortagne and Beaupreau a powder-mill for ma- 
 nufacturing the saltpetre taken at Saumur ; Mor- 
 tagne was also chosen for the depot of the artillery ; 
 and the magazines of gi'ain, which the republicans 
 
 M
 
 134. COMMISSARIAT OF THE ARMY. 
 
 had formed at Chinon, were sent into La Vendee. 
 They also purchased large quantities of salt, oil, and 
 soap ; and the me<licine chest, which till then had 
 been very ill supplied, was now more amply pro- 
 vided. The want of means had hitherto been sup- 
 plied by great industry ; and many persons had 
 shown much ingenuity and invention. 
 
 As to clothes, they had abundance of coarse 
 woollens of the country, — linens, cottons, and tick- 
 ings. The red handkerchiefs wove in the country 
 became much in request, owing to a particular cir- 
 cumstance. M. de la Rochejaquelein wore gene- 
 rally one of them on his head, one about his neck, 
 and several round his waist, holding his pistols. At 
 the battle of Fontenay, the Blues were heard to cry, 
 " Aim at the red handkerchief." In the evening 
 the other oflBcers entreated Henri to change this 
 costume ; but, finding it convenient, he woilld not 
 consent to relinquish it. They then determined to 
 adopt it themselves, that it might no longer be a 
 mark by which he could be singled out. The red 
 handkerchiefs became thus the fashion in the army. 
 And this, with the vests and pantaloons, gave them 
 certainly a good deal the appearance of brigands, 
 as they were called by the republicans. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 TAKIKOOrANOtRS— ATTACK or NANTES— RETREAT 
 FROM PABTHENAY — THE BATTLE OP THE WOOD- 
 DU-MOULIN AUX CHEVRES. 
 
 I STILL continued to stay at the castle de la 
 Boulaye with my mother ; it seemed as if it were
 
 M. DE CHARRETTE. 135 
 
 the head-quarters of the army. The officers came 
 to it during the intervals of the expeditions ; some 
 members of the superior council were there con- 
 stantly. 
 
 I had left my child near Clisson with her nurse, 
 who had showed a great unwillingness to leave her 
 family to follow me to La Boulaye. After the de- 
 feat of Fontenay, she was concealed at Gharry's, or 
 at Texier's, who were the worthiest peasants of the 
 parish of Courtay. I wanted to have her at Bou- 
 laye ; and I went to meet her as far as la Pomme- 
 raye but Sevre, where oui* physician, the good Mr 
 Durand, lived. The roads were impassable in^a car- 
 riage. I determined, therefore, to ride on horse- 
 back ; but I was so much afiaid, that a man held 
 my horse's bridle the whole way. The next day, 
 while I was at dinner, a mesaenger arrived, bring- 
 ing me a letter from M. de Lescure. I had heard 
 of the affair of Saumur, but it had been concealed 
 from me that he had been wounded there. He was 
 just arrived at La Boulaye, and he wrote to me him- 
 self, to prevent my being uneasy. I was dreadfully 
 alarmed, and would not lose a moment. Taking a 
 wretched little horse that happened to be in the 
 court-yard, I did not allow time to alter the stir- 
 rups, which were uneven, and galloped oflf. In 
 three quarters of an hour I rode three long leagues 
 of bad roads. I found M. de Lescure out of bed ; 
 but he had a violent fever, which lasted several days. 
 Since that time I have never been afraid of riding 
 on horseback. 
 
 The great army had never till then had the least 
 connexion with M. de Charrette. M. de Lescure, 
 having some leisure dt La Boulaye, wrote him a 
 polite letter, to congratulate, him on a very brilliant
 
 130 ATTACK ON NANTEts MEDITATED. 
 
 affair which had gained him Machecoul. M. de 
 Cliarrette, in answer, complimented our army on 
 its successes, and particularly on the taking- of Sau- 
 mur, M. de Chan-ette's letter, as well as that of 
 M. de Lescure, expressed a desire of estahlishing 
 a communication between the two armies, and of 
 combining their operations. M. de Lescure sent 
 immediately a courier to Saumur, to inform the ge- 
 nerals of the steps he had just taken. They were 
 well satisfied, and inclined to take advantage of this 
 disposition, by concerting an attack on Nantes, of 
 which they were then thinking. My father was 
 employed to negotiate this affair. He began by 
 offering cannon and ammunition to INI. de Cliar- 
 rette, who accepted them with gi-atitude. After 
 that, the gi*eat army supplied it several times ; for 
 in the Bas-Poitou the war was almost always on the 
 defensive ; while, on the contrary, our army ad- 
 vancing, took possession of the magazines which the 
 republicans had formed. The attack on Nantes 
 was then concerted with M. de Chan'ette. He was 
 to act from the left bank. 
 
 To remain master of the Loire, it was necessary 
 to keep Saumur, which formed a safe communica- 
 tion between its two banks. It was then resolved 
 to establish a garrison there. M. de Langreniere 
 was to have its command ; but not being sufficiently 
 known in the army to inspire the peasants with 
 confidence, M. de la Rochejaquelein was chosen, 
 which did not much please him. To engage the 
 soldiers to remain, they were promised food and ' 
 fifteen sous a-day ; and to be relieved every eight 
 days. Each parish was always to have four men 
 at Saumur. This was the first time pay had been 
 proposed.
 
 REPUBLICANS EVACUATE ANGERS. 137 
 
 The main body of the army set out. It was now 
 very long since the soldiers had left their homes ; 
 their ardour was diminished. Stofflet, to determine 
 them to pass the Loire, made a proclamation, with- 
 out consulting anybody, in which he said, that 
 those who remained were cowards. This measure 
 augmented the army, but diminished very much the 
 garrison of Saumur, which was about a thousand 
 men. M. de la Rochejaquelein returned to com- 
 mand them, after having passed two days at Angers 
 with the army. 
 
 The republicans had evacuated Angers, and all 
 the adjacent country. The terror which the Ven- 
 deens then inspired was so great, that four young 
 men, Messrs Duperat, Duchenier, de Boispreau, 
 and Magnan, went alone to La Heche, ten leagues 
 before the army. They entered the to-wTi, crying 
 " Vive le Roi !" alighted at the municipality, an- 
 nounced that the royal army was going straight to 
 Paris, and that they came first with two thousand 
 cavalry, to provide quarters. They said, that, not 
 to frighten the inhabitants, their escort had been 
 left half a league off; they ordered the scarfs of the 
 municipality to be given up, made them trample on 
 the cockade, and bum the tree of liberty. The 
 whole town was in motion to provide food for the 
 expected army. INIeantime the gentlemen were 
 quietly eating their dinner at the inn. In the mid- 
 dle of it, a woman servant said to them, " Gentle- 
 men, a pedlar who is just come from Angel's says, 
 • he did not meet your escort on the road, and they 
 talk of arresting you !" On this, they instantly got 
 to their horses, and arrived full gallop at Angers, 
 dressed up with tri-coloured cockades, and proud of 
 their rashness. 
 
 M 2
 
 138 ADVANCE UPON NANTES. 
 
 As Angers is the seat of a bishoprick, the BlsRop 
 of Agra went there to officiate solemnly. He tra- 
 velled with tlie simplicity of an apostle, on liorse- 
 back, followed by a servant who cairied his wooden 
 cross. He celebrated high mass ; and to gain the 
 love of the town, and prove that the priests did not 
 preach murder, as the republicans said, it was ar- 
 ranged that the bishop should ask and obtain the 
 pardon of two artillerymen of the Blues, who had 
 been condemned to die for some crimes. 
 
 The Prince of Talmont, second son of the Due 
 de la Tremouille, came to Angers to rejoin the 
 army. He was a young man of five and twenty, 
 five feet ten inehes high,* and of a fine figure. 
 Notwithstanding his youth, he was habitually af- 
 flicted with the gout, which made him less active. 
 He was brave, faithful, completely devoted to the 
 cause, and of a good temper ; but these excellent 
 qualities were a little obscured by a certain air of 
 levity he affected. 
 
 The Prince of Talmont was received with the 
 greatest joy — it was flattering to have in the ranks 
 of the army a man of so high a name, and whose 
 family had been so long almost sovereign in Poitou. 
 Tlie Duke de la Tremouille and the Princess of 
 Tarente, his daughter-in-law, wlio was Mademoi- 
 selle de Chatillon, were lords of more than three 
 Jmndred parishes in that province. M. de Talmont 
 was immediately appointed general of cavalry, to 
 the great satisfaction of the modest M. Forestier. 
 The army took the road from Angers to Nantes ; 
 but it was neither very numerous nor very anima- 
 ted. Many of the peasants had returned iiome. 
 
 " Nearly six feet four inches English.
 
 ATTACK UPON NANTES. 1^30 
 
 MM. de Lescure and de la Rocbejaqiielein wero 
 absent, as well as many of their officers ; and the 
 soldiers who were usually under their command, 
 were either not in the army, or did not preserve 
 their accustomed ai'dour. Besides, they had always 
 fought against an enemy near their owti country, 
 and ready to invade it. And now these poor peo- 
 ple could not comprehend of what use it could be 
 to them to go and attack Nantes. In short, Gene- 
 ral Cathelineau was said not to have eight thousand 
 men when he arrived before the town. 
 
 The army of M. de Charrette and the division 
 of M. de Lyi'ot had, on the contrary, an urgent in- 
 terest to gain possession of Nantes. It was from 
 thence that all the republican expeditions against 
 Bas-Poitou came, and its inhabitants had mustered 
 to the number of more than twenty-five thousand ; 
 but their attack was subordinate to that of the great 
 army, because Nantes is situated almost entirely on 
 the right bank, and there were several arms of the 
 Loire to cross, three of which were fortified. 
 
 It was agreed to attack on the 29th of June, at two 
 o'clock in the morning. An accident prevented the 
 perfect execution of this plan* The republican 
 army had left a detachment in the town of Nioit. 
 Contrary to all calculation, it defended itself for 
 ten hout"s together, and they arrived before Nantes 
 only at eight o'clock in the morning. iVI. de Char- 
 rette had begun at the appointed hour; and there- 
 pubHcans, instead of having two attacks at once to 
 repulse, had time to think of their means of de- 
 fence, and to recover themselves. The generals 
 Canclaux and Beysser, who commanded them, 
 showed a great deal of courage and coolness in sus- 
 taining the efforts of the Vendeens. A part of the 
 inliabitants seconded them with zeal; m spite of
 
 140 ATTACK UPON NANTES. 
 
 ;tvhich, our army penetrated as far as the suburbs. 
 A fault committed by tlie Prince of Talmont hin- 
 dered perhaps tlie success of the enterprise. 
 
 It had always been found best to leave the re- 
 publicans means of retreating, and not to reduce 
 them to the necessity of conquering or dying. It 
 was then agreed upon, in the council of war, there 
 ehould be no attack by the road to Vannes. At 
 two o'clock in the afternoon, troops of fugitives 
 were seen flying out of Nantes by that road. JM. 
 de Talmont, carried away by too much ardour, and 
 forgetting the resolution adopted by the council of 
 war, took two pieces of cannon, and inconsiderately 
 drove back the republicans into the town. Their 
 defence became the more obstinate. 
 
 The Vendeens showed also in the attack more 
 perseverance than could have been expected. The 
 battle lasted eighteen hours ; but at last, having seen 
 General Cathelineau mortally wounded by a ball 
 in his breast, the elder M. Fleuriot, who command- 
 ed the division of Bonchamp, and several other of- 
 ficers having fallen likewise, discouragement and 
 fatigue made the soldiers retire at the close of day. 
 The chiefs exerted themselves veiy much to en- 
 courage the peasants. M. de Talmont had his 
 horse killed by a cannon ball. My father was for 
 a while so completely enveloped in the fire of a 
 battery, that every body thought him dead. 
 
 The army was dissolved ; officers and soldiers 
 repassed the Loire, and the right bank was entirely 
 abandoned. Few soldiers were lost ; but the death 
 of Cathelineau was a very great misfortune. M. 
 de Fleuriot deserved also to be much regretted ; 
 neither of them survived their wounds many days. 
 
 Meanwhile, the Bocage was also the theatre of 
 actions wliich had not been foreseen. Some peasants
 
 BOYALI6TS RfiPULtJED, 141 
 
 had mustered together at AniaiTlon, between Bres- 
 suire and Parthenay, for the safety of the country, 
 M. de Lescure was informed that General Biron's 
 army at Niort increased every day, and that the 
 advanced guard was at Saint INIaixent, threatening 
 Parthenay. He sent immediately to Saumur, to 
 desire M. de Bauge, the Chevaliers de Beauvolliers 
 and de Beaurepaire, to go to AmaOlou ; and al- 
 though wounded, and ill in health, he would go 
 there himself to watch over the defence of that 
 post. I accompanied him, as I could not bear to 
 leave him in that situation. 
 
 We stopped one night at Clisson ; and the next 
 day arrived at Amaillou, where we found M***, 
 who had joined the army. That gentleman was 
 about thirty years of age. In order to give himself 
 a very distinguished appearance, he had put on a 
 blue velvet coat embroidered with spangles, wore 
 a bag, a chapeau-de-bras, and a sword by his side ; 
 it was his first appearance in the camp. He said, 
 that having been informed that the chiefs were not 
 present, he thought himself obliged to come to 
 Amaillou and offer his services. M. de Lescure 
 thanked him very much, and begged him, his offi- 
 cers being very much fatigued, to take chai'ge of 
 the camp, and to give orders for the bivouac. He 
 was kept all night in the rain, and far from the fire; 
 and appeared no more at the camp. 
 
 The day after, as I was walking with the Che- 
 valier de Beauvolliers, w^e saw all the peasants in 
 confusion. They had taken up two republican light 
 horsemen ; we guessed they were deserters ; and 
 they really came from Saint Maixent. Their 
 flight had been discovered ; they had been pur- 
 sued five leagues, and had arriwd quite breatlj-
 
 142 PARTHENAY THREATENED. 
 
 less. Our people surrounded them ; some said they 
 were spies, others that they should cry out Vive le 
 Hoi / and some wanted to put them to death. We 
 took them under the arm, and conducted them to 
 M. de Lescure, who was in his bed ; he questioned 
 them. The first answered gaily that his name was 
 Cadet ; he had been put in the legion of the north, 
 but, wishing to fight for the King, he had deserted. 
 The second appeared embarrassed, and his mamier 
 gave some suspicion to M. de Lescure, who recom- 
 mended that he should be watched. Soon after, 
 he distinguished himself by liis courage and his 
 merit ; and then declared that he was of a good fa- 
 mily in Auvergne, and that his name was Solilhac. 
 I do not know what induced him to disguise him- 
 self at first ; he has since always been one of the 
 bravest officers of La Vendee. 
 
 The presence of M. de Lescure having brought 
 a great number of peasants to Amaillou, he thought 
 it necessary to advance and occupy Parthenay. M. 
 Girard de Beaurepaire, who commanded a small 
 division attached to M. de Royrand's army, sent 
 him word he would join him with 150 horsemen, 
 much needed, as M. de Lescure had only fifteen. 
 This junction took place at Parthenay. 
 
 They expected to be attacked. M. de Bauge 
 and the Chevalier Beaurepaire had all the outlets 
 of the town walled up, except the gates of Thenars 
 and of St Maixent. Two pieces of cannon were 
 placed at the latter; an advanced guard was posted, 
 and sentinels ; it was agreed, that every hour a 
 patrol should go a league, and then return, so that 
 there should always be one out. M. Girard de 
 Beaurepaire was charged to watch over the execu- 
 tion of all these precautionary measures ; which,
 
 RETREAT OF PARTHENAY. H3 
 
 however, were neglected ; he went to bed, and the 
 midnight patrol did not take place. The advanced 
 guard of the republicans, commanded by General 
 Westermann, arrived at the gate ; the sentinel was 
 killed, and the battery surprised. Goujon, one of 
 the six dragoons who had deserted, let himself be 
 killed in defending the pieces with courage. 
 
 MM. de Lescure and de Bauge had thrown 
 themselves on the same bed. M. de Bauge rose 
 immediately and ran to the gate of St Maixent. He 
 found it abandoned. The peasants were in full 
 rout ; — he received a ball which broke his leg, and 
 found himself in the middle of the Blues. Favoured 
 by the night, he escaped to the river, and swam 
 bis horse. Being then known, they fired at him 
 several times ; the second discharge killed the horse. 
 But the Vendeens, who were on the other side, 
 at last succeeded in saving him. 
 
 M. de Lescure, who suffered very much from 
 his wound, had a great deal of difficulty in making 
 his escape, and was very near being taken. 
 
 The next morning the republicans occupied the 
 town, in which they had not dared to advance 
 much dming the night. 
 
 M. de Lescure would not allow me to follow 
 him to Parthenay. I had returned from Amaillou 
 to Clisson ; he sent a horseman to inform me of 
 what was passing. This man arrived in a full gal- 
 lop; fear had made him lose his senses; he thought 
 himself pursued. He knocked at my door and 
 awoke me, calling out, " Madam, I come from 
 M. de Lescure, who bids you make your escape ; 
 —we have been beaten at Parthenay; — fly." A 
 panic seized me. I had hardly recollection suffi- 
 cient to ask if anything had happened to my hue-
 
 144 RETREAT OF PAllTHENAY. 
 
 band. I dressed myself in Imsto, forgetting to fes- 
 ten my clothes, and calling up every body. I ran 
 into the court-yard, still jiolding my gown, wliere, 
 finding a company of mowers, I told them that it 
 was not a time to work, and that they must go 
 and fight. I seized on the arm of an old man of 
 eighty, bidding him conduct me to a farm, the 
 way to which I seemed to have forgotten. I drag- 
 ged the poor man there, who could hardly walk, 
 while I ran. I soon found, liowever, that all tliese 
 fears were gi'oundless. M. de Lescure having re- 
 
 , treated peaceably, and without being either pur- 
 sued or injured, I set out for Chatillon on horse- 
 back, and was quite surprised, on entering it, to 
 be eagerly surrounded by the people, crying out, 
 " Here she is ! here she is !" The report was 
 6j)read that M. de Lescure and I had been taken 
 at Parthenay ; every body was in consternation, 
 I told them what I knew, and then took the road 
 to Boulaye. I found my mother, who, on learning 
 the false news, had determined to go to Niort, to 
 perish with me on a scaffold. We were very happy 
 to meet ; thoygh she could scarcely believe her eyes. 
 Meanwhile M. de la Rochejaquelein saw his 
 garrison of Saumur diminish every day. Nothing 
 could keep the peasauts; for they, believed all was 
 finished, and that there was notliing more to fear. 
 They one by one returned to their farm and their 
 oxen. M. de la Rochejaquelein saw very well, 
 
 ^that in a little while he should not have a soldier ; 
 and he employed himself in sending every day to 
 tlie Bocage, powder, artillery, and ammunition of 
 all kinds. To deceive the inhabitants, he galloped 
 every night with some officers through the town, 
 crying, " Vive le Roi I" At last he found himself
 
 RETREAT TO CHATILLON. 145 
 
 only the ninth man at Saumur. Three thousand 
 republicans had just taken possession of Chinon: 
 it was necessary to quit the town. There remain- 
 ed two cannon ; he took them away ; but at Thou- 
 ars he was obliged to throw them into the ri^er. 
 He arrived at Amaillou, tlie day on which M. de 
 Lescure retired from Parthenay. 
 
 These two gentlemen perceived clearly, they 
 had not men enough to defend tliis district. TJiey 
 retreated on Chatillon, to assemble the great army. 
 General Westermann, on his side, advanced with 
 about 10,000 men. He entered Parthenay ; from 
 thence he came to Amaillou, without finding any 
 resistance. He set fire to the village. This was 
 the beginning of the republican burnings. Wes- 
 termann then marched on Clisson: he knew it was 
 the chateau of yi. de Lescm'e, and imagining he 
 must find there a numerous garrison, and expe- 
 rience an obstinate resistance, he advanced with 
 all his men, and not without great precautions, to 
 attack this chateau of the chief of the brigands. 
 He aiTived about nine o'clock at night. Some 
 peasants, concealed, fired a few sliots from the 
 wood and garden, which frightened the republi- 
 cans very much ; but they seized some women, 
 and learned there was nobody at Clisson, which, 
 besides, was incapable of being defended. Wes- 
 tennann then entered, and WTOte from thence to 
 the Convention a triumphant letter, which was 
 published in the newspapers, sending the will and 
 the picture of ]M. de Lescure ; and relating, that 
 after having crossed many ravines, ditches, and 
 covered ways, he had at last reached the den of 
 that monster, vornitcdfrom hell, and was going to 
 set fire to it. In fact, he had straw and faggots 
 
 N
 
 146 CHATEAU OF CLISSON BURNT 
 
 brought into tlie rooms, the ganets, tlie stables, 
 and the farm ; and took all liis measures that no- 
 thing should escape the fire. The furniture was 
 consumed ; * immense quantities of corn and hay 
 were not spared ; it was the same everywhere. 
 Afterwards, the republican armies burnt even pro- 
 visions, though the. rest of France was sufloring 
 from famine. 
 
 I was gone to dine at Chatillon witli the gen- 
 tlemen the day they were informed of the burning 
 of Clisson. It did not make much impression on 
 us; we had long foreseen this event; but the course 
 of Westermann was important ; Jie had first ad- 
 vanced to liressuire, and was then coming on Cha- 
 tillon. Tlie army was dissolved ; tl)e soldiers had 
 repassed the Loire only tlie day before, returning 
 from Nantes. The conflagrations of the Blues 
 frightened the peasants ; they wanted, before they 
 fought, to place in safety their wives, their child- 
 ren, and their cattle. In short, the chiefs were in 
 the greatest embanassment. Tliey began to write 
 requisitions, and to send couriers to carry them. 
 Horses were wanting. M. de Lescure em])loyed 
 Die to go to the parishes of Treize-Vents and of 
 Mallievre, near La Boulaye, to deliver orders. I 
 galloped of\'; and on my arrival, I had the tocsin 
 sounded ; delivered the requisition to the parish 
 council, and harangued the peasants the best I 
 could ; going from thence to MallicM'e to do the 
 
 • i\I. de licscure, who foresaw very well the burning of 
 his chateau, had given, long before, orders to take out tlie 
 furniture; but learning the terror that this news had spread 
 in the neighbourhood, the inliabitants abandoning their 
 farms, &c., he gave counter orders; thus the chateau waa 
 burnt, with all the furniture, linen, &c. &.c.
 
 BAITLE AT THE MILL AUX CHEVRES. 14t 
 
 same, and sent expresses to the neighbouring parish- 
 es. I then returned to my mother at La Boulaye. 
 
 Westermann did not allow time for our mea- 
 sures to produce an effect ; he continued to ad- 
 vance. jMM. de Lescure and de la Rochejaque- 
 lein could not assemble three thousand men : wish- 
 ing, however, to deceive him about their strength, 
 they attempted to defend the heights of the jNIill 
 aux Chevi-es ; but the soldiers were always ill-dis- 
 posed, and lost courage, when, instead of attacking, 
 they had to defend themselves. The position was 
 carried by the republicans, and it became neces- 
 sary to fall back and abandon Chatillon, which is 
 not defensible. In this battle, ^NI. de la Bigotiere, 
 an emigrant, had an arm shattered by a cannon 
 ball. He would not suffer the peasants to leave 
 off fighting to assist Iiim. He hid himself in a 
 cottage, remained there for some moments insen- 
 sible ; and in the evening went on foot to a vil- 
 lage. He was taken to Chollet, where his arm 
 was cut off; and a month after, hardly cured, he 
 returned to the army, and was again wounded. 
 
 During this battle, all the women were, accord- 
 ing to their custom, on then- knees in prayer, while 
 waiting for the event. We listened attentively to 
 the noise of the cannon ; and its distance made us 
 judge of the position of the anny. Very soim I 
 heard it roll louder and nearer. A panic seized 
 me ; I fled without waiting for anj^hing, cross- 
 ing the Sevre at r^Iallievi-e ; then entering a cot- 
 tage, I dressed myself like a country-woman, from 
 head to foot, choosing in preference the most tat- 
 tered clothes ; then I went to meet my mother, 
 and the inhabitants of La Boulaye, who followed 
 me less precipitately, and whom I found again at
 
 11-8 BATTLE AT THE MILL AUX CIIEV UES. 
 
 MallicvTe. We took the road to Her])iers. lu 
 the way, M. de Concise came to beg us to stop at 
 }iis sister's-in-law, at tlie Chateau de Concise ; M. 
 de Xalniont and my father were there from Nantes, 
 Madame de Concise was not yet accustomed to 
 the Vench'^en manners ; we found her wearing rouge, 
 and trying to be nervous. But she received us 
 Tcry well. The next day we went to Herbiers, 
 where I was persuaded to leave off my disguise. 
 My mother was very ill after all was over. She 
 Iiad a great deal of self-command ; and in the mo- 
 ment of danger, she kept her presence of mind; 
 but suffered the more afterwaids, for the violent 
 efforts she had made ; while I, who yielded to the 
 first emotion, forgot the danger as soon as it was 
 past. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 RETAKIXG OF CHATILLOX — BATTI-ES OP MARTIGNE 
 AND VIKIEUS — ELECTION OF M. d'eLBEE AT- 
 TACK OF LUCGN. 
 
 Westermann took Chatillon, but spared the 
 inhabitants. Six hundred republican prisoners, 
 found there, were liberated. The very next day 
 he sent a detachment to burn La Durbelliere, M. 
 de la Rochejaquelein's chateau. It was a vast, an- 
 cient pile, embosomed in woods, and with a wide 
 moat round it. The Blues approached still more 
 cautiously than they had done at Clisson, and re- 
 tired precipitately, after setting fire to it. The 
 peasants extinguished the fire as soon as they were 
 gone.
 
 RETAKING OF CHATILLON. 149 
 
 Meanwhile the chiefs were assembling the grand 
 army at Chollet. Westermann expected an attack 
 from that side, and had taken precautions ; yet our 
 people passed La Sevre, and arrived near Chatillon 
 undiscovered ; at the same time the Te Deum was 
 singing by the constitutional Bishop of St Maixent. 
 The Vendeens were numerous, and exasperated to 
 madness by the taking of Chatillon and the burn- 
 ing of their houses. Finding the Blues encamped 
 on a height near a windmiD, the peasants crept si- 
 lently round them wdthout firing, till they came 
 very near. The astonished republicans did not 
 hold out long ; the post was carried, and the men 
 killed at their guns. In an instant the rout was 
 complete ; ammunition waggons and cannons, over- 
 turned in the rapid descent leading to Chatillon, 
 increased the disorder; reinforcements, met on the 
 road, were driven back by the runaways ; Wester- 
 mann himself escaped with difficulty, at the head 
 of 300 horsemen. 
 
 The ejiraged peasants, flushed by victory, gave 
 no quajter. It was in vain the officers called to 
 the republicans, " Sm'render, you shall have your 
 lives :" — the men went on killing. In the town 
 the carnage was still more dreadful. M. de Le- 
 scure, who commanded the vanguard, passing 
 through Chatillon in the pursuit, had ordered some 
 himdi-eds of prisoners to be confined ; but the pea- 
 sants cut them down, and were countenanced by 
 M. de Marigny. M. d'Elbee and others, wanting 
 to put a stop to this, saw muskets levelled at them- 
 selves. M. de Lescure, informed of this, came 
 back immediately ; about sixty prisoners pressed 
 round him, holding by his clothes and his horse. 
 His appearance at the prison put a stop to the dis- 
 n2
 
 150 RETAKING OF CHATILLON. 
 
 order — for the soldiers respected him too much not 
 to obey him. But M. de Maingny called to him, 
 " Go away, — let me kill these monsters ;— did 
 they not bum your chateau ?" M. de Lescure en- 
 treated him to cease, and said he was determined 
 to defend the })risoners against everybody. Al- 
 though the massacre was stopped at CJiatillon, 
 most of tlie runaways were knocked down about 
 the fields in their flight. It was the burning of the. 
 village of Amaillou, particularly, which had ex- 
 cited such a rage among the peasants. They made 
 more than fom- thousand prisoners. The whole 
 baggage of the republican ai'niy fell into theii' 
 hands, even Westermann's can-iage.* 
 
 During the battle, M. Richard, a surgeon, see- 
 ing a hussar rushing on M. de Lescure, threw 
 himself between them, and received a shot in the 
 eye, which came out behind tlie neck. He sm*- 
 vived the wound. 
 
 M. de la Tresoriere, made prisoner before by 
 the Vendeens, and delivered by Westennann when 
 he took Chatillon, had interfered eftectually in fa- 
 vour of the inhabitants. Instead of making hia 
 escape with the Blues, lie surrendered liimself aa 
 a prisoner again, and asked to be received in the 
 Vendeen army as a common soldier. He beha- 
 ved so well in the ranlcs, that he was soon made 
 an officer. 
 
 • Four young officers had the imprudence to break open 
 the strong box in that carriage, which raised a suspicion 
 that they had taken money out of it. But M. de Lescure 
 having declared, m the council of war, that the brave Du- 
 pjrat, one of the four, had given him his word of honour 
 that they found nothing in the box, the high character of 
 that young man cleared them.
 
 BATTLE OF MARTIGNE. 131 
 
 We had waited for the event of the battle with 
 the utmost anxiety at Herbiers. As soon as it 
 was known, we retiuTied to La Boulaye, where 
 M. de Lesciire also came to have his wound, which 
 was very painful, properly attended to. 
 
 After a few days' rest, news came that the re- 
 publicans, changing their plans, were going to at- 
 tack La Vendee, by the bridge of Ce in Aujou ; 
 and preparations were made accordingly. 
 
 The 15th of July, the republican army, after 
 passing Ce, came by Brissac to Martigne. The 
 Vendeen army was ready. M. de Bonchamp com- 
 manded his division in person for the first time 
 since he had been wounded at Fontenay. He and 
 M. de Lescure wanted to march all night by a 
 short cut to the enemy, to avoid the heat, which 
 
 was extreme. An old M. de , who had 
 
 joined the army for the first time, insisted upon 
 taking another road, shorter and better. Being an 
 old soldier, seventy years of age, his opinion was 
 adopted. 
 
 The peasants had three leagues to march, and 
 reached Martigne much exhausted ; yet the advan- 
 tage was on their side at first. They took five 
 cannon ; but M. de Maiigny, in attempting to turn 
 the enemy at the head of a detachment of cavaliy, 
 missed the way, and returned at full gallop. The 
 dust prevented our people fi'om knowing him ; and 
 they thought it was the enemy, and fell back, cai*- 
 lying with them three pieces of the enemy. There 
 was no bringing them on again, the heat was so 
 overpowering. M. de Bonchamp had his elbow 
 shattered by a ball ; a very good officer of his di- 
 vision, Vamuer, who had been valet-de-chambre of
 
 152 UAITLE OF VIHIEHS. 
 
 M. d'Autichamp, was severely, but not dangerous- 
 ly, wounded. 
 
 The republicans, owins^ to the heat did not, pur- 
 sue, and our loss was tritliiicr ; but more than fifty 
 peasants perished by drinking water, either too 
 cold, or of a bad quality. M. de Lescure, exhaust- 
 ed chiefly by calling aloud to the soldiers, having 
 also drank of that water, was in a swoon during 
 two hours. 
 
 MM. de Lescure and de la Rochejaquelem re- 
 turned to Chollet to rally their forces. The re- 
 publicans went on to Viliiers and Coron. Our 
 generals hastened that way, where fortunately the 
 parishes were populous, and had always furnished 
 the best soldiers we had. On the 18th, having a 
 sufficient number of peasants, the Blues were at- 
 tacked ; MM. de Lescure and de la Rochejaque- 
 lein had not arrived, nor any of the chief officers ; 
 L'Abbe Bernier persuaded the soldiers that their 
 generals were on the spot, gave excellent direc- 
 tions, and in a gi-eat degree managed the whole. 
 MM. de Villeneuve, Keller, de Piron, de Mar- 
 sange, Forestier, Foret, Herbauld, Guignard, led 
 on with courage and ability. In about three quar- 
 ters of an houi" the republicans were routed, and 
 abandoned their cannon and ammunition. Gene- 
 ral Santerre,^ who commanded, was one of the 
 
 ■ This man had been an eminent brewer in the suburb 
 of Saint Antoine, and his influence and popularity among 
 thy labourers in that district, was the chief cause of the in- 
 surrections which usually began in that quarter. He com- 
 manded that of lOch August, when the Tuilleries were as- 
 saulted. But he showed 50 much reluctance to put his 
 pikeroen into action, thatM'esterinann pointed his sword to
 
 BATTLE OF ViHIERS. 153 
 
 first that fled. The Vendeens knew he was there, 
 and had a great desire to take the man who had 
 presided at the execution of the King, and intend- 
 ed to cliain him in an iron cage. Foret was close 
 at his heels, and on the point of seizing him, when 
 Santerre made his horse leap over a wall six feet 
 high. M. de Villeneuve was likewise very near 
 taldng the representative Bom'botte, who leapt 
 from his horse behind a hedge. The Blues burnt 
 Vihiers in their flight, which did not displease the 
 Vendeens, as it had always favoured the republi- 
 cans. Only three houses were saved ; one belong- 
 ed to the only royalist in the town. 
 
 !MM. de Lescure and de la Rochejaquelein hear- 
 ing the cannon, guessed immediately that the at- 
 tack had been made tAventy-four hours before the 
 appointed time. They repaired to the spot in haste, 
 and found the peasants bringing away cannon, M. 
 de Lescure asked, " What is all this ?" — " What, 
 General, were you not at the battle ? It must have 
 been M. Henri who commanded us !" Other pea- 
 sants said the same thing to M. de la Rochejaque- 
 lein. The ofiicers owned afterwards to the gene- 
 rals, that tliey had used their names to encourage 
 the soldiers. The defeat of the republicans had been 
 so complete, that the country was entirely freed 
 from them ; — they had gone to Saumur. 
 
 The head-quarters were again at Chatillon. Di- 
 ning there, I was witness of a scene showing the 
 
 his throat to compel him to act. He then gave orders to 
 advance, but halted himself at the Hotel de Ville, and ne- 
 ver appeared during the action. He commanded the armed 
 force at Paris, when Louis XVI. was executed.
 
 154 CHARACTER OF THE VENDEENS. 
 
 cliaracter of the Vendeen soldiers. An officer had 
 sent to prison two millers of the pai-ish of Treize- 
 Vents, for some trifling: fault ; they were good sol- 
 diers, and lovetl by their comrades. The peasants 
 began to murmm-, saying they were treated too 
 harshly ; forty men of the parish went to the pri- 
 son, declaring they were as guilty as the prisoners, 
 and they rau><t be confined too. Beauvolliers came 
 to tell me of tliis, and advised I should ask their 
 pardon from M. de Lescure, that he might not ap- 
 pear to )'ield to a clamour. I repaired to the spot, 
 told the peasants that I sliould speak in favour of 
 their comrades, because the chateau of La Bou- 
 laye was in the parish of Treize- Vents. M. de 
 Lescure ap])eared afterwards to grant my request. 
 I went myself to the prison, followed by all the 
 peasants, and had the prisoners set at liberty. — 
 ** We are very thankful to you, my lady," the peo- 
 ple of Treize- Vents said ; " but it was T\Tong, not- 
 withstanding, to have put these men in prison." 
 Such were our soldiers, ])erfectl5'^ obedient in bat- 
 tle ; out of it, considering themselves as free. 
 
 Meanwhile, the brave Cathelineau sunk under 
 his wounds, which had never allowed a moment's 
 hope of his life. Tiie question was to replace him. 
 It was very evident liow advantageous it would be 
 to name a commander-in-chief, not only for the 
 great army, but for all the Vendeen forces. In this 
 view they proceeded to the election ; but, as the 
 ranks were not well defined, it was scai'ceJy known 
 who ought to iiave the privilege of voting ; and, in- 
 stead of assembling deputies from each division, 
 the business was all managed by a little manneu- 
 vring of M. d'Elbee's. Some officers of the divi- 
 sions of IMM. de Charrette, de Bonchamp, and de^
 
 ROYALIST OFFICERS. 155 
 
 RojTand, but who were not at all distingnislied, 
 except by tlieir attachment to M. d'Elbee, met a 
 number of officers from the grand army, and they 
 agreed tliat four names sliould be written in each 
 ticket, and that Jie who had the most votes should 
 be generalissimo ; the four liighest after this were 
 to be next in rank, and clioose eacJi one under tliem. 
 The council of wai' was to consist of these nine 
 persons, who were to decide on all operations. M. 
 d'Elbee was named commander-in-cliief. INI. de 
 Boncharap, who, according to the opinion of all 
 sensible people, ought to liave been named, was 
 detained at Jallais by his wounds, and ids division 
 remained in Anjou. IM. de Charrette scarce knew 
 that such a nomination was in agitation ; 'M. de la 
 Rochejaquelein did not think about it ; ]M. de Le- 
 scure was side, and quite unfit for all manoeuvring, 
 as well as my father. The four generals of divi- 
 sion were MM. de Bonchamp, de Lescure, de 
 Donnissan, and de Royrand. INI. de Lescure chose 
 for his lieutenant M. de la Rochejaquelein ; M. de 
 Royrand, I know not why, M. de C * * * ; M. de 
 Bonchamp, I believe, did not choose anybody. 
 As for my father, seeing that, in tlie general for- 
 mation of the anny, M. de ChaiTette had been for- 
 gotten, he named him. ^I. de Charrette wa8 very 
 sensible of this mark of attention of my father; 
 but he found the whole aiTangement of the nomi- 
 nation very ridiculous. M. de Bonchamp -^^Tote 
 from his bed these few words to ■NI. d'Elbee ; 
 " Sir, I congi'atulate you on your election ; it lias 
 probably been your great talents which have de- 
 termined the votes." This, liowever, did not in* 
 temipt their good understanding. 
 
 This nomination of M. d'Elbte appeared singii-
 
 156 ROYALIST OIF ICE lis. 
 
 lar ; but nothing more was said of it. He was a 
 man of courage and princii)le. Tlie officers knew 
 he would let them do as tliey pleased, and that 
 things would go as they had done, quite satisfied 
 with having the title of commander-in-chief, to 
 which liis ambition was confined. Tliey did not 
 think of objecting to what had been done. 
 
 M. d'Elbee, on the other hand, to make his 
 election forgiven, and to show his affability, made 
 more bows and compliments than ever, lavishing 
 them on the least aide-de-camp. 
 
 M. de Talmont continued to command the ca- 
 valry, and j\I. de Marigny the artillery, having un- 
 der him M. de Pcrault, Avho had been some time 
 in the army. He \tsis an officer of the marines, 
 and Chevalier de St Louis, about fifty years of 
 age. He showed constantly a great deal of bra- 
 ver}'-, merit, and modesty. MM. de Marigny and 
 de Perault, entirely occupied \nth their duty, re- 
 mained always united, without jealousy or rivalry. 
 
 Many other officers had joined successively the 
 Vendeen army. It is a duty and a consolation to 
 me to place their names here, and to contribute all 
 in my power to honour their memory. I would 
 wish not to omit any. M. de Lacroix, an emi- 
 grant, and Ciievalier de St Louis, was a very 
 brave and good man, and T\athout any pretensions. 
 M. Roger Moulinier was active, but harsh and 
 strict ; his soldiers feai-ed him, and had confidence 
 in him on account of liis excessive braveiy. The 
 Chevalier Durivault of Poitiers : M. de Lescure 
 chose him for aide-de-camp, and never had reason 
 to repent it. A brother of M. de Beauvolliers, 
 fifteen years old, came to the army, and, Imving 
 dhown some deficiency of courage the first time he
 
 ROYALIST OFFICERS. 157 
 
 saw an engagement, M. de Beauvolliere the elder 
 reproached him publicly; since then, he has al- 
 ways been worthy of his family. 
 
 I shall add to the names of these officers, whom 
 I have had the opportunity of knowing more par- 
 ticularly, those of MM. de Chantereau, de Dieuzy, 
 Caquerey, Bemes, pages of the King; MM. 
 Beaud de Bellevue, Bernard de Ceiizais, Blouin 
 de Rochefort, Bonin des Aubiers, Pallierne, Frey, 
 de Bmnet, de Brocour, Genest, de Josselin, Mo- 
 rinais de Nesde, de la Pelouze, the brothers de 
 Saujeon, Tranquille, d'lzeniay, Valois, Texier, 
 de Courlay, and another Texier, an officer of ai'- 
 tillery, well known in the army for his bravery. 
 
 In the beginning, all the deserters from the re- 
 publicans became officers in the Vendeen army ; 
 but their number becoming rather considerable, 
 they were formed into three companies; one French, 
 commanded by M. de Fe ; the other German; the 
 third Swiss ; each about 120 men, and mounted 
 guard regulai-ly at Martigne, where the magazines 
 were. The Sudss company was almost entire- 
 ly composed of fugitives from a detachment of 
 the unfortunate regiment of giiai'ds. They were 
 quartered in Normandy at the time of the slaugh- 
 ter of their countrymen, the 10th of August, and 
 breathed revenge ; — they all fought desperately. 
 M. Keller, a Swiss, one of the bravest and finest- 
 looking men in the army, commanded them. — 
 These companies did not fight in a line, and would 
 have been ovei'powered if they bad not followed 
 the irregular mode of warfare of the peasants. 
 
 Immediately after M. d'Elbee's election, the ar- 
 my returned to attack the republicans. M. de 
 Bonchamp's division had beaten them twice, and 
 o
 
 158 ATTACK OF LUCON. 
 
 forced them to repass the Loire. MM. d'Elbee 
 and de la Rocliejaquelein went to Thouars, and 
 met with little resistance on that side; Henri even 
 made an excursion as ffir as Loudun. During that 
 time, M. de Lescuro, who was not well, remained 
 at La Boulaye. He received a letter tliere from 
 an officer of M. de Royrand's division, asking for 
 immediate assistance from the grand army. This 
 division had acted sometimes in concert with our 
 generals. In the beginning of the war, it had bril- 
 liant successes at Chantonnay. Since then, it had 
 defended tlie district of Montaigu, and the road 
 from Fontenay to Nantes, against some attacks, 
 and made one unsuccessful attempt to enter Lu- 
 9on. JNL de Royrand was a man of great merit, 
 and had some distinguished officers, MM. Sapi- 
 neau de la Verrie, the brothers Bejarry de Ver- 
 teuil, de Grelier, &c. ; but some of them were very 
 indifferent, and the soldiers were thouglit the worst 
 of any we had. 
 
 The republicans leaving Lu9on, attacked the 
 bridge of Charron and Chantonnay, and carried 
 both ; they took INI. Sapineau de Ja Verrie prison- 
 er, and put him to death. The news of these re- 
 verses induced M. de Lescure to set out imme- 
 diately for M. de Royrand's division. Other ge- 
 nerals, then at Argenton, joined him at Herbiers, 
 where the army assembled. 
 
 The republicans retired to Lu<;on ; we attacked 
 them there, at first with advantage ; but some sol- 
 diers, and even officers, having begun to pillage 
 the neighbouring houses, occasioned disorder, and 
 the enemy took advantage of it. Our generals 
 could not rally the soldiers, nor bring back victo- 
 ry, notwithstanding their courageous efforts. M.
 
 ATTACK OF LUCON. 159 
 
 de Talmont (llstingnished himself verj' much at the 
 head of the cavalry, and his firmness contributed 
 to save the army. M. de Lescme had his horse 
 wounded; M. d'Elbee run some risk of being 
 taken. 
 
 This march of the army was of no service, ex- 
 cept recovering the important post of Chantonnay. 
 The men had been called together suddenly, and 
 had not mustered in great numbers, being harvest 
 time. The affair of Lu9on, however, would have 
 ended differently, had it not been for the irregula- 
 rities in which two or three of the officers were 
 implicated. There was an idea of trying the guil- 
 ty by a court-martial ; but this was given up for 
 fear of disgusting the soldiers, as it would have 
 been necessary to punish some of the inferior offi- 
 cers. The good-will of the ai'my was not com- 
 patible with strict discipline ; but the cases requi- 
 ring punishment were fortunately very uncom- 
 mon. M who commanded at , was 
 
 broke; and the defeat was announced as a punish- 
 ment of God. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 ARRIVAL OF M. DE TINTENIAC. — SECOND BATTLE 
 OF LUCON. VICTORY OF CHANTONNAY. 
 
 After the battle of Lucon, the army retunied 
 to defend La Vendee, which was now attacked in- 
 cessantly, and upon all sides. The division of Bon- 
 champ protected Anjou, and the left bank of the 
 Loire ; M. de la Rochejaqueleiji was posted on tlie
 
 160 IIEIALIATION THREATENED. 
 
 side of the Thouars and Done ; M. de Lescure 
 formed a camp at St Sauveur, near Bressiiire ; and 
 M. (le Royrand occupied Chantonnay, and liis prin- 
 cipal forces concentrated at the can)p of L'Oie, as 
 formerly ; M. de ChaiTette was tlien caiTylng on a 
 more active war. At all these points, successes 
 were various ; but the republicans were not able to 
 penetrate the Bocapre. 
 
 The peasants had been forbidden to send cattle 
 to market in those towns which were not in the 
 possession of tlje Vendeens. M. de Lescm-e, learn- 
 ing that, notwithstanding this prohibition, the mar- 
 ket of Parthenay waswell supplied, went there witli 
 a party, seized all the cattle that were for sale, and 
 sent them to Chatillon. His life was that day in 
 great danger. Passing through a street, at the head 
 of some dragoons, and conversing with M. de Mar- 
 sanges, a gendarme on horseback, who was conceal- 
 ed behind a gate, sprung forward, and fired a pistol 
 almost close to liis breast. The shot passed be- 
 tween him and M. de Marsanges. The gendarme 
 then turned, and fled at full gallop ; but was over- 
 taken and killed by the dragoons. 
 
 A proclamation had been issued foi* some time 
 past, announcing to the republicans that they must 
 expect retaliation for all shootings, burnings, &c. 
 
 According to this declaration, Parthenay ought 
 to have been burnt, as many of the inhabitants had 
 accompanied Westermann, the only one who had 
 yet pursued such measures. M. de Lescure as- 
 sembled the inhabitants, and said to them, " It is 
 very fortunate for you that it is I that took your 
 town ; for if I burnt it, as I ought, it might be at- 
 tributed to personal revenge for tlie burning of Clis- 
 son ;— I shall therefore spare you." He took, how-
 
 HUMANITY OF THE VENDEENS. l6l 
 
 ever, two of the administrators' wives as hostages, 
 and shut his eyes to some pillage, although very- 
 repugnant to his feelings. The soldiers, taking ad- 
 vantage of this, made havoc in some houses, but 
 committed no personal violence ; and a woman ha- 
 ving been killed by chance at a window, the Ven- 
 deens felt so much concern, that they gave a thou- 
 sand francs to her family. I ought to add here, 
 for the honour of our armies, that, notwitlistanding 
 the announced retaliation, it was never put in exe- 
 cution. The Royalists could not bring them- 
 •elves to imitate the burnings, the massacres, and 
 the cruelties of the Blues I The humanity of the 
 Vendeens is as celebrated as their valour ; and ca- 
 lumny never dared to asperse either. 
 
 In order to retrieve the defeat of Lucon effec- 
 tually, it became necessaiy to bring greater forces 
 into the field, and t^e better measures. It was 
 therefore resolved upon, that the division of Bon- 
 champ should be left for the defence of Anjou, and 
 that active operations should be concerted between 
 MM. de ChaiTette, de Ro\Tand, and the generals 
 of the grand army ; and M. d'Elbee was sent to col- 
 lect the troops on the side of Beaupreau. 
 
 At this very moment, M. le Chevalier de Tin- 
 teniac arrived from England, sent by the govern- 
 ment of that country to the insuigent chiefs. He 
 had, during the night, landed alone from a fishing- 
 boat, on the coast of St Malo. He was miacquaiat- 
 ed with the roads, and had not even taken the pre- 
 caution of having false passports. At three in the 
 morning he passed through the to\^'Ti of Chateau 
 Neuf. 
 
 They called to him, " Who goes there ?" he an- 
 swered, " A citizen," and walked on. When the 
 o 2
 
 169 ARRIVAL or M. DE TINTENIAC. 
 
 day broke, not knowing liow to proceed, lie accost- 
 ed a peasant. After some conversation, he deter- 
 mined to confide in him, and risk his hfe, by telling 
 him he was an emipjant, and was seeking his way 
 into La Vendee. The peasant led him to his cot- 
 tage, and kept liim two days, while the municipa- 
 lity was consulted. The people in this part of 
 Brittany were so inimical to the revolution, that in 
 most of the parishes there was hardly one indivi- 
 dual favourable to it. The municipality made M. 
 de Tintenific put on a disguise, and gave him a 
 guide. He procured others successively in every 
 parish, and was brought in safety to the banks of 
 the Loire, where, after having travelled fifty leagues 
 on foot in five nights, he had the good fortune to 
 get faithful watermen, who carried him across the 
 river, through the armed vessels of the republicans. 
 He was landed near where the division of M. de 
 Lyi'ot was encamped, and from thence an officer 
 conducted him to Boulaye, where there were staff- 
 officers. 
 
 The insurgents never till that time had any com- 
 munication with England. While at NouTnoutier, 
 M. de Charrette had sent one of the MM. la llo- 
 berie, but lie was lost in the passage ; and another 
 agent, M. de la Godelliere, ai'rived safe in Eng- 
 land, but having lost his papers, could not be ac- 
 credited there, and was lost himself afterwards on 
 his return. M. de Tinteniac belonged to one of 
 the first families of Brittany. He was thirty years 
 of age, a small man, but appeared quick and intel- 
 ?igent. He carried his dispatches as wadding, in 
 two pistols. 
 
 He found at Boulaye my father, M. de Lescure, 
 M. de la Kochejaquelein, the Bishop of Agra, and
 
 DISPATCHES FROM ENGLAND. 1G3 
 
 the Chevalier Desessarts, who received him at first 
 with some distrust, and expressed surprise that 
 such a commission had not been given to a Ven- 
 deen emigrant. 
 
 M. de Tinteniac said, that some of them had 
 refused ; and tlien, with a franloiess that did him 
 great credit, he added, " I will own to you, gen- 
 tlemen, that, independent of my attachment to 
 your cause, I washed to expiate the errors of my 
 early youth, which have been very great, by an ac- 
 tion as dangerous as meritorious." 
 
 His dispatches were fi'om Mr Dundas, and from 
 the Governor of Jersey. They contained praises 
 of the constancy and bravery of the insurgents, and 
 expressed an earnest desire to afford them every 
 assistance. Nine questions were proposed, to 
 which precise answers were requested. 
 
 The ignorance of the English, in all that con- 
 cerned us, was so complete, that the letters were 
 addi-essed to M. Gaston, the barber, who was kill- 
 ed at the beginning of the war, and who, M. de 
 Tinteniac told us, was supposed in London to be 
 the officer who commanded at Longwy. We were 
 extremely surprised at this ignorance, as, for a long 
 while past, the proclamations of our generals had 
 been inserted in the newspapers ; and were, there- 
 fore, led to conclude, that the EngUsh, instead of 
 zeal for the royal cause, felt great indifference to- 
 wai'ds continental affairs, or, from some motive, 
 pretended ignorance. 
 
 They desired to know what the real object of 
 our revolt was, and the natiu-e of our opinions ? 
 "What occasioned the rising of the country ? Why 
 we did not endeavour to establish a correspondence 
 with England '' \\1iat connexion we had with the
 
 164 SUBSTANCE OF THE DISPATCHES. 
 
 Other provinces, or with the continental powers ? 
 Of wliat extent was the insurgent courtiy ? The 
 number of sohliers ? \\'hat our resources were ? 
 What ammunition of all kinds we had ? How did 
 we procure tliem ? And, lastly, What kind of 
 assistance did we require ? And wliat place ap- 
 peared to us the proper one for a landing ? 
 
 The dispatches were written witli a tone of sin- 
 cerity, and apprehension that we might reject the 
 offers of England. They seemed also uncertain 
 what our views were ; whether we were inclined 
 to support the ancient constitution, the opinions of 
 the constituent assembly, or the Girondin faction. 
 
 INIutual confidence was soon established between 
 our generals and M. de Tinteniac. He saw us as 
 we were, and dispelled all our doubts respecting 
 Iiimself, by laying aside the diplomatic reserve of an 
 English envoy, and opening his heart to us. He 
 told us, that in England nothing was known with 
 precision respecting La Vendee. It was supposed 
 that about 40,000 revolted troops of the line had 
 begun the insurrection, and that it was, as in Nor- 
 mandy, excited by the republican party of Gironde. 
 We knew that our princes could have no share in 
 the mission of M. de Tinteniac, as none of them 
 were at that time in England. He assured us that 
 the English government appeared much disposed 
 to assist us, and that all seemed ready for a land- 
 ing on the coast of France ; but still he could not 
 help suspecting these appearances, as he was dis- 
 satisfied with the conduct of the English ministry 
 towards the emigrants. Many of them, desirous 
 of joining the insurgents, had wished to sail from 
 Jersey to the coast of France ; but that an order 
 from government liad proliibited pilots, wider pain
 
 ANSWER OF THE ROYALISTS. 1 G5 
 
 of deaths caiTying them there. M. de Tinteniac 
 alone, on account of his mission, had heen allowed 
 to embark. 
 
 A speedy answer was required, as M. de Tin- 
 teniac was to pass only four days in La Vendee ; 
 his guide liaving been appointed to meet him on a 
 certain day, on the other side of. the Loire. I could 
 then write a small and legible hand. I was em- 
 ployed, as their secretary, to •write the dispatches 
 that were to travel in M. de Tinteniac's pistols. 
 I do not believe there is now alive any one of 
 the persons who signed them ; and I alone, per- 
 haps, can give the particulars of this correspond- 
 ence. 
 
 They answered the English minister with suffi- 
 cient openness ; and explained the political views 
 of the Vendeens. That the impossibility of com- 
 munication had .been tlie sole cause of their not 
 having solicited succours, which were extremely 
 wanted. Care w^as taken, however, to exaggerate 
 a little our strength, lest the English should be led 
 to fear that their exertions might be misplaced. 
 They advised a landing at Sables, or at Paimboeuf, 
 promising to join them \Wth 50,000 men, at a place 
 and day fixed. We informed tliem that ]M. de 
 Charrette had lost ITle de Noirmoutier ; but that 
 he could easily possess the port of St Gilles. As 
 to Rochefort, Rochelle, and L'Orient, which the 
 English had mentioned in theii- letter, we stated 
 how difficult it would be for us to take possession 
 of these ports. 
 
 It must be acknowledged that, considering the 
 facilities we offered to the English for a landing, 
 and that they seemed already prepared, they evin-
 
 16G ANSWER OF THE ROYALISTS. 
 
 ced at least a great tardiness in adopting the mea- 
 sure. 
 
 It was particularly and urgently desired, that the 
 forces landed should be commanded by a Bourbon 
 Prhice, and in a great part composed of emigrants ; 
 and that, in that case, they might rely on complete 
 success. We said that 20,000 young men sliould 
 join the troops, and accompany them out of their 
 own countiy ; and that, on crossing the Loire, we 
 knew all Brittany would rise, being assured of the 
 sentiments of this province, although not in direct 
 correspondence. 
 
 All the generals who were at Boulaye signed 
 this answer, and the Bishop of Agi'a boldly added 
 his name. The generals wrote also to the princes, 
 assuring them of their devotion and profound obe- 
 dience, and expressing tlie earnest desire they had 
 to see one of them in La Vendee. This letter 
 was short, because the English ministry were to 
 read it ; but M. de Tinteniac had seen enough to 
 relate verbally every particular to the princes. We 
 pressed upon him the interests of La Vendee, and 
 frankly showed him how much i-t stood in need of 
 assistance ; at the same time, repeatedly assuring 
 him, that a prince with 10,000 men, even without 
 arms or money, would be sufficient to ensure suc- 
 cess. On every point he was told the exact truth, 
 that he might repeat it to the princes. 
 
 As neither M. d'Elbee, nor M. de Bonchamp 
 were present, the generals at Boulaye were desi- 
 rous that M. de Tinteniac should see them, and 
 receive their assent to all that had been done ; and 
 lie set out with the intention of seeing them on his 
 way, but, I believe, did not accomplish it. He ex-
 
 M. DE TINTENIAC DEPARTS. 167 
 
 pressea extreme regret in leaving us on the eve of 
 an important battle ; and would have wished to 
 join the Vendeens, in an attack of Luc^-on, which 
 was then preparing, and, at the desire of some 
 Swiss, fixed ihr the 10th of August. Our gene- 
 rals, however, representing to him that it would 
 be much more useful for him to hasten to England, 
 he set out for the camp of M. de Lyrot, from which 
 a patrol escorted him to the other side of the Loire, 
 where he found his guide ; and, travelling by night, 
 arrived at the house of a good peasant near Cha- 
 teau Neuf. Here he found means of sailing to Jer- 
 sey, and from thence was sent to England ; but I 
 have heard that his dispatches were lost at sea. 
 Since that, in the year ITOi, he made more than 
 once this perilous journey, and conducted the in- 
 tercourse between England and La Vendee, with 
 extraordinary courage and address. At one time 
 he swam across the Loire, holding his dispatches 
 in his teeth. And it is asserted, that being once 
 in the middle of Nantes, and finding himself near 
 the ferocious Carrier, he escaped, by threatening 
 to blow out his brains. In the year 1795, he 
 headed a division of insui-gent Bretons, to favour 
 the descent at Quiberon. 
 
 The unfortunate result of this expedition did not 
 discourage him from supporting the war with de- 
 termined resolution, at the head of his small troop. 
 He was killed at last, fighting bravely. The intre- 
 pid M. de Tinteniac was, in chai'acter and talents, 
 one of the most distinguished men that has appear- 
 ed during the civil war. 
 
 The preparations for the attack of Lugon were 
 not so speedy as had been hoped for ; and it was 
 only on the 12th that the army were all assembled
 
 168 SECOND BATTLE OF LUCON. 
 
 at the camp of I'Oie. A council of war was held ; 
 but, instead of its admittinp: as formerly all the dis- 
 tinguished officers, it was formed according: to the 
 regulations adopted since the election of M.d'Elbee. 
 
 They had to fight in an open plain, — a new and 
 difficult thing to the Vendeens. M. de Lescure 
 proposed ananging the divisions behind each other, 
 in such a manner that they could successively sup- 
 port ; and warmly urged the advantages of this 
 plan, which was adopted. MM. de ChaiTette and 
 de Lescure were appointed to lead the left wing, 
 which was to begin the attack ; MM. d'Elbee, de 
 Royrand, and my father, were to command the 
 centre ; MM. de la Rochejaquelein and de Marigny 
 the riglit wing. MM. de Charrette and de Le- 
 scure began the action with great spirit. Tliey had 
 heard much of each other, and emulation added a 
 new incitement to their usual bravery and desire 
 of success. The Blues fell back at first, and the 
 left wing had already taken five cannon, when they 
 perceived the centre did not follow the movement, 
 M. d'Elbee had given no instioictions to his offi- 
 cers ; and his soldiers, intending to fight according 
 to their usual custom, by mnning upon the enemy, 
 M. d'Elbee stopped them, and called repeatedly, 
 " Form youi" lines, my friends, by my horse !" 
 
 M. Herbauld, who commanded a part of the 
 centre, and who knew nothing of this circumstance, 
 led his soldiers forward, without suspecting that 
 the others did not follow. The republican general, 
 seizing the moment of this disortler, made a ma- 
 noeuvre witli the light artillery, which entirely se- 
 parated M. d'Elbee's division ; and this being fol- 
 lower! by a charge of cavalry, the rout became 
 complete. During this time M. de Marigny ha-
 
 SECOND BATTLE OF LUCON. 169 
 
 ving mistaken the road, arrived on the field only to 
 witness tlie defeat, M. de la Rochejaquelein suc- 
 ceeded in covering the retreat, and saved many 
 lives by a timely removal of an overtmned wag- 
 gon from the bridge of Bessay. In the midst of 
 this rout of the centre, forty peasants of Coiirlay> 
 with crossed bayonets, sustained the whole charge 
 of cavalry without losing ground. These brave men 
 ?jelonged to the division of M. de Lescure, and 
 were from a parish he had always particularly 
 esteemed. 
 
 This unfortunate affair, the most disastrous that 
 had yet taken place, cost many lives. The light 
 artilleiy acted with gTeat effect on the level plain ; 
 and the peasants had never taken flight in so much 
 teiTor and disorder, Vv e lost only tv/o officers, M. 
 Baudry d'Asson, who had beg-un the war in 1792, 
 and M. Morinais of Chatillon, 
 
 M. de Lescure was blamed for having proposed 
 an order of battle, which, though proper for troops 
 of the line, was nearly impracticable with the pea- 
 sants and most part of our officers; and for having 
 pertinaciously insisted on the adoption of that plan. 
 On his part he reproached M. d'Elbee with having 
 done nothing to make it succeed. M. d'Elbee an- 
 swered, " The plan was yours, sir, and you ought 
 to have directed the whole." — " But once adopt- 
 ed," replied M. de Lescure, " it belonged to the 
 general to see it executed. You conferred the com- 
 mand of the left wing on M. de Chan-ette and me. 
 Vie have beat the enemy, and done our duty." I 
 ought to mention, that the republican generals had 
 been apprised by spies of the intended march of 
 our army, and the hour of attack ; and that some 
 p
 
 170 RETREAT OF THE ROYALISTS. 
 
 troops, who did not belong to the country, desert- 
 ed (luring the battle. 
 
 M. de Charretto returned into his canton after 
 the retreat, made in good order, with M. de Le- 
 scure. They parted with mutual expressions of 
 esteem. I had sent a messenger to gain intelligence 
 of the battle, who not finding M. de Lescui-e im- 
 mediately, INI. de Clianette was so good as to write 
 to me. His letter was extremely kind, and ex- 
 pressive of great admiration for my husband. 
 
 The Blues again occupied Chantonnay. We were 
 much distressed at seeing them thus established in 
 the Bocage, and in a situation, too, from which it 
 was of the greatest importance to remove them. A 
 new plan was concerted with M. de Royrand. He 
 made a false attack on the side of the four roads, 
 while the gi*and army, making a great circuit, as- 
 sailed the republican rear-guard towards the bridge 
 of Chanon. The victory was due to Bonchamp's 
 division, commanded by M. d'Autichamp, who, 
 with great intrepidity, carried the entrenchments. 
 Thus surrounded, the defeat of the Blues was ter- 
 rible. The great roads were intercepted, and their 
 columns bewildered in the Bocage. They lost both 
 their cannon and baggage, and seldom had suffered 
 so great a loss of men. A battalion that Iiad as- 
 sumed the name of the "Avenger," and had never 
 given quarter to any Vendeen, was wholly exter- 
 minated. 
 
 The little Chevalier de Mondyon behaved in a 
 very remarkable man-ner on this day. He happened 
 to be near a tall officer, who, less brave than him- 
 self, pro])osed to withdraw, under pretence of being 
 wounded. " I don't see that," said the boy; "and,
 
 VICTORY OF CriANTONNAY. 171 
 
 as your retii-ing will discourage our soldiers, I will 
 shoot you through the liead if you retreat a single 
 step." As he was very capable of doing this, the 
 officer remained at his post. 
 
 After the victory of Chantonnay, nearly all the 
 chiefs assembled at Herbiers, to consult on means 
 of defence, as every day the dangers increased. 
 
 The republican armies were become more nume- 
 rous, better organized, and commanded by abler 
 generals. The greater part of the garrisons of 
 Mayence, Valenciennes, and Conde, whom the fo- 
 reign powers had, by the articles of capitulation, 
 left at liberty to serve in the interior of France, 
 were sent post to the attack of La Vendee. Our 
 situation was extremely critical. M. d'Elbee pre- 
 served his title of generalissimo; but the insurgent 
 territory having been divided into four portions, 
 each was under a distinct command. M. de Char- 
 rette commanded the environs of Nantes, and the 
 coast ; M. de Bonchamp, the borders of the Loire 
 in Anjou ; M. de la Rochejaquelein, the rest of the 
 insurgent part of Anjou ; M. de Lescure, all the 
 Haute Vendee in Poitou. They had wished to 
 unite to his army the ti'oops of M. Ro\Tand, and 
 give him another appointment ; but ]M. de Lescure 
 showed so little anxiety about it, that M. de Roy- 
 rand might be said to have a fifth command. M. 
 de Talmont remained general in chief of the caval- 
 ry; M. de Marigny of the artillery; and Stofflet 
 was named major-general. My father was created 
 governor-general of all the insurgent country, and 
 president of the council of war ; M. de RojTand 
 lieutenant-governor ; MiVI. Duhoux Hautrive and 
 de Boisy, assistants. This staff was stationed at 
 Mortagne. The superior council, which had given
 
 172 ARRANGEMENT OF THE FORCES. 
 
 much dissatisfaction, remained at Chatillon. It had 
 assumed rather too much ; but was more ridiculous 
 tliau oppressive. It was determined that the uni- 
 form of tlie officers should be a ^een vest, with 
 white or black facings, &c. according to the divi- 
 sions ; but this was not done. Each division was 
 to have a corps of twelve hundred select men, paid 
 and trained as troops of the line, and subjected to 
 the same discipline ; but this corps could not be 
 formed. Finally, it was determuied that the for- 
 mer council of war, to which all the distinguished 
 officers were admitted, sliould be re-established; — 
 tlie select council had only been once held, on the 
 eve of the unfortunate affair of Lu^on. The re- 
 iterated attacks of the republican ai-mies did not 
 allow leisure for the execution of all the measures 
 agi'eed upon at this last conference of Herbiers. 
 When it was terminated, the chiefs separated ; each 
 repairing to his district. M. de Lescm-e retui'ned 
 to his camp at St Sauveur, and remained there un- 
 disturbed for some days. Being there on his es- 
 tate, many of the peasimts offered to pay him the 
 suppressed rents. He told them, it was not to re- 
 cover these that he fought ; that their own suffer- 
 ings were enough to entitle them to this slight in- 
 demnity ; and that, at any rate, he would not take 
 advantage of their superior honesty, and receive 
 from them what no one else in France would pay. 
 M. de Lescure had soon afterwards two skir- 
 mishes with the republicans, who came to attack 
 }iim from St Maixent, and then from d'Airvault, 
 where they had formed a camp. The success was 
 not very decided on either side?, and each remained 
 in their cantonments. At this time M. de Maig- 
 nan, aged seventy, who had a place in the superior
 
 BATTLE OF LA ROCHE ERIGNE. 178 
 
 council, detennlned to take an active part in the 
 war. Tiiis g'ood old man went to M. de Lescure, 
 and desired to serve under him ; and none showed 
 more zeal and courage. Tiie ofiicers and M. de 
 Lescure always called him their father. It was then 
 also that ]M. Allard from Rochelle came and oifered 
 his services. Chance led him to address himself to 
 my mother, who, affected by the manner in which 
 he made his request, begged M. de la Rochejaque- 
 lein to appoint liim his aide-de-camp ; and he soon 
 became his intimate friend and worthy fellow 
 soldier. 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 BATTLES OF LA ROCHE ERIGXE, MARTIGXE, DOUE, 
 THOUARS, CORON, BEAULIEU, TORFOU, MONTAIGU, 
 
 ST FULGENT. ATTACK OF THE CONVOY FROM 
 
 CLISSON. 
 
 I AM now come to a disastrous period, v/iiere I 
 shall no longer have to relate the successes and 
 hopes of the Vendeens ; — their courage serving 
 only to lead them to new misfortunes. 
 
 The insurgent country was surrounded by 
 240,000 men ; a great part of this force was from 
 the levees en masse made in the neighbouring pro- 
 vinces ; but they had besides some excellent troops. 
 Dreadful measures had been adopted. The repub- 
 licans burnt and destroyed every thing ; their \ac- 
 tories were followed bv massacres; neithei women 
 ' p2
 
 174 BATTLE OE MARTIGNE. 
 
 nor cliildren were spared; and, finally, the Conven- 
 tion gave orders that the whole country should be 
 turned into a desert, without a man, without a 
 house, without a tree. 
 
 It was the division of Bonchamp, which, in the 
 first days of September, began to act against the 
 vast armies which surrounded us. They attacked 
 La Roche d'Erigne, where the republicans had es- 
 tablished a camp, which defended the bridges of 
 Ce, and carried the position. 
 
 At the same time a party of the grand army, 
 commanded by M. de la llochejaquelein, went to- 
 wards Martigne. The enemy, trusting to their su- 
 perior force, attacked tliem. The combat was ob- 
 stinate and bloody. Henri was in a hollow way 
 giving orders, when a ball stmck his hand, break- 
 ing his thumb in tlu-ee places, and hitting his elbow. 
 He did not drop a pistol which he held at that mo- 
 ment, but said to his servant, " Look if my elbow 
 bleeds." — " No, sir." — " Well then, it is only my 
 thumb broken ;" and he continued to direct his troops. 
 The night coming on, prevented the Vendeens from 
 reaping the advantage they had gamed, and the 
 enemy retreated to Doue. 
 
 The next day the division of Bonchamp joined 
 that of M. de la Rochejaquelein, whose wound ob- 
 liged him to retire. Stofflet took the command, 
 and marched to Doue, where the republicans were 
 entrenched. They attacked them at first with suc- 
 cess, but a charge of cavalry made the right of the 
 Vendeens fall back, and threw them into disorder, 
 and at the same moment Stofflet received a ball in 
 his thigh : they were then obliged to retire, and lost 
 some pieces of cannon. M. Stofflet, though se- 
 verely wounded, continued to command, and, owing
 
 BATTLES OF DOUE — OF THOUARS. 175 
 
 to him, the retreat was made in tolerably good or- 
 der. The republican troops, and the levees en 
 masse, increased every day; but they only skirmish- 
 ed with our advanced guai'ds; their strongest araiies 
 were at Nantes, Angers, Saumur, and Poitiers. 
 
 M. de Lescure left the camp of St Sauveur with 
 2000 men, on the 19th of September, to oppose 
 the Blues who were assembling at Thoiiars. The 
 national guards, and the levees en masse, formed 
 there a camp of more than 20,000 men. Our troops 
 at first were eminently successful ; and the defeat 
 would have been complete, Jiad not a reinforcement 
 from d'Airvault obliged M. de Lescure in his turn 
 to retire ; but the retreat was made in good order. 
 The gendarmes wished to disturb it ; but M. de 
 Lescure aiid his officers waited for them with such 
 firmness and resolution, that they did not dare to 
 advance. The wounded were then carried away 
 without interruption ; M. de Lescure assisting in 
 carrying the litters, which he often did, as well as 
 the other officers. This attack of Thouars was ex- 
 tremely useful, for it discouraged the swarm of le- 
 vies en masse, which filled that army ; they dis- 
 banded, and never afterwards appeared. 
 
 It was after this battle, that the republicans 
 found among the dead the body of a woman, about 
 whom there was a great deal said in the newspa- 
 pers. Some said it was me ; others that it was 
 Jeanne de Lescure, sister to the chief of the bri- 
 gands, (who never had one.) It was also suppo- 
 sed that she had passed among the Vendeens for 
 an inspired maid, like Joan of Arc. This last 
 conjecture was equally false. The generals liad 
 not only strictly prohibited any women from fol- 
 lowing the army, but declared that any one found
 
 17G FEMALE INTREPIDITY. 
 
 therp should he. iernominiously banislied ; and du- 
 rhiir the short periods in which tlie troops were 
 a<5semLled, even female su+lers were not allowed 
 to attend. Some time before the engagement at 
 Thouars, a soldier accosted me at Bonlaye, saying, 
 he had a secret to confide to me. It was a wo- 
 man, who was desirous of changing her woollen 
 vest for one of tlie coarse cottons which was given 
 to the poorest of the soldiers, and, fearing to be 
 discovered, had applied to me, but entreated me 
 not to inform M. de Lescure. She said her name 
 was Jeanne Robin, and that she was from Cour- 
 lay. The vicar of that parish, to whom I wrote, 
 answered tliat she was a very good girl, but that 
 he Iiad been unable to dissuade her from being a 
 soldier, and that she had taken the sacrament im- 
 mediately before leaving home. 
 
 The evening before tlie battle, she sought for 
 M. de Lescure, and addressing him, said, " Ge- 
 neral, I am a woman ! Madame de Lescure knows 
 it, and also that my character is good. To-mor- 
 row there is to be a battle, let me but liave a pair 
 of shoes ; I am sure I shall fight so, that you will 
 not send me away." She indeed fought under the 
 e.ye of M. de Lescure, and called to him, " General, 
 you must not pass me, I shall always be nearer 
 the Blues than you." She Avas wounded in the 
 hand, but this only animated her the more ; and 
 showing it to liim, said, " This is nothing." Hush- 
 ing furiously into the thickest part of the engage- 
 ment, she perished. 
 
 There were in other divisions a few women, who 
 fought also disguised as men. I saw two sisters, 
 fourteen and fifteen years old, who were very 
 courageous. In the army of M. de Bonchamp, a
 
 FEMALE INTREPIDITY. 177 
 
 young woman became a dragoon, to avenge th€« 
 death of her fatlier ; and performed prodigies of 
 valour during the v/hole war, under the name oi 
 L' Angevin. She is the only one of these heroines 
 now alive. 
 
 I one day saw a young woman, tall and beauti- 
 ful, vriXh pistols and a sabre hung at her girdle, 
 come to Chollet, accompanied by two other wo- 
 men, armed with pikes. She was brought as a spy 
 to my father, who inteiTogated her. She told him 
 she was from the parish of Tout-le- Monde, and that 
 the women kept guard there when the men were 
 absent in the army. But I do not believe there 
 were in all ten women bearing ai'ms, disguised as 
 men ; but it was apparently to authorize in some 
 degree theii' massacres of women, that the Blues 
 Bpake so much of those that fought. It is true, 
 that, after theii- defeats, those who fled were some- 
 times seized and knocked in the head by the wo- 
 men and children of the villages, which was a 
 shocking reprisal; but the burnings and mas- 
 sacres had given the people a deep feeling of re- 
 venge. 
 
 It has been also falsely asserted, that the priests 
 fought ; but they came to the field of battle only 
 to confess the dying, whicli they did in the hottest 
 fire ; and it was true theii' bodies were occasion- 
 ally found. They at times carried pistols for their 
 personal defence ; but none of them ever thought 
 of any other duty, except exhorting and rallying 
 the soldiers, or inspiring them with courage and 
 resignation imder sufferings. Had the peasants 
 seen them depart ft-om their holy character, they 
 would have lost all veneration for them. So de- 
 cided v^'ajs the general opinion in this respect, that
 
 178 ROYALIST CLERGY. 
 
 M. (la Soulier, who had long fought in the Ven- 
 deen army, having been discovered to he a priest, 
 (sous-diacre), was sent to prison. The priests 
 have also been reproached with having excited the 
 Vendeens to cruelty. Nothing could be more 
 false ; for, on the contrary, I could produce many 
 traits of courageous humanity, highly honourable 
 to them. Numbers owed their lives to their inter- 
 cessions witli furious soldiers bent on slaughter. 
 The priests who were the most active in exciting 
 the peasants to fight courageously, were often also 
 the most zealous in preventing their shedding the 
 blood of the vanquished. M. Doussis, curate of 
 St Marie-de-Rhe, a most ardent follower of the 
 army, prevented the massacre of a great number 
 of prisoners by his feeling and eloquent expostula- 
 tions. Some years afterwards, being brought be- 
 fore a republican tribunal, this action saved him. 
 
 M. de Supiaud, a venerable missionary of St 
 Esprit, placed himself on another occasion before 
 the door of the prison of St Laurence, declaring 
 they should trample over his body before they 
 reached the prisoners within. The stories circu- 
 lated respecting the sanguinary fanaticism of the 
 Vendeen priests, are the calumnies of party spirit 
 and irreligion. There were some chikh-en in the 
 anny; and a little boy of seven years old has been 
 known to stand the fire imdauntedly. 
 
 The numerous army commanded by General 
 Santerre, which came from Saumur, and had re- 
 pulsed Stofilet before Doue, arrived at Coron. 
 The principal generals of the grand army were 
 absent, defending other points; and MM. de Bon- 
 champ, de la Rochejaquelein, and Stofflet, being 
 wounded, there was a want of officers as well as
 
 BATTLE OF CORON. 179 
 
 soldiers to stop his mai-ch. On tlie I4:th of Sep- 
 tember, MM. de Talmont and de Perault, with a 
 slender force, very imprudently attacked Ijim. M. 
 de Sepeaux and some yomig: officers having defied 
 each other who should approach neai'est to the 
 Blues, advanced too far, and were obliged to re- 
 tmn at full gallop. This incident alai'med the 
 peasants, and the attack failed, but without any 
 material loss. Fortunately, M. de Piron succeed- 
 ed in assembling troops on the side of Chollet ; 
 and M. de la Rochejaquelein, who was confined 
 at St Aubin with his wound, employed himself 
 with M. Jagault, in collecting peasants from the 
 surrounding parishes, and sent them to M. de Pi- 
 ron under the command of M. de Laugreniere ; 
 he was nearly the only distinguished officer re- 
 maining in that district, all the others being with 
 the generals neai" ^lortagne, where the danger was 
 most m'gent. 
 
 M. de Piron opposed Santen-e at the head of 
 10,000 or 12,000 men ; the Blues marched from 
 Coron upon Vezins ; and their ai'my, 40,000 
 strong, the most part from levees en masse, occu- 
 pied a line of four leagues along the great road. 
 M. de Piron, observing the error of this disposi- 
 tion, attacked with vigour the centre of the re- 
 publicans ; and, after an hour and a half's fight- 
 ing, succeeded in cutting their line, and throwing 
 them into disorder. Their artillery filing oflp at 
 that moment, through a long and narrow street of 
 Coron, M. de Piron instantly secured it, by placing 
 troops at each end of the village, and the rout be- 
 came complete. The enemy were followed for four 
 miles, and lost eighteen cannon, and their wag- 
 gons. This victory did infinite honour to M. de
 
 180 BATTLE OF CORON. 
 
 Piron, who sliowed great ability and resolution, in 
 a nituation where he had no assistance to expect. 
 The soldiers shouted during the battle, '* Vive Pi- 
 ron I VivePii-on!"* 
 
 He sent immediately after, a part of his infan- 
 try, and all his cavalry, to tiie Chevalier Duhoux, 
 who, with ]\IM. Cadi and Dessorinieres, were en- 
 deavouring to defend themselves against the re- 
 publican army, which had come by Angers and 
 the bridges of Ce. A General Dehoux, uncle of 
 the Chevalier, commanded it. The Vendeens, 
 encouraged by the success of M. de Piron, and 
 the reinforcements he had sent, resumed the offen- 
 sive, and repulsed with spirit the vanguard of the 
 republicans, which fell back behind the river Lu- 
 9on, by the bridge of Barre. 
 
 This bridge ^vas strongly defended by artillery, 
 which stopped the Vendeens. A quarter of a mile 
 further, another bridge had been broken down. 
 
 A column of peasants, without officers, flew of 
 themselves to this point. Jean Bernier, a young 
 miller, of the pai-ish of St Lambert, darting from 
 the ranks, threw himself into the stream, and 
 swam across. Others followed ; — they repaii-ed 
 the bridge, and the column passed over. Ber- 
 nier, seizing a standard, called out, " Pollow me^ 
 friends!" They soon overtook the rear of the re- 
 })ublican army, cooped up in a defile. Surprised 
 at this unexpected attack, and finding our troops 
 had succeeded in passing the bridge of Barre, the 
 Blues took to flight, abandoning all their artillery, 
 and were pursued as far as the bridges of Ce. The 
 
 • Piron for ever.
 
 BATTLE OF CORON. 181 
 
 republicans reproached their general Duhoiix with 
 having secret coiTespondence with his nephew, 
 who commanded the Vendeens ; but there was no 
 foundation for this. The Chevalier Duhoux, a 
 young man of twenty, very brave, but veiy thought- 
 less, was not of a character to employ such means ; 
 and treachery was without example in our civil 
 war. 
 
 Thus all the attacks made fi'ora Thouars, Sau- 
 mur, and Angers, were repulsed, and the levees en 
 masse on these three sides were dispersed; but 
 meanwhile the whole Basse Vendee was overi*un. 
 Unfortunately M. de Charrette had not been able 
 to stop the progress of the former gamson of 
 Mayence, now sent against us from Nantes. The 
 coalesced powers neglecting even to stipulate in 
 the capitidations, that the garrisons should not 
 fight against us, was a cruel circumstance for the 
 Vendeens, and evinced but too well that they did 
 not serve the same cause. 
 
 The Mayencais, to the amount of fourteen thou- 
 sand men, with the troops General Beysser had at 
 Nantes, and a division fi'om Sables, attacked at 
 once by three different routes the insurgents of 
 Bas-Poitou. 
 
 The small corps of Jolly, Savin, Coetus, and 
 Chouppes, were obliged to fall back on Lege, 
 where M. de ChaiTette was. The whole popula- 
 tion, old men, women, and children, followed the 
 soldiers, to avoid the general massacre. The crowd 
 of cattle, carriages, &c. encumbered and retarded 
 the retreat ; the disorder was extreme, and terror 
 increased at every step. M. de Charrette aban- 
 doned Lege to retire to INIontaigu, and was there 
 attacked and defeated. He then took refuge atClis- 
 u
 
 ISl RETREAT TO MONTAIGT. 
 
 son, but could not hold out ; and lastly, retired to 
 Tiffauges, after having lost the whole territory in 
 which he had hitherto carried on the war. He 
 sent for assistance from the grand army : the fate 
 of La Vendee hung upon that moment. 
 
 A few days before the battle of Torfou, a depu- 
 tation from the army of Mayence, composed of one 
 officer and two subalterns, came to Boulaye, dis- 
 guised as peasants. They offered to join the royal- 
 ists, but demanded the high pay of thirty sols a day 
 for each soldier, besides a very large sum for the 
 officers, amounting from one to two millions. The 
 Vendecfl chiefs had no cun-ency, but promised large- 
 ly for the future. This did not satisfy the Mayen- 
 ^ais, who appeared determined to conclude nothing 
 without the effective. This was little regretted ; for 
 what confidence could be placed in men who were 
 thus for sale I A larger sum would have led them to 
 betray the Vendeens in their turn. The particu- 
 lars they gave respecting the strength of their army, 
 and of its position, of which they boasted much, 
 were highly instrumental to the success at the bat- 
 tle of Torfou. 
 
 The army and all the generals, except M. de la 
 Rochejaquelein, whose wound still confined him, 
 assembled at Chollet. The enormities committed 
 by the Blues had excited universal horror and in- 
 dignation, and all the chiefs were resolved to die or 
 conquer in the approaching battle. They decided 
 that no prisoners should be spared, the Mayen^ais 
 being considered as having violated a capitulation 
 in which La Vendee was to be regarded as a party, 
 being allies of the foreign powers, and troops of the 
 King of France. The cry of " Rendez-vous, grace," 
 (surrender, you shall have your life,) was therefore
 
 BATITE OF TORFOU. 183 
 
 forbidden. Before their departure, the curate of St 
 Laud celebrated mass at midnight, and delivered an 
 impressive sermon. He then solemnly blessed a 
 white standard which I had embroidered for the 
 army of M. de Lescure. 
 
 The united armies amounted to about forty thou- 
 sand men. On the 19th of September, the very day 
 ou which the Chevalier Duhoux gained the victory 
 at Beaulieu, they marched against the enemy. The 
 Mayen9ais had removed from Clisson to Torfou. 
 They at first occupied the village of Boussay, dri- 
 ving from it a small number of Vendeens, who made 
 no resistance, and then advanced on Torfou, placing 
 two battalions in front of the village. At the first 
 fire the Vendeens took to flight, particularly the sol- 
 diers of M. de Charrette, who had been discouraged 
 by their reverses. On this, M. de Lescure, dis- 
 mounting from his horse, with some of his officere, 
 called out, " Are there four hundred men brave 
 enough to die with me ?" The people of the parish 
 of Echaubroignes, who had that day seventeen hun- 
 dred men under arms, answered loudly, " Yes, 
 Marquis, we will follow wherever you lead." These 
 brave peasants, and those of the neighbouring pa- 
 rishes, were the best soldiers in his army ; they bore 
 the name of grenadiers of La Vendee, and were com- 
 manded by Bourasseau, one of their o^ti comrades. 
 At the head of three thousand men M. de Lescure 
 succeeded in maintaining the battle for two hours. 
 This part of the country, the most unequal and 
 woody of the Bocage, did not allow the jNIayen^ais 
 to observe how weak a force was opposed to them, 
 before M. de Bonchamp's division arrived, and M. 
 de Charrette and the other chiefs had succeeded in 
 rallying those who had fled in the first onset. They
 
 184 BATTLE OF TORFOU. 
 
 then spread themselves around the left of the re- 
 publicans, whilst the hedges and inequality of the 
 ground, concealing their motions, prevented the 
 enemy knowing on what point to defend themselves. 
 At last a heavy fire on their rear, near which the 
 artillery was placed, made them fear its loss ; and 
 the movement they made to defend it threw them 
 suddenly into disorder. Tlieir columns became en- 
 tangled in deep and intricate roads, exposed to the 
 desultory fire of the Vendeens. They could not 
 even save their cannon, and the soldiers who de- 
 fended them were killed. General Kleber, who 
 commanded the Mayen^ais, preserving his coolness 
 and judgement, prevented a complete rout, and re- 
 established some degree of order in his army. The 
 courage of their officers, and steadiness of their sol- 
 diers, would scarcely have saved them, had not Kle- 
 ber, after a retreat of about a league, perceiving the 
 disorder of his troops, and pressed by the Vendeens, 
 placed two pieces of cannon on the bridge of Bous- 
 say, and said to a lieutenant-colonel, " You and your 
 battalion must die here !" — " Yes, General !" re- 
 plied this brave man ; and he perished on the spot. 
 This allowed Kleber time to rally the Mayen^ais, 
 80 as to stop the career of the Vendeens, who pro- 
 ceeded no further. 
 
 Tlie next day MM. de Chanette and de Lescure 
 attacked General Beysser at Montaigu, to prevent 
 liis junction with the Mayencais. Although taken 
 by surprise, he at first made some resistance. The 
 troo])s of M. de Charrette behaved ill again ; but he 
 rallied them Avith such spirit that they came back 
 to tlie charge. The soldiers of the grand army did 
 not give way for an instant, and never had shown 
 themselves braver or more ardent than on this day.
 
 BATTLE OF MONTAIGU. 185 
 
 They had acquired confidence in themselves, and 
 the officers experience. General Beysser was com- 
 pletely beaten. His troops were not equal to the 
 Mayen^ais ; they lost their cannon and equipage, 
 and he was himself severely wounded. The panic 
 of the republicans was such, that they could not be 
 rallied nearer than Nantes. 
 
 It was agreed, thatnext day the whole army should 
 attack the Mayen^ais in their retreat. They had 
 formed considerable magazines of provisions atClis- 
 8on, where their wounded were placed, and to which 
 they also wished to remove their booty. Their march 
 being encumbered by a convoy of about 1200 car- 
 riages, would have rendered an attack easy, which 
 was to have taken place on the right by MM. d'El- 
 bee and de Bonchamp, and on the left by MM. de 
 Charrette and de Lescure, But, after the taking 
 of Montaigu, M. de Charrette thought it would be 
 better to march immediately towards St Fulgent, 
 and engage the division of Sables coming by that 
 road. It had committed horrible ravages in the 
 country, and the inhabitants had earnestly entreat- 
 ed to be delivered from them. He gained over M. 
 de Lescure to his opinion ; and they both thought 
 that the attack upon the right would be sufficient to 
 disperse the Mayencais convoy. They, therefore, 
 sent an officer to M. de Bonchamp, to inform him 
 that they had resolved to march towards St Fulgent; 
 but this messenger did not arrive in time, and this 
 accident had fatal consequences. 
 
 The victory was complete at St Fulgent : the 
 army of Charrette showed, at first, some hesitation. 
 Soon overcome by the firmness of the general and 
 officers, the Blues were quickly put to flight, and 
 eloselv pursued by the cavalry. Avril, a peasant
 
 186 BATTLE or ST FULGENT. 
 
 of Jiigh fame in our army, liad his arm broken. One 
 of the Swiss, named Rynchs, drew a fla^jreolet from 
 his pocket, and began to play in derision, the air 
 Cd ira. While charging the enemy, a ball earned 
 oflf the head of his horse, but Rynchs getting up 
 again, continued to play. M. de Lescure, le Che- 
 valier de Beauvolliers, and the young de Mondyon, 
 Jiad been so eager in the pursuit, that they found 
 themselves at six in the evening perfectly alone. 
 Four republicans, concealed behind a hedge, fired 
 at them. M. de Lescure, believing that it was his 
 own soldiers, advanced to them, saying, " Do not 
 fire, we are your generals." They fired again close 
 to them. Happily their guns were only loaded 
 with small shot. M. de Lescure's clothes were 
 pierced in very many places, and the Chevalier 
 Mondyon was severely wounded in the hand ; the 
 artillery and baggage remained in the possession of 
 the Vendcens. This division of Sables continued 
 the flight to Chantonnay. 
 
 Meanwhile MM. d'Elbee, de Bonchamp, de Tal- 
 mont, &c. supported by the divisions of MM. de 
 Lyrot and of Isigny, attacked the convoy of Clia- 
 son. If all the army had been united, and the eX' 
 pectation of the attack upon the left had not been 
 disappointed, it is probable that the formidable 
 Mayencais would have experienced a total destruc- 
 tion ; but our success was vory incomplete. M. 
 de Bonchamp renewed the attack three times with 
 lieroic courage, but was repulsed ; and though his 
 loss was not great, and betook 100 waggons, the 
 expedition failed ; and it cannot be denied that, if 
 successful, the consequences would have been very 
 important. M. de Bonchamp felt severely his not 
 having been supported .; the circumstance began to
 
 ATTACK OF THE CONVOY OF CLISSOX. 187 
 
 SOW a little dissension among the different chiefs of 
 the Yendeen armies ; and the peasants of Anjou 
 preserved a bitter recollection of it. Six armies, 
 which, almost at the same moment, assailed the 
 yendt§ens, were by a great and general effort re- 
 pulsed. Unfortunately, the most formidable of these 
 araiies had suffered the least. Some days of repose 
 became necessary, before undertaking anything new. 
 MM. d'Elbee and de Bonchamp remained near Tif- 
 fauges, to watch the Mayen^ais ; MM. de Talmont 
 and de Stofflet occupied Anjou ; M. de Charrette 
 was at Herbiers ; M. de laVille de Bauge at Pouss- 
 auges, to check the troops of Chataigneraie ; and 
 M. de Lescure returaed to Chatillon, for the safety 
 of that district. General Westermann* arrived from 
 Niorat ; and the republican division of Lucon occu- 
 pied Chantonnay. 
 
 The soldiers returned in triumph to their homes, 
 after so many victories ; the Te Deum was sung 
 in all the parishes. I assisted at that of Chatil- 
 lon, v.'here the Chevalier de had it ce- 
 lebrated with extraordinary pomp. He was a great 
 general for processions, assuming, on such occa- 
 sions, a giavity and devotion which charmed the 
 peasants, who, besides, loved him extrfmely from 
 
 • Westermann, a soldier of fortune, bred in the artillery, 
 commanded the attack on the Tuilleries on the 10th July. 
 In the war of La Vendee he showed much military talent, 
 but also much cruelty, laying waste the country and but- 
 chering the inhabitants of both sexes, and all ages. He 
 came to the usual end of the revolutionary leaders, being 
 guillotined as an adherent of Danton, when the latter suc- 
 cumbed under the power of his rival Kobespierre. "Wes- 
 termann had sinned grievously against humanity, but not 
 against the republic, which he had served but too well.
 
 188 TREATMENT OF PRISONERS. 
 
 the care he took of the wounded. He came at the 
 head of the inhabitants, with the Bishop of Agra, 
 the generals, and the superior council ; while M. 
 de Lescure, whose courage had been so conspi- 
 cuous in the last battle, and whom the whole coun- 
 try hailed as its deliverer, concealed behind a pillar 
 of the church, and avoiding observation, returned 
 thanks to God upon his knees. 
 
 In the evening, while I %vas walking, I heard the 
 cry of " To arms ! the prisoners have revolted I" 
 There were 1800 of them in an abbey, and not well 
 secured. Two loaded cannon were before the gate, 
 but not properly attended. Fearing they might 
 surprise the staff-officers, who were near, I ran 
 there in time. Snatching up their swords, they 
 flew to the prison ; but it was a false alarm, and 
 such were frequently given. Sometimes there were 
 many more prisoners than soldiers in the town ; and 
 there had been a revolt, in which they were obliged 
 to tire upon the mutineers. Another time two pri- 
 soners, after requesting to serve in the army and 
 take the oath to the King, were detected endeavour- 
 ing to open the doors of the prison, and shot in 
 consequence. Hearing of the massacre of our pri- 
 soners by the Blues, it liad been more than once 
 considered whether we should not retaliate ; but 
 this cruel proposal was always repelled with hor- 
 ror. At first the republicans had spared a part of 
 their prisoners, and only detained them. The most 
 distinguished were indeed executed ; but there had 
 not been yet a general proscription, as at this pe- 
 riod. 
 
 Two days after the separation of the armies, 
 M. de Charrette sent an officer from Herbiers to 
 Chatillon to claim hia share of seven thousand
 
 NEW ATTACKS MEDITATED. 189 
 
 francs in assignats, which had been taken at St 
 Fulgent. This demand could admit of no diflB- 
 culty. M. de Lescure had agreed with M. de 
 Chan-ette, before parting, that they should make 
 another attack in concert, after a little repose. 
 The grand army had saved him, and it was just 
 that he should now assist them. Chantonnay and 
 Chataigneraie were occupied by the enemy. This 
 last post, in particular, being far advanced in the 
 Bocage, gave great uneasiness; and M. de Le- 
 scure was anxious that their efforts should be di- 
 rected upon that point. One of the MM. de la 
 Roberie, who had come in the name of M. de 
 Charrette, said, from him, that he thought they 
 ought first to attack Chantonnay. M. de Lescure 
 and his officers wrote to M. de Charrette, that 
 they considered it as a duty to submit to his opi- 
 nion, and, however inclined to give the preference 
 to the attack of Chataigneraie, they confided en- 
 tirely in his talents and experience, and said they 
 would be the next day at Herbiers with their ar- 
 my. I saw the letter. It was sig-ned by MM. de 
 Lescure, de BeauvoUiers, de Desessarts, and de 
 Bauge, the only chiefs who were at Chatillon, 
 The next day we were surprised to learn that M. 
 de Charrette had left Herbiers, and gone to Mor- 
 tagne, where he demanded a share of booty taken 
 at St Fulgent. My father was not there, being 
 near Tiffauges T^dth MM. de Bonchamp and d'El- 
 bee. M. de Charrette, therefore, only found M. 
 de Marigny, who, having already distributed to 
 the soldiers, the shoes, vests, Sec, M. de Charrette 
 could not have his shai-e of them, but which, at any 
 rate, would have been small, as the booty of this 
 kind was not very valuable. M. de Charrette
 
 190 EEPUBLICANS OCCUPY BRESSUIRE. 
 
 showed himself very much dissatisfied, and retired 
 Buddenly, and without acquainting anybody with 
 his intentions, into his former position in L^ge, 
 when he ought to have considered that his own 
 fate depended upon that of our army. 
 
 This retreat changed all the plans, as no chief 
 had now sufficient force to act on the offensive. 
 M. de Lescure appeared before Chataigneraie with- 
 out attacking it, limiting himself to some skirmish- 
 es to confine the enemy ; but, learning that Gene- 
 ral Westermann was marching upon Chatillon, he 
 returned to the position of St Sauveur. This did 
 not prevent the Blues occupying Bressuire ; they 
 did not advance beyond it, but once or twice there 
 were some slight rencounters. M. de Lescure 
 made a night attack on Bressuire, which, though 
 not attended with marked success, checked the 
 republicans. 
 
 I was at this period in great affliction. My mo- 
 ther was ill of a malignant fever, and, whilst I at- 
 tended her at Boulaye, I learned that M. de Le- 
 scure was at Chatillon. He sent a letter to my 
 father, who was at Mortagne. The messenger 
 having orders to follow him wherever he might 
 be, my fears were excited to such a degree, as to 
 induce me to open the letter, in which M. de Le- 
 scure asked for reinforcements and ammunition, 
 and said he expected to be attacked by Wester- 
 mann. I resealed the dispatches, forwarded the 
 courier, and then instantly set out to see M. de 
 Lescure, and tell him all my alaims. I returned 
 the same night to my mother, and he to St Sau-
 
 [ 191 ] 
 
 CHAPTER Xni. 
 
 BATTLE OF MOULIN AUX CHEVRES — RECAPTURE OF 
 
 CHATILLON BATTLES OP LA TEEMBLAYE AND 
 
 CHOLLET. 
 
 The republican armies pressed every day more 
 and more upon the insurgents, and advanced fur- 
 ther into the Bocage. The divisions of Chanton- 
 nay, Chataigneraie and Bressuire, made a junction, 
 occupied Cerizais, burning the castle of Puyguyon 
 near them, which belonged to M. de Lescure, 
 Chatillon and Boulaye no longer affording safety, 
 my mother, with swelled legs, and scarcely reco- 
 vered, was put on horseback, where she had not 
 been for twenty years ; and we set out for ChoUet 
 with my aunt the abbess, and my little daugliter, 
 whom wo had been obliged to wean at nine months 
 old, sorrow and anxiety having dried up the nurse's 
 milk. We began this jom-ney on a stormy night, 
 in the rain. 
 
 My father was at Chollet, employed in collect- 
 ing troops to send to the points menaced by the 
 enemy. They were the most necessary where M. 
 de Lescure was placed. MM. d'Elbee and de 
 Bonchamp were still at Clisson, in front of the 
 Mayen<;ais, who had not yet resumed the offen- 
 sive. M. de Lescure fell back from St Sauveur to 
 Chatillon. He had only three or four thousand 
 men, while the Blues had more than twenty thou- 
 sand at Brespuire, and it was evident they would
 
 192 BATTLE OF MOULIN AUX CHEVRES. 
 
 fioon attack. M. de la Rochejaquelein, wounded 
 as he was, joined M. de Lescure ; they sent re- 
 peatedly to my father for assistance. The pea- 
 sants around Chataigneraie, Cerizais, and Bres- 
 suu'e, could not at that moment be reckoned upon, 
 being occupied in saving their families, their cat- 
 tle, and effects, from the burnings and general de- 
 struction, by can-ying them farther into the coun- 
 try. M. de Talmont, confined at Chollet by the 
 gout, believed, as some others did, that M. d'El- 
 bee stood more in want of assistance than M. de 
 Lescure. The discussion of this question, which 
 my father could only terminate by exercising his 
 authority, delayed the march of the troops to Bres- 
 suire so long, that several officers, and among 
 others, M. des Sorinieres, who brought a fine corps 
 of two thousand men, did not arrive till the end of 
 the battle. 
 
 The republicans attacked M. de Lescure at the 
 Moulin aux Chevi-es. They had such superiority 
 of numbers, that they seized that position, and put 
 the Vendeens to flight; who would have suffered 
 much, had not MM. de Lescure and de la Roche- 
 jaquelein, by naming themselves, attracted the at- 
 tention of the enemy's hussars, who, by pursuing 
 them for two hours, gave time for the soldiers to 
 escape by different roads. M, de Stofflet, who had 
 come fiom Anjou, as well as the Chevalier de 
 Beauvolliers, were very nearly taken in a hollow 
 way; but escaped by standing on their saddles, 
 and leaping over a hedge. Some soldiers pursued 
 tliem, but M. de BeauvolHers killing two with 
 his pistols, and then drawing liis sabre, the rest 
 fled. 
 
 M. Dun vault was severely wounded bv a ball
 
 RECAPTURE OF CHATILLON. 193 
 
 which grazed his breast, and M. de Lescure had 
 
 his thumb hurt. A M. de , Chevalier de 
 
 St Louis, who proposed plans, talked of forming 
 a corps of Marechaussee, and who in everything 
 affected the man of importance, had, till this time, 
 always found means to escape fighting. He had 
 come to pass the summer at the waters of Johan- 
 net, which his physicians had prescribed, he said, 
 for one and twenty years. M. de Sorinieres had, I 
 know not how, succeeded in bringing him that day 
 to the army ; but when he saw our people take 
 flight, he ran away shamefully himself, calling out, 
 " Courage, my friends I — turn and rally, — but let 
 me pass you !" 
 
 Chatillon was taken the same day; and the 
 brave villages of Aubiers, St Aubin, Nueil, Ror- 
 thais, &c. &c., were sacked and burnt. 
 
 The generals returned to us at Chollet ; and the 
 peasant who had earned my standard, came and 
 showed me its pole, all jagged with sabre cuts. 
 He had fought singly with a Blue, and defended 
 himself with the lance of the standard. 
 
 MM. de Bonchamp and d'Elbee had not quit- 
 ted their position, and sent many earnest entrea- 
 ties to M. de Charrette, that he would attack the 
 Mayen^ais; but he did not answer their letters. 
 Perhaps he did not receive them all. Of what- 
 ever importance, however, their position might be, 
 it was still more urgent to unite all the forces, 
 and recapture Chatillon. The wounded, the pri- 
 soners, and the ammunition, were removed from 
 Mortagne to Beaupreau. I went there also with 
 my mother, my aunt, my child, and M. Durivault, 
 whom M. de Lescure had desired me to take as 
 much c^re of as I would of his brother. We found
 
 194 RECAPTURE OF CHA'lILLON. 
 
 on our arrival, Madame d'Elbee, whose brother 
 M. Duhoux d'Hautrive, commanded the town. 
 
 The army was quickly assembled, and marched 
 upon Chatillon, two days after the battle of Mou- 
 lin aux Ch^vres. The ardour of the soldiers was 
 extreme ; and all the officers whose wounds would 
 allow them to mount on horseback, joined the 
 troops, as did also MM. Bonchamp, de la Roche- 
 jaquelein, and Duchaffault, with their arms in 
 slings. The town was soon carried, and the re- 
 publicans entirely routed. They lost all their can- 
 non and baggage, and were pursued with fury. 
 Never was there a more murderous engagement 
 for our enemies. M. Duchaffault distinguished 
 himself much in this battle. He belonged to the 
 army of Chan-ette, but had come voluntarily, just 
 before the engagement. He was wounded, and 
 remained with us, as also his younger brother, a 
 boy of fifteen, full of ardour. Their father had 
 emigrated with two elder sons. 
 
 This victory was complete, and the enemy was 
 pursued in all directions. M. de Lescure and the 
 greatest part of the chiefs followed them by the 
 road of St Aubin ; M. Girard de Beaurepaire, the 
 brave Lejeay, a peasant from the parish of Chan- 
 zo, captain of cavalry, and some others, proceeded 
 by tiie road of Bressuire. General Westermann 
 had fled ; but seeing himself pursued by so small 
 a detachment, he stopped, repulsed vigorously our 
 dragoons, and conceived the bold project of return- 
 ing to CliAtillon. He ordered a hundred hussars 
 to take each of them a grenadier behind and follow 
 him, reaching thus in the night the gates of the 
 town, where there were neither guards nor senti- 
 nels. The peasants, having found brandy, were
 
 RECAPTURE OF CHATILLON. 195 
 
 for the most part drunk. The dragoons who had 
 at first pursued Westermann endeavoured to stop 
 him, and fought courageously. M. Girard de Beau- 
 repaire fell, after receiving twelve sabre wounds. 
 Lejeay lost his horse. He then ran to the hospi- 
 tal where his wounded brother lay, and, taking him 
 in his arms, he placed him behind a dragoon who was 
 flying from the town ; returned to the engagement, 
 killed a hussar, mounted his horse, and continued 
 to fight. But Westermann had already entered the 
 town, and was fighting in the streets, where a hor- 
 rible slaughter began. The hussars were almost as 
 drunk as our people, and the darkness of the night 
 added to the horror and confusion. The Blues 
 massacred women and children in the houses, and 
 set fire to every thing. The Vendeen officers dis- 
 patched numbers of them, who were themselves 
 so intent on killing as not to think of their own 
 defence. The brave Loizeau received many sabre 
 wounds, but he killed three republicans. The 
 Prince of Talmont, coming out of a house, was 
 thrown down by some hussars, who did him no 
 other injury, but went in and massacred his land- 
 lady and her daughter, who were in reality demo- 
 crats. jNIany other women, wives of the repub- 
 lican soldiers, were mvolved in the promiscuous 
 slaughter. In four or five hours Westermaim with- 
 drew, but darkness prevented his being pursued. 
 The Vendeens durst not hazard any movement. 
 The chiefs who were without the town waited for 
 day to re-enter it ; and it was then the hon-ors of 
 the night were displayed. Houses on fire; streets 
 strewn with dead bodies ; wounded men, women, 
 and children ; with wrecks of every species. 
 The victorious Vendeens left this miserable town.
 
 196 BATILE OF LA THEMBLAYE. 
 
 They had to meet more formidable foes in another 
 quarter. 
 
 The Mayen^ais, after their junction with all the 
 divisions of the west, had occupied Mortage the 
 14th of October, the troops of M. de Royrand re- 
 treating before them. They then marched upon 
 Chollet. M. de Lescure had desired us to remove 
 from Beaupreau to Vizins; but M. Duri vault was 
 too ill to accompany us. We were bewildered in 
 the cross-roads, but arrived at Trementine on the 
 evening of the 15th. That day the Vendeens were 
 to have attacked the republicans at Chollet, where 
 they expected them to be by that time. 
 
 On the day preceding, M. de Bonchamp by the 
 road of Tiffauges, and M. de Lescure by that of 
 Mortagne, were to take a position in the rear of 
 the army; but it marched slower than they expect- 
 ed, and M. de Lescure met it in the avenues of the 
 Chateau de la Tremblaye, half way between Mor- 
 tagne and Chollet. M. de Bonchamp, finding no- 
 body at Chollet, could not join the other divisions 
 in time. 
 
 M. de Lescure, with the young Beauvolliers, was 
 some way before the troops, when, reaching the top 
 of a rising gi-ound, he discovered, at twenty paces 
 from him, a republican post. " Forward I" he call- 
 ed out to the troops ; but at that moment a ball 
 struck him above the left eye, and came out be- 
 hind his ear ; — he fell lifeless. The peasants having 
 rushed forward, passed over the body of their ge- 
 neral without seeing him, and speedily repulsed 
 the republicans. Young Beauvolliers, however, 
 tlirowing away his sword, called out, weeping, "He 
 is dead, he is dead ! " This alarm diffusing itself 
 among the Vendeens, and occasioning some confu-
 
 M. DE LESCURE WOUNDED. 197 
 
 sion, a reserve of Mayencais returned upon them, 
 and put them to flight. ^leantirae a servant of M. 
 de Lescure had found his master bathed in blood, 
 but still breathing. He placed him on a horse, sup- 
 ported by two soldiers ; and in this manner they mi- 
 raculously accomplished the con veying him to Beau- 
 preau among the routed troops. The Vendeens re- 
 tired to Chollet ; and as they did not see M. de 
 Lescure again, they believed him dead. 
 
 We had slept at Trementine ; and on the morning 
 of the 16th I went to church,where I found a number 
 of women kneeling in prayer, having heard the sound 
 of cannon from Chollet. Some of the fugitive troops 
 arrived. I saw M. de Perault,who approached, took 
 me by the hand, and wept ; but perceiving, by my 
 countenance, that I knew nothing, said it was for 
 the loss of the battle. I asked where M. de Le- 
 scure was ; and he replied, at Beaupreau. He did 
 not know that he was alive, but had not courage to 
 tell me of his death. He advised me to return to 
 Beaupreau, as the hussars might every instant be 
 expected at Trementine. No oxen could be found 
 for the carnage to convey my poor old aunt ; but, 
 terrified to death, I could not wait. Taking my 
 daughter in my arms, I set out on horseback, ac- 
 companied by my mother. We stopped at Che- 
 mille, where my aunt overtook us ; but scarcely 
 was she arrived, when we were obliged to proceed ; 
 and we resumed our journey, having first placed 
 my daughter in the cairiage. 
 
 A moment after, we heard the cry of "The Blues 
 are coming ! — fly ! " Terror seized me, and I gal- 
 loped off; but the road beir^ crowded with car- 
 riages, I got upon a side-path, about two feet above 
 the road. Finding it rose higher and higher, I made 
 K 2
 
 198 BATTLE OF LA TREiMBLAVE. 
 
 my horse leap down among the carts, and I clam- 
 bered over the other side of the road into a field, 
 that I might reach the head of tlie column. A 
 moment after, I regained my presence of mind, 
 and rejoined my family. There had not been, in 
 fact, any danger ; but some Vendeen artillerymen 
 had, in order to clear the road for their pieces, 
 sounded this alarm. We continued our journey 
 by cross-roads ; and, instead of arriving at Beau- 
 preau, we found ourselves by night at the village 
 of Boze, a league and a half from the Loire, and in 
 front of Mont-Jean. We tlirew ourselves on a bed, 
 in a room full of soldiers, who were on their way 
 to join the army of M. de Bonchamp. At three 
 in the morning of the 17th of October, we were 
 awakened by the noise of cannon. It was heard at 
 once from the quarter of St Florent and from Mont- 
 Jean, along the Loire. Every one rose to attend 
 the high mass, which was to be celebrated by the 
 curate during the night, tliat the peasants might 
 proceed early in the morning for the army. We 
 accompani-ed them, and found the church full. The 
 curate, who was a good old man, of venerable ap- 
 pearance, exhorted the soldiers in the most affect- 
 ing manner. He conjui'ed them to defend their 
 God, their King, their wives, and their childi'en I 
 The roar of cannon was heard at intervals during 
 this discourse ; the scene around, and tlie uncer- 
 tainty in which we were as to the fate of the army, 
 or of those most dear to us, heightened by the ob- 
 scurity of niglit, made a profound and awful im- 
 pression ! Tlie curate finished, by giving absolu- 
 tion to those poor pe/^ple who were going to battle. 
 After mass, I wished to confess. They had told 
 the curate, tljat M. de Lescure was dead ; ajid not
 
 BATTLE OF LA TREMBLAYE. 199 
 
 knowing how to communicate this dreadful misfor- 
 tune, entreated him to prepare me for it. This old 
 man spake to me with extreme kindness, carefully 
 avoiding to overwhelm me by a sudden blow. He 
 praised the virtues and piety of M. de Lescure, 
 and said I should feel deep gratitude to God for 
 having bestowed upon me such a husband ; but 
 that higher duties were imposed upon me in conse- 
 quence ; that M. de Lescure might be called to 
 his God ; and that if Providence, in its infinite 
 wisdom, should try me with severe afflictions, I 
 ought to be resigned to Heaven, and think only of 
 the recompense which there awaited me. 
 
 His tone and voice, rising by degrees, seemed 
 prophetic ! Frozen with terror, I looked at him, 
 without knowing what to think. During this time, 
 the noise of cannon redoubled ; and the peals seem- 
 ing to approach neai'er and nearer, obliged us to 
 leave the church ; and while I was almost sense- 
 less, they put me on horseback, and we fled, but 
 without knoTsdng where to find shelter. 
 
 At a league from Boze, M. Jagault met some 
 people, who told him M. de Lescure was at Chau- 
 dron, and was wounded. I then learned what they 
 had believed, and concealed from me. We were 
 not far from Chaudron, and I flew there, where I 
 found M. de Lescm-e in a dreadful state. His head 
 was all shattered, and his face so terribly swelled, 
 that he could hardly speak. INIy anival relieved 
 him from the most tenible apprehensions ; for he 
 had sent three different messengers, who neither 
 met, nor could gain any intelligence of me ; and 
 he imagined I had fallen into the hands of the re- 
 publicans. Chaudron was full of the fugitives and 
 the wounded. I again met here M. Durivault.
 
 200 BATTLE OF CHOLLET. 
 
 The Vend6ens, after the defeat of Tremblaye, 
 returned to Chollet, from whence they marched 
 during the night to Beaupreau, for the purpose of 
 rallying there. Some chiefs, among others M. de 
 la Rochejaquelein, wished them to remain, and de- 
 fend Chollet, which was a good position ; but the 
 soldiers were so unwilling, that only some cavalry 
 and horse-artillery were left, with which they were 
 enabled, on the morning of the 16th, to make some 
 show of defence, in order to allow the army time 
 to rally at Beaupreau. This was the cannon we 
 heard at Trementine ; and when I saw M. de Pe- 
 rault, he was on his way from Chollet to join the 
 army. The republicans entered Chollet with ex- 
 treme precaution, and advanced no further that 
 day. 
 
 The generals assembled at Beaupreau, resolved 
 to make a last effort to expel the republicans. They 
 might still hope for success, as their army was nu- 
 merous, and the soldiers animated by the desire of 
 vengeance, and the necessity of conquering. M. 
 de Bonchamp, however, foreseeing the possibility 
 of failure, proposed sending a detachment to take 
 Varades, situated on the right bank of the Loire, 
 that the army might have a place of retreat in case 
 of defeat. He had always thought there would 
 have been great advantages in carrying on the war 
 upon the right bank of the Loire. He was acquaint- 
 ed with Bnttany, and was convinced the people 
 would join the Vendeens : this plan, therefore, did 
 not appear so difficult to him as to the other chiefs 
 of the country. 
 
 Had he lived, and bad he taken the command 
 of the army, the insurgents might perhaps have 
 reaped great advantage from an event that prove<l
 
 BATTLE OF CHOLLET. 201 
 
 their ruin. He died without any one knowing his 
 schemes, his correspondents, or the measures he 
 relied on for success ; and this enterprise of Va- 
 rades became evidently injurious. It removed from 
 the array oflBcers who would have been useful in 
 deciding the day ; gave the soldiers an idea the 
 battle might be lost, and showed them a means of 
 retreat. Many chiefs thought that, even after the 
 defeat, they ought not to have quitted the left 
 bank, as they might again have been able to collect 
 a large army, particularly of the Poitevins, who 
 were dispersed behind the republicans ; and that 
 they might have also succeeded in prevailing on 
 M. de Charrette to make a diversion in their fa- 
 vour. 
 
 MM. de Talmont, d'Autichamp, and Duhoux, 
 were then sent at the head of four thousand Bre- 
 tons or Angevins, the whole of these almost from 
 the right bank, to pass the Loire at St Florent, 
 and occupy Varades. The cannon we heard at 
 Boze proceeded from this attack, and those we 
 heard on the side of Mont-Jean, were from an at- 
 tempt the Blues had made there ; but they reim- 
 barked on perceiving our attack^ of Varades. 
 
 On the 17th, in the morning, MM. d'Elbee, de 
 Bonchamp, de la Rochejaquelein, de Royrand, my 
 father, and all the other chiefs, marched upon Choi- 
 let, at the head of forty thousand men. The re- 
 publicans had made their junction with the divi- 
 sions of Bressuire, and were forty-five thousand 
 strong. It was upon the gi'ound before Chollet, 
 on the side of Beaupreau, that the armies met. 
 MM. de la Rochejaquelein and Stofflet led on a 
 furious attack. For the first time the Vendeens 
 marched in close columns, like troops of the line.
 
 202 BATTLE OF CHOLLET. 
 
 Tliey broke iii upon the centre of the enemy, and 
 penetrated as far as the faubourgs of Chollet. Ge- 
 neral Beaupuy, who commanded the republicans, 
 was twice tlirown from his horse in endeavouring 
 to rally his soldiers, and was nearly taken. Disor- 
 der was spreading among the Blues, when a reserve 
 of Mayen^ais aiTived. The Vendeens supported 
 the first shock, and repulsed them ; but by repeat- 
 ed attacks they were at last thrown into disorder. 
 All our chiefs performed prodigies of valour to re- 
 cover the day, and succeeded in rallying some sol- 
 diers, who fought with such fury, as made the 
 victory be very dearly purchased. MM. d'Elbee 
 and Bonchamp were mortally wounded. The rout 
 became general, although protected in their flight 
 by the arrival of M. de Piron, with a great part of 
 M. de Lyrot's division, which allowed them to 
 caiTy oft' their wounded. The republicans had also 
 suffered too much to think of pursuing. They re- 
 turned to Chollet ; set fire to the town ; and aban- 
 doned themselves during the night to all their ac- 
 customed atrocities. 
 
 MM. d'Elbee and Bonchamp were transported 
 at first to Beauprtau, and M. d'Elbee remained 
 there ; M. de Bonchamp was carried afterwards to 
 St Florent, where the wrecks of the Vendeen army 
 assembled. A rear-guard was left at Beaupreau, 
 which made some defence ; but Westermann car- 
 ried it on the 18th, burnt the town, and all the 
 neighbouring villages, but did not advance further.
 
 r 203 ] 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 PASSAGE OF THE LOIRE — xMARCH BY INGRANDE — 
 CANDE, CHATEAU-GONTIER, AND LAVAL. 
 
 I WAS at this dreadful period too much over- 
 come by grief and apprehension, for the passing 
 events to leave any distinct impression on my me- 
 mory. Many of the details have been related to me 
 since. 
 
 MM. de Talmont and d'Autichamp had succeed- 
 ed in their attack upon Varades ; they had driven 
 away the Blues, and the passage of the Loire was 
 secured. From the 17th, a crowd of soldiers had 
 fled, without stopping, as far as St Florent. Du- 
 ring the whole night the Vendeens marched upon 
 this point. 
 
 Our Breton soldiers,* and the people of the 
 right bank, had brought some boats. They called 
 to the fugitives, " Come ^ friends^ come to our coun- 
 try, you shall tcantfor nothing ; we will help yoti ; 
 we are all aristocrats." The \'endeens precipita- 
 ted themselves in crowds into the boats. 
 
 Thus when, on the moniing of the 18th, the of- 
 ficers arrived, the passage was begun. We had 
 left Chaudron during the night. i\I. de Lescure 
 was carried on a bed, which they had covered as 
 well as they possibly could ; he suffered dreadfully. 
 
 ■ The sordiers of Brittanv.
 
 204 PASSAGE OF THE LOIRE. 
 
 I travelled by his side. I was three months gone 
 with child ; my situation was shocking. We arrived 
 early at St Florent, and then I saw the greatest 
 and the saddest sight which can be imagined ; a 
 sight which never can be effaced from the memory 
 of the wretched Vendeens. 
 
 The heights of St Florent form a kind of semi- 
 circular boundary to a vast level strand reaching 
 to the Loire, which is very wide at this place. 
 Eighty thousand people were crowded together in 
 this valley ; soldiers, women, children, the aged, 
 and the wounded, flying from immediate destruc- 
 tion. Behind them, they perceived the smoke ri- 
 sing from the villages the republicans were burning. 
 Nothing was heard but loud sobs, groans, and cries. 
 In this confused crowd, every one sought his re- 
 lations, his friends, and his protectors. They knew 
 not what fate they should meet on the other shore, 
 yet hastened to it, as if beyond the stream they 
 were to find an end to all their misfortunes. Twen- 
 ty bad boats carried successively the fugitives, who 
 crowded in them ; others tried to cross on horses ; 
 all spread out their arms towards the other side, 
 supplicating to be taken there. At a distance on 
 the opposite shore, another multitude was seen and 
 heard fainter. In the middle was a small island 
 covered with people. Many of us compared this 
 disorder_, this despair, this terrible uncertainty of 
 the future, this immense spectacle, this bewildered 
 crowd, this valley, this stream which must be cross- 
 ed, to the ideas of the Last Judgement. 
 
 When the officers saw this eagerness to quit the 
 left bank, and that passing the Loire was become 
 necessary l>y this disorderly movement of the whole 
 army, they gave themselves up to despair. M. de
 
 PASSAGE OF THE LOIRE. 205 
 
 la Rochejaquelein was like a madman ; he would 
 remain on the shore, and let himself be killed by 
 the Blues. It was in vain represented to him that 
 he must yield to the torrent ; that it was impossible 
 to reanimate the courage of the soldiers, and lead 
 them to battle ; that this was the only method of 
 saving all these people. He listened to nothing. 
 He went v/ith a gi-eat number of officers to M. de 
 Lescure, who had been taken to a house at St Flo- 
 rent, and related to him with tears of anger what 
 had passed. M. de Lescure was again reanima- 
 ted, and declared that he too would die in La Ven- 
 dee. But they represented to him his situation : 
 he could not stand. They described to him the 
 situation of the army, of which a part was already 
 over, and which certainly could not be persuaded 
 to retura ; spoke of the crowd of wounded, of wo- 
 men, children, and old people ; of the republican 
 army which was advancing every moment, and of 
 the flames, which drew nearer and nearer. They 
 observed to him that there was no ammunition left, 
 nor any means of defence. At last he yielded, 
 finding it impossible to resist, and consented to be 
 earned over to the other side. 
 
 A few officers who had, or who thought they 
 had, influence on the right bank, were the only 
 ones who saw without grief this passage of the 
 Loire. M. de Bonchamp, who had advised and 
 prepared it, was insensible ; — he was dying. 
 
 They had brought to St Florent five thousand 
 republican prisoners. M. Cesbrons d'Argognes, 
 an old chevalier de St Louis, and commandant of 
 Chollet, had conducted them. He was a severe 
 man, and had nine of them shot on the road for 
 ti-ying to escape. However, they could not be
 
 206 RELEASE CF PRISONERS. 
 
 draped further, nor taken across the river. The 
 officers deliberated on the fate of these prisoners. 
 I was present ; M. de Lescure was lying on a mat- 
 tress, and I was attending him. At lirst they were 
 all for shooting them immediately. M. de Lescure 
 said to me with a weak voice, and which was scarce 
 heard, " How barbarous !" — But when the order 
 was to be given to execute these poor wretches, 
 nobody woidd do it. One said, this lionid butchery 
 was too much for him ; another, that he would not 
 be an executioner ; some added, that it would be 
 atrocious to retaliate on poor people, who, having 
 been prisoners for four mouths, liad notljing to do 
 with the crimes of the republican?. It was said 
 that it would be authorizing the massacres of the 
 Blues ; that it would redouble their cruelty ; and 
 that they would not leave a single living creature 
 on the left bank. At last it was decided to give 
 them their liberty. Some of them have since shown 
 their gratitude, by saving Madame de Bonchamp 
 at Nantes, They signed a certificate, which at- 
 tested that M. de Bonchamp, in compliance with 
 the entreaties of his wife, had obtained their lives 
 from the Vendi en army. The fact was, Madame 
 de Bonchamp had not seen her husband since. It 
 was true, however, that the prisoners owed her par- 
 ticular gratitude. She had met in the square M. 
 d'Argognes, who was inciting the soldiers to mas- 
 sacre the prisoners ; and by her reproaches she had 
 forced him to desist. 
 
 We were preparing to cross over. M. de Le- 
 scure w^as wrapped up in his bed-clothes, and he was 
 put on an arm-chair covered with a kind of mat- 
 tress. We descended from St Florent to the shore 
 in the middle of the crowd. Manv officers acconi-
 
 PASSAGE OF THE LOIRE. 207 
 
 panied us. They drew their sabres, made a circle 
 around us, and we arrived at the edge of the water. 
 We found the old Madame de Meynard, who had 
 broken her leg in coming to St Florent ; her daugh- 
 ter was by her side, and begged me to receive them 
 in our boat. M. de Lescure was put in. M. Du- 
 rivault, my little girl, my father, ovf servants, and I, 
 got into the boat. It could not hold ^ladame de 
 Meynard's litter ; and her daughter would not leave 
 her : — they both remained. We did not find my 
 mother ; she was on horseback, and had forded the 
 river to the little island, which was not far from the 
 left bank. She ran very great risks, and caused us 
 dreadful uneasiness for a long time ; for we did not 
 see her again till we reached Yarades. 
 
 When we were embarked, my father told the 
 boatman who conducted us, to pass the little island, 
 and go to Varades at once without stopping, to save 
 M. de Lescure the pain of being landed and put in 
 the boat again. The man refused absolutely ; nei- 
 ther entreaties nor threats could induce him. My 
 father was angr)', and drew his sabre. " Alas ! Sir," 
 said the boatman to him, " I am a poor priest ; out 
 of charity I came to ferry the Vendeens over. I have 
 now been working eight hours in this boat ; I am 
 overpowered with fatigue, and I am not skilful in 
 this business ; I should run a risk of drowning you 
 if I crossed the great arm of the river." We were 
 then obliged to land on the island, in the middle of 
 the confusion. We found a boat there which took 
 us to the other side, where there were a number of 
 Vendeens seated on the grass, all waiting for their 
 friends. My father went in search of my mother. 
 I sent to a half-burnt hamlet on the edge of the 
 Loire for some milk for my child.
 
 208 PASSAGE OF THE LOIRE. 
 
 Varades is a quarter of a league distant, on the 
 side of a hill. M. de Lescure was impatient to ar- 
 rive there. The weather was clear, hut the wind 
 was cold. They placed two pikes under the arm- 
 chair, and the soldiers carried it. My femme-de- 
 chambre and myself supported his feet, wrapped up 
 in napkins. M. Duri vault followed us with dif- 
 ficulty. 
 
 We were thus advancing, when a young man on 
 horseback passed near us, and stopped a moment. 
 It was M. d' Autichamp. I had not seen him since 
 he left Paris. He told us he was going to assem- 
 ble three thousand men to attack Ancenis, and se- 
 cure a ford for our artillery. He tried to calm a 
 little the despair in which he saw me. 
 
 An instant after, I heard in Varades the cry To 
 ai-ms ! — and soon after the noise of drums and mus- 
 ketry began. I had never found myself so near a 
 battle ; and what a moment to be attacked I I stop- 
 ped quite terrified. The firing reanimated M. de 
 I^escure, who was almost insensible. He asked 
 what it was. I entreated him to let himself be car- 
 ried to a neighbouring wood. He answered, that 
 the Blues would do liim a service, by dispatching 
 him, and that the balls would hurt him less than 
 the cold and wind. I did not listen to him; he was 
 carried into the wood ; my child was brought after 
 me, and many other people took refuge in it. 
 
 At the end of an hour, we heard all was quiet. 
 A detachment of hussars had appeared before Va- 
 rades, without knowing it was occupied, and had 
 retired as quickly as possible. We continued our 
 route, and we arrived in the town. As I entered 
 it, a peasant, whom I did not know, came to me, 
 aiKl pressing my hand, said, ^' We have left our
 
 PASSAGE or THE LOIKE. 200 
 
 country, we are now all brothera and sisters ; we 
 must not separate. I will defend you till death, 
 and we will perish together." They gave me a little 
 room for M. de Lescure : my father, my mother, 
 and my aunt, joined us. The house, like all those 
 of Varades, was filled with fugitives, who knew not 
 what was to become of them. Many suffered from 
 hunger ; but the greatest part of these worthy peo ■ 
 pie were so little inclined to plunder, that there 
 were some in our house who would not take pota- 
 toes out of the garden, as I advised them to do, till 
 the master of the house had permitted them. M. 
 d'Autichamp found the Vendeens masters of An- 
 cenis. The army of M. de L)Tot, after having ford- 
 ed the river before the town, had courageously at- 
 tacked and carried it. It was there that the cannon 
 and caissons were passed, and also the cattle. 
 
 They had all passed over during the night. Some 
 slept on mattresses, some on straw ; but the greatest 
 number bivouacked. M. de Bonchamp was dead 
 when he was taken out of the boat, and was buried 
 the next day. Some days after, the republicans 
 took his body up, to cut off the head and send it 
 to the Convention. Nobody knew what was be- 
 come of M. d'Elbee ; the army was without a 
 commander-in-chief. M. de Lescure sent for the 
 principal officers of the different divisions, and told 
 them they must elect one. They answered, that 
 it was evidently he who was general, and that he 
 must command when he recovered. " Gentle- 
 men," said he, " I am mortally woimded ; but 
 even if I could live, which I do not believe pos- 
 sible, I should be long unable to command. It is 
 necessary that the army should have immediately 
 an active chief, loved by every bodv. known by the 
 s2
 
 210 ELECTION OF A GENERAL. 
 
 peasants, and having the confidence of all; it is 
 the only means of saving us. M. de la Roche- 
 jaquelein is the only one who has made himself 
 known to the soldiers of all the divisions. M. de 
 Dounissan, my father-in-law, is not of this country ; 
 they would not follow him so willingly, and he 
 himself would not wish it. The choice that I pro- 
 pose will reanimate the courage of the Vendeens : 
 I advise you, and I beg you to name M. de la 
 llochejaquelein. As to me, if I live, you know I 
 shall not quarrel with Henri, I shall be his aide- 
 de-camp." 
 
 These gentlemen retired, and formed a council 
 of war, in which M. de la Rochejaquelein was elect- 
 ed. They wanted to name a second in command : 
 M. de la Rochejaquelein answered, that he was 
 that secoiid, as he should follow the advice of M. 
 Donnissan, and look upon him as his superior of- 
 ficer. 
 
 M. de la Rochejaquelein, far from desiring this 
 honour, feared it very much, and was sincerely 
 Sony for it. He had represented, that at one-and- 
 twenty he had neither age nor experience enough 
 to give him influence ; his youth was in reality his 
 only fault. In battle his valour animated and sub- 
 jugated the whole army, and they obeyed him 
 blindly; but he neglected the council, and did not 
 attach importance to his own opinion : he told it, 
 without supporting it; and, from too much mo- 
 desty, let the army be governed by others. When 
 he did not agree with them, he said to the officers 
 who were his friends, " This is all nonsense: when 
 in the battle, it will be our turn to lead, and theirs 
 to follow." Notwithstanding all this, he was the 
 best general tliey could choose. The peasants fol-
 
 M. DE LA R0CHEJA<2UELEIN APPOINTED. 211 
 
 lowed him with alacrity, from the natural ascend- 
 ancy of his character : His courage and activity 
 were truly inspiring, and he had the art of com- 
 manding. My father did not desire to have the 
 difficult employment of conducting a crowd of pea- 
 sants who did not know him, and who, besides, pre- 
 ferred being led on by young men. 
 
 M. de la Rochejaquelein was then proclaimed 
 general, with the acclamations of all the Vendeens. 
 As soon as M. de Lescure knew they had followed 
 his advice, he told me to call Henri. He had hid- 
 den himself in a corner, and was weeping bitterly. 
 I brought him : he threw his arms round M. de 
 Lescure's neck ; repeated that he was not worthy 
 to be general ; that he only knew how to fight ; 
 that he was much too young, and that he shoidd 
 never know how to silence those who opposed him. 
 He begged M. de Lescure to take the command 
 again, as soon as he should be recovered. " I 
 never expect it," he answered ; " but if it does 
 happen, I will be your aide-de-camp, and help you 
 to conquer that diffidence, which prevents your 
 acting up to the force of your own character, and 
 defeating the intrigues of the ambitious." 
 
 They then assembled a council, to deliberate 
 on the course the army should take. M. de Le- 
 scure was for marching on Nantes. He thought 
 that a sudden attack on that city, whose garrison 
 had entered La Vendee, might succeed. Besides 
 the importance of the position, it was a means of re- 
 entering our country, and of concerting operations 
 with M. de Chan-ette's army. There were no news 
 of him ; but it appeared probable that our loss 
 might have saved him, by drawing the enemy on 
 us. They talked also of marching upon Rennes.
 
 212 MARCH BY INGRANDE. 
 
 It was certain that Brittany was ready to rise ; 
 and there were fewer obstacles to stop us on that 
 road. The peasants remembered their defeat under 
 the walls of Nantes, which might discourage them. 
 It was decided that they should go to Rennes. The 
 Chevalier de Beauvolliers was sent immediately, 
 with a small advanced guard, to occupy Ingrande. 
 After the council, M. de Lescure, who had been 
 stimulated by the importance of the business, re- 
 lapsed into a state of greater weakness when it was 
 over, and became almost insensible. Towards 
 evening, the prisoners, whom we had left at liber- 
 ty at St Florent, picked up some cannon, and fired 
 on Varades. It was returned ; but there was no 
 harm done on either side. 
 
 The army was to go the next day to Ingrande. 
 It was decided that M. de Lescure was to set out 
 in the evening. A young man in the neighbour- 
 hood offered to conceal him, as well as my mother, 
 my aunt, and me ; — he answered for the safety of 
 the asylum that he proposed. M. de Lescure 
 would not hear of quitting the army. I was 
 tempted to take advantage of this offer for my 
 child ; but the fear that it would be carried to the 
 foundling-hospital, or that they would not take 
 care enough of it, and the hope that she would 
 continue in good health, determined me to keep 
 her. I could not resolve to part with so dear an 
 object ; and at that time every one experienced the 
 wish of ninning common dangers, and of liaving a 
 common fate. 
 
 We set out in the evening. They could not 
 find a carnage for M. de Lescure, and placed him 
 in a cart ; but the violent jolting made him suffer 
 BO horribly, that he cried out from pain. When
 
 MARCH BY INGRANDE. 213 
 
 he arrived at Ingrande, he was almost insensible. 
 We stopped in the fii-st house ; they gave a bad bed 
 to M. de Lescure ; I lay down on some hay ; and we 
 had scarce anything to eat. There was such a con- 
 fusion, that they were obliged to beat the drum to 
 procure a surgeon to dress my husband's wounds. 
 The Chevalier de Beauvolliers came to see us. 
 He had learned, by the letters he had taken at the 
 post-office, that Noirmoutiers had just been sur- 
 prised by M. de Charrette. The next morning, 
 the main body of the army anived, and continued 
 its march on Cande and Segre. We did not know 
 how to convey M. de Lescure ; he could not bear 
 the motion of the cart. The caleche in which my 
 aunt travelled was too small. I went into the town 
 with ]MM. de Bauge and de Mondyon. We had 
 a kind of litter, made with an old ai'm -chair; we 
 put hoops over it, and hung sheets, to keep the air 
 from the poor sufferer. I determined to walk near 
 the litter with my maid Agatha, and some of my 
 people. My mother, my aunt, and my child, were 
 gone before. Families and friends walked together, 
 and tried to keep united. Each had protectors 
 among the officers and soldiers. The latter, after 
 having done their duty, thought of preparing lod- 
 gings and food for the women, the children, the 
 aged, the priests, and the wounded, who had at- 
 tached themselves to them. 
 
 We set out. M. de Lescme uttered such cries 
 as harrowed my very soul. I was overcome with 
 fatigue and distress. My boots wounded my feet. 
 In half 'an horn-, I begged Foret to give me his 
 horse. He had the cliarge of commanding the 
 escort which guarded M. de Lescure. We travel-
 
 214' DISASTROUS RETREAT. 
 
 led between two files of cavalry, and a tolerably 
 large body of infantry were behind us. 
 
 A moment after, Si. de Beauvolliers came with 
 a berlin he had found. They had dismounted, 
 and destroyed a cannon to have horses ; and, lay- 
 ing mattresses in the berlin, we placed M. de 
 L«scure in this kind of bed. M. Durivault went 
 in the carriage also. Agatha placed herself near 
 M. de Lescure, to support his head. The least 
 jolt drew groans from him. He felt from time to 
 time the most acute pains ; — cold added much to 
 his sufferings. Sometimes the discharge from his 
 wound was very great; then he found some relief, 
 and they took advantage of these moments to go 
 on : when the pains began again, they stopped. 
 The rear-guard came up to us, and waited for the 
 carriage. IVI. de Lescure, though almost dying, 
 was fully alive to pain. His temper was changed ; 
 instead of his unalterable calmness, and angelic 
 sweetness, he had become impatient, and often 
 passionate. Agatha, skilful and patient, could be 
 of more use than myself, distressed as I was, and 
 short-sighted ; and it was for me another source of 
 grief. 
 
 We were advancing towards Cande. About a 
 league from the town, a noise we heard made us 
 think there was fighting there. We were almost 
 alone on the road ; I was on horseback. We had 
 gone before the vanguard ; an instant after, I heard 
 the cry. Here are the hussars ! Reason failed me ; 
 my first idea was to fly. At the same moment I 
 recollected I was with M. de Lescure. Doubting 
 my own courage, and fearing that the approach of 
 the hussars would strike me with an involuntary 
 and invincible terror, I entered quietly into tlio
 
 DISASTROUS RETREAT. 215 
 
 carriage without telling the reason, to make it im- 
 possible for me not to perish with my husband. 
 The cries and tumult had recalled his senses ; he 
 had started up, called the horsemen, asked for a 
 musket. He wanted to be let out and supported ; 
 he would not listen to my representations, and was 
 only hindered by his weakness from getting out of 
 the carriage. Several horsemen ai'rived galloping. 
 He called to them by their names, excited them 
 to fight : But there was not a single officer ; they 
 had all gone on before. At last he perceived Fo- 
 ret : ^' You are here," said he ; " now I am easier, 
 there is somebody to command." And in reality 
 he grew calmer, and began to praise the bravery 
 of Foret, and to abuse the cowardice of 31. de 
 * * ", whom he had seen hide himself behind the 
 carriage. 
 
 This alarm was imfounded ; the hussars who had 
 been perceived were only three, and were flying 
 from Cande. We amved towards evening in this 
 little town ; it had been taken after a slight skir- 
 mish, in which M. Despres de la Chataigneraie 
 had been dangerously wounded. We were well off 
 there, and found provisions. The peasants came 
 again to beg me to ask permission of the master of 
 the house to take potatoes out of the garden. They 
 were less scrupulous as to the heaps of apples for 
 cider, which in autumn are placed before the doors 
 of almost all the houses in Brittany. Hunger 
 made them throw themselves eagerly on this food 
 which they found before them. This caused much 
 illness, and a dysenter\', which ravaged the army. 
 
 Early the next day we set out for Segre and 
 Chateau-Gonthier. A lady of Cande proposed to
 
 21G DISASTROUS RETREAT. 
 
 hide M. do Lescure and his family ; we refused 
 til is offer as well as that at Varades. 
 
 This march of the Vendeen army presented a 
 singular spectacle. There was a numerous ad- 
 vanced guard, with some cannon; the crowd came 
 afterwards without any order, and filled up the 
 road — artillery, baggage, women carrying their 
 children, old men supported by their sons, the 
 wounded who could scarce drag themselves along, 
 and soldiers all in confusion. The commanding- 
 officers in vain struggled against it. Sometimes, 
 crossing this crowd at night on horseback, I have 
 been obliged to make myself a passage between 
 the bayonets, by putting them aside with each 
 hand, not being heard when begging them to 
 make way for me. The rear-guard then came : 
 it was specially charged with guarding M. de Le- 
 scure. 
 
 This sad procession occupied almost always four 
 leagues in length. It was giving a great hold to 
 the enemy, if they had taken advantage of such a 
 faulty aiTangement. The hussars might easily have 
 charged us, and massacred the centre of the co- 
 lumn. There was no protection for the flanks of 
 the Vendeen army : we had not twelve hundred 
 cavalry. There were no other sharpshooters than 
 the poor people who straggled to right and left in 
 the villages for bread. What preserved our army 
 a great while from destiTiction, was the fault the 
 republicans always committed, of attacking the van 
 or the rear of the column. 
 
 It is nine leagues from Cande to Chateau-Gon- 
 thier. We went through Segre, where the pea- 
 sants, according to their invariable custom, burnt 
 the papers of the administration and the tree of
 
 DISASTROUS RETREAT. 2JT 
 
 liberty. After a long day's journey, in which the 
 rain had incommoded us veiy much, we arrived 
 late at Chateau-Gontbier, which the republicans 
 had in vain tried for a moment to defend. 
 
 I was ovei-powered with fatigue and hunger ; I 
 bad set out without breakfast. On the road I had 
 given my bread to some wounded people, and had 
 only eaten two apples the whole day till midnight. 
 I often suffered from hunger during this journey. 
 Physical evils were constantly added to tliose of 
 the mind. 
 
 We heard at Chateau-Gontbier, that the Blues, 
 on returning to Cande, had massacred some poor 
 wounded wretches, whom we had been forced to 
 abandon, not being able to caiTy them on. From 
 that time, they constantly committed the same cruel 
 act whenever they found our wounded. This ter- 
 rible manner of making war excited revenge, M. 
 de Marigny had a justice of the peace of Chateau- 
 Gontbier seized in a cellar where he was conceal- 
 ed, and who had been denounced as a ferocious 
 republican. He put him to death with his own 
 hand in the public square, and some others in the 
 same manner. Afterwards, in this journey, M. 
 de Marigny sometimes showed himself cruel ; no 
 officer imitated him, but they no longer opposed 
 him. It is thus that civil w^ar perverts the charac- 
 ter. M. -de Marigny, one of the best and mildest 
 men I have known, was become sanguinary. 
 
 They gave also, at Chateau-Gontbier, the first 
 example of discipline. A German soldier wanted 
 to take the money of a woman, and gave her a 
 stroke AV'ith his sabre ; he was shot. The Ger- 
 mans gave themselves up to a great deal of dis- 
 order in this expedition ; but they were always se-
 
 218 DEPARTURE FOR LAVAL. 
 
 verely punished aa soon as theii- crimes were known. 
 Pillage never was permitted. However, it may be 
 easily supposed that the conduct of such an army 
 could not be very strict, and rested more on its mo- 
 rality tlmn its discipline. We had no magazines, no 
 convoys, no provisions. There were no preparations 
 any where to receive us. Seeing us pass without 
 stopping, the inhabitants, even those the most dis- 
 posed in our favour, dared not employ themselves 
 for us, for fear of being the next day exposed to 
 the revenge of tlie republicans. We were then 
 under the necessity of exacting provisions ; we 
 never raised a general contribution^ never author- 
 ized pillage; but we were obliged to allow the sol- 
 diers to take clean linen and clothes in exchange 
 for those they wore. I was obliged sometimes to 
 do the same thing, and to beg of the people some 
 coarse but clean clothes. 
 
 We passed twelve hours at Chateau-Gonthier ; 
 then we set out for Laval. TliC Chevalier Du- 
 houx was charged with the command of the rear- 
 guard, and came to take the orders of M. de Le- 
 scure, for the time of departure. 
 
 Fifteen thousand national guards had assembled 
 for the defence of Laval ; but they made a poor 
 resistance, and fled. We lost in this battle two 
 officers, much regi*etted ; M. de la Gueriviere and 
 the gamekeeper of M. de Bonchamp. M. de la 
 Rochejaquelein ran a very great danger. Since the 
 battle of iVIartigne, in which he had been wound- 
 ed, he always kept his right arm in a sling. It, 
 however, did not make him less active, nor less 
 bold. In pursuing the Blues before Laval, he was 
 attacked alone in a hollow road by a foot soldier ; 
 he selised liim by tJie collar with ]n> left hand, and
 
 ARRIVAL AT LAVAL. 219 
 
 managed his horse so well with his legs, that the 
 man could not do him any harm. Our people ar- 
 rived, and wanted to kill the soldier. Henri for- 
 bid them : " Retm-n to the republicans," said he to 
 him ; " tell them you were alone with the chief of 
 the brigands, who lias only one hand and no arms, 
 and that you could not kill him." 
 
 The Vendeens were very well received at La- 
 val ; the inhabitants were favourably disposed. 
 The town is large, and furnished more resources 
 than former places had done. Many of the Bre- 
 ton peasants came and joined us. I saw a troop of 
 them an-ive, crying " Vive le Roi !" and carrying 
 a white handkerchief at the end of a stick. In a 
 little while there were more than six thousand of 
 them. They gave the name of Petite Vendee to 
 this assemblage. All these Breton insurgents 
 were to be known by their long hair, and by their 
 clothes ; the chief part were of goat skins, with 
 the hail' on. They fought very well ; but the 
 countiy did not rise entirely. This division was 
 formed of young men only, and from a great num- 
 her of parishes. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 BATTLES BETWEEN LAVAL AND CHATEAU-GONTHIER 
 — ROUTE BY MAYENNE, ERNEE, AND FOUGERES^ 
 DEATH OF M. DE LESCURE. 
 
 It was determined that th^' army should pass 
 some days at Laval to rest it, establish some order, 
 and give the whole country time and means to rise 
 and join the Vendeens. 
 
 This repose was of great use to M. de Lescure.
 
 220 DESULTORY ACTIONS. 
 
 He visibly regained strength, and the second day 
 he was much better. In the evening several offi- 
 cers were with me, when all at once there was a 
 report that the Mayen<^^ais were coming to attack 
 us. At first they told us there was nothing in it ; 
 however,,! soon heard preparations for battle. The 
 soldiers were assembled and encouraged. It was 
 not without fear that we saw ourselves assailed at 
 night in a flat country by these formidable Mayen- 
 ^ais, who had driven us from our homes. We were 
 lodged at the entrance of the town, towards Cha- 
 teau-Gonthier. I had M. de Lescure transported 
 to a house in the opposite suburb. 
 
 M. Forestier went immediately with some offi- 
 cers to ascertain the march of the enemy. He found 
 they were really advancing on Laval, and returned 
 to inform the generals. M. de la Rochejaquelein 
 sent M. Martin of the army of Bonchamp, at the 
 head of some horse, to reconnoitre a second time. 
 He acquitted himself with promptitude and preci- 
 sion. They marched then to meet the republicans, 
 whom they found between Laval and Antrames. 
 They supported an instant the shock of our army, 
 whose numbers and movements were hidden by 
 night, but were soon turned ; and the disorder be- 
 came such, that our people took cartridges from theu* 
 caissons, and they from ours. This confusion was 
 favourable to the Vendeens, who lost few men, and 
 killed a great many of the enemy. The darkness 
 was so gieat, that M. Keller gave his hand to a re- 
 publican to help him out of a ditch, thinking him 
 one of ours. The flashes of the cannon showed him 
 all at once the uniform, and he killed him. 
 
 The next day passed very quietly. M. de Le- 
 scure was so well, that he returned on horseback 
 to his first lodging. The day after that, it was
 
 BATTLE OF LAVAL. 221 
 
 known from the morning, that all the republican 
 army was coming to attack Laval. The defeat of the 
 division which had been engaged, had showed them 
 that the Vendeens were still numerous and formi- 
 dable. They had now reunited ail their forces, which 
 amounted to full thirty thousand good troops. 
 
 We felt the importance of the approaching 
 battle. Every measure was carefully taken, and 
 it was resolved to redouble our efforts and courage. 
 M. de Lescure wanted to take advant%e of the 
 little amendment of his health, to mount on horse- 
 back and go with the army. We had great diffi- 
 culty in dissuading hira. Seeing we were all op- 
 posed to this mad project, he set himself at the 
 window, and, by his gestures and his voice, he en- 
 couraged the soldiers who were going to battle. 
 The fatigue and emotion of this fatal morning de- 
 stroyed the fi'uits of three days' repose and care ; 
 and, from that moment, his situation grew worse 
 and worse. 
 
 The battle began at eleven o'clock in the morn- 
 ing. The Vendeens attacked briskly. The re- 
 publicans had two pieces of cannon on a rising 
 ground in the front. M. Stofflet, who was by the 
 side of an emigrant, said to him, " You shall see 
 how we take cannon." At the same time he order- 
 ed M. Martin, surgeon, to charge on the pieces with 
 a dozen horsemen. M. Martin set off on a gallop. 
 The cannoneers were killed, and the two pieces 
 carried away. They turaed them immediately 
 against the republicans, added to them some of 
 ours, and M. de la oNIarsomiiere was charged to 
 point them. A spent ball struck liim so violently, 
 as to bury his shirt in his flesh. He wanted to con- 
 tinue ; but the pain became too great, and he was 
 obliged to retire. M. de Bauge supplied his place. 
 X 2
 
 222 BATTLE OF LAVAL. 
 
 This battery was important; it was exposed to the 
 hottest fire of the enemy. MM. de la Uochejaque- 
 lem, de Royrand, and d'Autichamp, were ahnost 
 continually with M. de Bauge, making their pieces 
 always advance in front of the republicans, who 
 were retreating. The drivers were so frightened, 
 that they were obliged to whip them on. For a 
 moment cartouches were wanting ; M. de Royrand 
 galloped off for some. Coming back, a ball struck 
 )nm on the head ; he died of this wound some time 
 after. The courage and the perseverance of this 
 attack, decided the success of the battle : it became 
 complete, when M. Dehargues, at the head of a 
 column, had turned the enemy, and attacked him 
 in the rear. The Blues gave way, and fled in dis- 
 order to Chateau-Gonthier. They wanted to fomi 
 again in the town, and placed two cannon on the 
 bridge, to defend it. M. de la Rochejaquelein, 
 who had pursued them briskly, said to his soldiers, 
 " What, my fi'iends, shall the conquerors sleep out 
 of doors, and the conquered in the town ?" The 
 Vendeens had never Iiad so much aidour and 
 coui'age ; they rushed on the bridge ; the cannon 
 were taken; The Mayencais tried a moment to 
 resist ; they were overthrown, and our people en- 
 tered Chateau-Gonthier. M. de la Rochejaque- 
 lein continued the pursuit. He saw that the Blues 
 still endeavoured to form in front; he sent instant- 
 ly to Chateau-Gonthier for the artillery. Several 
 horsemen were perceived returning at full speed ; 
 they earned the order. Our people imagined that 
 the enemy had regained the advantage. A panic 
 spread among them ; they precipitated themselves 
 in crowds in the streets, in such disorder, that there 
 were twenty people Idlled ; Stofflet's horse was 
 squeezed to death between his legs. But all was
 
 BATTLE OF LAVAL. 223 
 
 soon cleai'ed up; the republicans were finally rout- 
 ed, and pursued some way. 
 
 M. de la Rochejaquelein displayed in tbis battle 
 such talents and coolness, as gained the officers' 
 admiration. He had always been till then rash and 
 impetuous, precipitating himself on the enemyjwith- 
 out troubling himself who followed him. This day 
 he remained constantly at the head of the columns, 
 kept them together, prevented the bravest from go- 
 ing forward alone, and by that means occasioning 
 a confusion often fatal to us. He took care to oppose 
 masses to the republicans ; and they could never re- 
 gain the advantage, as sometimes happened, by fa- 
 cing about in their retreat, and repulsing then- scat- 
 tered pursuers. It was evident how important Henri 
 considered it to render the victory as complete as 
 possible. 
 
 Here we ought to have stopped, and returned in 
 triumph to our own country, after having taken 
 ample revenge on those Mayencais who had driven 
 us from it. There would have been no difficulty 
 in retaking Angers, and repassing the Loire. It 
 was the opinion of M. de la Rochejaquelein ; but 
 most of the officers were at Laval. He was at 
 Chateau-Gonthier, with the advanced guard and 
 the young officers, and dared not take such an im- 
 portant resolution. without the advice of the elder 
 ones. He determined to return to Laval, where 
 they expected, however, an order from him to 
 march to Chateau-Gonthier. A body of republi- 
 cans had assembled at Craon : he took that road, 
 and gained a complete advantage. 
 
 It was after this return, and during the councils 
 which were held to deliberate as to what was best 
 to be done, that cabals, jealousies, and secret ma- 
 nccun'cs, began among the chiefs and the army.
 
 224 STATE OF THE ARMY. 
 
 Tlie opportunity of repassing the Loire was over; 
 time had been allowed the republicans to prevent 
 it ; the Vendeens regretted it bitterly. M. de Tal- 
 mont, who thought himself sure of all Brittany, 
 wanted to march on Paris. Many other chiefs were 
 for going to Rennes, which was well disposed for 
 us. From thence they might have taken measures 
 to raise the country. 
 
 During the battle, they had brought a letter to 
 the generals of the royalist army. M. de Lescure 
 was the only chief who was then at Laval. They 
 gave him the letter. I opened it, and read it to 
 him ; it was short. After great compliments on 
 the success and the bravery of the royal army, it 
 announced that an array of fifty thousand insur- 
 gents were ready to rise near Rennes, and that 
 their chiefs desiied a passport to come from the 
 place where they were concealed, to confer with 
 our generals. This letter came, I think, from M. 
 de Puyssaye ; it was thought a very strange one. 
 I do not.remember the subscribers ; but after each 
 name there was their rank — such a one general, 
 such a one major-general, &c. We were much 
 amused with these generals, who commanded fifty 
 thousand invisible men, and who asked for a pass- 
 port. The man was sent for who brought the let- 
 ter ; he would neither give details nor explanations, 
 and refused to say from whom he received it. It 
 was then supposed he might be a spy, and that his 
 letter was a false one. It was aaswered verbally, 
 that since we were only twelve leagues from Ren- 
 nes, the fifty thousand men might begin to move, 
 and that we were ready to second them ; and as to 
 the passport, it was not necessary to have one to 
 speak to the generals. This information could not
 
 STATE OF THE ARMY, 225 
 
 inspire confidence enough to determine the going 
 to Rennes. But as some fermentation and begin- 
 ning of revolt certainly existed, we ought undoubt- 
 edly to have taken that direction. 
 
 They talked also of attacking a sea-port. An 
 officer of the artiller^^, named M. d'O***, who had 
 engaged in the revolt of General Wimpfen and of 
 the Girondins, and who had just joined us, spoke 
 of Granville, of which he knew the weak side, and 
 oftered to direct the attack. M. de Talmont still 
 persisted in an expedition to Paris. He said if we 
 could not enter, it would be always easy to join the 
 Austrians in Flanders. Henri opposed this scheme. 
 He represented how impossible such a march was 
 for an army dragging after it women, childien, and 
 wounded. The time of year was also a gi'eat ob- 
 jection, without saying anything of the military ob- 
 stacles the enemy would certainly oppose. He add- 
 ed, the Vendeen peasants would never undertake 
 such a journey; and it was at last nearly resolvetf 
 that they should march to Fougeres ; from thence 
 they might equally go to Rennes or towards the 
 coast. 
 
 Towards the latter part of our stay at Laval, I 
 saw that M. de Lescure suffered more and more. 
 He had been relieved by the quiet of the first few 
 days. Many splinters had been taken out of his 
 wound ; it had been more regularly dressed, but 
 he was not tractable in doing what was ordered. 
 He would not take any medicine, and lived only 
 on rice, milk, and grapes. The bone of his fore- 
 head was injured further than had been perceived 
 at first. His hail* was glued together by blood, and 
 by the matter from tlie wound, and hurt him much, 
 and he would have it removed. Asratha, who wus
 
 226 M. DE lesc'uHe's illness. 
 
 very skilful in dressing his wound, and supplied 
 very; well the surgeon's place, who was absent that 
 day, undertook to cut it off. I wanted to have only 
 a little part of it taken away ; he insisted upon ha- 
 ving it all cut, assuring us it would relieve him; 
 nothing could dissuade him from it. I have always 
 thought that it was this operation, and the fatigue 
 he underwent the day of the second battle, that were 
 fatal to him, and which destroyed the hopes we had 
 at first conceived. Whatever he occupied Iiimself 
 with took entire possession of his mind, and gave 
 liim such an extreme agitation as bordered on de- 
 lirium, and inspired me with terror. All the day 
 he talked of war, of what had passed, and what 
 might happen. One morning the brave Bouras- 
 seau came to see him, and told him that before the 
 passage of the Loire liis parish had already lost five 
 hundred men, killed or wounded. M. de Lescure 
 talked to us all day of the courage of those people, 
 exalting incessantly their heroic devotion. I tried 
 in vain to calm him ; at night he had a fever, and 
 he visibly grew worse. I sent for M. Desormeaux, 
 a very good surgeon, who never left me. I could 
 not look at the dreadful misfortune which threat- 
 ened me. 
 
 We stayed nine days at Laval. The day before 
 our departure, I was in the morning lying upon a 
 mattress near M. de Lescure's bed. I thought 
 him dozing. Every body had left the room ; even 
 M. Durivault. He called me, and said, with his 
 usual gentleness, which he then regained, and 
 which never forsook him afterwards : " My dear 
 friend, open the curtains." I rose and opened them. 
 " Is it a fine day?" continued he. — '* Yes," I an- 
 swered. " I have then something like a veil before
 
 M. DE LESCURE'S ILLNESS. 227 
 
 my eyes ; I do not see distinctly. I always thought 
 my wound was mortal ; I no longer doubt it. Dear 
 friend, I am going to quit you ; it is my only re- 
 gret, except that of not having been able to replace 
 my King on the throne. I leave you in the midst 
 of a cinl war, pregnant, and wdth a child ; this is 
 what afflicts me : try to save yourself in disguise, 
 and go to England." I was choked with tears. 
 " Your grief alone," continued he, " makes me re- 
 gret life. As for myself, I die easy ; although a 
 sinner, I have done nothing which can give me re- 
 morse, or trouble my conscience. I have always 
 served God with piety; I have fought, and I die 
 for him. I hope in his mercy. I have often seen 
 death near, and I fear it not. I leave life with con- 
 fidence, and I only regret you I I had hoped to 
 make you happy. If I have ever given you cause 
 to complain, forgive me." His countenance was 
 calm ; he seemed already in heaven ; only, when 
 he repeated to me, " I regret nothing but you," 
 his eyes filled with teai'S. He said again to me : 
 " Comfort yourself by thinking that I am going to 
 heaven. God inspires me with this confidence. 
 It is for you I weep." At last, no longer able to 
 bear it, I went into a closet which was near. M. 
 Durivault returned ; M. de Lescure told him to 
 look for me, and to bring me back. He found me 
 on my knees, suftbcated by my tears ; he tried to 
 encourage me, and took me back into the room. 
 
 M. de Lescure continued to speak to me with 
 tenderness and piety; and seeing what I suffered, 
 he added with kindness, that perhaps he was mis- 
 taken as to his situation, and that it was better to 
 have a consultation of physicians. I sent for them 
 immediately. He said to them, " Gentlej^ien, I
 
 228 M. DE lescure's illness. 
 
 do not fear death ; tell mo tlie triitli ; I have soine 
 preparations to make." 
 
 He yinshed, I believe, to receive tlic sacraments, 
 and to renew a will he had made in my favour ; 
 but I repulsed with horror all that announced death 
 near. The physicians gave some hope. He an- 
 swered them calmly: " I think you are mistaken ; 
 but do not fail to give me notice when the moment 
 draws near," 
 
 They quitted Laval the 2d of November, with- 
 out having determined positively if they should go 
 to Rennes. The road to Vitre was the shortest to 
 go there. Stoiflet, on his own authority, took the 
 road to Fougeres, with the colours and the drums, 
 which were usually under his direction. 
 
 On the road, M. de Lescure learned a piece of 
 news which I had carefully concealed from him, 
 and which did him a gi'eat deal of harm. The car- 
 riage liaving stopped, somebody came and read to 
 Ijim from a newspaper the details of the Queen's 
 death. He cried out, "Ah ! the monsters, have they 
 then killed Jicr ! — 1 fought to deliver her ! If 1 live, it 
 will be to revenge her! — No more quarter." This 
 idea never quitted him ; — he spoke incessantly of 
 this crime. 
 
 In the evening we stopped at Mayenne: the next 
 day we continued our journey. The army, after 
 a skirmish, in whicli it succeeded completely, en- 
 tered Ernee ; — we passed the night there. I was 
 overwhelmed with fatigue. I threw myself on a 
 mattress by M. de Lescure, and went into a deep 
 sleep. During it, they perceived all at once that 
 the patient lost his strength, and was dying. They 
 put on blisters. He asked for the same confessor 
 whom he had Imd at ^'arades ; but, an instant af-
 
 SKIRMISH AT ERNEE. 229 
 
 ter, he lost his speech. He received absolution 
 and extreme unction. They made no noise, not to 
 awaken me. At one o'clock in the morning, sleep 
 left me, and I saw the frightful situation into which 
 M. de Lescure had fallen. He was still sensible, 
 without being able to speak. He looked at me, 
 and raised his eyes to Heaven in tears ; he even 
 squeezed my hand several times. I passed twelve 
 hours in a state of despair and distraction impos- 
 sible to paint. It is difficult to conceive how so 
 much misery can be borne. Towards noon, we 
 were forced to quit Ernee, and continue our joui'- 
 ney. This appeared impossible to me. I wanted 
 them to leave us, at the risk of falling into the 
 hands of the Blues. The Chevalier de BeauvoUiers 
 wished to remain with us. They represented to 
 me, that exposing myself to a horrid death was 
 disobeying M. de Lescure. They told me his body 
 would fall into the power of the republicans. I 
 had already been struck with that idea. The in- 
 dignities to which the body of M. de Bonchamp 
 had been subjected, had made a deep and hon-id 
 impression on me, and I could not bear the idea 
 of such a profanation. This decided me to quit 
 Ernee. What a frightful war ! what enemies I To 
 he obliged to steal from their fury a dying man, 
 who had fought so generously, and so often spared 
 them I Thus I was condemned to see his last mo- 
 ments disturbed, and hastened by the agitation of 
 this fatal journey. I got first into the cairiage on 
 the mattress by M. de Lescure. Agatha was on 
 the other side. He suffered dreadfully. All our 
 friends represented to me that the surgeon was 
 more useful than me, and that I prevented his 
 giving the necessary cares. They made me get 
 u
 
 230 DEATH OF M. I)B LESCURE. 
 
 out of tlio carriage, and put me on horseback. My 
 mother, the Chevalier de Beauvolliers, MM. Ja- 
 gault, Durivault, and the Chevalier de Mondyon, 
 surrounded me, and took care of me. I saw no- 
 thing ; — I had lost all power of thinking. I dis- 
 tinguished neither objects, nor what I felt. A 
 dark cloud, a frightful void, surrounded me. 
 
 I will own, that, finding on the road the bodies 
 of many republicans, a sort of secret and involun- 
 tary rage made me, without saying anything, push 
 on my horse, so as to trample under foot those 
 who had killed M. de Lescure. In about an hour, 
 I heard some noise in the carriage, and sobs ;—^ 
 I wanted to rush in. They told me M. de Le- 
 scure was just the same ; that the cold would hurt 
 him if the door was opened ; and they drew me 
 off. I suspected my misfortune ; but I dared not 
 persist. I dreaded the answer which would be 
 made me. I repulsed with horror the suspicion 
 which had seized me. I had lost all power, and I 
 abandoned myself to what they chose to do with me. 
 
 I remained seven hours on liorseback, close to 
 the carriage. The weather was rainy. In approach- 
 ing Fougeres, we heard the town was taken, after 
 a battle, which had been murderous for the repub- 
 licans. They had thrown up some ramparts of 
 earth before the entrance, and our people had made 
 an opening through, where only one waggon could 
 pass at a time ; therefore there was a great stop- 
 page on our arrival. They told us it would take 
 two hours before the carriage could enter the town ; 
 — it was even almost impossible to go in on horse- 
 back. They entreated me to walk. I suffered in- 
 supportable pains. They represented to me tliat 
 it was a duty to preserve myself for the child with-
 
 FOUGERES STATE OF THE ARMY. J231 
 
 in me, and whose existence I had exposed so much. 
 I sniFered myself to be led, exacting from the Che- 
 valier de Beauvolliers a promise that he would take 
 me to M. de Lescure as soon as the carriage ar- 
 rived. My mother was opposed to it ; she had 
 tried already more than once to draw me from this 
 sight of grief. 
 
 When I wanted to walk, I foimd it was impos- 
 sible. Suffering and fatigue had bent me so double, 
 I could not raise myself. It was quite night. I 
 found myself alone in the crowd with the Chevalier 
 de Beauvolliers : he tried to carry me; but though 
 yery strong, he was himself so exhaustedwith grief, 
 that he could not. We arrived, dragging ourselves 
 along, in the first house of Fougeres. Some good 
 soldiers who were lodged there made me draw near 
 the fire, gave me a httle wine, and took care of me 
 till a carriage sent by my mother came to conduct 
 me to the lodging which she had in the town. I found 
 there a bed prepared ; they wanted me to go to it. 
 I placed myself near the fire, without saying any 
 thing. I asked from time to time if M. de Le- 
 Bcure's carriage was arrived. ^Vhen I heard it, I 
 made every body go out, and claimed the Chevalier 
 de Beauvolliers's promise. He and I were alone 
 ignorant that all was over. He went out. A mo- 
 ment after, he returned, bathed in tears ; took my 
 hands, and told me I must think of saving my child. 
 
 In reality, the time when I had heard a noise in 
 the carriage had been the last of M. de Lescure. 
 The surgeon had got out ; Agatha wished to do the 
 same ; but then thinking that seeing her I should be 
 Bure of my fate, she had had the courage to pass seven 
 hours in this horrible situation. She was in a swoon
 
 232 FOUGERES — STATE OF THE ARMY. 
 
 more tlian two hours. She had been brought up 
 with M. de Lescure from her infancy. 
 
 The room in which I lay at Fougeres was a pass- 
 age room. The perpetual going and coming, the 
 presence of our people, though they dared not speak 
 to me, was insupportable. I believe, however, that 
 if I had been at liberty to have given way to my de- 
 spair without constraint, I could not have resisted it. 
 I began to feel pains which seemed to announce a 
 miscaniage ; they became so violent as to make me 
 scream. M. Putaud, a physician, at whose house 
 we lodged, was called. He declared I should mis- 
 carry if I was not bled instantly. M. AUard was 
 there ; and not knowing where the surgeons were 
 lodged, he went down into the street, calling out, 
 " A surgeon I help ! a woman is dying !" A man 
 presented himself; he brought him to me imme- 
 diately. I have never known the name of this sur- 
 geon ; but his figure, and the fright he caused me, 
 are still present to me. He was six feet high,* 
 looked ferocious, had four pistols at his girdle, and 
 a great sabre. I told him I was afraid of being 
 bled. " I have killed," said he, " more than three 
 hundred men with this hand, and tliis very morn- 
 ing I cut off the head of a gendarme ; I shall know 
 very well how to bleed a woman. Come, give your 
 ami." I held it to him ; he bled me ; the blood 
 came out with difficulty; and I found myself sick. 
 All night M. Putaud gave me composing medi- 
 cines. 
 
 The next day, MM. de la Rochejaquelein, de 
 
 • .*>ix feet French, equal to nearly six feet and a half 
 English.
 
 FOU GERES — STATE OF THE ARMY. 233 
 
 Baug6, DesestifH-ts, and the Chevalier de Beauvol- 
 liers, particular friends of M. de Lescure, entered 
 my room; they seated themselves far from me, with- 
 out speaking a word, and in tears. In a quarter of 
 an hour Henri rose ; he came and embraced me. 
 " You have lost your best friend," I said to him ; 
 " after me, you were the dearest to him in this 
 world." He answered with an accent of grief I 
 never shall forget, " If my life could restore him to 
 you, I would bid you take it." The old M. d'- 
 Auzon came also to embrace me. Everybody wept, 
 and looked upon the loss of M. de Lescure as the 
 greatest misfortune. 
 
 It was soon a kind of consolation to me to speak 
 incessantly of M. de Lescure ; to recall to my me- 
 mory all that related to him ; to hear how much 
 and how deservedly he was regretted, and deserved 
 to be 80. This sentiment never will leave me ; it 
 win be that of my whole life. It first inspired me 
 with the wish of T\Titing these Memoirs. 
 
 I had always a dreadful terror of seeing M. de 
 Lescure's body a prey to the outrages of the re- 
 publicans. I wanted to have it embalmed, and take 
 it with me in the carriage. It was opposed abso- 
 lutely ; they represented to me the dangers to which 
 I exposed the child I bore. I made the Abbe Jagault 
 promise that he would perform this melancholy 
 duty. He had a solemn service celebrated at Fou- 
 geres, and he had the bowels buried there. The 
 body was put in a coffin, and placed in a waggon. 
 They had found on this body the marks of the hair- 
 cloth which M. de Lescure had worn in his youth, 
 unknown to every body. 
 
 M. Jagault was taken ill some days afterwards 
 at Avranches. They took advantage of this cir- 
 u2
 
 234- TOUGERKS — STATE OF THE ARMY. 
 
 cumstaiice to bury the roffiii. I never Knew the 
 real cause. They mnde me believe at first there 
 was some delay and blunder as to the ariival of 
 the wagg:on ; I rather think it was my father who 
 had it buried secretly on the road. He liad always 
 strongly opposed my fiantic design of not separa- 
 ting myself from it. However tliat may be, it i» 
 still a subject of regret to me not to know where 
 his remains are deposited; — I have at least the cer- 
 tainty that they have not fallen into the hands of 
 the republicans. 
 
 The uneasiness on account of my health dimi- 
 nislied a little. There only remained a constant 
 slow fever, which lasted more than six months, and 
 which reduced me to a state of weakness and ap- 
 })arent decline. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 ARRIVAL OF TWO EMIGRANTS SENT FROM ENGLAND 
 
 ROUTE BY PONTORSON AND AVRANCHES — SIEGE 
 
 OF GRANVILLE — RETURN BY AVRANCHES, PON- 
 TORSON, AND DOL. 
 
 I AM going to continue the melancholy account 
 of my misfortunes ; they were at their height : But 
 the sufferings of the Vendeens were still to be much 
 increased. Tlie officers were occupied at Fou- 
 geres, with what had already been attempted at 
 Laval, namely, to organize the army. It was de- 
 termined that the council of war should be com- 
 posed of twenty-five officers ; M. de Donnissan, 
 goveiTior of the conquered districts, and president
 
 ORGANIZATION OF THE ARMY. 23^ 
 
 of the council ; M. de la Rocliejaquelein, com- 
 mander-in-chief; M. Stofflet, major-general; M. de 
 Talniont, general of cavalry ; ]NI. Dehargues, ad- 
 jutant-general; M. de Chevalier Duhoux, deputy- 
 adjutant ; M. de Beauvolliers, treasurer-general ; 
 M. d'O***, commander of the engineers; M. de 
 Marigny, commanding the artillery; M.de Perault, 
 second in command ; M. Desessarts, commanding 
 the Poitevin division of M. de Lescure ; le Che- 
 valier de Beauvolliers, second in command ; M. de 
 Villeneuve de Cazeau, commanding the division of 
 M. de la Rochejaquelein ; M. de Bauge, second 
 in command ; M. de Fleuriot, commanding the di- 
 vision of M. de Bonchamp ; M. d'Autichamp, se- 
 cond in command ; Messieurs de LjTot, d'Isigny, 
 de Piron, de Ro\Tand, (but he was dying,) de Ro- 
 staing, the Chevalier Detouches, formerly an ad- 
 miral, de la ?'Iarsonniere, Berard, aide-major of 
 Messieurs Stofflet, and M. de Lacroix. The cu- 
 rate of St Laud ha^l also the privilege of assisting 
 at the council of war. 
 
 All the officers who were in the council, were to 
 have, as a distinctive mark, a white sash with a 
 coloured knot, which was to mark the difference of 
 rank. M. de la Rochejaquelein had a black knot, 
 M. Stofflet a red knot, 8cc. The inferior officers 
 had a white scarf round the arm ; all which Was 
 become necessary. On the left bank, each one 
 knew his chief; they marched by parishes. After 
 the passage of the Loire it was otherwise. Whole 
 parishes had passed the river, — men, women, and 
 children. In some others, not an individual had 
 followed the army. Some companies found them- 
 selves without their commanders, and some com- 
 manders without their companies.
 
 236 DISPATCHES FROM ENGLAND. 
 
 During the three days that we passed at Fou- 
 geres, two emigratits arrived from England. I am 
 not sure I remember exactly their names; but I 
 think they were M. Freslon, of the Parliament of 
 Rennes, and M. Bertin. Both were disguised as 
 peasants. The dispatches were hidden in a hollow 
 stick. They read first a letter of the King of Eng- 
 land, flattering for the Vendeens, and in which help 
 was generously offered them. A letter of Mr 
 Dundas entered much more into details. He be- 
 gan by inquiring what our object was, and our po- 
 litical principles. He added, that the English Go- 
 vernment was quite disposed to assist us ; that troops 
 were ready to bear upon any point we should name. 
 He indicated Granville, as appearing preferable. 
 The two envoys were authorized to concert mea- 
 sures with the generals as to the landing ; and they 
 assured us of the exact performance of their stipu- 
 lations. 
 
 When the two emigrants had delivered the Eng- 
 lish dispatches, they broke the stick lower down, 
 and took out a short letter of M. du Dresnay, one 
 of the principal Breton emigrants, then in Jersey, 
 who was in correspondence with the English mi- 
 nistry. He wrote to the generals, that they must 
 not place entire confidence in the promises of the 
 English. It was true that the preparations for a 
 landing were made, and all seemed to announce 
 they were in earnest ; but he saw so little zeal and 
 real interest for us, that we must not depend en- 
 tirely upon that appearance. He added, that the 
 emigrants continued to be treated as before by the 
 English Government ; that of all those who were 
 in Jersey, none could obtain the permission, so 
 much wished for, of going to La Vendee, and that
 
 DISPATCHES FROM ENGLAND. 237 
 
 they bad even just disarmed a great number of 
 them. We learned also by this letter, that the 
 prmces were not yet in England, 
 
 The two emigrants said they coincided in opi- 
 nion with M. du Dresnay, and that it was impos- 
 sible not to have doubts, if not of the good faith, at 
 least of the activity, of the English. They were 
 afflicted with the situation of the army, and showed 
 much discouragement. Thus their mission bore 
 the same character as that of M. de Tiuteniac. 
 
 It was, however, necessary to accept the offers 
 of the English, though not placing entire confidence 
 in them. In the almost desperate situation of the 
 army, nothing was to be neglected ; and it was a 
 point of great importance to take a sea-port, by 
 the assistance of the English, in which Ave might 
 deposit the crowd of women, children, and wound- 
 ed, who emban-assed tlie march of the army. They 
 had already spoken of Granville; M. d'O*** said, 
 it was easy to take it by sui-prise. They decided 
 on this attack ; the signals were agreed upon with 
 the two envoys. If the town was taken before the 
 arrival of succours, a white flag between two black 
 ones, was to give notice of it to the English. 
 
 The King of England's letter was answered with 
 expressions of respect and gratitude. A memorial 
 to Mr Dundas was minutely drawn up. He was 
 assured once more, that the "V'endeens had no other 
 intention than to replace the King on the tlirone, 
 without interfering with the mode of government 
 he should choose to establish for the good of his 
 people. Above all, they asked for a prince of the 
 royal family, or a marshal of France, to command 
 the aimy — to put an end to the conflict of private 
 pretensions. They next solicited for reinforce^
 
 2S8 ANSWER OF THE ROYALISTS. 
 
 ments of troops of the line, or at least artillerists 
 and engineers. They represented how destitute 
 they were of ammunition, of military stores, and of 
 money ; and they said, that even 500,000 francs 
 would be a great help. 
 
 The two emigrants were commissioned to thank 
 M. du Dresnay verbally. All these dispatches 
 were prepai-ed by the Chevalier Desessarts in a 
 council, of which my father was president, and 
 signed by all the members. 
 
 Another less important mission had preceded 
 the other some days. M. de St Hilaire, a naval 
 officer, had swam over to St Laurent during the 
 passage of the Loire. He was not cliarged, like 
 M. Bertin, to negotiate between the English and 
 Vendeens : he had not even any dispatches from 
 ministers ; but he brought a brief from the Pope, 
 addressed to the generals. This brief stated, that 
 the pretended Bishop of Agra was a sacrilegious 
 impostor. The curate of St Laud was appointed 
 to read this brief, which was in Latin, as usual. 
 The generals were confounded, and embarrassed 
 what to do. They resolved to keep the afifair se- 
 cret, to avoid the scandal and mischief it would 
 occasion in the army. It was spoken of so little, 
 that I did not know it till I came to Pontorson ; 
 if they had taken Granville, they would have ship- 
 ped off the bishop secretly. Everybody was shocked 
 at his having deceived the whole army on so serious 
 and holy a subject ; and besides, they thought there 
 might be some treachery under it. 
 
 Thus, after leaving St Florent, they began to 
 treat him coolly, and to withdraw all confidence 
 from him. This did not make mucli alteration ; 
 for the insignificance of his talents and character.
 
 BISHOP OF AGRA AN IMPOSTOR. 230 
 
 and the manoeuvres of the curate of St Liud, had 
 already, in a great degree, destroyed his influence. 
 He had hurt himself also by his behaviour at Beau- 
 preau. Instead of putting any constraint upon 
 himself, and being regular and edifying in his con- 
 duct, as he was always at Chatillon, he had given 
 himself- up to society, and had passed five weeks 
 without perfonning mass. Madame d'Elbee in- 
 formed me of all this when I saw her at Beau- 
 preau. However, in spite of it he was still liked, 
 on account of his good and obliging disposition. 
 Even after the arrival of the briefs, some people 
 pitied him, and were angry with the curate of St 
 Laud, who, it was supposed, suspecting the fraud, 
 jealousy having made him quicker-sighted, had 
 foimd means to write secretly to the Court of 
 Rome, to solicit the brief, (which I do not believe 
 he could possibly have done.) The bishop soon 
 perceived something was found out ; and his detec- 
 tion appeai'ed the more inevitable, when, passing 
 through Dol, he was known again. It was there 
 that, being vicar, he had taken the oath which he 
 had afterwards retracted. From this time he be- 
 came profoundly melancholy, though to appearance 
 unconscious of what had happened. 
 
 A negotiation of another kind was going on at 
 Fougeres. M. Allard had taken a lawyer of Nor- 
 mandy, who had been enrolled by force in a bat- 
 talion. This man offered to the Vendeens a piece 
 of service. He said he was much connected with 
 a M. Bougon, a magistrate (jproewenr syndic) of 
 Calvados, who had had a great share in the revolt 
 of that department in the month of June 1793. 
 He said M. Bougon would be happy to rejoin the 
 army, and that he would certainly oe very useful
 
 240 THE ARMY LEAVE FOUGERES. 
 
 by his talents, Lis courage, and his influence in the 
 Calvados. He asked for a passport to go for him. 
 They hesitated a good while ; — at last they granted 
 it. Al. Bougon anived. He was in reality a very 
 clever man, speaking with facility, and as fit to ex- 
 ecute as to advise. He proposed to march into 
 Normandy, and was certdn an insurrection might 
 easily be excited there. His project seduced many 
 chiefs. M. de Talmont particularly liked M. Bou- 
 gon very much ; but they had promised to attack 
 Granville ; and it was too late to recede. 
 
 Leaving Fougeres, after having rested there three 
 days, the army marched to Granville, by Dol, Pon- 
 torson, and Avranches. There was some resist- 
 ance in this latter town ; but the garrison soon re- 
 tired. The prisons, full of suspected royalists, 
 were thrown open. A detachment of cavaliy sent 
 to Mont St Michel, delivered a number of WTetch- 
 ed priests who had been heaped up in this fortress. 
 They had suiFered so much, that the greatest part 
 of them were unable to follow their deliverers. 
 
 All who could not fight remained at Avranches 
 with the baggage, and the army marched to Gran- 
 ville about thirty thousand strong. The attack 
 began at nine o'clock at night. Very imperfectly 
 prepared, some ladders were the only means they 
 had of entering a town surrounded by ramparts ; 
 yet the first ardour of the soldiers was so great, 
 that the suburbs were earned, and they scaled the 
 outworks of the place by planting bayonets in the 
 walls. Some even reached the ramparts with M. 
 Forestier : But a deserter who had his white jacket 
 still on, having called out. We are betrayed I Sauve 
 qui peut! — our people fell back ; and M. Fores- 
 tier, overthro'tvn into the ditch, remained there in-
 
 ATTACK OF GRANVILLE. 241 
 
 sensible three hours. It was in vain M. Allard 
 shot the deserter through the head. The Vendeens, 
 who had been caiTied away by a rapid movement, 
 had time to reflect on their temerity, and stopped 
 in their attack. The republicans defended them- 
 selves obstinately ; they succeeded in setting fire 
 to the suburbs. Disorder began then to show it- 
 self in the Yendeen army. The soldiers, whose 
 first onset had failed ultimately, were discouraged 
 as usual. The attack from which they hoped most, 
 was along a flat shore which the tide left uncover- 
 ed : it did not succeed, hecause two small vessels 
 from St Malo demolished the Vendeen batteries. 
 They vainly expected assistance from the English ; 
 their great expedition could not have arrived ; but 
 as they heard the cannon in Jersey, they might 
 have sent vessels and reinforcements. The mere 
 appearance would have secured us the lictorj-. 
 The long range of the cannon on the ramparts, to 
 which our soldiers were unaccustomed, disheart- 
 ened them. The chiefs and the officers redoubled 
 theu' efforts. The Bishop of Agra went through 
 the ranks exhorting them, and seeking for a death 
 ■which his situation made desirable. The Swiss 
 performed prodigies of valour ; there were many of 
 them killed. This unfortunate attack was conti- 
 nued the next day and the foUomng night, because 
 they expected the English. MM. de Perault, 
 Roger-Mouliniers, de Villeneuve, the Chevalier de 
 Beauvolliers, the respectable M. le Maignan, v/ere 
 wounded. The number of besiegers diminished 
 continually by the sword and desertion, and the 
 whole army was in fact disbanding themselves. At 
 last M. de la Rochejaquelein was forced to consent 
 to a retreat. The attack had lasted thu-ty-six
 
 243 AITACK OF GRANVILLE. 
 
 hours ; there was no keeping the men any longer. 
 There were no provisions ; the ammunition was 
 nearly exhausted ; no hope of present help from the 
 English ; it was necessary to return to Avranches. 
 There they wanted to adopt the project of M. 
 Bougon. M. de la Rochejaquelein set out imme- 
 diately with some cavalry to seize Ville-Dieu, on 
 the road to Caen ; hut a sedition hroke out in the 
 army. As soo-n as they found a route opposite to 
 the banks of the Loire was in contemplation, the 
 peasants assembled in groups, and insisted loudly 
 upon being led back to their own country, and 
 mui-nmred against the generals who had taken 
 them from it. It was impossible to think of any 
 other road than the one they thus chose, and the 
 greatest part of the officers also preferred it. The 
 soldiers would not hear reason, and would have 
 abandoned their chiefs rather than follow them into 
 Normandy. It was necessary to yield. The re- 
 turn to the Loire was announced, to the great sa- 
 tisfaction of all. The soldiers knew that Angers 
 was the most important post on the road near the 
 river. They cried out they would enter it, even 
 though the walls were made of iron. 
 
 M. de la Rochejaquelein had been as far as 
 Ville-Dieu with M. Stofflet. The inhabitants de- 
 fended themselves obstinately. They took and 
 massacred some horsemen who were come as 
 sharpshooters. When our troops entered the 
 streets, the women threw stones from the win- 
 dows. Henri called to them several times to re- 
 tire ; they continued obstinate ; some cannon were 
 fired in the streets, and they ceased. Pillage was 
 permitted in this town, because there was no gar- 
 rison ; but our people did not otherwise injure the
 
 MARCH BY AVRANCHES. 243 
 
 inhabitants. M. de la Rochejaquelein soon beard 
 what passed at Avranches, and was obliged to re- 
 turn. 
 
 The next day we took the road to Pontorson. 
 Six hundred republicans had come before it was 
 light to destroy a bridge a league fiom Avranches ; 
 but the elder Lejeay being there with his company 
 of cavalry, heard a noise ; and ha^vdng assembled 
 some infantry, with IM. Forestier, fell upon the 
 enemy. They pursued the Blues so briskly, that 
 only ten escaped. They went almost to Pontor- 
 son ; and being alone before the others, they found 
 themselves at a turn of the road in front of the 
 enemy's army. They wanted to retreat, but Fo- 
 restier had a restive horse whom he could not turn. 
 He called out '' Help, Lejeay ! I am lost I" Le- 
 jeay came back and took the bridle of his horse. 
 They saved themselves amidst a shower of balls, 
 and rejoined the army, which was advancing. 
 
 The republicans tried to defend Pontorson, but 
 were beaten, and lost a great many men ; for they 
 were charged with the bayonet in the streets. I 
 arrived in a carriage at nine o'clock at night, as 
 the fighting was just over. A femme-de-chambre, 
 who took care of my poor little girl, and Messieurs 
 Durivault and the Chevalier of Beauvolliers, both 
 wounded, were also with me. The carriage passed 
 every moment over dead bodies. The jolts and 
 the cracking of bones broken by the wheels was 
 horrible. When alighting, a corpse was before the 
 door of the carriage ; I was going to step on it, 
 when they took it away. 
 
 Foret was mortally wounded at Pontorson. 
 They destroyed a cannon to have horses to put to 
 a carriage for him. The next morning a report
 
 244 PONTORSON'. 
 
 was spread tliat IVIM. de Talmont, t}je elder dc 
 BeauvoUiers, and the curate de St Laud, liad quitted 
 the army, and gone in a fishing hoat to Jersey. In 
 less tlian an hour after, tlieir absence was percei- 
 ved. Stofflet, wlio alone remained to command 
 the rear-guard, had sent M. Martin to pursue 
 them; and, without any other explanation, took 
 possession of M. de Talmont's horses, which re- 
 mained at A^Tanches, broke open the chest of M. 
 de BeauvoUiers, and was going to take or distri- 
 bute every thing which belonged to these gentle- 
 men, treating them like deserters. They arrived 
 after three hours* absence, without having seen M. 
 Martin ; and complaining loudly of the ill-treat- 
 ment they had met with, and what had been said 
 of them, every thing which belonged to them was 
 restored immediately. 
 
 It appeared that Madame de Culssard, and her 
 daughter, Madame de Fey, and Mademoiselle Si- 
 donie de Fey, wives and daughters of emigrants, 
 wanted to embark, and had begged the assistance 
 of M. de Talmont. He had made a bargain with 
 the master of a boat, who was to take over these 
 ladies to Jersey ; and the following night he had 
 conducted them to the water-side with jVI. de 
 BeauvoUiers, and some other gentlemen. The boat 
 could not approach land on account of the tide. 
 The fishermen had called out, the ladies might ap- 
 proach on horseback without danger, but they da- 
 red not venture ; and, while hesitating, the repub- 
 lican hussars, perceived at a distance, obliged them 
 to return precipitately. 
 
 This aflfair at first made a great noise in the ar- 
 my. Many people would not believe the justifi- 
 cation of these gentlemen: however, I have always
 
 PONTORSON. 215 
 
 been persuaded they told the truth ; what they 
 said was quite probable. M. de Talmont was in- 
 timate with these ladies ; and it was very natural 
 not to think they could be suspected, while render- 
 ing them a service. As for M. de Beauvolliers, 
 he had two brothers whom he tenderly loved in the 
 army ; his wife and his daughters were prisoners 
 in Angers; and he was pei-petually advising to 
 march there, that they might be delivered. He 
 left the military chest. M. de Talmont and he 
 had not even taken away a portmanteau. Besides, 
 they had too much honour to be capable of such a 
 flight. Four days before, the officers of the army 
 had sworn not to abandon each other, let what 
 would happen. People were surprised that Stof- 
 flet, who was devoted to M. de Talmont, should 
 behave so to him. The whole affair was soon for- 
 gotten, and they were reconciled.* 
 
 We passed a day at Pontorson. I remember 
 that M. de la Rochejaquelein came to see me, and 
 gave an instance of those natural antipathies which 
 no courage can surmount. A squirrel of an un- 
 common kind, found in the room of a republican 
 officer's wife, had been brought to me; it was stri- 
 ped with black and grey, very tame, and I had him 
 in my lap. As soon as Henri entered, and saw the 
 little animal, he grew pale ; and told me, laughing, 
 
 • Since I have mentioned the treasure of the army, I must 
 explain, that it consisted of some assignats, indorsed in the 
 King's name ; a million in billets royaux ; and perhaps 
 50,000 francs, in voluntary contributions. Neither soldier 
 nor officer received any pay ; but when any one was in want, 
 he asked, and was assisted. The disbursements were mostly 
 for provisions and ammunition. 
 x2
 
 246 ARHIVAL AT DOL. 
 
 that tlie fiigbt of a fsquirrel inspired hliii with an in- 
 vincible hoiTor. I wanted him to stroke it ; he re- 
 solved to do so, hut trembled. He acknowledged 
 this weakness ivith perfect simplicity, and quite un- 
 conscious that it was more singular in him than in 
 another. 
 
 That evening I met with an old Angevin pea- 
 sant, who was in the army witli five sons ; one of 
 them was wounded ; the otliers carried him, and 
 supported their father also. I gave up my room to 
 this respectable family, and I went to lie down in 
 a great hall on a mattress. 
 
 We arrived at Dol, fatigued, and in want of pro- 
 visions. I went to a room where the Chevalier de 
 Beauvolliers already w^as, suffering from his wound. 
 A moment after, Agatha came in crying. Slie 
 told me there was in the kitchen a poor young man, 
 wliom they were going to shoot, and who did not 
 appear guilty; she begged me to hear him. He 
 entered, and threw himself at my feet ; his coun- 
 tenance was gentle and interesting. He said, 
 liis name was Montignac ; he had been forced to 
 enlist in a battalion at Dinan, and, in order to be 
 able to pass over to the Vendeens, he had got him- 
 self sent to Dol. At the arrival of our advanced 
 guard, he had left the gendarmes with whom Jie 
 was, to come and meet our horsemen ; tlie first he 
 saw was a tall young man, dressed in a blue gi'eat 
 coat, and wearing a black and white scarf. He 
 had declared to this young man, that he wished to 
 serve with the Vendeens ; then M. de la Roche- 
 jaquelein, for I knew it was he, had ordered a 
 iiorsoman to take care of the new comer. Enter- 
 ing Dol, Montignac lost sight of his horseman; he 
 wished lo change liis dress, and having seen twenty
 
 ARRIVAL AT DOL. 247 
 
 soldiers at a draper's, choosing v/liat suited tliem, 
 encouiaged by this, he had taken away a piece of 
 cloth ; an officer had met him, and had conducted 
 him to the council, as a pillager. He had still on 
 a volunteer's dress ; they took him for a deserter, 
 who came to give a bad example to om- people ; 
 and he was condemned. As he finished his story, 
 Agatha came in, exclaiming, " Madam, here aie 
 the Germans coming to take him to execution!" 
 He threw himself again at my feet : I resolved to 
 save him. I went up to my father's, where the 
 council was held ; when I was there in the midst 
 of the generals, they asked me what I wanted. I 
 did not dare to explain myself, and only answered, 
 " I came for a glass of water." I went down 
 again, and with a tone of authority, said to the 
 Geraians, " You may go ; the council puts the 
 prisoner under the guard of the Chevalier de I^eau- 
 volliers." They retired. I sent for jM. Allard, 
 and I begged him to an'ange this affair. I was 
 happy to save this poor man. The day before, I 
 had been very much affected by the sight of tliree 
 Mayen9ais passing my window on their way to exe- 
 cution, and with the courage and noble resignation 
 they showed. 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 BATTLE OF DOL. — MARCH BY ANTUAIN, FOUGERliS, 
 AND LA FLECHE. SIEGE OF ANGEKS. 
 
 At nine o'clock at night, the town was alarmed. 
 A patrol of republican Imssars, taldng advantage 
 of tJiG incorrigible negligence of our soldiers on
 
 248 BATTLES OF DOL. 
 
 guard, advanced to the entrance of the town. They 
 cried, " To arms I" In an instant the aimy was on 
 foot ; and the hussars fled. 
 
 The cries and the noise awakened me. I was 
 so fatigued, I had fallen asleep, tliough suffering 
 from hunger; my mother told me supper was over; 
 but that I should find something to eat in a great 
 kettle, which was on the table. In it had been 
 mutton and potatoes dressed together, but being too 
 much salted, it had been taken to the well to have 
 water added to it. I picked out some potatoes 
 with my knife. Such was my supper, and I was 
 glad to get even this. I have often felt" absolute 
 want of food. 
 
 The first attack of the hussars was mistaken for 
 the republican ai-my coming upon Dol. Some of- 
 ficers had been sent to reconnoitre, for it was im- 
 possible to trust soldiers for this service ; very of- 
 ten it was a single officer, and that the indefatigable 
 M. Forestier. The patrol returned galloping to- 
 wards midnight, and announced that we must pre- 
 pare for the attack of a numerous army which was 
 approaching. The town consists of a single wide 
 street, which is the high road to Dinan ; on the op- 
 posite side, the road divides, almost at the entrance 
 of the town, into two branches — one>to Pontorson 
 and Avi-anches, the other to Antrain and Fougeres. 
 It was but too easily to be foreseen that it would 
 be a dreadful action, and that we were all lost if 
 not victorious. Every measure was carefully ta- 
 ken ; the women, the wounded, and all who could 
 not fight, left the houses, and were ranged in files 
 along the walls ; tlie baggage-waggons, the artillery 
 in reserve, were in the middle of the street. The 
 cavaliy, who were never used in the begiiming of
 
 BATTLES OF DOL. 249 
 
 an actiou, because they were ill-mounted, and un- 
 skilful in manoeuvres, were placed in two rows, one 
 on each side between the cannon and the women ; 
 the horsemen, sabre in hand, held themselves in 
 readiness to chaige as soon as the enemy should 
 begin to give way. To animate the soldiers, the 
 diTims beat to arms. The moment the Vendeens 
 had formed themselves at the entrance of the town, 
 the attack began, in the midst of a dark night. The 
 cries of the soldiers, the roll of the dmms, the fire 
 of the howitzers, casting a transient gleam over the 
 town, the noise of the musketry and cannon, the 
 smell and smoke of the powder, all contributed to 
 the impression made on those who expected life or 
 death from the issue of this battle ; in the midst of 
 tliis we kept profound silence. We had already 
 passed half an hour in this cruel suspense, when all 
 at once we heard at the entrance of the town. Ad- 
 vance cavalry! Vive le RoiJ A hundred thou- 
 sand voices, men, women, and children, repeated 
 the cry of Vive le Roi ! which told us our brave 
 protectors had saved us from massacre. The horse- 
 men went off at full gallop, crying with enthusiasm, 
 Vive le Eoi ! The light of the firing made their 
 sabres shine through the darkness. A ray of hope 
 reanimated every heart. The women returned to 
 the houses ; M. Durivault came to me. " I have 
 done enough for a wounded man," said he : it was, 
 indeed, heroic to fight in this situation. He told 
 me the Blues were in full retreat. All the rest of 
 the night we listened to the cannon ; the noise of 
 which gi'owing gradually fainter, made us think the 
 republicans defended themselves foot by foot. To- 
 wards moiTiing, hoAvever, they liad retreated two 
 leagues, A thick fog arose at that moment ; and
 
 250 BATTLES OF DOL. 
 
 80071 after, my father's servant came in haste, aiul 
 told us from him that we must instantly mount our 
 horses and make our escape, because our soldiers 
 were routed. They put me on a horse, and seeing 
 that my mother and the friends who usually sur- 
 rounded me were following me, I went on. The 
 fatal news had already spread in the town. An 
 immense crowd filled the street, and were flying. 
 I was dragged on by these fugitives. Soldiers, wo- 
 men, wounded, were all mixed ; and I found my- 
 self alone among three or four hundred horsemen 
 who tried to rally, and cried with a deep voice, 
 " Forward, brave comrades, to death I" (Al/ons, 
 les braves, a la mort !) It was not a war-cry like- 
 ly to prove encomaging ; and they fled too, like 
 the others. 
 
 I was dressed like a countrywoman ; I Ijad ta- 
 ken these coarse clothes instead of mourning, and 
 because they might help to save me : grief, and a 
 slow fever, which consumed me, contributed still 
 more than my dress to disguise me. I was among 
 the horsemen quite bewildered, without knowing 
 anybody, or to whom to have recourse. A liorse- 
 man held his sabre over me, saying, " Cowardly 
 woman, you shall not pass." " Sir, I am with child, 
 and dying ; have pity on me." " Poor wretch I I 
 do pity you," answered lie ; and he let me pass. 
 I was afterwards stopped and insulted more than 
 once. The soldiers, while flying themselves, re- 
 proached the women very unjustly for doing the 
 same, and of having caused the route by their fears. 
 At last I reached the end of the town, on the road 
 to Dinan. I found M. de Perault there at a small 
 bridge, where, all wounded as he was, he was or- 
 dering cannon to be placed to protect the retreat,
 
 BATTLES OF DOL. 25\ 
 
 in case tlie Blues should take possession of the 
 town. He commanded his engineers with perfect 
 coolness, and exhorted the soldiers to return to the 
 battle. A little way from thence, I saw M. de 
 Denan Duchesne, a youth of sixteen, aide-de-camp 
 of M. de Talmont, who was endeavouring to rally 
 the fugitives. He threatened, encouraged, urged 
 them forward, and gave them blows with the flat 
 side of his sabre : he did not know me. <' Let the 
 women stop too," said he, " and prevent the men 
 from flying 1" I placed myself by his side, and 
 remained there three quarters of an horn' without 
 speaking, and witnessing all his efforts : he suc- 
 ceeded in making some soldiers go back.* 
 
 This defeat was a shocking sight. The wound- 
 ed, who could not drag themselves along, lay down 
 in the road, and were trodden under foot. The 
 women screamed, the children cried, the officers 
 struck the runaways. In the midst of all this con- 
 fusion, my mother passed without my knowing 
 her. A boy was going to kill her because she was 
 flying. She met M. de Marigny, who made way 
 for her ; and, as her horse was good, she was soon 
 at the head. WTiat then was her surprise to see 
 
 • Montignac was there. He took hold of my horse's bri- 
 dle, saying, " You are my deliverer, I will not leave you : 
 we will perish together." I was not very sure of him. ''You 
 ought not to be here," I answered : " if you are not a trai- 
 tor, go and fight." He had no arms. I told him he might 
 easily find some, as our soldiers unfortunately threw away 
 too many muskets. He picked one up, and showed it me 
 with a pleased look, as he ran by me to the battle, where he 
 behaved bravely. He killed two horsemen, and took their 
 horses ; and being thus mounted, went into the cavalry.
 
 252 BATTLES OF DOL. 
 
 M. Stofflet, till then so brave, flyinpr one of the first, 
 and having lost all presence of mind ! She express- 
 ed her astonishment at meeting him in such a place. 
 He appeared asliamed, tunied back, as well as her, 
 and began to niUy the fugitives. The officers made 
 then a last effort to induce them to return. M. 
 d'Auiichamp harangued them. M. de Marigny, 
 with his Herculean stature, and his sabre in Iiis 
 hand, was like a madman. The gi'eater part of the 
 officers had I'un after the soldiers to rally them. 
 They represented to them they were without any 
 asylum ; that Dinan was a strong place ; and tliat, 
 if they went on, they would be stopped by the sea, 
 and massacred by the Blues ; and told them they 
 were abandoning a victory already gained. They 
 made them observe their general was still on the 
 defensive, as the noise of the cannon did not ap- 
 proach. " Will you abandon your brave general?" 
 said they. " No," called out many voices. " Vive 
 le Roi and M. de la Rochejaquelein !" Everpvhere 
 the same arguments were used to them. My fa- 
 ther was at the separation of tlie road below the 
 town to stop those who came that way. 
 
 Tlie women did not show less ardour in recall- 
 ing the soldiers to their duty. My mother exhort- 
 ed tliem, and was not discouraged herself. Ma- 
 dame de Bonchamp, who was in the town, rallied 
 the men of her husband's army. Notwithstanding 
 my want of courage, I had also the desire of oppo- 
 sing myself to the rout ; but I was so weak and ill, 
 that I could hardly stand. I saw at a distance some 
 of my acquaintance, but did not venture to move to 
 join them, for fear of adding to the confusion, and 
 appeariHg. to be running away. A number of wo- 
 nieD showed prodigies of resolution and decision of
 
 BATTLES OF DOL. 253 
 
 character. They stopped tlie runaways, struck 
 them, and opposed their passing, I saw the femme- 
 de-chambre of Madame de la Chevalerie take a 
 musket, put her horse into a gallop, ciying out, 
 " Forward ! women of Poitou I" 
 
 The priests exercised a still greater influence. 
 It is the only time that I have seen them fanaticise 
 the soldiers, as the republicans called it, by em- 
 ploying all the means of religion to animate them ; 
 and I cannot conceive it can ever be made a re- 
 proach to them, since the massacre was otherwise 
 certain, and humanity required their zeal. While 
 they paused to listen to the cannon, the curate of 
 St Marie de Rhe got upon a hillock near me, raised 
 a large crucifix, and wdth a stentorian voice began 
 to preach to the Vendeens. He was carried away 
 by his enthusiasm : he asked the soldiers if they 
 would really be so infamous as to give up their 
 wives and their children to be slaughtered by the 
 Blues : he told them the only means of safety was 
 to return to the battle. " My children," said he, 
 "I will march at your head, the crucifix in my 
 hand : let those who choose to follow me kneel, I 
 will give them absolution ; if they die, they will go 
 to Paradise ; but the cowards who forsake God and 
 abandon their families, will have their throats cut 
 by the Blues, and will go to hell." More than 2000 
 men knelt down, and he gave them absolution with 
 a loud voice ; and they departed, calling out, " Vive 
 le Roi ! we go to Paradise I" The curate was at 
 their head, and continued to excite them. 
 
 We remained more than six hours scattered over 
 the meadows which were on the road side, waiting 
 our fate. From time to time, we heaid our people 
 still had the advantage ; however, we dared not re-
 
 254- BATTLES OF DOL. 
 
 turn into the town. At last it was known that the 
 victory was complete, and that the republicans had 
 retired. We went back to Dol. The soldiers, of- 
 ficers, priests, everybody, congratulated each other; 
 tlie women were thanked for the share they had 
 had in this success. I saw the curate of St Marie 
 return at the head of his troop, with the crucifix 
 still in his hand ; he was singing the Vexilla RegiSy 
 and every one knelt as he passed. 
 
 We then learnt all that had happened in the bat- 
 tle. The attack had begun at midnight ; the Ven- 
 deens had fallen with fury on the republicans, and 
 had made them give way. The darkness of the 
 night, and the rage of the two parties were such, 
 that, in the midst of the confusion, the combatants 
 grappled hand to hand, and tore each other to pieces ; 
 they took cartridges from the same caisso?is. Some 
 Vendeens had approached a battery ; the artillery- 
 men mistaking them for Blues, called out, " Com- 
 rades, get out of the way, we are going to fire !" 
 then our soldiers, knowing them by the light of the 
 fire, killed them at their guns. At seven o'clock 
 in the morning, the republicans had been driven back 
 to within two leagues and a half of Dol, on both 
 roads. M. de la Rochejaquelein was in the left 
 wing, on the road to Pontorson. When he saw 
 the Blues in full retreat on this side, he wanted to 
 go to the right of the Antrain road, where he still 
 heard a brisk firing. The powder was just ex- 
 hausted ; the aitillerymen had sent horsemen on 
 the full gallop, to fetch some more ; the thick fog 
 made the soldiers imagine that it was a movement 
 of the enemy's cavalry ; they were fiightened, and 
 fled. The officers ran to rally them ; it was thought 
 they also were flying, and the teiTor augmented.
 
 BATTLES OF DOL. 855 
 
 The rout, once begun, the bravest suffered them- 
 selves to be drawn into it. This was the sight 
 which presented itself to Henri, when, accompanied 
 by M. Allard, the Chevalier Desessarts, and some 
 other officers, he went to tlie right. He was in ab- 
 solute despair, thought all lost, and was determined 
 not to survive. He advanced towards the Blues to 
 seek death, and remained several minutes with his 
 arms crossed, in front of a battery. M. Allard tried 
 in vain to prevent him, and entreated him not to 
 sacrifice himself. Meanwhile a continued fire was 
 heard at the extremity of the right wing. M. de 
 la Rochejaquelein ran there ; he found M. de Tal- 
 mont, who, at the head of 400 men, maintained his 
 position mth heroical courage, a fog deceiving the 
 republicans as to our strength, and the flight of our 
 people. MM. de la Marsonniere and de Bauge 
 liad not forsaken him, and together they managed 
 a gun, which had been left by the artillerymen. 
 Henri arrived to the assistance of M. de Talmont, 
 and his presence brought back some soldiers ; others, 
 rallied by their officers, returned also, and then the 
 affair was completely decided. Had there been 
 less disorder, they might have disturbed the retreat 
 of the republicans, and obtained a gi'eater advan- 
 tage ; but they could not pursue them. This bat- 
 tle did great honour to M. de Talmont. M. de la 
 Rochejaquelein, and the whole army, took pleasure 
 in repeating that he had saved tliem from ruin. The 
 vigorous manner in which M. Stofflet had stop- 
 ped the rout, made it be forgotten that he had at 
 first Suffered himself to be drawn into it. Some of- 
 ficers did not reappear ; either they liad fled too 
 far, or their resolution was exhausted. We were
 
 256 BATTLES OF DOL. 
 
 surprised not to see M. Keller, who had always 
 showed so much bravery. He went to Paris, and 
 hid himself there for a year ; after which he joined 
 the Chouans, but they, taking him for a spy, shot 
 him. M. Putaud, a physician of Fougeres, at 
 whose house I had lodged, and who commanded 
 the Bretons, had joined our army when we passed 
 that place. He also did not reappear ; he had, 
 however, fought very well at Granville, and at Pon- 
 torson. In 1792 he had been in tlie King's guard, 
 and had made himself famous for his duels with the 
 Jacobins. In the short time he had passed in the 
 army, he had showed courage, though accompanied 
 by boasting. He was taken prisoner soon after by 
 the Blues, and perished on a scaffold, at Rennes. 
 Many other oflBcers, less known, also disappeared. 
 M*** took advantage of the opportunity ; it was 
 known that he had reached the coast, and succeed- 
 ed in getting over to England, where he passed him- 
 self off for one of our generals. 
 
 I too had a great mind to seek an asylum in 
 England ; but I knew nobody there in whom I 
 could confide. I knew the Blues massacred the 
 women and children who fell into their hands ; but 
 I hoped the army might regain Poitou, and I aban- 
 doned myself to the common fate. We passed a 
 qmiet night. The next day the republicans, know- 
 ing what had happened the day before, at ten o'clock 
 returned again to the attack by the two roads ; the 
 Vendeens fought with courage, and the success was 
 never for a moment doubtful ; but the enemy de- 
 fended himself with so much obstinacy, that the 
 battle lasted fifteen hours. It finished by the com- 
 plete defeat of the Blues, who lost an immense 
 number of men. They were pursued quite Uf An-
 
 ROYALISTS ENTER ANTRAIN. 857 
 
 tjain ; and it was in the town itself the greatest 
 slaughter took place. 
 
 Too much afraid to remain in the town, I had 
 gone with ray mother and other women some dis- 
 tance off, to wait the result of the battle, M, de St 
 Hilaiie commanded a. patrol on this road, to ob- 
 serve if the gantson of Dinan came on our rear. 
 It did not come out ; and he succeeded in getting 
 some provisions for the wounded. We lost two 
 brave officers in this battle. While M. Dehar- 
 gues was pm'suing the hussars, his horse became 
 unmanageable, and canied him into the midst of 
 the enemy's squadron ; and there falling down, he 
 was taken, without being able to make any defence. 
 MM. de la Rochejaquelein and de la Roche St An- 
 dre were also smToimded by the hussars. They de 
 fended tliemseives a long time. Henri escaped, and 
 returned immediately with some horsemen to de- 
 liver M. de la Roche St Andre, who v/as mortally 
 wounded. But it was in vain he pursued the hus- 
 sars beyond Pontorson ; they could not recover M. 
 Dehargues. His white scarf had marked him to 
 be a chief; and he was instantly earned away at 
 full gallop. He perished at Rennes on the scaflbld ; 
 and showed great corn-age, calling out at the exe- 
 cution, Vive le Hoi ! 
 
 M. de la Rochejaquelein, after the victory, did 
 not biing the ai"my back to Dol. The baggage, the 
 womeTi, and all who did not fight, left the town to 
 join him at Antrain. The streets were still full of 
 blood and dead bodies when we entered it. We 
 found no provisions ; and everybody suft'ered mudi 
 from hunger. I lived on some onions which I ga- 
 thered in a garden. The curate of St Marie, who 
 had animated the soldiers so much at Dol, employ-
 
 258 MAIVCH TO FOUGEUES. 
 
 ed himself with the same ardour in obtatnlng the 
 pardon of some republican prisoners condemned to 
 death.* The following day the army marched on 
 Fougeres, and took possession of it without resist- 
 ance. We staid in it one day ; a Te Deum was 
 sung for the victories of Dol. It was a heart-rend- 
 ing ceremony, from the contrast it presented with 
 our desperate situation. From Fougeres we went 
 by Emee to Laval, and passed two days there ; then 
 to Sable and to la Fleche. In all this route we had 
 not seen any Blues ; the defeats of Dol had fright- 
 ened them. The remains of their army had retreat- 
 ed to Angers, and fortified it in haste. We found 
 some abattis of trees on fire in several parts of the 
 road ; but not a soldier defending them. Our entry 
 into all those towns, that we had occupied a. few 
 days before, was to us a sight of horror and despair. 
 Our wounded, our sick, the children who could not 
 follow us, our hosts, those who had sho^vn us any 
 pity, had been massacred by the republicans. Each 
 of us went on, with the certainty of perishing in 
 battle, or being put to death a little sooner or later. 
 From la Fleche we came under the walls of An- 
 gers, and slept in a village two leagues from it. The 
 following day the attack began. The republicans 
 had barricaded all the entrances, and protected all 
 the weak places by ditches and ramparts of earth. 
 They had batteries in good situations, and were sa- 
 tisfied with defending themselves without attempt- 
 ing a single sortie. Our people, who expected to 
 
 * That is to say, the prisoners of war made by us, or by 
 foreign powers, who were retaken with arms in their hands, 
 the wounded excepted.
 
 SIEGE OF ANGERS. 2o9 
 
 fight man to man, and who had never known how 
 to attack the least fortification, were discouraged 
 as soon as they saw the good position of the Blues. 
 The cannon destroyed a great many of our people, 
 as soon as they approached. It was in vain the 
 chiefs ordered a general assault ; they could never 
 persuade the Vendeens to it. These poor men, 
 who, since they left Granville, had talked of no- 
 thing but of taking Angers at all events, had lost 
 their accustomed ardour. Grief, hunger, misery of all 
 kinds, had borne them do^Ti. Entreaties and threats 
 were alike useless ; they were even promised the 
 pillage of the town : But, far from encouraging the 
 Vendeens, this idea shocked them veiy much, not- 
 withstanding our horrible situation and the cruelty 
 of the Blues. The greater pai*t said, that God would 
 abandon us if we allowed ourselves to do such a 
 thing : — so much morality was there among our 
 peasants. Our artiller)', however, performed its 
 duty well, and endeavoured to make a practicable 
 breach. The generals, officers, and cavalry, who 
 had dismounted, continued the attack with obsti- 
 nacy ; they could not drag the soldiers forward, but 
 tfapy kept them together, 
 
 I had advanced with my family towards Angers, 
 and all the people who followed the ai-my had done 
 the same. Depending upon a quick and easy suc- 
 cess, we were all heaped together in the suburbs. 
 The inhabitants were no longer there; they had 
 been ordered into the town ; their houses were un- 
 famished ; many were even burned. We carried 
 straw into a large room. I threw myself on it, 
 with my mother, and a number of other people. I 
 was so overcome with fatigue, that I slept for se- 
 veral hours, amid the noise of cannon ; we were
 
 260 SIEGE OF ANGERS. 
 
 very near them ; the sliot nearly reacljed us. The 
 attack had lasted twenty hours. When I awoke 
 the next morning', I got upon my horse without 
 speaking to any person, to learn the news. 
 
 I v/as informed, and I saw myself, that our sol- 
 diers would not attempt the assault, and that there 
 remained very little hope : I seemed to have lost 
 my senses and still went on. I met the Chevalier 
 Desessarts coming back wounded in the foot He 
 told me, that our batteries having made a small 
 breach, MM. de la Rochejaquelein, Forestier, de 
 Boispreau, Rinchs, and he, had thrown themselves 
 into it ; but nobody ventured to follow them. MM. 
 de Boispreau and Rinchs had been killed, himself 
 wounded ; the tvro others had found gi'eat difficulty 
 in retreating. His recital, and what I saw, gave 
 me a kind of wish of exposing myself to the fire, and 
 risking my life ; so much did 1 suffer in the situa- 
 tion in which we were. I continued to advance. 
 I had not more courage than usual, for I was ex- 
 cessively frightened ; but my despair drove me on, 
 as it were, in spite of myself, into the midst of the 
 fire. My father, who was in the hottest of the ac- 
 tion, perceived me at a distance, and called to me 
 to return. I stopped iiTcsolute, He sent a horse- 
 man, who took the bridle of my horse and led me 
 back. I experienced a secret feeling of satisfaction 
 in thus seeing myself out of the danger Avhich I had 
 gone to seek. I returninl to my mother ; she was 
 alone ; her carriage had stopped on the road. My 
 aunt got into it again, with my little girl. An in- 
 stant after, the postilion came and told us, the 
 enemy's hussars were coming to attack us from be- 
 himi ; that he had cut the horses' traces ; and that 
 my aunt Iiad got out as quickly as she could to come
 
 SIEGE OF ANGEKS. 261 
 
 to US, I ran to the place where she was likely to 
 be. I found my child in her nuise's arms, who 
 was bringing her back to the house ; but it was im- 
 possible to find my aunt. The horses were taken 
 from the baggage-waggons and the carriages. The 
 crowd pressed round to escape the hussars, but 
 could not advance on the other side, because the 
 balls from the town reached our first waggons. I 
 wanted to go to our carriage, which was at the 
 head of them ; a ball and a Biscayen passed close 
 by me. While I was employed in the melancholy 
 search for my aunt, M. Forestier anived, and told 
 me, he was going with the cavalry to repulse the 
 hussars. The calmness and confidence with which 
 he spoke, struck me very much ; his hat and his 
 coat were pierced with balls. " Here," said he, 
 showing me two holes, " were the balls which kill- 
 ed Boispreau and Rinchs." 
 
 The cavalry drove away the hussars, though sup- 
 ported by light artillery. M. Richard, who had 
 lost an eye at Chatillon, was wounded in the arm, 
 and made prisoner in this battle. General Marigny, 
 who commanded the cavalry of the Blues, was so 
 charmed with his bravery, that he sent him back 
 immediately, but on foot, without his arms. M. 
 de la Rochejaquelein returned instantly two dra- 
 goons, fully equipped, to General Marigny, the only 
 ones whom he had taken, thanking him, and offer- 
 ing him, in future, ten prisoners for one. This waa 
 the only republican general who had shown us hu- 
 manity ; and he was killed that very day. 
 
 After an attack of thirty hours, we were obliged 
 to raise the siege of Angers ; the retreat began about 
 four o'clock in the afternoon. We remained a great 
 u'hile to look foF my poor aunt, calling to her, exa-
 
 262 SIEGE OF ANGERS RAISED. 
 
 mining every house in UiQ neiglibomhood, without 
 being able to discover the smallest trace of her. My 
 mother was inconsolable ; my father sent people 
 every way in search of her, with as little success. 
 At last, when it was no longer possible to remain 
 behind, without running the risk of being taken, we 
 followed the army, thinking my aunt might have 
 concealed herself, as she had a great deal of money 
 about her. We never knew the particulars of her 
 strange and melancholy disappearance ; but we 
 heaid of her being taken prisoner, and perishing on 
 the scaffold two days afterwards. 
 
 I got to within two leagues from Angers. Cold, 
 fatigue, and grief, had almost rendered me insensi- 
 ble. 1 threw myself on a mattress with my mo- 
 ther, surrounded with many other people. Almost 
 the whole army bivouacked. 
 
 We had now lost every hope of safety ; the army 
 gave itself up to the most complete despair ; they 
 no longer saw any means of repassing the Loire. 
 All the schemes which had been formed depended 
 on the taking of Angers. The officers were dis- 
 contented with the soldiers, who had not shown the 
 ardour which was expected from them. Sickness 
 increased every day. On all sides the cries were 
 heard of tlie wounded wretches whom we were for- 
 ced to abandon. Famine and bad weather added 
 to all this misery. The chiefs were harassed in mind 
 and body ; they knew not what determination to 
 take.
 
 i 263 i 
 
 CHAPTER XVIII. 
 
 RETURN TO LA PLECHE. DEFEAT OF MANS. 
 
 Before any thinghad been decided as to the route 
 that was to be taken, we went to Bauge, which we 
 took possession of without resistance. M. de Roy- 
 rand died on the road of the consequences of his 
 wound. The next day the cavahy of the Blues 
 came to attack us with flying artillery. I saw the 
 skirmish from my window ; the balls were rolling 
 about the garden under it. Our people attacked the 
 assailants briskly, and rep-alsed them. We pursued 
 them two leagues on the road to Angers, as far as 
 the fine castle of Jarze. The republicans had set 
 it on fire ; which we tried in vain to extinguish. We 
 lost few men in this affair. M. Roucher, command- 
 ant of the parish du Pin, was badly wounded by 
 his musket bursting in his hand, and completely 
 disabled. 
 
 It was necessary, however, to come to some de- 
 termination as to the course the army should take. 
 There was some idea of going to Saumur and 
 Tours ; but these towns were on the left bank ; — 
 there was no getting there but by the dike along 
 the side of the Loire, and it was dangerous to en- 
 gage in such a road. The Chevalier Desessarts, 
 whose bravery, and facility in speaking and writing, 
 gave him sometimes too much confidence in his own 
 opinions, supported this plan most obstinately. He 
 maintained, that, when upon the dike, it might be 
 cut, which would turn off a great part of the wa-
 
 264 RETREAT OF LA FLECHE. 
 
 ter of the river, and make it fordable. There was 
 no convincing him of the absurdity of this plan, par- 
 ticulaiiy at this time of the year. It was at last de- 
 termined to go to Mans by la Flcche. The pea- 
 sants of Maine were thought to be royalists ; and, 
 besides, it was drawing nearer Brittany, where we 
 might hope to get recruits, and to defend ourselves. 
 We set out. I was in a caiTiage with the Cheva- 
 lier de BeauvoUiers. His eldest brother came to 
 the door to speak to us. He thanked me, with tears 
 in his eyes, for the care I took of his brother, and 
 entreated me to continue it. " As for me," said he, 
 " I am the most unliappy of men. My wife and 
 my daughter are prisoners at Angers ; I had hoped 
 to deliver them ; but they will perish on the scaf- 
 fold, without my being able to save them. Since 
 we left Avranches, where I was so imjustly accu- 
 sed, many people suspect me ; I am indeed unfor- 
 tunate." He bid us adieu ; and then again turned 
 back, begging me once more to take care of his 
 brother. From that day he left the army, never to 
 return to it. I do not believe, however, he had 
 formed a settled plan of retiring from it ; and, in- 
 deed, he had left his own money and effects in the 
 waggon of the military chest, and certainly he 
 would have given them to his brother if he had 
 thought he should not see him again. He told me, 
 the next time I saw him, that he had left the road 
 with M. Langlois, his brother-in-law, in search of 
 provisions. He found himself intercepted by the 
 hussars, and he then took decidedly the resolution 
 which before had only occasionally occurred to him. 
 His brother-in-law was taken and put to death. 
 
 Our retreat was protected by a numerous rear- 
 guard commanded by M. Piron. We expected to
 
 RETREAT TO LA FLECHE. 265 
 
 be attacked on that side ; but we did not think we 
 should meet with much resistance before us. What, 
 then, was our surprise and grief, when, coming to 
 La Fleche, we saw the bridge broken down, and 
 three or four thousand men placed on the other 
 side ! We thought ourselves lost ; for at the same 
 moment M. de Piron was attacked. M. de la 
 Rochejaquelein gave orders not to give way either 
 in front or rear, and to continue the fire. M. de 
 Verteuil was killed there. He took three hundred 
 brave horsemen, with three hundred infantry mount- 
 ed behind them, and went up the river three quar- 
 ters of a league, found a ford, and came towards 
 evening to the gates of the town, made his soldiers 
 dismount, and rushed into the streets at the head 
 of his troops, calling out Vive le Roi ! The Blues, 
 surprised and frightened, fled by the road to Mans. 
 M. de la Rochejaquelein had the bridge repaired as 
 quickly as possible, and hastened to the rear-guard, 
 where he repulsed the enemy's hussars. A part 
 of the army entered the town ; the baggage remain- 
 ed on the road till day-light. I slept in my car- 
 riage. The next day the cavalry returned to the 
 attack ; the army was worn out with fatigue. M. 
 de la Rochejaquelein, accompanied by MM. de 
 Bauge and All-ard, and very few officers, defeated 
 once more the enemy's detachments ; and when the 
 baggage had entered, he ordered the bridge to be 
 again destroyed, and thus secured twenty-four 
 hours repose to the army. He was vexed and dis- 
 contented with the carelessness of the officers who 
 remained at La Fleche, leaving him to fight almost 
 alone. " Gentlemen," said he with bitterness, 
 " you not only contradict me in the council, but 
 you abandon me in the field," 
 z
 
 266 ARRIVAL AT MANS. 
 
 While I was at La Fleche, I looked for an asy- 
 lum for my poor little girl. Nobody would under- 
 take the charge of her, notwithstanding the rewards 
 I offered ; she was too young to be concealed and 
 kept from crying. Madame Jagault succeeded in 
 finding a person to take her daughter ; but she be- 
 ing four years old, could understand the necessity 
 of being silent, and did not endanger her hosts. 
 
 The army bore on Mans. The bridge was not 
 destroyed ; but they had raised a rampart, furnish- 
 ed with cJievaux de frise, and planks stuck with 
 large nails to prevent the passage of the cavaliy. 
 Notwithstanding which, M. de la Rochejaquelein, 
 after a brisk skirmish, soon penetrated into theto^vn. 
 It was in this affair that M. de Talmont distin- 
 guished himself by a great exploit. Singled out 
 by a hussar on account of his general's scarf, he 
 called out to him, " I wait for you." He did In 
 reality wait for him, and cleft his head with a blow 
 of his sabre. 
 
 Everybody was overcome with fatigue. The 
 day's journey had been long. The wounded and 
 the sick, of wliom the number were rapidly in- 
 creasing, earnestly begged to be allowed a longer 
 stay in a large town, where they found food and 
 comforts ; and, besides, they wanted to restore the 
 army to a little order, recal its wonted courage, 
 and concert some plan. Generals, officers, and 
 soldiers, everybody was cast down. It was evi- 
 dent we should all be destroyed sooner or later, 
 and that the struggles we made were only the ago- 
 nies of death. We were surrounded with suffer- 
 ing; the sight of the women, children, and wound- 
 ed, weakened the strongest minds, at the very time 
 when a mij'aculous courage was necessary. Oiu-
 
 REPUBLICANS ATTACK MANS. 267 
 
 misfortunes had soured the minds, and produced 
 disagi'eement among the chiefs. The clieck at Au- 
 gers, the loss of all hope of re-entering La Vendee, 
 had given the last hlow to the spirit of the army 
 Everv'body -wished for death ; but as they saw it 
 certain, they prefen*ed waiting for it with resigna- 
 tion, to retarding it by fighting. In short, every 
 thing presaged our utter ruin. 
 
 Mans is situated on the high road from Alen- 
 con to Tours ; the road from Paris to Angers 
 crosses it half a league from the town. A large 
 bridge on the Sarthe is halfway between the roads 
 and the suburbs. The Alencon road crosses a 
 large square, then a small one, where a narrow 
 street, which is the continuation of the cross road 
 of Mans to Laval, ends. I lodged in this small 
 square. The second day, early in the morning, 
 the republicans attacked ^lans ; they were not ex- 
 pected so soon. The day before, levees en masse 
 had appeared, and had been soon dispersed. The 
 enemy advanced in three columns, on the point 
 where the roads cross each other. INI. de la Roche- 
 jaquelein placed a considerable body in ambuscade, 
 in a pine wood on the right. It was there the de- 
 fence was most obstinate ; the Blues were even 
 repulsed more than once ; but their generals al- 
 ways brought the columns back again. Our people 
 grev/ discom-aged on seeing their efforts were use- 
 less. Little by little, many returned into the town ; 
 even some officers suffered themselves to be drawn 
 along. At last, about two o'clock in the afternoon, 
 tiie Vendeens being thrown into confusion on the 
 Itrtt, they were obliged to abandon the wood. Hen- 
 ri wanted to put his remaining troop in a field, 
 protected by hedges and ditches, where it might
 
 268 REPUBLICANS ATTACK MANS. 
 
 easily stop the cavalry, but he never could Rucceed 
 in rallying it. Three times he, MM. Forestier, 
 and Allard, darted into the midst of the enemy, 
 unaccompanied by a single soldier. The peasants 
 would not turn to fire even once. Henri, making 
 liis horse leap a ditch, the saddle turned, and he 
 fell ; he rose filled with despair and rage. It had 
 not been decided what road should be taken, in 
 case of defeat ; or any orders given for the defence 
 of the town, or for a retreat. He wanted to enter 
 it, to take measures, and try to bring back his sol- 
 diers. He galloped into Mans, throwing down the 
 poor Vendeens, who, for the first time, were deaf 
 to his voice. Every thing tliere was already in 
 confusion. He could not assemble a single officer, 
 with whom to concert measures : his servants had 
 not even kept a fresh horse ready for him. He re- 
 turned, and found the republicans coming to the 
 bridge ; he had artillery placed there, and it was 
 long defended. At last, when the sun was setting, 
 tlie Blues found a ford, and passed; the bridge 
 was abandoned. They then fought at the entrance 
 of the town ; till the general, officers, and soldiers, 
 renouncing all hope, suffered themselves to be car- 
 ried along in the rout, which had been long begun ; 
 but some hundreds of men remaining in the houses, 
 fired from the windows, and not knowing exactly 
 themselves what was passing, stopped the republi- 
 cans all night, who hardly dared to advance in the 
 streets, and had no idea our defeat was so total. There 
 were officers who staid there till four o'clock in the 
 morning ; I believe the last were MM. de Sepeaux 
 and Allard. Some brave peasants had steadiness 
 enough not to leave the town till eight o'clock, 
 escaping, as it were, by a miracle. It was this
 
 ROYALISTS DEFEATED. 269 
 
 circumstance whicli protected our disorderly flight, 
 and wLich preserved us from a general massacre. 
 From the very beginning of the battle, we fore- 
 saw its final issue. I was lodged at a ^Madame 
 T***'s, who was a woman of education, very rich, 
 and a republican. She had seven young children, 
 whom slie tenderly loved. I resolved to trust my 
 child to her ; it was her sister-in-law who had re- 
 ceived the little Jagault. I entreated her to- take 
 chai'ge of it, to bring it up like a poor little peasant, 
 and only to give it sentiments of honour and vu*- 
 tue. I told her, if she was destined ever to re- 
 cover her situation, I should bless heaven for it ; 
 but I should be resig-ned to her always remaining 
 in poverty, if she was virtuous. Madame T*** 
 refused me positively ; but told me politely, that 
 if she had taken my daughter, she should have 
 treated her like one of her own children. I have 
 been surprised since then to hear that this lady, 
 who belonged to one of the best and most respec- 
 table families, behaved with cmelty towards our 
 prisoners, after our defeat. While I was conjm'ing 
 Madame T * * *", the cries of the vanquished were 
 heaid ; she left me. Then seeing all hope was 
 over, 1 wa.nted at least to save my child. I hid it, 
 without telling any body, in ^Madame T -^ * *'s bed ; 
 depending on her not having the cnielty to abandon 
 the innocent creature. I went down. They put 
 me on horseback, and opened the gate. I then saw 
 the square filled with a crowd, pressing and tlu-ow- 
 ing down each other in tlieir flight ; and in a mo- 
 ment I was separated from every person I knew. 
 I perceived M. Stoftiet taking away the colours. 
 Meanwhile, as there was a free space along tlie 
 wall, I slept that way ; but, u4ien I wanted to turn 
 z 2
 
 270 IlETREAT TO LAVAL. 
 
 into the street which leads to the Laval road, I 
 found it impossible ; it was there the press was the 
 greatest, and quite suffocating. Waggons and can- 
 non were overturned ; the oxen lying on the ground 
 could not rise, and kicked those who had fallen on 
 them. An infinite number of people trodden under 
 foot, cried out without being heard. I was dying 
 with hunger and fear, and could scarcely see, as it 
 was growing dark. At the comer of the street, 
 two horses were fastened to a fence, and barred my 
 way. The crowd pushed them constantly towards 
 me, and then I was confined between them and the 
 wall. I called out to the soldiers as loud as I could, 
 to take them, and ride off. They did not hear me. 
 I saw a young man on horseback pass neai* me, 
 with a gentle countenance. I took his hand. "Sir," 
 said I to him, " have pity on a poor woman, sick, 
 and with child. I cannot go on." The young man 
 began to cry; and answered, " I am a woman also; 
 — we shall perish together, for I cannot make my 
 way in the street any more than you can." We both 
 staid and waited. 
 
 Meanwhile the faithful Bontemps, the servant of 
 M. de Lescure, had looked for my daughter every- 
 where. He found her, and had her in his arms. 
 WTien he perceived me in the middle of the crowd, 
 lifting her up, he called to me, " I save my master's 
 child." I bowed down my head, and resigned my- 
 self. An instant after, I perceived another of my 
 servants. I called him. He took my horse by the 
 bridle ; and making way for me with hid sabre, he 
 led me along the street. We anived with great 
 difficulty near a little bridge in the suburb on the 
 road to Laval ; a cannon was overtmned on it, and 
 encumbered the passage. At last I found myself
 
 RETREAT TO LAVAL. 271 
 
 in the road, and I stopped with many others. Some 
 officers were there, trying to rally the soldiers ; 
 but all their efforts were useless. 
 
 The republicans, hearing a great deal of noise on 
 our side, pointed their cannon towards us, and fired 
 over the houses. A ball whistled above my head : 
 an instant after I heard a fresh discharge, and I 
 leant down involuntarily over my horse. An offi- 
 cer who was there, reproached me WTth an oath for 
 my cowardice. " Alas ! Sii'," said I, " a poor wo- 
 man may be permitted to bend her head down when 
 all the army flies ;" and in fact, this firing made our 
 people begin again to run who had stopped. Per- 
 haps, had it been light, they might have been ral- 
 lied. I went on in the crowd, and met M. de San- 
 glier. He had lost his wife the day before ; was 
 sick himself ; and had his two little girls, who were 
 also sick, on horseback. His horse had not even a 
 bridle. He informed me we were going to Laval. 
 I found successively several of my acquaintance, 
 whom I knew by the moon-light. Some leagues 
 from Mans, I saw my father and M. de la Roche- 
 jaquelein arrive. They had long tried to rally the 
 soldiers, Henri came to me. " Ah ! you are 
 safe," said he. " I thought you must have been 
 dead," I answered, " as we are beaten." He grasp- 
 ed ray hand, saying, " Would I were dead !" 
 
 I was in a homble situation. A servant still led 
 my horse by the bridle, and supported me. Sol- 
 diers made me drink brandy out of their gourds ; 
 I had never tasted any. I wanted to liave water 
 mixed \v4th it, but none could be found except in 
 the puddles. After that, my father never quitted 
 me. My mother and my child were safe ; but I 
 did not know where they were. Twelve leagues
 
 272 ARRIVAL AT LAVAL. 
 
 from Mfins I stopped at a small villaire. The night 
 was become so dark, that a woman who followed 
 me went with her horse on a mill-dam. She fell 
 into the water, as miji^ht easily liave happened to 
 me. I knew not if they were able to save her. M. 
 de Bonchamp took refuge in the same house with 
 me. A great part of the army stopped in this vil- 
 lasre. Tliere was but little room in the cottages. 
 The road was covered with poor people, who, over- 
 powered with fatigue, were sleeping in the mud, 
 without even thinking of sheltering themselves from 
 the rain. The next morning we set out again. 
 Hunger, fatigue, and suffering of all kinds, had so 
 worn out everybody, that a regiment of hussars 
 might have exterminated the Vendeen army. Lit- 
 tle by little, those who had remained behind and 
 in the village during the night, rejoined us. We 
 an-ived at Laval. I found there my mother and 
 my child. It was there we Iiad time to perceive 
 the losses we had suffered. The defeat of Mans 
 had cost the lives of more than fifteen thousand 
 men. It was not in the battle tlie greatest number 
 Iiad died ; many were crushed to death in the streets 
 of Mans ; others, wounded and sick, remained in 
 the houses and were massacred. Some died in the 
 ditches and in the fields near the road. A consi- 
 derable number follov/ed the -Alen^ou road, and 
 there were taken and conducted to the scaffold. 
 
 During the battle, the Chevalier Dulioux was 
 killed. M. Herbault, that virtuous and brave man, 
 was mortally wounded. His friends wanted to stay 
 by him. " No," said he, " you shall not expose 
 yourselves in vain for me ; oidy lay nie by the side 
 of M. de Maignan " They both insisted upon be- 
 ing left alone ; and having distributed among them
 
 ARRIVAL AT LAVAL. 273 
 
 their arms and effects, they waited for death with 
 a truly Christian resignation. Two brave officers 
 wounded at Angers, MM. I'lnfernat and Couty, 
 died there also. 
 
 A great many officers never appeared again. M. 
 de Solilhac was taken, and shut up in a church to 
 be shot the next day. He succeeded in saving 
 himself. Some others were equally fortunate. 
 Among the horrible massacres of which the con- 
 querors were guilty, there were traits of courage- 
 ous humanity which preserved many Vendeens. 
 But in leaving Mans they ran new dangers ; they 
 went on only to be taken, and to perish further off. 
 MM. de la Roche- Courbon, Caniere, Franchet, 
 and de la Bigotiere, had this melancholy fate. M. 
 d'Autichamp was luckier ; for having been taken, 
 M. de St Gervais, his relation, a republican officer, 
 knew him again, and dressed him like a hussar, as 
 well as M. de Bemes. • These gentlemen found 
 themselves enrolled among the republicans. They 
 fought as common soldiers for a year against the 
 northern army. They afterwards reappeared in the 
 second insun-ection. 
 
 M. d'O*** disappeared also at Mans. It was 
 since known that he was in the service of the re- 
 publican army with a superior rank. This circum- 
 stance, added to the advice he had given for the 
 attack of Granville, occasioned strange suspicions, 
 of which there had even been some whisper before. 
 However, it ought to be said, that M. d'O*** al- 
 ways fought bravely ; and especially at the affair 
 of Granville, he showed so much courage and de- 
 votedness, that the officers who were near him on 
 that day have always doubted of the infamous treach- 
 ery of which perhaps he has been falsely accused.
 
 2T4> ARRIVAL AT LAVAL. 
 
 Such was the deplorable defeat of Mans, in wJiich 
 tlie Veiuleen army received its death-blow. It was 
 inevitable. This terrible catastroplie might easily 
 have been foreseen, when we quitted the left bank 
 of the Loire, with a multitude of women, children, 
 and old people, to seek an asylum in an unknown 
 country, ignorant even of the road to it, and at tlie 
 beginning of the winter. The having so long ward- 
 ed it off, was the greatest glory of the generals and 
 soldiers. 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 ATTEMPT TO REPASS THE LOIRE. DEFEAT AT 
 
 SAVEXAY. DISPERSION OF THE AHMY. 
 
 I LODGED at Laval in the same house where I 
 had been before ; but the owner, whose name was 
 M. de Montfranc, was no longer there. After the 
 Vendeens passed, he and bis family had been ar- 
 rested. They reproached him with having recei- 
 ved us. In vain he represented, that an inhabitant 
 had no power of refusing lodging to conquerors. 
 They would not listen to him ; he perished on the 
 scaffold. The truth wfis, however, that he was dis- 
 posed in our favour ; but th.at, being infirm, he had 
 done nothing which could implicate him. 
 
 The next day, at ten o'clock, as we were setting 
 out for Craon with the wreck of the army, the ar- 
 rival of the republican hussars was announced, and 
 everybody quickened their march. Going out of
 
 ARRIVAL AT CRAON. 275 
 
 the town, I saw M. de la Rochejaquelein ; he told 
 me it was only a false alarm ; that he had been re- 
 assuring the soldiers, and stopping their flight ; and 
 that he was returning to breakfast quietly at Laval. 
 He begged me not to be uneasy ; and assured me 
 we should get to Craon without inteiTuption. This 
 was the last time I ever saw him. 
 
 At Craon we read the newspapers ; they inform- 
 ed us that my poor aunt, and seven hundred fugi- 
 tives, had been found in the environs of Angers, 
 tried, and shot. This shocking news threw ray mo- 
 ther into despair ; we loved my unhappy aunt ten- 
 derly. She was eighty years old, most amiable, 
 and her pi@ty of the gentlest Idnd. 
 
 From Craon, the army went to St ■Marc, on their 
 way to Ancenis. We marched day and night, in 
 order to be enough in advance of the republican 
 army to pass the Loire without inteiruption. The 
 roads were bad, and the weather cold and rainy; 
 it was scarcely possible to drag on the sick and 
 wounded. I saw a priest carrjdng one on his shoul- 
 ders, and sinking under the weight. My child was 
 dying from illness, and still more from fatigue : I 
 lay down with her in the waggon which earned the 
 military chest. We had no longer any carnage. I 
 travelled thus for some leagues. 
 
 We anived at Ancenis the morning of the 16th 
 of December. M. de la Rochejaquelein had en- 
 tered the first without resistance, and was already 
 preparing for the passage of the Loire. He had 
 taken a small boat from a pond at the Chateau de 
 St Marc, and had placed it in a waggon. He fore- 
 saw we should have no means of passing, because 
 the republicans would take away the boats on om- 
 anival • the opposite shore was in their power, and
 
 276 ARRIVAL AT ANCENIS. 
 
 they had troops at St Florent. However, M. de 
 la Kochejaquelein was assured that a small body of 
 insurgents had appeared before Ancenis some days 
 before. We found a small boat at Ancenis ; but 
 we saw on the other side four large ones loaded with 
 hay. M. de la Kochejaquelein, seeing that nobody 
 would attempt the passage, determined to pass him- 
 self immediately ; seize the boats by force if neces- 
 sary ; have them cleared out, and defend the land- 
 ing-place against the Blues ; and, above all, he ho- 
 ped to hinder the Vendeens from disbanding them- 
 selves, when they arrived on the left bank, as it was 
 much feared they would. 
 
 MM. de la Kochejaquelein, de Bauge, and Stof- 
 flet, went in the boat brought in the waggon, and 
 M. de Langere in the other, with eighteen soldiers. 
 All the advanced guard of the army looked anxious- 
 ly on these two boats, on which our fate seemed to 
 depend. In the mean time they gathered together 
 boards, casks, and wood of all sorts, to make into 
 rafts. The curate of St Laud preached to the pea- 
 sants, to occupy them, and prevent disorder. 
 
 M. de la Kochejaquelein got to the other side. 
 While he was employed in clearing the boats, a re- 
 publican patrol bore on that point : there was some 
 firing, and our soldiers were soon dispersed, and 
 pursued. At the same time, a gunboat, placed be- 
 fore AnCenis, fiied on the rafts, as soon as they 
 were floated : — many were sunk. The river was 
 strong and rapid, and very few soldiers could get 
 over, notwithstanding the great wish they had to 
 reach the left bank. 
 
 Thus was the Vendeen army deprived of its last 
 liope, and separated from its general. Nothing now 
 remained but death. At the same moment, the
 
 ARRIVAL AT ANCENIS. 277 
 
 hussars, and some pieces of flying artillery, arrived 
 before Ancenis ; but the gates were barricaded, and 
 the Blues dared not attack. They threw f>hot into 
 the town, with no effect. We knew not what to 
 do. M. de Beauvais, an artillery officer, threw 
 himself into a small boat, and promised to return 
 in twenty-four hours, and bring us news of what 
 was passing on the left bank. The officers pro- 
 mised not to leave each other ; but Trashed, above 
 all things, to cross the Loire. Some succeeded ; 
 — M. Allard did, the next day ; for, being aide-de- 
 camp to M. de la Rochejaquelein, he was anxious- 
 ly bent on following him. The army was disper- 
 sing fast. Some concealed themselves in the coun- 
 try ; others went up or down the river to seek a 
 passage. Some having heard of an amnesty grant- 
 ed to those who would enlist in the other army, (a 
 false report, purposely spread by the republicans,) 
 chose to go to Nantes. Our servants asked our 
 leave to do this. We told them, in the situation in 
 which we were, every one mjist try to save his life ; 
 but that this amnesty did not appear probable. 
 They persisted in believing it ; and protested to us, 
 what was very true, that their sentiments for us and 
 for our cause had not altered, and that they would 
 desert the first favourable opportunity. Two days 
 afterwards, they set out for Nantes, where the great- 
 est part of these worthy people perished. iVIy mo- 
 ther's two women remained with us. 
 
 Jt was now become necessary to quit Ancenis. 
 The army of the Blues was advancing, and going 
 to surround us. We went towards Nort. It was 
 during this jouraey I concealed my child ; — she 
 was the object of my greatest uneasiness. The 
 poor thing was very ill ; and there was no possibi • 
 2 A
 
 278 DEPARTURE FROM ANCENIS. 
 
 lity of taking lier with us during a flight, which, 
 besides, according to all appearance, would not save 
 us. At last, after much searching, I found a per- 
 son who offered to conceal Jier witli some good pea- 
 sants near Ancenis. I consented. I gave them 
 money ; and promised them a considerable annu- 
 ity if it ever was in my power. I dressed my child 
 like a peasant's, and set out with a feeling like 
 tleath at my heart. 
 
 By this time, I do not believe we were more 
 than ten thousand. We stopped at Nort, and staid 
 there twenty-four hours. Disorder continued to 
 prevail among the few Vendeens tliat remained ; — 
 it was so great, tliat some officers divided among 
 themselves the militaiy chest. I was with my fa- 
 ther and mother, and the Chevalier de Beauvolliers, 
 when M. de Marigny came and informed us of this 
 vile action. He was in a violent passion, and had 
 tried in vain to prevent it. I should be very sony 
 to throw suspicion on any persons whatever for this 
 aifair. I am quite ignorant who was guilty. 
 
 Some moments afterwards, we l)eard the ciy, 
 " To arms ! here are the Blues !" We fled, and 
 the whole army did the same. The bravest no 
 longer thouglit of defending themselves. M. Fo- 
 restier, and some others, mounted their horses, 
 struck into the country, and crossed the Vilaine. 
 It was then our servants, and 150 cavalry, surren- 
 dered themselves to the false amnesty. 
 
 During tliis time, my father, the Chevalier De- 
 sessarts, a brave dragoon named Moulin, wlio was 
 only seventeen, and some others, went towards the 
 republicans with a piece of cannon. They waited 
 for the hussars, fired upon them with case-shot, and 
 killed seven or eight, and thus made them turn
 
 STATE OF THE ARMY. 279 
 
 })ack. We passed the rest of tlie day quietly at 
 Nort. Tlie next day we went to Bliu- M. de 
 Fleuriot was appointed general there. It appears 
 M. de Talmont was hurt at this preference, which 
 determined him to qidt the araiy. In our horrihle 
 situation, the msh of commanding was nothing but 
 an excess of self-devotedness. Every instant de- 
 prived it of some of its officers. M. de Fletu-iot 
 made prepai'ations for defence ; some pieces of can- 
 non v/ere placed on the road, and loop-holes made 
 in the walls. The light troops of the Blues were 
 repulsed, and we passed two days at Blin. It was 
 necessaiy, however, to leave it before the arrival of 
 the republican ai-my. We were inclined to go to 
 Redon, but we feared the long and narrow cause- 
 way to it. However, the republicans had not pre- 
 pai'ed any means of resistance ; and it would haye 
 been the best way, if we had known it. We set 
 out for Savenay in the middle of the night ; it was 
 cold, and rained hard. Nothing can give an idea 
 of our despair : hunger, fatigue, and grief, had trans- 
 formed us all. Everybody was in rags. We had 
 great difficulty in knowing each other, under all 
 these appearances of the most T\Tetched poverty. I 
 will give some description of it. Besides my pea- 
 sant dress, I had on my head a pui-ple Eaunel hood, 
 an old blanket about me, and a large piece of blue 
 cloth tied round my neck with twine. I wore three 
 pair of yellow worsted stockings, and gi'een slip- 
 pers, fastened to my feet ^ith cord. ^ly horse 
 Lad a hussar's saddle, with a sheep skin (chabraque.^ 
 M. Roger Mouliniers had a tuiban, and a Tuikisn 
 di-ess he had taken from the playhouse at LaFleche. 
 The Che%'alier de Beauvolliers was uTa])pod up in 
 a law)Tr's gown, and had a woman's hat o^er a flan-
 
 280 SAVE NAY. 
 
 nel night-cap, Madame d'Annailld, and her chil • 
 dren, were covered with pieces of yellow damask. 
 M. de Verteuil had been killed in battle with two 
 petticoats on, one fastened round his neck, and the 
 other to his waist. He fought thus equipped. 
 
 The republicans followed the Vendeen army very 
 closely. I stopped with my mother for a moment 
 at a farm-house, to ask for something to eat, Avhen 
 we perceived the hussars, and were obliged to gal- 
 lop to rejoin the army. We entered Savenay ; the 
 gates were shut, the fire of musketry began : How- 
 ever, the rest of the day passed without serious at- 
 tack, and our people repulsed a detachment in ad- 
 vance. We supposed that the republicans meant 
 to give us battle with all their forces, and we saw 
 that our ruin was about to be consummated. About 
 nine o'clock at night, they made me get up. I had 
 thrown myself on a bed with my clothes on ; they 
 placed me on horseback, without my knowing why. 
 I was going to alight, uncertain where I should go, 
 when I heard M. de Marigny's voice. I called to 
 Iiim for information ; he took the bridle of my horse, 
 and without saying a word, led me to the comer of 
 the square. There he told me in a low voice, " It 
 is all over ; we are lost ; the attack of to-morrow 
 cannot be resisted, — in twelve hours the army will 
 be exterminated. I hope to die. Try to escape ; — 
 save yourself during this night. Adieu ! adieu I" 
 He left me abruptly, without waiting for my an- 
 swer ; and I heard him encouraging the soldiers, 
 and trying to reanimate them. 
 
 I returned to my mother : she was with my fa- 
 ther. The Abbe Jagault proposed to him, to take 
 a man from the town, who could be depended on, 
 for a guide, and who would conceal us at some
 
 SAVENAY. 881 
 
 good peasant's. I told my mother what M. de Ma- 
 
 rigny had said ; and she then consented to do what 
 was proposed to her. ^ly father leaned his head 
 on his hands, and could not speak ; at last, how- 
 ever, he persuaded us to take this resolution. " As 
 for me, ' said he, " my duty is to remain with the 
 army while it exists." He trusted us to the care 
 of M. Jagault ; conjured him not to abandon us ; 
 and begged him to try to let him know where we 
 were concealed. M. Jagault promised to return 
 the next day to tell him. We dressed ourselves 
 like peasants ; we embraced my father, but could 
 not speak ; he only said to me, " Never leave your 
 unhappy mother." These were his last v/ords. 
 
 We set out about midnight with ]\.I. Jagault and 
 Mademoiselle Mamet, my mother's servant, who 
 would not leave us. We had still about sixty louis, 
 and some assignats, ■unth the King's signature.* 
 We went out by a small gate, and took the road 
 to Guerande ; we heard at a distance filing and 
 horses galloping ; we trembled every moment for 
 fear of meeting the patrol ; however, we went 
 three quarters of a mile without finding anybody; 
 our guide continually stopping and saying, "Listen ! 
 listen !" then he v.-ent on repeating, " They are fight- 
 ing." This man would not leave the high road. 
 
 * Aftei the passage of tha Loire, between Varades and 
 Ingrande, I had lost all my diamonds, ttinkets, and money, 
 which I carried in a box beb.ind me on horseback. Entirely 
 taken up with jM. de Lescure, I forgot tliem. I heard af- 
 terwards, that tvro of our servants had taken them ; and I 
 thought no more of them. They followed us one day, and 
 then disappeared. One of them, who was very faithful, was 
 kilhd i and the other ran away with the booty. 
 
 2 A 2
 
 232 DEPARTURE FOR GUERANDE. 
 
 In spito of our entreaties, he wanted to make us 
 go into a house. My mother gave him her watch 
 to enga<z:e him to go on farther. He was drank. 
 At last we persuaded liim to leave the road ; and 
 then he conducted us across the fields. Every step 
 we fell into ditches full of water. We had wood- 
 en shoes on for the first time, and we could not 
 walk in them. We were obliged to stop three quar- 
 ters of a league from Savenay, as we could go no 
 farther ; and our guide was falling down, overcome 
 with drink and sleep. We went into a cottage. 
 The guide told us we were quite well there ; and 
 then fell asleep immediately. We soon perceived 
 we were at a very little distance from the high 
 road. Our hosts did not think themselves in safe- 
 ty. They offered to conduct us to the Chateau de 
 I'Ecuraye, the owner of which had emigrated. A 
 peasant, who farmed the estate, lived in the house 
 with his family. They told us he was a worthy 
 man. A young girl served us as a guide. Made- 
 moiselle Mamet remained in the cottage. 
 
 We set out, and at two o'clock in the morning 
 arrived at the gate of the Chateau. They made us 
 wait. My mother said, " I must die here, if we 
 are not admitted." I threw myself on my knees 
 to pray to God that they might not refuse us. At 
 last the gate was opened. " Here," said the young 
 girl, " here are some brigandes who have escaped 
 to our house; but we are too near the road." — 
 "Ah I poor people," cried the farmer and his wife, 
 " Come in I Everything here is at your service." 
 They warmed us, dried our clothes, which were 
 quite soaked, and gave us something to eat. They 
 wanted us to go to bed ; but we were too much 
 afraid of being pursued.
 
 CHATEAU DE l'eCURAYE. 283 
 
 This worthy man's name was Ferret. He was 
 quite transported with joy to have any Vendeens 
 at his house. He told us the "whole country had 
 a mind to rise, and that many young men were 
 gone to Savenay armed, to join the Vendeens. He 
 could not conceive why we ran away. We dared 
 not tell him all was lost, for fear it might produce 
 a change in him ; and, therefore, only said we were 
 sick. In a few moments we threw ourselves on a 
 bed, and fatigue made us go to sleep. At eight in 
 the morning, the noise of cannon awoke us ; at the 
 same time Ferret came into the room, calling out, 
 " Oh, God, what is this ? There are cannon firing 
 on the road to Guerande, and people of all sorts 
 flying over the heath." — " In the name of God, 
 save us I" we said. " We have been defeated ;" 
 — and it was too true. The Blues on horseback 
 came towards the castle. " Fly!" said La Ferret ; 
 " my husband will conduct you to a small farm- 
 house in the wood ; you will be safer there than 
 here." The hussars were already knocking for en- 
 trance into the court-yard. We went out by a back 
 door, and in three quarters of an hour we arrived 
 at the farm-house of Lagree, in a very retired si- 
 tuation. " I bring you," said Ferret to the farm- 
 ers, "some poor people whom I have saved." Some 
 peasants were there grieving for our defeat, who 
 had already taken their guns to join the Vendeens. 
 They were much affected with our condition, and 
 showed great loyalty and goodness. 
 
 Meanwhile, the hussars dispersed themselves 
 everywhere. The farmer's wife advised us to sepa- 
 rate, to prevent suspicion. She sent poor M. Ja- 
 gault to work with the men ; he was sick, and, 
 as he had walked a great way, his feet were all
 
 284 CHATEAU DE L'ECURAYE. 
 
 bloody. She placed my mother knitting in a dark 
 corner near the fire. She took me to a windmill 
 at a distance from the house, and said to the mill- 
 er, *' Renaud, here is a poor brigande whom you 
 must take care of. If the Blues come, you nmst 
 say she has brought some com to be giound." I 
 seated myself on a sack, and remained there four 
 hours, every moment hearing the noise of the 
 horses, the firing, and the cries of " Stop the bri- 
 gands ! kill them ! kill them !" All the country 
 was covered v^'ith fugitives, whom they were mas- 
 sacring. The Blues knocked at the door of the 
 mill, to ask for something to eat and drink. Re- 
 naud answered he had nothing. I talked a little 
 with this good fellow ; he tried to encourage and 
 comfort me. He spoke a great deal of our army, 
 and asked who I was. I told him I was the daugh- 
 ter of a poor tradesman of Chatillon. We had not 
 tmsted om- secret to any but Fenet. In the even- 
 ing Renaud stopped his mill, and took me back to 
 Lagree. I lay down with my mother, without ta- 
 king off my clothes. 
 
 Tliis farm-liouse, like all -those of Lower Brit- 
 tany, was a low dai'k cottage. At the further end 
 is a great chimney, in which they burn turf, its 
 gieenish light shedding a ghastly hue on every ob- 
 ject round. There aie two or three very high beds, 
 with straw mattresses under, and one made with 
 oat^ chaff over it, two naiTow and short sheets, a 
 homespun quilt, and sometimes shabby green cui"- 
 tains. At the foot of the beds chests are piled up one 
 above another, where the peasants keep their grain. 
 The stable is attached to the house, and is only se- 
 parated from it by a board partition. The rack is 
 placed in front of the cottage, and the oxen pass
 
 CHATEAU DE l'eCURAYE. 285 
 
 their heads through large holes made in the parti- 
 tion to eat out of it ; their lowings, and the noise 
 of their horas against the boards, woke us often in 
 a fright, thinking we were going to be taken. The 
 hayloft is always abo^e the house. The rafters are 
 painted black. Besides the entrance-door, there is 
 one opposite going into the garden, and another 
 into the stable. 
 
 The poor Bretons are very dirty. They smoke 
 tobacco, drink out of the same pitcher, eat out of 
 porringers, and have neither plates nor forks. Soup 
 made with cabbage {soupe aux choux) and por- 
 ridge made with buck wheat and sour milk, is theu* 
 chief food ; luckily their butter is very good, and 
 it was our resource. 
 
 The next day we were forced to separate. The 
 farmer's wife took me in the morning to the 
 Mayor's. In returning I saw two horsemen gallop 
 past ; they made us call oui Vive la RepubHque I 
 At first I was very much afraid; and then I perceived 
 they were two wretched Vendeens, trying to es- 
 cape. In the afternoon they conducted me to the 
 procureur de la commune (a sort of magistrate) ; 
 and his wife told me she would send me with her 
 daughter to take care of the sheep. I was afraid 
 she was a child ; but she came a moment after, and 
 I saw a young woman of twenty, with a stick in 
 her hand, according to the custom of Brittany, 
 where neither men nor women ever go out with- 
 out one. ^' Here, Marianne, here is the brigande," 
 said Perinne to her. — " Do not fear, mother," an- 
 swered she ; " I will take care of her ; I will die 
 rather than abandon her. Provided we are attack- 
 ed by only one at a time, I can knock him down
 
 286 CHATEAU DE L'eCURAYE. 
 
 witli tins stick." I went with good Maiianne, who 
 sliowcd lis ever after the strongest attachment. 
 
 In the evening I returned to Lagree. After 
 some days, we stayed entirely at Marianne's fa- 
 ther's house. Though there were fewer people in 
 his cottage, he was not better lodged ; hut we paid 
 no attention to inconveniences ; suiferings and 
 griefs had made us quite insensible to them. We 
 continued to lead the same kind of life. M. Ja- 
 gault went to work with the peasants. They call- 
 ed him Pierrot ; my mother was named Marion, 
 and I Jeannettc. I constantly tended the sheep 
 with the faithful Marianne. We were in a small 
 parish called Prinquiaux, which contained fom- hun- 
 dred people. All the inhabitants were royalist and 
 hospitable ; not one capable of betraying us. The 
 young men had refused to go to the army, and 
 were concealed like ourselves ; the neiglibouring 
 pai'ishes entertained the same opinions ; but to the 
 left of the high road to Guerande the peasants were 
 republicans. Those of our people who sought asy- 
 lums there perished. It was the same in the towns. 
 
 In a few days we saw again Mademoiselle Ma- 
 mct. SJie had run great dangers ; the people at 
 whose house Ave had left her did not dare to keep 
 hei' after the defeat of the Vendeens. She went 
 out, and found herself on the highroad in the midst 
 of the fugitives, who were pursued and f^.'-ed at by 
 the Blues. She arrived breathless at a peasant's, 
 crying out, " Have pity on me !" He took her m, 
 and hid her immediately in a little recess covered 
 with straw, where he kept turnips. The republi- 
 cans came a moment after, and searched every- 
 where. They run their sabres and their bayonets
 
 CHATEAU DE l'ECURAYE. 287 
 
 into the btraw ; Mademoiselle Mamet saw the points 
 come near her, but she was not woimded. After 
 that she dressed herself like a Bretonne ; and this 
 worthy man, whose name was Laurent Cochard, 
 consented to keep her. She passed the winter 
 at his house in the parish of La Chapelle, and 
 from time to time came to see us. She was lit- 
 tle and young, and like a child, which made her 
 less liable to suspicion. Some days afterwards, an- 
 other woman of my mother. Mademoiselle Carria, 
 left at Savenay, found also means of rejoining us. 
 She had, when the defeat became total, fled on 
 horseback at full speed, without knowing where 
 she was going to. She heard people killing behind 
 her ; and after having miraculously passed through 
 some revolutionary villages, she got to the houses 
 of peasants who were royalists, and concealed her. 
 Little by little she di-ew nearer, and had found us 
 out. 
 
 She gave us some details of that unfortunate 
 battle of Savenay, of wliich she had been witness, 
 and which completed the ruin of our army. She 
 could speak to us of my father, whom she did not 
 leave for several hours after we did. She had heard 
 it said, before the battle, that if the Vendeens were 
 conquered, which was very certain, he would re- 
 tire with the officers into the forest du Gavrc, witli 
 the last Aviecks of the army ; that from thence, 
 either secretly or by force, they would repass to 
 the left bank of the Loire ; but that, in all cases, 
 they would fight and perish to the last man. My 
 father made Mademoiselle Carria promise not to 
 leave him, but to follow him in his retreat after the 
 dispersion of the army, that she might seek us out, 
 and carry us news of him, which, probably, a wo-
 
 288 DISPEUSION OF THE ARMV. 
 
 man might be able to do, In thus making his last 
 arrangements, the idea of never seeing us again 
 distressed him even to tears. His resolution taken, 
 he returned to the public square ; and during tho 
 whole night he, with M. de Marigny and the otlier 
 chiefs, never ceased exhorting the soldiers to fight 
 with desperation. All the wounded who could 
 still sit a horse, took arms. M. de Maiigny had 
 the precaution of keeping in reserve two pieces of 
 cannon, to protect the flight of the women and 
 wounded, by retarding the enemy on the road to 
 Guerande, after the town should be carried. 
 
 At the point of day, the republicans attacked, 
 and the battle began furiously. M. de Marigny, 
 at the head of the bravest, precipitated himself three 
 times on the Blues, holding my standard, and shed- 
 ding tears of rage. M. de la Voyerie, a boy of 
 fourteen, did not leave him an instant. My fa- 
 ther, M. de Lyrot, le Chevalier Desessarts, and 
 M. de Piron, performed prodigies of valour. At 
 last our people could no longer hold out. Then 
 M. de Marigny placed his two cannon on the road 
 to Guerande, and took some measures for the re- 
 treat. Twice he returned to the town in search of 
 my father, and again a third time, but could not 
 find liim. M. de Lyiot had been killed. The re- 
 publicans had seen M. de Piron fall, whom they 
 well knew by his white horse, and whom they had 
 learned to dread ever since his victory at Coron. 
 
 M. de Marigny saw all was over. " Women," 
 cried he, " all is lost ! save yourselves I" He 
 stopped his cannon in the little wood near Save- 
 nay, and there began a second battle, which gave 
 the fugitives time to escape. A brave gunner, na- 
 med Chollet, stood at his piece to the last moment;
 
 DISPERSION OF THE ARMY. 289 
 
 and at l^t, after an hour's resistance, about 200 
 horsemen regained the forest du Gavre. Made- 
 moiselle CaiTia had lost sight of my father. 
 
 This last resistance of the Vendeens must have 
 been truly heroical. Long after this melancholy 
 period, I read in the gazettes of that time, and 
 with pride, the following passage of a letter, writ- 
 ten by one of the republican generals to M. Mer- 
 lin de Thionville, the day after the battle of Save- 
 nay. 
 
 " I have seen and observed them well ; I again 
 knew the same countenances of Chollet and Laval. 
 By their appearance and looks, I swear to you they 
 wanted nothing of soldiers but the dress. Troops 
 who have beaten such French, may well flatter 
 themselves with conquering all other nations. In 
 short, I know not if I am mistaken ; but this war 
 of biigands and peasants, on which so much ridi- 
 cule has been throwm, and which people have af- 
 fected to treat as despicable, has always appeared 
 tO: me the one of the gi-eatest importance to the re- 
 public, and that with other enemies we shall have 
 only children's play." 
 
 CHAPTER XX. 
 
 HOSFITALIXY OF THE BRETONS — WINTER OF 1793 
 AND 1794. 
 
 We were living in constant alarms; for the Blues 
 made everv dav inroads in the" neighbourhood. The 
 2 b
 
 2l^0 HOSPITALITY OP THl. BUI:T0KS. 
 
 fugitives and the inhabitants of tlje country w'ere 
 exposed to the cruelties and caprices of the mean- 
 est soldiers. When a peasant displeased one of 
 them, or refused anj'thing which was demanded ; 
 if he even ])repared for ilii^lit, instead of reply- 
 ing, the soldier would fire at him, or deliberately 
 cut off liis ears, and afterwards present them to a 
 superior officer, as those of a brigand (the name 
 those real brigands gave the Vendeens.) Such 
 deeds never failed to secure them praise or reward. 
 The inhabitants of Prinquiaux were surprised by a 
 detachment when on their knees in the chiuch; the 
 soldiers immediately fired on them ; happily there 
 was but one man killed. 
 
 Nothing could discourage the generous hospita- 
 lity of the Bretons. Their custom of hiding priests 
 and conscripts liad rendered them watchful, and 
 they had need of much address and coolness to 
 conceal the fugitives from the searches of the re- 
 publicans. Many of them were shot for having 
 afforded an asylum to the Vendeens : however, this 
 diri not diminish the devoted attachment, which 
 men, women, and even children, seemed to feel for 
 us, nor cool their active humanity. A poor little 
 deaf and dumb girl, fully aware of the dangers the 
 fugitives had to avoid, used to go and inform them 
 by signs, of the approach of their pursuers. Me- 
 naces or rewards had no power on the younger 
 children. The dogs even, often beat by the sol- 
 diers, partook of the general feeling ; and gave 
 warning of their approach by unusual barking. A 
 fugitive might present himself with perfect confi- 
 dence at any cottage door ; if shelter could not be 
 had, he was at least sure of obtaining some food, 
 and directions to a place of safety : these good
 
 HOSPITALITY OF THE BRETONS. 291 
 
 people were even offended if money was offered 
 them. 
 
 I shall be obliged to pass over many of the mi- 
 nute incidents, thai I may have room for the prin- 
 cipal ones. 
 
 About the beginning of January, the visit of 
 three armed men gave us a great fright; they came 
 and asked for Marion and Jeannette. One was a 
 Veudeen, and the two others Bretons. They pro- 
 posed that we should pass the Loire ; but we re- 
 fused, on account of the great risk, as well as un- 
 certainty respecting the state of things on the other 
 side. The Yendeen, after a thousand perils, bow- 
 ever, succeeded in joining the army of M . de Char- 
 rette. 
 
 M. Destouches, a former naval commander, who 
 had followed the army, was concealed near us, a 
 respectable old man of ninety. He became danger- 
 ously ill. M. I'Abbe Jagault soothed his last mo- 
 ments, by procuring a priest, who administered the 
 sacrament to him. He had a very faithful domes- 
 tic, with whom he left a good deal of monf^y; a 
 hundred louis d'ors were to be remitted to his son, 
 who had emigrated. The servant did not know 
 what to do with this trust ; and as he wished to 
 repass the Loire, we offered to take the bundled 
 louis, and to be answerable that the younger M. Des- 
 touches should receive them. We wrote a receipt 
 on a sheet of lead, which was buried before wit- 
 nesses. The servant succeeded in joining iNL Char- 
 rette's army, where he was killed, a year afterwards. 
 I have had the pleasure of seeing M. Destouches 
 since, and discharging the tmst. 
 
 M. Jagault was always in ill liealth ; and as it 
 was more difficult to conceal men than women, he
 
 292 HOSPITALITY OF THE BRETONS. 
 
 was often obliged to sleep out. His peasant's 
 clothes scarcely disguising him, he feared he should 
 be known, and cause oui' ruin. He therefore de- 
 termined to get into Nantes, where he was inform- 
 ed lie might be concealed, notwithstanding the 
 dieadful situation of things there. Ten baggage- 
 waggons were about to be sent from Prinquiaux to 
 Nantes ; he had the courage to go without a pass- 
 port in one of the waggons as a driver. He en- 
 tered the town, but had gi'eat difficulty in finding 
 an asylum ; at last, however, Madame Delavdlle- 
 Guevray found one for him, in which he escaped 
 all searches. 
 
 We continued to inhabit Prinquiaux, without 
 any change in our mode of life. Disheartened by 
 illness and grief, my faculties appeared benumbed ; 
 but my mother, watching over me with unremitting 
 vigilance and tenderness, averted, by her care and 
 prudence, the dangers I was incapable of avoiding : 
 her courage and strength of mind saved my life 
 twenty times. 
 
 We were usually at the house of an attorney of 
 the commune. Sometimes we changed our Iii- 
 ding-place, from the frequent alarms the searches of 
 the republicans threw us into. These made us 
 very miserable. We neither dared undress our* 
 selves to go to bed, or even sit down to our scanty 
 meals. The provisions upon which we subsisted 
 were mostly salt meat; varied, at times, with eggs, 
 butter, and vegetables procured fiom a neighbor- 
 ing gardener, who believed us so poor, that he not 
 only refused to be paid, but once offered to give 
 my mother a crown. A charitable priest also wish* 
 ed her to take twelve francs ; so apparent was our 
 distress. The profound dejection, a sort of decline
 
 HOSPITALITY OF THE BRETONS 293 
 
 ill which I sunk, made me fall asleep continually ; 
 but my mother was awake for us both. Two days 
 never passed without there being some alarm ; and 
 then we concealed ourselves in the fields, or in 
 bams, till the Blues were out of sight. 
 
 Our good attorney fell ill, and died whilst we 
 were with him ; but he did not forget to recom- 
 mend us to his children. At this time, I felt so 
 anxious to leai-n the fate of my daughter, that I 
 persuaded Laurent Cochard, the hoft*: of Made- 
 moiselle Mamet, to go and inquire about her at 
 Ancenis. where I had left her. By him I learned, 
 that my poor child had died six days after our de- 
 parture, notwithstanding all the cares of the good 
 people to whom I had confided her. At this in- 
 telligence I was completely overcome, though very 
 far from setting any value on life. 
 
 M. de Maiigny had taken under his protection 
 a very young girl, the daughter of Madame de 
 Rechigne-voisin, who died during the march beyond 
 the Loire. He adopted this orpl^an, and never 
 quitted her. During the night, he used to wrap 
 her up in his cloak, and made her sleep on a gun- 
 carriage. After the defeat of Savenay, M. de Ma- 
 rigny went to a man in the parish of Donges, and 
 gave her in charge to him, with some money, tell- 
 ing him, that if any misfortune happened to her, 
 he would return aiul kill him. This man was a re- 
 publican, and had a son among the Blues. Either 
 from fear of M. dc jMarigny, or rather from huma- 
 nity, he took so much care of her, that the son 
 aniving at the house, shortly after, with a detach- 
 ment of his comrades, the fatlier took him by the 
 hand, saying, " Thy sister is ill, and asleep." The 
 son understood there was some mystery ; and she 
 2 B 2
 
 294< HOSPITALITY OF THE BRI:T0NS. 
 
 escaped. After this, the man would not let her 
 stay, but sent her to Prinquiaux, telling her to 
 knock at any door she chose, for the whole parish 
 was filled with Aristocrats. She took the name 
 of Rosette, and employed herself in tending sheep. 
 When we came, she found us out ; but we avoid- 
 ed her, for her age and her courage made her very 
 imprudent. 
 
 M. de Marigny kept his word ; he came to the 
 citizen of Donges, and inquired for his ward. When 
 he heard she was at Prinquiaux, he followed her ; 
 and we had the consolation of seeing him, and of 
 conversing with him for two hours. Although he 
 was very remarkable from his gi'eat size and appeai'- 
 ance, and well known in the country, yet he would 
 not quit the environs of Nantes, but went every- 
 where boldly. He spoke the dialect of all the vil- 
 lages. One day when he came to Prinquiaux, he 
 was disguised like a poulterer, (for he often took 
 the clothes and tools of different trades.) His 
 courage, coolness, and strength, extricated him from 
 all dangers ; and he often entered Nantes, Savenay, 
 Pont-Chateau, and Donges. He had prepared 
 every thing to cause a revolt among the peasants, 
 and knew exactly the strength of the republican 
 posts. We did not try to dissuade him ; for the 
 only chance of salvation was in a desperate attempt. 
 Nothing could now add to the calamities of the 
 Vendeens. M. de Marigny could give us no in- 
 formation about the fate of my father. We col- 
 lected from him some details of the noyades of 
 Nantes, where those who surrendered themselves 
 on the faith of amnesty, and those who were taken, 
 were alike put to death. Our faithful Bonteraps, 
 and Herlobig, another of our servants, liad been
 
 HOSPITALITY OF THE BRETONS. 295 
 
 drowned, tied together ; but at the moment they 
 were thromng them in, they clung to two of the 
 republican soldiers, and drew them after. 
 
 The enterprise of M. de Marigny completely 
 failed. He cashed to surprise Savenay during the 
 night, and six hundred peasants of Brittany came 
 to the rendezvous ; but, by a mistake, they disper- 
 sed again. The Bretons could not easily be indu- 
 ced to undertake a wai* like the one in which we 
 had been engaged. They are capable of strong at- 
 tachments, and of a determined courage : but they 
 have too little ai'dour and decision. They live more 
 asunder than the Poitevins, and are much less obe- 
 dient to their chiefs. They are wilful, more inte- 
 rested, and less active than the Vendeens. They 
 cannot bear the idea of their houses being plunder- 
 ed or burnt. Thence the different character of the 
 wars of Brittany, from that which marked the in- 
 suiTection of Poitou. 
 
 INI. de Marigny's attempt gave much greater ac- 
 tivity to the seai-ches of the republicans, paiticular- 
 ly those at Prinquiaux, where the mayor had been 
 among the most ardent in preaching revolt. It was 
 now necessary for us to quit this parish. We re- 
 moved to that of Pont-Chateau, in the hamlet de 
 la Minaye, at the house of Julien Riallo. There 
 we found Rosette, who had been also obliged to 
 take shelter M'ith him. We were lying in the barn, 
 when we heai'd the dogs beginning to bark violent- 
 ly. Julien half opened the door, and saw tlie Blues 
 passing through the village to visit a house which 
 had been denounced. He called us, and said he 
 thought wa had better try and save ourselves, for 
 the number would certainly create suspicion. We 
 left the place with Kosette, and were conducted by
 
 296 PONT-CHATEAU. 
 
 }iim into a little wood of the Chateau <Ie Besnet. 
 Wiieii we ^^ot tlieie, my mother told Rosette it 
 would be necessary for us to separate ; and that if 
 she would remain at La Minaye, we would return 
 to Prinquiaux. She preferred goint; there ; Julien 
 conducted her, and we remained in the wood. I 
 placed my head on my mother's knees, and fell 
 asleep as usual. 
 
 The Blues spent the night in searching the vil- 
 lage, where they found three Vendeens ; one among 
 them was a wounded German, who had deserted, 
 and who turned informer. I had always wished to 
 go and dress his wound ; but my mother prevented 
 me, fearing he might betray us. This was only one 
 of a thousand other instances when my mother, by 
 her wisdom, saved my life. She was thinking con- 
 tinually of my safety at a time when I was inca- 
 pable of any exertion. When day-light came, the 
 soldiers had not yet left La JMinaye, enraged that 
 a priest had escaped them. Our hiding-place was 
 not two hundred steps from the hamlet ; the leaves 
 were all oil', and the wood was not thick. Julien 
 came in search of us. My mother said, " This place 
 is too dangerous ; do conduct us farther." He 
 would not, alleging that he had six children, who 
 depended on him for support. " Well, then, my 
 daughter," said she, turning to me, " let us tnist 
 in God." She gathered some wild jonquils, and 
 put them in my bosom. " This shall be," conti- 
 nued she, " a holiday ; Providence will protect us." 
 The impression these jonquils then made on me 
 will never he effaced ; and at this distance of time, 
 ivhen 1 see the flower, my blood thrills through my 
 veins. We felt encouraged, and proceeded across 
 the fields, over hedges and ditches, always dying
 
 PONT-CHATEAU. 297 
 
 to avoid frequented places. We often heard the 
 Blues, and the report of then* muskets, and saw 
 them search the wood that we had left. We felt 
 so much exhausted, that we were obliged to stop 
 m a field filled with rushes, where we rested our- 
 selves back to back to support each other. In this 
 attitude we remained several hours, i^-ithout know- 
 ing what to do next, and perishing with hunger and 
 cold. At last Marianne appeared. She had leamt 
 what was passing, and had run to Minaye, and, af- 
 ter speaking to Julien, had traced us in the fields. 
 She took us to her house, which was at a consider- 
 able distance. When I got there, I threw myself 
 on a bed, and fell asleep, at the very moment two 
 hundred volunteers aixived in the village. My mo- 
 ther had only time to cry out to Marianne, " Save 
 my daughter ; say she is yours I" and went out in- 
 to the garden in the certainty of being taken. For- 
 tunately the Blues did not think of searching. They 
 walked about, drank milk ; and all this passed Tvdth- 
 out my awaking. Some days after, M. de Marigny 
 came to bid us adieu ; for, upon finding he could 
 not raise the country, he had determined to cross 
 the Loire. 
 
 Our dangers increased daily. The German who 
 had been taken at Minaye had, to save his own life, 
 denounced all the refugees, with whose retreat he 
 was acquainted, but luckily he was igTiorant of ours. 
 He had said that M. de Marigny's daughter was 
 concealed at Prinquiaux, and great search was made 
 for her ; but Rosette was so little and so bold, that 
 the Blues, even when they met her, never suspect- 
 ed her. One day they were going to kill her dog, 
 and she put herself between them and him, and de- 
 fended hioi. She took, however, some days after.
 
 298 PONT-CHATEAU. 
 
 the resolution of crossing the Loire with some re- 
 fugees, who had agreed to make this perih)us at- 
 tempt. They consisted of M. d'Argens, pliysician 
 to M. de Charrette, his wife, daughters, and three 
 Roldiers. I anxiously wished to accompany fhem ; 
 but my mother would not consent, as I was too 
 weak and ill to hear so much fatigue. They pass- 
 ed the Loire ; but on arriving on tlie other side, the 
 soldiers of M. de Charrette took them for spies, 
 and shot the three peasants. They spared M. 
 d'Argens on account of his age, and from the tears 
 and supplications of his family, and conducted them 
 to M. fle Charrette. This kind of mistake was 
 one among the number of dangers to which the 
 Vendeens were exposed. It was believed to be in 
 this way, the two young MM. Duchaffault, who 
 were so distinguished in our army, had perished. 
 
 Meanwhile I advanced in my pregnancy, and we 
 were a little more tranquil. The Blues had placed 
 garrisons in all the parishes, as a measure of gi'eater 
 security ; but it was, on the contrary, a happy 
 change for us. The soldiers remained in their lod- 
 gings, without supposing that any one could he con- 
 cealed near them. Besides, being thus dispersed, 
 and established in the houses, they were less tur- 
 bulent and ferocious, and were reconciled by the 
 Bretons drinking with them. Pierre Riallo, secre- 
 tary of the commune, and brother of Julien, was 
 in particular tht- ir best friend. He went regularly 
 every day to dine with the Blues, led them to talk, 
 and discovered all their plans, without ever allow- 
 ing anything, even when intoxicated, to escape 
 from him. He and the rest of the municipality 
 served them as guides in their patrols, and took care 
 always to lead tiiem to a distance from the refugees.
 
 BOIS-DIVET. 299 
 
 Notwithstanding this slight amelioratioji of our 
 condition, my mother, for the sake of still greater 
 safety, formed a very singular scheme. 
 
 Two female Vendeens having married Bretons, and 
 remained ever since undisturbed, my mother, anxi- 
 ous to secure for me perfect repose during my con- 
 finement, conceived the plan of m.y becoming the 
 supposed wife of Pierre Riallo, who was an old 
 man and a widower, with five children. A coun- 
 terfeit certificate of my birth was procured. The 
 municipal officer had promised to cancel the leaf 
 of the supposed maiTiage, whenever required. The 
 Blues were to have been invited to the wedding. 
 But greater alarms than we had yet experienced 
 suspended the execution of this scheme ; for we 
 were informed that we had been denounced, and 
 search made for us. We immediately changed our 
 dwelling, and separated ; my mother going to the 
 house of Laurent Cochard, with Mademoiselle Ma- 
 met ; and I was carried to Cyprien's, a cartwright 
 in the hamlet of Bois-Divet. The next day as I was 
 lying dowTi, a patriot of Donges knocked at the 
 door, and Cyprien desired me to go out by the gar- 
 den ; but not rising quickly enough, the patriot en- 
 tered. I remained immovable, crouching at the 
 foot of the bed, behind the half- opened curtain, be- 
 dewed with a cold sweat, and scarce daring to 
 breathe for half an hour. My sufferings were 
 agonizing, for I feared that Cyprien, not suspecting 
 I was there, might prolong the conversation. Two 
 days after, my mother rejoined me. 
 
 The 19th April, we heard the Blues were going 
 to search Bois-Divet. Cyprien earned us directly 
 to his father*s-in-law Gouret, who lived in the ham- 
 let of Bourneliere, a municipal officer. I was
 
 300 BOIS-DIVET. 
 
 hardly able to walk to Gouret's, being near my 
 time ; yet on our arrival, he told us that there would 
 certainly be a search during the night tlu'ough the 
 whole parish, and advised us to go to Laurent 
 Cochard's, which was a league further off. This 
 was to me impossible I and we therefore determi- 
 ned to pass the night out of doors. Gouret, after 
 conducting us into a field of wheat, shed tears on 
 leaving us. We sat down in a furrow ; and though 
 it rained, I slept I My mother awaking about one 
 in the morning, lieard the patrol of the Blues pass 
 within fifty paces of us. Had there been a dog 
 with them, as was sometimes the case, we should 
 have been lost I At two o'clock, Gouret came to 
 take us back to his house. I then began to feel 
 considerable pains; but imagining I was not so neai* 
 my time, and dreading a discovery through the mid- 
 wife, I took no measures for my safety ; although 
 there was nobody in the hamlet who could assist 
 me, and Gouret had only two young girls in his fa- 
 mily. At nine, however, my pains became so vio- 
 lent there was no longer any doubt My mother 
 ran out of the house, calling " Help, help I" and 
 fell senseless in the field. Gouret's daughters re- 
 mained beside me, crying, but not knowing what 
 to do. As for myself, I endured my sufferings witli 
 calmness and resignation. Life was to me a bur- 
 den, and I wished to die ! At length I was brought 
 to bed of a daughter, and in a few moments after 
 of another. A man-ied woman, whom they had 
 sent for from a neighboming village, an'ived at this 
 time, and took care of me and the children. As I 
 had made no preparations, they were obliged to take 
 old clothes and rags to cover them. I wished to 
 nurse them. My mother, however, convinced me
 
 I30IS-DIVET. 301 
 
 it would be impracticable. But where were we to 
 get nurses I We consulted with an old woman of 
 Bois-Divet, and the infants were carried to two or 
 three women, but they refused to take them. At 
 last a cousin of Mariamie's, named Marie Moenard, 
 took charge of them ; and three days after, a priest 
 came, and baptized them by the names of Josephine 
 and Louise. We had four mtnesses present, who 
 wrote the testimony of their baptism on pewter 
 plates with a nail, and then buiied them in the 
 earth. I was happy in getting this accomplished, 
 as it secured some trace of the existence and name 
 of these unfortunate infants. My recovery was ra- 
 pid ; for, owing to my having led the active life of 
 a peasant, I was hardly worse than those poor peo- 
 ple are on similar occasions. 
 
 We passed a month very quietly. The cottage 
 we lived in was thought deserted, and the Blues 
 did not come near it. Some days after, my little 
 Josephine's wrist was observed out of joint. This 
 gave me much distress ; and I resolved, that, as 
 soon as she was a little older, I would carry her on 
 my back, begging along the road as far as Barreges. 
 This scheme did not appear, at the time I formed 
 it, at all extraordmary. I had neither hope nor fear 
 for the future. I was become a stranger in the 
 world ; proscribed and wretched. My mind was 
 too much sunk to imagine my present situation 
 could ever change I 
 
 But my poor infant died twelve days after. Ac- 
 cording to the ordinary manners of the peasants, I 
 was told this without any preparation. One of 
 Gouret's daughters came into my room, and cried, 
 " Your daughter at Bois-Divet is dead." " She is 
 then happier than me I" I answered ; and yet I 
 wept I 2 c
 
 L 302 ] 
 CHAPTER XXI. 
 
 ABODE AT THE CHATEAU OF DRENEUF. 
 
 DuRiXG my confinement, my nnother received an 
 anonymous letter, expressing a great desire to serve 
 us, and offering us a better asylum. She hoped 
 that this letter came from some friends, who wish- 
 ed to discover us ; and perhaps from those who had 
 given shelter to my father. She answered it with 
 grateful acknowledgments. In a second letter, 
 they offered a visit, which my mother accepted ; 
 and on the 10th of May a young lady, named Fe- 
 licite des Ressources, came to our cottage. She 
 was the fifth daughter of an old inhabitant of Guin- 
 rouet, five leagues from Prinquiaux, and of a fami- 
 ly which, though decayed, was very respectable. 
 Felicite had taken a deep interest in the Vendeens, 
 and was unceasingly employed in relieving their 
 distresses, though almost always unknown to her 
 family, who were extremely timid. She had heard 
 us spoken of by some of the brigands whom she 
 had assisted, and had anxiously endeavoured to find 
 out our retreat ; but regard for our safety had made 
 great prudence and deliberation necessary. She 
 succeeded at length, by means of an old woman, 
 by whom she sent her letters, and who guided her 
 to our cottage. She offered us an asylum with 
 Mademoiselle Dumoustiers, a friend of hers, whom 
 she praised highly, and assured us of her faithful 
 friendship and protection. The interesting appear-
 
 BOIS-DIVET. 303 
 
 ance of goodness and sincerity in Mademoiselle des 
 Kessources made us rely on every thing she said ; 
 and as we were well aware that we were now be- 
 coming too well known in Prinquiaiix, and also 
 felt painfully the total ignorance our situation there 
 kept us in of all that was passing at a distance, we 
 should have accepted her otFers ; but our good hosts 
 were very unwilling to let us go. They told my 
 mother there were an hundied and fifty Blues in 
 garrison at Guinrouet, and that the officers lodged 
 in the house of M. des Ressources, who would cer- 
 tainly deliver us up. Felicite giii^ssed what they 
 were saying to my mother, and began to weep. 
 She allowed, the officers lodged with her father ; 
 but assured us she had taken measui-es to prevent 
 our safety being endangered by this circumstance. 
 Her tears, and the encouraging expression of her 
 countenance, decided us. She had also known our 
 retreat too long to leave a doubt of her sincerity. 
 Mademoiselle Duraoustiers had a very respectable 
 character in the country ; and the old woman of 
 Cambon we believed incapable of treachery. 
 
 The municipality of Prinquiaux gave us pass- 
 ports under the names of Jeanne and Marie Jagu ; 
 we were furnished with certificates of our birth 
 from Roche-Beraard ; and Ferret promised to claim 
 us as his relations, should we be arrested. I went 
 to take leave of my child, and we then set out up- 
 on our journey ; Mademoiselle des Ressources on 
 horseback, my mother and I dressed as peasants 
 upon another horse, without a saddle ; the old wo- 
 man of Cambon was on foot, and Pierre Riallo led 
 the way. We had travelled a league undisturbed, 
 when, on approaching a village in the parish of 
 Cambon, we perceived ten Blues in a hollow way ;
 
 304 DEPARTURE FROM BOIS-DIVET. 
 
 but we proceeded, and they stood aside to let us 
 pass. Mademoiselle des Ressources raised her veil; 
 Riallo saluted the soldiers ; and my mother did the 
 same to two women who were upon the road, and 
 the Blues seemed to have no suspicion of us. 
 Scarcely had we escaped this danger, when a lit- 
 tle boy, nephew to the old woman, passed close to 
 us, and said the Blues were making a search in the 
 village we were going immediately to pass through. 
 Fehcite turned, and cast an anxious look upon my 
 mother. " We must go on," said my mother. " If 
 we turn back, we are lost !" Had we indeed turn- 
 ed, the other soldiers would then have perceived 
 clearly that we were fugitives ; but we sent back 
 Riallo, whom it was useless to expose, particular- 
 ly as our passports were signed by him. This ex- 
 cellent man wept when we parted ; and taking 
 from his finger a silver ring, such as the Breton 
 peasants wear, he gave it to me ; and I have worn 
 it ever since. 
 
 As we advanced, Felicite sung, to give us ease 
 and confidence. A sentinel was at the entrance 
 of the village, to whom she said, " This is fine wea- 
 ther for a seaich." " Yes," answered the man, 
 and we entered the village. The Blues were dis- 
 persed everywhere ; but we passed tlu-ough with- 
 out any disaster. A mile from Guinrouet, we saw a 
 republican officer, who came to meet Felicite, with 
 whom he was in love. She had prepared us for 
 this meeting, yet it gave me great uneasiness, and 
 I gi'ew pale with teiTor, though Felicite did every 
 thing in her power to reassure me. On meeting 
 him, we dismounted. " Well, madam," said this 
 officer, " you see I am without arms, as you order 
 me not even to wear mv sword when I walk with
 
 GUINROUET. 305 
 
 you. I shall some day be assassinated by the bri- 
 gands; but that will be indifferent to you !" " You 
 know very well," answered she, " that the brigands 
 are my friends, and I shall save you." " I am much 
 afraid," continued he, " that I am at this moment 
 with four of them !" " No," answered she, " but 
 with four aristocrats." He was, however, too much 
 engTossed by his passion to inquire further. 
 
 Felicit , seeing me fatigued, said rather impru- 
 dently, '• Maria, take the arm of the citizen." Since 
 I had been in concealment, I had endeavoured to 
 lessen the whiteness of my hands, lest it might 
 betray me. I rubbed them with earth ; and to ac- 
 complish it more thoroughly, I had some days be- 
 fore stained them, but in so odd a manner as to at- 
 tract more attention than their natural colour; there- 
 fore I declined taking his arm, but thanked him in 
 Patois. He looked pointedly at me, but said no- 
 thing. A moment after he took the bridle of my 
 mother's horse, fixed his eye upon her, and return- 
 ing to Felicite, remarked only, " that it was a sorry 
 horse." It is probable that he suspected we were 
 not peasants ; but, though a violent republican, he 
 durst say nothing on account of Felicite. We part- 
 ed from her ; and the old woman led us to the 
 house of a peasant, who expected us at Guinrouet. 
 Four dragoons came the same evening to lodge in 
 his house. jMy mother, beheving herself perfectly 
 disguised, had the temerity to propose supping with 
 them ; but I, having less confidence, declined it ; 
 and we were put into a chamber separate from 
 them by a thin partition witliout a door. Being 
 told we were two cousins of the family, the dra- 
 . goons asked if we were pretty, and showed a great 
 2 c 2
 
 306 GUINROUET. 
 
 ilesirn to see us ; but were answered, that we were 
 fatigued and sick, and that they should see us at 
 ' breakfast ; and, being plied with wine, they thought 
 of us no more. 
 
 The next day Felicite, with one of her sisters^ 
 brought us some of their owti dothes ; but, being 
 either too long or too short, they made us look veiy 
 ridiculous. To avoid the (h-agoons, we left the 
 house while they were dressing their horses ; and 
 as, upon account of her family, Felicite could not 
 accompany us to Madame Dumoustiers', her sister 
 conducted us. We had a little horse between U8 
 three. 
 
 Madame Dumoustiers lived three leagues from 
 Guinrouet, at the Chateau of Dreneuf, of which 
 she had the care, and received us with open arms. 
 She was about forty ; mild and delicate ; but con- 
 cealintj, under an appearance of weakness, a strong 
 and warm character. Her opinions, or ratlier her 
 affection for our cause, united to great natural hu- 
 manity, had devoted her to the Vendeens with a 
 zeal and courage that knew no bounds. She was 
 perfectly disinterested, although poor, and support- 
 ing her family on the small fann of Dreneuf. The 
 Chateau was wretched and inconvenient; but it was 
 surrounded by fine avenues and magnificent woods. 
 Madame Dumoustiers had three sons, eager to joiii 
 some insuigent coi-ps, and fight with honour for tlie 
 cause. She had besides a daughter of fifteen, per- 
 fectly beautiful, and who is now Madame Coue. 
 We found several persons concealed at Dreneuf, a 
 priest, a Vendeen cliild, and three soldiers, besides 
 many hid in tlie woods, and to whom the chihlren 
 of Madame Dumoustiers were continually employ-
 
 CHATEAU OF DRENEUF. 307 
 
 ed in canying food and necessaries. The beauti- 
 ful Marie-Louise, particularly, displayed an asto- 
 nishing courage in this charitable employment. 
 
 Madame Dumoustiers told us, that the curate of 
 St Laud had for some time been concealed in her 
 house, after a miraculous escape he had by turning 
 round a rock at the same moment with a Blue. She 
 said he intended to raise the Bretons, and had even 
 composed, for this pui-pose, an energetic and im- 
 pressive discourse, which she preserved. But find- 
 ing there was no chance of success, he had crossed 
 the Loire with the brave MM. Cadi. Madame Du- 
 moustiers saw that we were ignorant of all public 
 news, and she concealed many that would have 
 been dreadful to us. She did not even allow us to 
 read any newspapers. We therefore knew nothing 
 of the horrors that reigned throughout all France, 
 and imagined that they had onlj^ taken place in 
 Brittany and Poitou, from the civil war. 
 
 Dreneuf is situated in the parish of Feygi-eac, 
 which is very extensive, and contains three thou- 
 sand souls; yet among so many people, there was 
 not a single individual of whom there could be any 
 distrust. A very striking proof of this had been 
 furnished some time before our an-ival. 
 
 A search had been ordered in all the parishes ; 
 and, that no rebel might escape, the soldiers were 
 ordered to arrest indiscriminately all the men, and 
 shut them up in a church. Happily there M-as time 
 to give the Vendeens notice they all fled, except 
 the old M. Desessarts, who was discovered and 
 seized when at his prayers. I know not by what 
 accident M. Dumagny was also ajrested, but not 
 examined, and canied to the church. When all
 
 308 FIDELITY OF THE INHABITANTS. 
 
 the inliabitants were assemLled, tlie commander of 
 the Blues ordered the parisli register to be brought, 
 and the names called over. M. Duniagny believed 
 himself lost, and endeavoured to tret out ; but Jo- 
 seph, the eldest son of Madame Dumoustiers, de- 
 tained him, and as soon as the name of an absent 
 inhabitant was called out, he pushed M. Dumagny 
 forwaid, saying, " Are you deaf? don't you hear 
 they call you?" The general perceiving he looked 
 disconcerted, asked the municipality, and all the 
 assembly, " Is this really tlie same man whose name 
 is inscribed?" "Yes;" was the immediate and 
 universal answer. The slightest symptom of doubt 
 in any of the peasants, would have been fatal to M. 
 Dumagny. M. Desessaits was shot. He was tlie 
 only refugee who suffered at Feygreac, although 
 about four hundred of them were hid in the parish. 
 The unanimity was so perfect among those good 
 people, that their vicar had never left them, nor 
 did a day pass without his celebrating mass, some- 
 times in one place, sometimes in another. And, 
 resigned as he was to mart)Tdom, to which he daily 
 exposed himself, he never met witli any accident. 
 
 The very amiable Madame Dumoustiers tried 
 every means to console us, or occupy our thoughts; 
 and tlie visits of the Blues disturbed us less. The 
 moment they were seen approaching, her children 
 went to meet and converse with them ; gave tliem 
 drink ; and the house was scarcely seaiched. We 
 had resumed our peasant dress. 
 
 Mademoiselles Carria and Mamet, who now re- 
 joined us, had been exposed to great dangers since 
 our separation. I'he patriots of Savenay had at last 
 found out that I had lain in at Princjuiaux ; and tJie
 
 FIDELITY OF THE INHABlTAN'l-S. 309 
 
 search for us had been redoubled. These two youDg 
 women being mistaken for us, had been obliged to 
 pass five nights successively in the woods. 
 
 In the course of July a newspaper escaped the 
 watchfulness of Mademoiselle Dumoustiers, and 
 fell into the hands of my mother. In it she read 
 the account of seventy persons being executed in 
 Paris, many of whom were of om- acquaintance. 
 What grief and astonishment we felt on learning 
 that all France, as well as our provinces, were thus 
 delivered up to the most horrid and bloody anar- 
 chy I Some days after, we heard that the death of 
 Robespiene had put an end to these executions in 
 Paris. But oui- own proscription continued ; an<l 
 at this very time we were exposed to the greatest 
 danger. One day I went with Madame Dumous- 
 tiers, her little cousin, and a young religieuse, a re- 
 fugee, to gather plums in the garden of the chateau 
 of La Chapelle, when a young man, disguised as a 
 peasant, accosted these two ladies. Maiie-Louise 
 said to me aside, it was an inhabitant of Blain, 
 named M. Barbaud, and who had taken a part in 
 the insuiTection at Nantes, which began at the same 
 time with ours, and subsided a short time after ; he 
 had lived in concealment since that time. Pretend- 
 ing to be a servant, I left him to converse with the 
 ladies, and went with the child to gather plums. 
 Five days after, this unfortunate young man was 
 seized while concealed imder his mother's bed, and 
 massacred before her eyes! In searching his pockets 
 they found a letter from his sister, in which she said, 
 " The person whom you saw at the chateau of La 
 Chapelle with Mademoiselle Dumoustiers and St 
 Xavier's sister, and whom you took for a peasant, 
 is Madame de Lescure. She is fair, about twentV"
 
 310 FIDELITY OF THE INHABITANTS. 
 
 one years old ; and she and her motlier are con- 
 cealed in the parish of Feygreac." I have never 
 been able to learn how Mademoiselle Barbaud had 
 become acquainted with all tliese particulars ; but 
 I suppose she must have got tliem from a peasant 
 of Feygreac, who having served under Bonchamp, 
 recognised me, and this peasant had been arrested 
 and put in prison at Blain. In consequence of this 
 letter, three hundred men were sent to surround 
 La Chapelle and Dreneuf. Most fortunately, we 
 were ignorant of all these feircumstances, or terror 
 and perplexity would have betrayed us. We ima- 
 gined it was an ordinary visit, without any parti- 
 cular object. I was in bed with my mother, Ma- 
 dame Dumoustiers with her daughter ; and Made- 
 moiselle des Ressources, who had come to visit us, 
 was also in my chamber. On hearing that the Blues 
 were surrounding the house, my mother got up, 
 and putting on her peasant's dress, began to assist 
 in dressing Marie-Louise : and Felicite came and 
 lay down beside me, while Madame Dumoustiers 
 went and opened the door. The Blues demanded 
 the number and quality of the persons who were 
 in the house. Madame Dumoustiers named her 
 children, two nieces, and three sei'vants. She also 
 found an office for the two deserters and the little 
 Vendeen ; and told every thing with simplicity and 
 composure. The soldiers came into my room, and 
 Felicite complained of their having awakened her, 
 while Marie-Louise scolded my mother for her 
 awkwardness. They suspected nothing ; but went 
 off swearing, " There are plenty of women in this 
 house!" They left our apartment, and we began 
 to breathe again ; but Felicite, who held my hand 
 in hers, found I was trembling, ^^'e rose, and they
 
 FIDELITY OF THE INHABITANTS. 311 
 
 dressed me as a niece of the family. The Blues 
 remained four hours searching through all the cha- 
 teau and in the woods. They sought for false doors, 
 trap-stairs, and subterranean passages. They also 
 searched at La Chapelle ; and were so enraged at 
 finding nobody, that they can-ied to Blain all the 
 municipality of Feygreac, and the overseer of La 
 Chapelle. who was a member of it. The next day 
 this overseer was released, and came instantly to 
 Dreneuf. The first person he met being my mo- 
 ther, his surprise almost wholly overpowered him. 
 He told us the search of the preceding evening had 
 been entirely for us ; and that at Blain he and the 
 municipality had undergone an examination of four 
 hours, respecting our retreat. These good people 
 had supposed us to be refugees, though they did 
 not know our names. The questions put to them, 
 led them to conclude who we were ; but this did 
 not lessen their courage or discretion. Neither 
 bribes nor threats could extort confession from them. 
 They did not doubt that we should be taken ; which 
 would have proved their own destruction, as they 
 had exchanged our passports of Prinquiaux. They 
 were put in prison, where they expected us every 
 moment, and watched at the grates, for some one 
 who could warn us of our danger. At the end of 
 twenty-four hours they were released ; and we re- 
 stored to them our passports, which now, in the 
 event of our being arrested, would have been the 
 sentence of their death. 
 
 Our alarm was extreme, wlien we saw the dan- 
 ger we had escaped ; and we withdrew to the ham- 
 let of Rochelle, upon the Villaine ; but retunied in 
 two days, when the measures became less strict,
 
 312 HAMLET OF ROCHELLE. 
 
 and we were supposed to have been frig^btened 
 away. 
 
 Notwithstanding this, my mother and I having 
 been denounced as being together, we deemed it 
 prudent, that in case of another nocturnal visit, we 
 shouhl not be found in the same house; and I, 
 therefore, went to sleep in a small neighbouring 
 farm ; and every morning leading a cow, I went to 
 Dreneuf,' where getting in by a window, I remained 
 till evening. 
 
 We saw frequently at this time a M. de la Bre- 
 joliere of Nantes, a very worthy old man, a con- 
 cealed outlaw. He attempted to disguise himself 
 as a peasant, but wore under his outer garb fine 
 linen, i-uffles, a watch, and perfumes. He made 
 tolerably pretty verses, to which he attached so 
 much importance, that one day while he was re- 
 peating a poetic epistle to my mother, notice being 
 given that the Blues were coming, poor M. de la 
 Brejoliere could not decide whether to fly or finish 
 his epistle, and at last withdrew still reciting his 
 verses. 
 
 It was now near the beginning of October, and 
 our fears were lessening daily, as every thing was 
 gradually calming around us. Meanwhile we knew 
 nothing of what was passing elsewhere ; and we 
 neither formed projects nor hopes. 
 
 Famine prevailed at Nantes; and I know not from 
 what motive or folly, the whole attention of the 
 Blues seemed to be toprevent the admission of grain 
 into the towns. The second regiment of cha^^seurs, 
 which had been the regiment of Lescure, was em- 
 ployed in this office. The eldest -Jon of Madame 
 Dumoustiers had been obliged to enter it, and he 
 frequently brought his brother soldiers with him to
 
 AVESSAC. 313 
 
 Dreneuf, where I often heard thera discuss what 
 had become of the daughter-in-law of their old co- 
 lonel. Some of them said I had been cut to pieces, 
 others that I had been drowTied, &c. ; but all agreed 
 in my being dead, which gave me gieat comfort. 
 
 My mother at length ventured to write to Bor- 
 deaux, and received a reply, by which she leamt 
 that my uncle De Courcy and his wife were still 
 living, and resided at Citran. The letter, however, 
 was written in such ambiguous terms, that it left 
 us in great uncertainty, yet a Beginning of commu- 
 nication was a pleasing ciiTumstance. Soon afterwe 
 heard of an amnesty having been gianted to the Ven- 
 deens ; but it was declared at first to extend only 
 to the common soldiers. But the hopes these re- 
 ports might create were soon damped, when wq 
 heard that a man, who had been inquiring for us 
 in the country, had been seized, loaded with irons, 
 and thrown into a dungeon at Blain. All our fears 
 were again renewed, and we retired for eight days 
 tQ a remote farm in the parish of Avessac, but re- 
 turned afterwards to Dreneuf. We imagined that 
 this man had been sent by my fether to seek us ; 
 but Madame Dumoustiers acknowledged to me the 
 sad truth, that he had been shot at Angers. I con- 
 cealed this ckeadful intelligence from my mother ; 
 and she only knew it positively three yeare after. 
 All that time she remained in doubt, or rather the 
 most cruel silence, which no one dared to break. 
 As vigorous measures abated everywhere, Madame 
 Dumoustiers succeeded in procuring a situation for 
 MesdemoisellesCarriaand Mamet at Nantes. They 
 sent us notice, a short time after, that Agatha and 
 many Vendeens were still in prison; but that Cottet, 
 one of our people, had been released, and that it 
 -2d
 
 314 AN AMNESTY PROCLAIMED. 
 
 was he who had inquired for lis. They added, that 
 he had been newly arrested at l^lain, and brought 
 hack to Nantes, owing to a letter having heen found 
 upon him, which directed liim to a person who 
 could aid him in discovering us. 
 
 Intelligence arrived daily, that the persecutions 
 were at an end. The prisons were opened, and a 
 general amnesty was proclaimed. M. de la Bre- 
 joliere immediately availed himself of it, and many 
 Vendeens followed his example, and even my mo- 
 ther spoke of doing the same. My feelings revolted 
 at the idea ; for, besides not thinking the amnesty 
 to be trusted, I could not bear to owe anything to 
 the republicans. I only wished to pass the Loire, 
 and rejoin the army, since there was still one in ex- 
 istence. The widow of M. de Lesciire, I thought, 
 ought to have no weakness, and that there would 
 be a baseness in abandoning a single remnant of 
 La Vendee. 
 
 My mother represented to me, that these ex- 
 alted sentiments were unreasonable ; that women, 
 particularly such cowards as I was, could not do 
 better than submit to unavoidable evils. I shed 
 tears of indignation. It was just at this moment 
 that M. Dumoustiers had resolved to put in execu- 
 tion the scheme he had long projected of joining 
 the insurgents. While his regiment had been only 
 quartered in the canton, he submitted ; but the mo- 
 ment they were ordered to leave it, he determined 
 to desert, and, with a companion of his, named Tou- 
 pil Lavallette, who had the same sentiments, came 
 to bid us adieu. Madame Dumoustiers, wlio had 
 the utmost fortitude, bestowed upon her son her 
 entire approbation. I suffered severely at this mo- 
 ment ! I was humiliated to see this family so de-
 
 AN AMNESTY PIIOCLAIAJED. 315 
 
 voted ; and who, after having saved us, embraced 
 our cause, whilst we were on the brink of abandon- 
 ing it ! To see that young man going with ardour 
 to meet death, when there were even no longer any 
 hopes of success I — this oppositioii, of their sacrifice 
 and our desertion, drew from me the bitterest tears. 
 I gave these gentlemen letters for MM. de la 
 Rochejaquelein and Marigny, who I believed were 
 still alive, notwithstanding the rumours of their 
 death. M. Dumoustiers and his companion joined 
 about sixty Vendeens, and deserters, and crossed 
 the Loire with guides whom M. de Charrette had 
 -Sent to the right bank. They were very well re- 
 ceived ; and M. de Charrette immediately gave 
 them the rank of officers. 
 
 CHAPTER XXII. 
 
 THE AMNESTY — DETAILS OF THE VENDEEX 
 FUGITIVES. 
 
 My motlier continued to urge the amnesty. Ma- 
 dame Dumoustiers sent for the Mayor of Redon, 
 who was one of her friends, to learn every parti- 
 cular concerning it. He confirmed all we heard of 
 the mild measures which liad been adopted towards 
 the Vendeens ; but I still could not be persuaded, 
 and wished to go to Nantes to see the a<'tual state 
 of things. I was ill of a milk fever ; but nothing 
 could detain me. ]My spirits were too much ele- 
 vated and agitated by being on the point of taking 
 a desperate resolution, which I vainly opposed, aU
 
 316 NANTES. 
 
 thouj^li commanded by necessity. I mounted on 
 horseback, took a guide, travelled twelve leagues 
 without stopping, and entered Nantes dressed as a 
 peasant, with a wallet on my shoulders, and some 
 fowls in my hand. I went to the house of Madame 
 Dumoustiers' friend, where I found Mesdemoiselles 
 Carria and Agatha, who had been released from 
 prison ; but Madame de Bonchamp was still con- 
 fined, and I went to see her. The prisons were al- 
 most empty, and M. de Bonchamp was soon to be 
 at liberty. She advised me to take advantage of 
 the amnesty, and apply to M. Haudaudine, one of 
 the prisoners spared at St Florent, and Avho had be- 
 come a great protector of the Vendeens. I was in- 
 formed that M.de ChaiTette was treating for peace ; 
 and that there was, in reality, nothing humiliating 
 in the relations established between the republicans 
 and the insurgents. The Vendeen officers came 
 with their arms and white cockades to Nantes. 
 Many were so imprudent as to deride publicly the 
 republican habits and opinions, and even spit upon 
 the tricoloured cockade, and gave other rash pro- 
 vocations. M. de Charrette, who was desirous of 
 peace, disapproved highly of such behaviour. The 
 representatives who had come to treat at Nantes, 
 were but slightly offended by those proceedings, and 
 only expressed their apprehensions that such con- 
 duct might retard the pacification. Being, on a par- 
 ticular occasion, somewhat out of patience at the 
 tone of the intrepid M.Duperat, whom M. de Char- 
 rette had sent to them, they said, " It is surely very 
 strange that you should be so unwilling to treat 
 with the republic, when all the kings of Europe ne- 
 gotiate with her I " " Are they Frenchmen ? " re- 
 l)lied M. Duperat.
 
 NANTES. 317 
 
 Nothing could exceed the attention shown to tlie 
 V^eudeens liberated from prison, or applying for the 
 amnesty ; and it was even forbid, on pain of three 
 days' imprisonment, to call them Brigands. In the 
 quaint langTiage of the day, the representatives or- 
 dered that we should be called Freres Egares.^ 
 
 After this, I determined, though reluctantly, to 
 do as others did, and what was generally tliought 
 the only reasonable line of conduct. I first return- 
 ed to Dreneuf, on an evening of extreme cold, and 
 travelled all night. My mother was satisfied with 
 what I told her, and with ray determination; and 
 it was agreed we should repair to Nantes the next 
 day. I was very sorry I could not take my child 
 with me ; but she was too young for a journey in 
 such weather, and Mademoiselle Cania remained 
 to take care of her. 
 
 My motlier travelled in a carriage with Madame 
 Dumoustiers ; and I went on horseback, that I 
 might go by Prinquiaux, to visit my little girl, whom 
 1 had not seen for seven months. I wandered from 
 the road, and suffered tembly from cold ; but I ar- 
 rived safe, and found my daughter beautiful and 
 healthy, but very delicate ; and, after leaving many 
 injunctions with the nurse to take great care of 
 her, I resumed my journey to join my mother at 
 Nantes. 
 
 The prisons \vere at last empty. We found ma- 
 ny Vendeens, to whom we Avere recommended. 
 M. Maccurtin, a good royalist, just released from 
 prison, and whom tlie representative Kuelle had 
 made his secretary, to show his moderation, un- 
 
 " .Misled-BreduL-n. 
 '2 D -i
 
 318 NANTES. 
 
 dertook to get our amnesty signed privately, and 
 without delay. We went, at the time appointed, 
 to the office of the representative. He was not 
 there ; but I met M. Bureau de la Bataiderie, for- 
 merly a member of ihaChambredes Comptes^ whose 
 active and conciliating disposition had been a prin- 
 cipal cause of the pacification. He was the first 
 to conceive the idea of it, and brought it about by 
 the good advice he gave to both parties. He spake 
 with much warmth to us on the desirableness and 
 necessity of it. 
 
 The representative now came in, and, address- 
 ing us with great civility, said, " Ladies, you are 
 come, I see, to make your peace !" and approach- 
 ed to salute me ; but I drew back with displea- 
 sure, and he did not insist. I was still dressed as 
 a peasant. He signed our amnesty, which was 
 couched in the following terms: — "Liberty; — Equa- 
 lity; — Peace to the good ; — War to the wicked ; — 
 Justice to all. The representatives have admitted 
 to the amnesty such a person^ who declares having 
 concealed himself for personal safety." 
 
 W^e wished to leave Nantes soon, and remain un- 
 noticed ; but there was something soothing in again 
 seeing our companions in misery, and to hear how 
 they had escaped so many dangers. W^e felt also 
 a melancholy interest in learning how those we had 
 lost had perislied. 
 
 Madame de Boncbamp, when at Ancenis, had 
 procured a small boat, and attempted to cross the 
 Loire, with her two children. The armed vessels 
 fired upon her, and a cannon ball went through the 
 boat ; yet she reached the other side ; and some 
 peasants swam after her, and saved her. She then 
 remained concealed on a farm, and was often obli'
 
 NANTES. 319 
 
 ged to resort to a liollow tree for safety. In this 
 forloni situation, the small -pox attacked her and 
 her children, and her son died. At the end of three 
 months she was discovered, conveyed to Nantes, 
 and condemned to death. She had resigned herself 
 to her fate, when she read on a slip of paper, handed 
 to her through the grate of her dungeon, these words, 
 " Say you are with child." She made this decla- 
 ration, and her execution was suspended. Her hus- 
 band having been dead a long time, she was obli- 
 ged to say the child belonged to a republican sol- 
 dier. She remained shut up, and every day saw 
 some unfortunate women go to execution, who had 
 been deposited the evening before in her dungeon, 
 after receiving their sentence. At the end of three 
 months, it being evident she was not pregnant, she 
 was ordered for execution, but obtained again two 
 months and a half as a last respite, when the death 
 of Robespierre saved her, and she was finally li- 
 berated by the active exertions of M. Haudaudine. 
 M.Haudaudine, a respectable merchant of Nantes, 
 and a zealous republican, but sincere and virtuous, 
 proved himself another Regulus. Having been ta- 
 ken prisoner by M. de Charrette, he obtained per- 
 mission to return to the republicans, to endeavour 
 to dissuade them from the practice of shooting their 
 prisoners, and make them consent to a cartel of ex- 
 change. M. Haudaudine was very ill received at 
 Nantes, They declaimed against the baseness of 
 his proposal, and signified to hirn, that he was dis- 
 engaged from the promises he had given to the 
 brigands. But M. Haudaudine, at the risk of be- 
 ing the victim of both parties, returned to M. de 
 Ciiarrette, who I know not why, again imprison*
 
 320 SUFFERINGS OF THE ROYALISTS. 
 
 (id him. When M. de Charrette was driven back 
 to Tiffauges, M. Haudaudine, thrown among the 
 other prisoners, was spared, as well as they at St 
 Florent. This generosity excited liis gratitude ; 
 and as soon as lie had the power of favouring the 
 Vendeens, he employed himself with zeal in their 
 cause. In order to save Madame de Bonchamp, 
 he made a number of tlie prisoners of St Florent 
 sign a declaration, that she had obtained from her 
 dying husband the pardon of 5000 republicans. 
 
 Madame de Bonchamp apologized, with a very 
 good grace, for having ascribed to herself a merit 
 which belonged to the whole army ; and said, tliat, 
 had I been in prison, the certificate would have 
 done for both. The truth was, she had appeased M. 
 d'Argognes,and the enraged soldiers, who threaten- 
 ed the republican prisoners. Madame d'Autichamp, 
 mother of M. Chai'les d'Autichamp, succeeded so 
 well in disguising herself, that she entered into the 
 service of an administrator of the district, and tended 
 the cows ; and, as she never divulged the secret to 
 any one, she never was spared, and worked as hard 
 as any common peasant. At the end of a year, 
 she heard of an amnesty, but was afraid, for a long 
 time, to ask any questions upon the subject. At 
 last she determined to inquire at her master if it 
 was true. " And what have you to do with that, 
 good woman ?" said he. — " It is becaase I have 
 known some brigands ; — how are they received ?" 
 — " With open arms." — " But, sir, persons of con- 
 sequence, are they also well received ?" — " Still 
 better." — Madame d'Autichamp then told him wlio 
 fslie was. The master, being a good-natured man, 
 wa.s so struck with the discovery, and with regret
 
 SUFFERINGS OF THE ROYALISTS. 321 
 
 at the hardsliips she had undergone, that lie re- 
 proached her, with tears in his eyes, for her want 
 of confidence. 
 
 Many Vendeen ladies had similar adventures. 
 They became, during their proscription, real pea- 
 sants ; working in the fields, keeping sheep, and 
 fulfilling all the other duties of their new condi- 
 tion. A young lady of Voyerie cut off her finger 
 with her sickle while reaping. This mode of con- 
 cealment was veiy hard and painful ; but, afford- 
 ing most security, was perhaps the least uncom- 
 fortable. 
 
 There were also many persons saved in the town 
 of Nantes, notwithstanding the terror that prevail- 
 ed there. Some of the people were extremely good ; 
 and I could mention instances of noble disinterest- 
 ed courage and humanity towards the proscribed. 
 The wealthy merchants showed themselves, in 
 general, very humane ; and, although in favour of 
 the revolution in its origin, they detested the crimes 
 it led to, and were therefore as much persecuted 
 as the royalists. The ferocious set, eager for mas- 
 sacres and 7ioyadeSy^- was composed of the lower 
 classes of citizens (^petits bourgeois^ and trades- 
 men, of whom many were not Nantais. 
 
 Some ladies, as by a miracle, were forgotten in 
 the prisons. Among these were found Madame 
 de Beauvolliers, Madame and Madeptioiselle de la 
 Marsonniere, Mademoiselle de Mondyon, &c.; 
 but the most part of those who were taken, either 
 died on the scaffold, or were drowned. They all 
 displayed an heroic courage, never disavowing 
 their real sentiments, &c. 
 
 • Drownin^js.
 
 322 SUFFERINGS OF THE ROYALISTS. 
 
 The peasants, women as well as men, did not 
 show less courage, devotion, and enthusiasm ; re- 
 peating, in their last moments, " Vive le Roi !" 
 " We are going to Paradise !" 
 
 Madame de Jourdain was taken to the Loire, to 
 be drowned with her three daughters. A soldier 
 wished to save the youngest, wli-o was very beau 
 tiful; but she, determined to share her mother's 
 fate, threw Jierself into the water. The unfortu- 
 nate girl falling upon dead bodies did not sink ; 
 she cried out, " O push me in — I have not water 
 enough I" and perished I 
 
 Mademoiselle de Cuissard, aged sixteen, was 
 still more beautiful, and excited the same interest 
 in an officer, who passed three hours at her feet, 
 supplicating her to allaw him to save her; but she 
 had an old relation whom this man would not run 
 the risk to save, and Mademoiselle Cuissard threw 
 lierself into the Loire after her. 
 
 A horrible death was that of Madame de la 
 Roche St Andre. As she was with child, they 
 spared her till she should be delivered, and then 
 allowed her to nurse her child ; but it died, and 
 the next day she was executed. 
 
 It has been said, that all women with child were 
 spared ; but, on the contrary, it was rare, and only 
 when they were brought before the tribunals. Mo- 
 thers were then allowed time to nurse their infants, 
 as being a republican obligation ! Such was the 
 immanity of tliose times. 
 
 My poor Agatha had encountered very great 
 dangers. She had left me at Nort, to avail herself 
 of tl)e amnesty which was then lield out. She 
 came to Nantes, and was taken before General 
 Lambertv, tlie most ferocious of Carrier's friends.
 
 SUFFERINGS OF THE ROYALISTS. 323 
 
 Agatha's figure pleased him ; and he said, "Are 
 you afraid, hrigande ?" " No, General," answered 
 she. " Well, then, when you are, remember Lam- 
 berty I" She was then conducted to tlie entrepot, 
 the too famous prison, where the victims destined 
 to be drowned were collected, and carried by hun- 
 dreds each niglit on board the boats, tied two and 
 two, and pushed at the point of the bayonets into 
 the water ! They seized so indiscriminately all 
 they found in the entrepot, that, upon one occa- 
 sion, they drowned all the officers of a British ship 
 who were prisoners of war. Another time. Car- 
 rier, desirous of giving an example of the strictness 
 of republican morals, got together three hundred 
 women of the town, and had them all drowned ! 
 Fifteen thousand persons perished in this manner 
 in the course of one month ! Misery and disease 
 assisted, indeed, in the destruction ; making great 
 havoc among the prisoners, who lay crowded on 
 straw, destitute of every comfort ; and receiving 
 DO assistance, they were scarcely known ; and the 
 dead bodies were often left more than a day before 
 they were carried a.ray. 
 
 Agatha, expecting immediate death, sent to Lam- 
 berty. He conducted her into a small boat with a 
 swing trap-doory in which they had drowned the 
 priests, and which Carrier had given to him. He 
 was alone with her, and wished to take advantage 
 of the opportunity. She resisted, and Lamberty 
 threatened to drown her, on which she attempted 
 to throw herself overboard ; but he stopped ker, 
 and said, "■ You are a noble girl, I will save you." 
 He left her eight days alone in this vessel, in which 
 she nightly heard the drownings that took place.
 
 324. SUFFERINGS OF THE IIOYALISTS. 
 
 He afterwards concealed lier in the house of S , 
 
 another faithful instrument of Carrier's. 
 
 S had a brother a Vendeen ; and, in the be- 
 ginning:^ of the war, having been made a j)ri8oner 
 by tiie insurgents, this brother saved his life, and 
 set him at liberty. After tlie defeat of Savenay, 
 the Vendeen came to Nantes, and solicited an 
 asylum from his brotlier, who, instead of granting 
 it, denounced him, and he w^as executed. Remorse, 
 however, soon took possession of S , and, ima- 
 gining himself incessantly pursued by his brother's 
 ghost, he plunged into new crimes to drown the 
 recollection of the first. 
 
 His wife, a very beautiful and excellent woman, 
 conceived great horror at this crime, and often ex- 
 pressed this sentiment. It was, therefore, with the 
 view of conciliating her, that S thought of sa- 
 ving a Vendeen, and taking her to their house. 
 
 Some time after, there was a division among the 
 republicans of Nantes. Some of his enemies ac- 
 cused Lamberty of having saved some women from 
 the noyades, and drowned others who should not 
 have suffered. A young man named Robin, who 
 was very much devoted to Lamberty, came and 
 
 seized Agatha in the house of Madame S , 
 
 dragged her into a boat, and was going to stab her, 
 that no living proof of the crime with which they 
 reproached his patron might remain. Agatha threw 
 herself at his feet, and succeeded in exciting his 
 pity ; he carried her to one of his friends named 
 Lavaax, who was an honest man, and had already 
 sheltered Madame de I'Epinay. The next day, 
 however, the asylum of Agatha was discovered, 
 and she was arrested. 
 
 Although the enemies of Lamberty continued
 
 SUFFERINGS OF THE ROYALISTS. 325 
 
 to pursue, and at last accomplished his destruc- 
 tion, there was some interest excited for Agatha; 
 and S and Lavaux were praised for their hu- 
 manity. After the death of Robespierre, Agatha 
 still remained some months in prison. 
 
 During the latter part of that time, she often re- 
 ceived intelligence of us from peasants who came 
 to Nantes to see their imprisoned relations. Cot- 
 tet, who had also miraculously escaped, and who 
 had early got himself released by passing for a 
 Swiss republican, determined to find us out, and 
 formed a plan for taking us as his relations into 
 Switzerland. 1 have already related how his zeal 
 occasioned us gi*eat uneasiness, and endangered 
 his own life. 
 
 CHAPTER XXIII. 
 
 AN ACCOUNT OF THE FATE OF THE DIFFERENT VEK- 
 
 DEEN OFFICERS WHO CONTINUED THE WAR. OUR 
 
 RETURN TO BOURDEAUX. 
 
 It was at Nantes I learned the fate of the fugi- 
 tives, and how those who continued the war ter- 
 minated their lives ; but I was not informed, till 
 afterwards, of many paiticulars which attended the 
 close of their glorious career. 
 
 My father, the Chevaliers de Beauvolliers, MM. 
 
 Desessarts, de Mondyon, de Tinguy, and some 
 
 others, withdrew, after the defeat of Savenay. into 
 
 the forest of Gavre. Thev found concealed there 
 
 2e
 
 326 FATE OF THE VLNDEEN REFUGEES. 
 
 a M. Canelle, a Nantes merchant, who had been 
 outlawed. He oifercd to assist them in finding an 
 asylum ; but my father and his companions pre- 
 feiTed attempting some new enterprise. Tliey col- 
 lected about two hundred Vendeens, and surprised 
 Ancenis ; but as they were endeavouring to ford 
 the Loire, the republicans, who had taken away 
 the boats, perceiving the small number of the as- 
 sailants, returned and surrounded them. Prodigies 
 of valour were exhibited by the Vendeens in this 
 combat ; and they succeeded in cutting their way 
 through ; but, wounded and exhausted, they were 
 overtaken on the heath by dragoons, who carried 
 them to Angers, where they were shot. Mademoi- 
 selle Desessai'ts, who was with them, shared the 
 same fate.* 
 
 The name of Donnissan became extinct with my 
 father. I\I. de Lescure was also the last of his fa- 
 mily, whose original name Iiad been Salgues, but 
 acquired by marriage the name of Lescure, which 
 they had borne for three hundred years : and the 
 name of Salgues was now no longer inserted even 
 in the family deeds. There are many families who 
 bear the name of Salgues, and others that of Le- 
 scure ; but none of them are connected with that of 
 my husband. 
 
 The Prince of Talmont was taken with M. Bou- 
 gon, in the environs of Laval. They cmelly pro- 
 tracted his death, leading him from town to town, 
 and from prison to prison ; but he displayed a cou- 
 
 • They did not drown at Angers as at Nantes, but shot 
 their wretched victims ; who were led to execution, fastened 
 togetlicr in couples like hounds.
 
 FATE OF THE VENDEEN REFUGEES. 327 
 
 i-age and dignity worthy his descent, and remained 
 unmoved amid the insults of the republicans. He 
 said to his judges, " Do yom- duty — I Iiave per- 
 formed mine." They concluded, by executing him 
 in the coiu-t of his chateau of Laval. 
 
 MM. Duperat, Forestier, Reuou, Duchesnier, 
 Jarry, Cacquerey, the Chevalier de Chantreau, and 
 some others, penetrated into Brittany, where they 
 were at first in concealment ; but as soon as the 
 Chouans of ]M. de Puyssaye shov\^ed themselves, 
 they joined them. M. de Cacquerey being sur- 
 prised alone, was killed ; and at the end of a few 
 months, the rest of the Vendeens, tired and dis- 
 gusted with an obscure war, carried on more by 
 intrigues than battles, M. de Puyssaye always re- 
 pressing rather than supporting then- ardour, re- 
 turned to the Chouans on the borders of the Loire, 
 commanded by M. de Sepeaux, and fiom thence to 
 La Vendee. The Chevalier de Beaurepaire, -MM. 
 de Bejany, the three MM. Soyer, INI^I. Cadi, 
 Grelier, INIM. Vannier, Tonnelay, Tranquille, de 
 la Salmoniere, Lejeay, &c. repassed by degrees to 
 the left bank, and continued to add to the reputa- 
 tion they had already acquired. I\Iany others were 
 less fortunate, and either perished on the scaffold 
 or died in their retreat, without my being able to 
 learn the pai'ticulars of their death. MM. de la 
 INIarsonniere, Durivault, de Perault, d'Isigny, de 
 Marsanges, de Villeneuve, Laraothe, Desnoues, the 
 last of the Beauvolliers, &c. thus ended their lives. 
 
 The old M. d'Auzon, wlio was taken at Blain 
 with his servant, was anxious to save the life of 
 this fine young man, who had remained to attend 
 upon him. But on seeing the interest he felt, they
 
 328 FATE OF THE VENDEEN REFUGEES. 
 
 shot the young man first, to render this good old 
 man's death more hitter I 
 
 M. de SangUer expired between his two grand- 
 daughters, from fatigue and disease. One of these 
 grand-daughters has been since found. M. de Lan- 
 greniere was guillotined at Nantes. M. de Sepeaux 
 concealed himself, and became afterwards the chief 
 of a Chouan corps in the environs of Cande and 
 Ancenis. 
 
 M. de Lacroix was denounced by four deserters, 
 who demanded a reward for their services. Carrier, 
 after guillotining M. de Lacroix, sent them to An- 
 gers with a pretended letter of recommendation, but 
 which contained an order to have them shot. The 
 yomig M. de Beaucorps was taken ; but his face 
 was so disfigured by sabre wounds, that he could 
 not be recognised ; and he answered their questions 
 in a manner that led them to believe his wounds had 
 disordered his reason ; and uncertain whether he was 
 a Blue or a Vendeen, he was retained in prison, from 
 which the amnesty released him. Two of our ex- 
 cellent oflficers, MM. Odaly, and Bmnet liis cousin, 
 were sleeping together when the prisoners were sent 
 for to te led to execution. They called out M. 
 Odaly and his cousin ; but the latter, by appearing 
 quite unconcerned, was supposed not to be the 
 man, and escaped. 
 
 M. de Solilhac, after escaping from Mans, where 
 he had been made a prisoner, found means of pro- 
 curing a pass, and the dress of a soldier ; crossed 
 all France, even Paris ; and arrived at the outposts 
 of the army of the north, and from thence passed 
 into the English camp. The Duke of York wel- 
 comed cordially a Vendeen who could give him
 
 FATE OF THE VENDEEN REFUGEES. 329 
 
 the particulars of a war, as yet little understood by- 
 foreigners, and immediately sent him on to London. 
 The Ministers received him graciously, and made 
 many inquiries with a view to the expeditions they 
 were perpetually planning for the west coast of 
 France, but which they never executed. At the 
 conclusion of some months, M. de Solilhac, wea- 
 ried with repeated disappointments, crossed over 
 in an open boat ; and landing in Brittany, hired 
 liimself as a miller's servant ; then inciting several 
 parishes to rise, he became the chief of a division 
 of Chouans. 
 
 M. Allard had crossed the Loire, and, after wan- 
 dering many days, was taken. He was condemned 
 to be shot, and was led to the place of execution ; 
 but a sudden alarm and call to arms having sus- 
 pended it, his look of youth, and candour, inte- 
 rested in his favour ; and he was saved, but obliged 
 to enlist in a battalion, and sent to Noirmoutiers, 
 whence after some time he escaped, and returned 
 by swimming across the arm of the sea which se- 
 parates it from the Continent. He presented him- 
 self to M. de Chan-ette, who received him coldly ; 
 but soon becoming sensible of his merit, gave him 
 the command of a division. M. Allard was in some 
 measure the occasion of the second war. Some sol- 
 diers, who were under his command, having vio- 
 lated the armistice, the republicans imprisoned him. 
 M. de Charrette ha\'ing claimed him, and being re- 
 fused, took arms again. 
 
 The pretended Bishop of Agra was discovered 
 and taken in the environs of Angers. He was ask- 
 ed if he was the Bishop of Agra. " Yes," answered 
 he, " I am he who was called so ;" and would give 
 no other reply. He l)ehave<i ou the scaffold with 
 2e 2
 
 330 REPUBLICANS TAKE NOIRMOUTIERS. 
 
 great courage. His sisters also suffered on his ac- 
 count. 
 
 MM. d'Elbee, d'Hautrive, de Boisy, Madame 
 d'Elbee, and many other ladies, were escorted to 
 the army of M. de Charrette, by the brotJier of 
 Cathelineau, and an officer named M. Biret, at the 
 head of fifteen hundred Angenns, and crossed all 
 the republican posts. M. de Chan-ette sent all the 
 women and the wounded to Noirmoutiers, whicli 
 he had just surprised and taken. Cathelineau 
 brought back the Angevdns to their own district. 
 
 Three months after, the republicans took Noir- 
 moutiers, where they found M. d'Elbee still at 
 death's door from his wounds. His wife might 
 have got away, but she would not leave him. When 
 the Blues entered his chamber, they said, " So this 
 is d'Elbee !" " Yes," replied he, " you see your 
 greatest enemy ; and had I strength to fight, you 
 should not have taken Noirmoutiers ; or, at least, 
 you should have purchased it deaily." They kept 
 him five days, and loaded him with insults. He 
 submitted to an examination, during which he dis- 
 played great moderation and candour. At length, 
 exhausted by suffering, he said, " Gentlemen, it is 
 time to conclude ; — let me die." As he was un- 
 able to stand, they placed this brave and virtuous 
 general in an arm-chair, where he was shot. His 
 wife, upon seeing him carried to execution, fainted 
 away ; a republican officer, showing some pity, 
 supported her ; but he was threatened to be shot 
 if he did not leave her. She was put to death the 
 next day. MM. de Boisy and d'Hautrive were 
 also shot. They filled a street with Vendeen fu- 
 gitives, and suspected inhabitants of the island, and 
 massacred the whole. Among these were the two
 
 LA ROCHE JAQUELEIN, ETC. — PURSUED. 831 
 
 young Maignaiis de I'Ecorce, who, notwithstanding; 
 then- extreme youth, used to go to every battle with 
 their governor INI. Bire, who was also shot. 
 
 I have already given an account how MM. de 
 la Rochejaquelein, de Bauge, Stofflet, de Langerie, 
 and about twenty soldiers, had been separated from 
 the army before Ancenis. A republican patrol had 
 pursued them from the river side, and the soldiers 
 were dispersed, but the fourchiefs escaped together 
 through the fields. The whole day they wandered 
 about the country without finding a single inhabi- 
 tant. 
 
 All the houses were burnt, and the peasants who 
 remained were concealed in the woods. The corps 
 of insurgents, of which they had heard, and which 
 had appeared before Ancenis, was commanded by 
 one of Cathelineau's brothers ; but it was not al- 
 ways assembled, and only for limited operations. 
 After twenty-fom- hom-s of fatigue, Henri and his 
 three companions found an inhabited farm, and had 
 just thrown themselves upon some straw to sleep, 
 when the fai-mer came to tell them that " the Blues 
 were coming." They had, however, such absolute 
 need of rest and sleep, that they were unwilling to 
 move even at the hazard of life, and awaited their 
 fate. It was a small party of Blues, who were as 
 mucN fatigued as the Vendeens, and slept near 
 them on the other side of the same heap of straw. 
 Before day M. de Bauge awakened his companions, 
 and they set off again, wandering through a deso- 
 lated country, where they travelled whole leagues 
 without seeing a human being ; and would have 
 died with Imnger, had they not afterwards fortu- 
 nately met some Blues, whom they attacked, and 
 took tlieir bread.
 
 332 COOLNESS OF M. DE CHARRETTE. 
 
 They penetrated as far as Chatillon, and even 
 entered it during tlie night. The sentinel called 
 out to them, " Qui vive ?" but they did not reply, 
 and escaped. From thence they went to Made- 
 moiselle de la Rochejaquelein's house at St Aubin, 
 where she was concealed, and passed three days 
 with her. Henri was overwhelmed with grief and 
 despair at being separated from his army in so fatal 
 a manner ; but, after making inquiiies respecting the 
 state of the country, he resolved to return to his 
 old Poitevin followers, and rally what remained of 
 them. At this moment, he learned that M. de Char- 
 rette was advancing towards Maulevrier ; and, in 
 consequence, he and his companions set out, and 
 travelled during the night, to join the army. He 
 was coldly received by the general ; who, just sit- 
 ting down to breakfast, did not even offer him a 
 place at the table. They conversed on the cam- 
 paign of the Outre-Loire; about which M. de Char- 
 rette asked some vague questions. They then se- 
 parated, and M. de la Rochejaquelein went to a 
 peasant's house, to get something to eat. Some 
 hours after, the dram beat for the army to march, 
 and Henri returned to M. de Charrette, who said 
 to him, " You will follow me." — " Sir," replied 
 Henri, " I am not accustomed to follow, but to be 
 followed ! " and turned his back upon the general ; 
 and they parted thus. 
 
 All the peasants from the environs of Chatillon 
 and ChoUet, who had come to join the army of 
 Charrette, the moment they saw Henri, pressed 
 around him, without his having addressed a word 
 to them. 
 
 M. de la Rochejaquelein commenced active ope- 
 rations against the Blues. He first assembled his
 
 OPERATIONS AGAINST THE REPUBLICANS. 333 
 
 troops in the parish of Nevy, whence they march- 
 ed all night, and carried a republican post, situated 
 at eight leagues distance ; and, during four nights 
 in succession, he made similar expeditions, and al- 
 ways at such remote points, as prevented any sur- 
 mise where his attacks were to be made. The re- 
 publicans, imagining he must have a number of 
 troops, sent a considerable force to oppose him. 
 Henri then established himself in the forest of Ve- 
 sins, and from thence he made excursions, sur- 
 prising posts, and capturing convoys and small de- 
 tachments of the enemy. One day an adjutant- 
 general was brought to him, who was extremely 
 surprised to see M. de la Rochejaquelein, the ge- 
 neral of the Vendeen army, inhabiting a hut made 
 of branches, dressed as a peasant, a large woollen 
 cap upon his head, and his arm in a sling ; for want 
 of rest had retarded his wound from healing. M. 
 de la Rochejaquelein had him examined, and then 
 shot. They had found in his pocket an order to 
 promise amnesty to the peasants, and then to mas- 
 sacre them as they came in. Henri took measures 
 to let this order be known throughout the country. 
 
 His small forces increased by little and little, 
 and, by degrees, became masters of the whole coun- 
 try ; but they were still not sufficiently strong to 
 attack the garrisons of Mortagne and Chatillon. 
 
 On Ash-Wednesday, the 4th of March, 1794, 
 they had attacked Trementine sur Nouaille, and 
 gained some slight advantage. Henri saw two re- 
 publican grenadiers, whom his soldiers would have 
 killed ; '^ No," said he, " I wish to speak to them." 
 He then went forward, calling out, '* Surrender ; 
 you shall have your lives !" One of the grena-
 
 334 DEATH OF M. DE LA ROCHEJAQUELEIN. 
 
 diers turned, and fired upon liim. The ball struck 
 ~ his forehead, and he fell dead ! The grenadier en- 
 deavoured to snatch his carabine, to fije at M. de 
 Bauge and some others, who were hastening on, 
 but was cut down. They were penetrated with ' 
 grief; but, as an enemy's column approached, they 
 hastily dug a grave, where Henri and Iiis murderer 
 were buried together. Stofflet, so far from sharing 
 in the universal sorrow, said, in his vulgar language, 
 " This la Rochejaquelein of yours was no great 
 wonder." He then seized on Hemi's horse, and 
 took the command, to which he was entitled. 
 
 Thus perished, at twenty-one, Henri de la Roche- 
 jaquelein I To this day the peasants speak with 
 love and pride of his great courage, his modesty, 
 his affability ; that easy, careless, good-humour of 
 a soldier {ce ccwactere de guerrier et de bon enfant) 
 which distinguished him. There is not a Vendeen 
 whose countenance does not brighten when he tells 
 of his having served under M. Henri ! He was 
 born in the Chateau de la Dui'belliere, the 30th of 
 August, 1772. 
 
 Stofflet, after taking the command, earned on a 
 sepai'ate war against the republicans, and had some 
 successes, and even took the important post of 
 Chollet. It was about this time that M. de Ma- 
 rigny, crossing the Loire, entered the district of 
 Bressuire, with which he was well acquainted. 
 He there collected together the remains of M. de 
 Lesc are's division, and in a short timsv formed a 
 large army that adored him ; for, notwithstanding his 
 severity towards the Blues, nobody was more good- 
 natured. There were at this time three separate 
 armies. The army on the coast, commanded by
 
 REPUBLICANS DEFEATED. 335 
 
 M. de Charrette ; that of Anjou, by Stofflet ; and 
 the army of Poitoii, by INI. de Marigriy. 
 
 M. de Marigny opened with a brilliant and suc- 
 cessful engagement. On Good Friday, the .I8th of 
 April, he attacked the Blues in the avenues of our 
 Chateau of Clisson, beat them completely, and kill- 
 ed 1200 men. This defeat intimidated them ex- 
 tremely; and, evacuating Bressuire, they withdrew 
 into their camp of Chiche. He then placed the 
 centre of his army at Cerizais, and from thence 
 made excursions, which were almost all fortunate ; 
 and none of the three generals preserved their dis- 
 tricts so clear from the Blues. M. de Marigny 
 even pushed as far as INIortagnes ; but though he 
 beat the republicans, lie could not preserve that 
 post. Many of our former officers left the other 
 armies to join his ; and among those were M. de 
 Bauge and the Chevalier de Beaurepaire, from An- 
 jou. MM. de ChaiTette and Stofflet became very 
 soon jealous of the power and influence acquired by 
 M. de Marigny; and tills feeling produced a species 
 of correspondence and concert between them. They 
 proposed to M. de Marigny a conference, for the 
 purpose of concerting a common plan of operations; 
 and at this meeting it was agreed, that the three 
 armies should unite, and attack the republican posts 
 which flanked the whole left bank of the Loire. 
 
 On the day appointed, M. de Marigny anived 
 after a long march, at the rendezvous. When the 
 distribution of provisions took place, he demanded 
 the share for his soldiers, but did not receive a suf- 
 ficient quantity. His troops, already discontented 
 with having been dragged so far from their can- 
 tonments, mutinied, and marched back. M. de 
 Marigny findirg the council woidd not attend to
 
 336 M. DE MARIGNY CONDEMNED. 
 
 his just complaints, followed his soldiers, and, in 
 oxtieme lap^e, returned to Cerizais. His resent- 
 ment was the more justly excited, as these gentle- 
 men liad but a few days before proposed to de- 
 prive him of his command, and reduce liim to be 
 only general of the artillery, as he had formerly 
 been. This proposal was the more extraordinary, 
 as there was scarcely any cannon left in La Ven- 
 dee. 
 
 The expedition of Charrette and Stofflet did not 
 take place. They went after M. de Marigny as 
 far as Cerizais; but he was no longer there, and 
 his army was disbanded. They convoked a coun- 
 cil of war, and condemned him to death for contu- 
 macy. Charrette was reporter, and moved for the 
 sentence of death. 
 
 The army of Marigny felt the utmost resentment 
 at this iniquitous sentence, and swore they would 
 defend their general against all his enemies. He 
 heard of the condemnation with composure. Loyal 
 to excess himself, he could not believe his fellow 
 soldiers could in reality wish to destroy him. Such 
 an intention appeared to him as absurd as it was 
 cruel ; but he could not bear the idea of any blood 
 shed on his account. 
 
 He was ill in health, and withdrew to a small 
 country house near Cerizais, and passed there some 
 time ; and, with the more security, from Stofflet 
 having often declared that he was devoted to him, 
 lie thought they only wished to deprive him of his 
 command. He therefore took no precautions, al- 
 though Stofflet approached Cerizais, and did not 
 even accept the invitation of M. de Charrette to 
 come into his cantonment ; a proposal which seem-
 
 M. DE MARIGNY SHOT. 337 
 
 ed to imply that this general did not wish his 
 death. 
 
 Meantime, the curate of St Laud, who had ac- 
 quired the most unbounded influence over Stofflet, 
 arrived from the army of ChaiTette. The day of 
 his arrival, Stofflet gave orders to some Germans to 
 go and shoot ]M. de Marigny. The wretches obey- 
 ed, M. de Marigny had only his domestics with 
 him ; he could not believe so infamous an act was 
 intended. But when he saw, however, that his 
 death was determined, he requested a confessor, 
 which was rudely denied. On this, passing into 
 his garden, he said to the soldiers, " It is for me to 
 command you ! To your ranks, chasseurs !" He 
 then called, " Present — Fire I" and fell dead. 
 
 Of all the Vendeens none certainly met a death 
 more deplorable and revolting. Stofflet came to 
 Cerizais, and metM. deMarigny's staff-officers with 
 a gloomy and embarrassed air. After a moment, 
 he said, " Gentlemen, M. de Marigny was con- 
 demned to death, andhe has been executed." A pro- 
 found silence prevailed, and he left the room. The 
 curate of St Laud came in at this moment, feeling, 
 or feigning surprise, but no indignation ; he pre- 
 tended ignorance, and that he was just arrived from 
 beyond the Loire. It appeared certain, however, 
 that he had had a conference on the preceding even- 
 ing with Stofflet, who, it was generally believed, 
 would never have acted thus of his own accord. 
 A moment before giving orders to the chasseurs, 
 he had promised to the elder M. Soyer, one of his 
 best and most loyal officers, that he would not injure 
 M. de Mai-igny. 
 
 This death occasioned a kind of mutiny. The 
 domestics of M. de Marigny, who had been put in 
 2f '
 
 338 M. DE BAUGE IMPRISONED. 
 
 prison, were released. The soldiers disbanded, 
 and refused to inarch under the orders of tlie man 
 wlio had assassinated their general. Few of the 
 Vendeen chiefs were more reg^i'etted and left a 
 higher character than M. de Marigny. He was in- 
 defatigable in his exertions to preserve the country 
 from the devastations of the Blues ; and the Poi- 
 tevin peasants were full of gratitude and attach- 
 ment. Their hatred of Stofflet is unabated ; and 
 they never speak of the death of their general with- 
 out the keenest resentment. 
 
 M. de Bauge, who was warmly attached to Ma- 
 rigny, publicly declared, that he would continue to 
 serve, because it was necessary; but it should be as 
 a common soldier. Stolflet ordered him to prison ; 
 but M. de Beaurepaire declared himself as guilty 
 as M. de Bauge. His firmness intimidated Stof- 
 flet. The next day there was an engagement, du- 
 ring which M. de Baugc's guards left him at liber- 
 ty. He took his arms and joined in the battle, re- 
 turning to his prison when it was over; but the 
 soldiers said they would not guard him any longer. 
 He continued in the army as a common soldier, 
 never approaching Stofflet, nor holding any inter- 
 course with him. As soon as Charrette accepted 
 the amnesty, he availed himself of it ; and, while 
 the intriguers who surrounded Stofflet retarded the 
 pacification, for the purpose of procuring better 
 terms for themselves, he, on the contrary, endea- 
 voured to pacify and draw from the woods the 
 peasants of M. de Marigny, who had remained 
 there since his death, determined to acknowledge 
 no other chief, nor follow any other army, only 
 attacking such republican patrols as disturbed 
 them.
 
 DIVISION AMONG THE CHIEFS. 339 
 
 After the death of M. de Marigny, there were 
 but two armies ; altlioiigh a third might be said to 
 exist under M. de Royraiid, but it was veiy incon- 
 siderable. In this manner the insmxection came 
 to be entirely in the hands of ^IM. de Charrette 
 and Stofflet, who never, in reality, agreed. They 
 were both devom'ed with jealousy and ambition. 
 The war had no longer that character of union 
 among the chiefs, and universal self-devotion, which 
 distingiiished the early days of La Vendee. The 
 peasants were disheartened ; and severity was be- 
 come necessary to keep them to theijf duty, instead 
 of those higher motives by which they were at first 
 impelled. No great battles were fought as former- 
 ly ; it became a war of ruffians, earned on by 
 treachery. The ferocity of the republicans had 
 hardened the most humane ; and reprisals were 
 made for the massacring of prisoners, the noyades 
 of Nantes, broken promises, villages burnt, with 
 all their inhabitants, and all the horrors, which pos- 
 terity wall hardly credit ! Some republican columns, 
 calling themselves the Lifernals, had scoured the 
 country in every direction, massacring men, wo- 
 men, and children. It liappened more than once 
 that a republican general, after sending word to the 
 mayor that he would spare the inhabitants of a 
 commune, if they would return to their dwellings, 
 had them surrounded, and slaughtered to the last 
 man. No faith whatever was kept with these un- 
 fortunate peasants. 
 
 During this honible war, it must be admitted 
 tliat M. de Chan-ette acquired immortal glory. The 
 boldness of his measures, his fertility in resources, 
 and constancy, never subdued in the most despe- 
 rate situations, mai'k him a creat man. Wounded,
 
 340 CHARACTER OF THE OFFICERS. 
 
 pursued from place to place, with scarcely twelve 
 companions left, this general was still such an ob- 
 ject of fear to the republicans, as to induce them 
 to offer him a million of livres, and a free passage 
 to England ; which he refused, choosing to perse- 
 vere in the unequal struggle, till he was taken and 
 put to death. 
 
 Stofflet had some of the same qualities, and per- 
 haps more military talents ; but he was harsh and 
 brutal, yet easily led ; and the curate of St Laud 
 obtained a complete ascendency over him ; and to 
 ilie use he made of it, he owed the reputation he 
 has left in La Vendee, for selfishness, vanity, and 
 ambition. That prudence, judgment, and talent, 
 he had shown to attain his end, forsook him entire- 
 ly afterwai'ds. 
 
 Many officers distinguished themselves in the 
 three armies by noble traits of heroism, now little 
 knawn, because the war had no important conse- 
 quences. 
 
 The brother of Cathelineau, who had collected 
 some troops after the passage of the Loire, show- 
 ed himself worthy of his name, and died glorious- 
 ly. Two other brothers, four brothers-in-law, and 
 sixteen cousins, died in battle. One son and four 
 daughters of the general are all that remain of his 
 illustrious name ; and they are in great poverty. 
 
 The health of my mother, and the wish to learn 
 the fate of our relations and friends, to the end of 
 the war, detained us two days in Nantes. The 
 few persons that came to see me, and who had not 
 known me before, were extremely surprised. The 
 Vendeen ladies, and I in particular, had such a 
 warlike reputation, that they fancied Madame de 
 Lescure must be a great masculine woman, wield-
 
 DEPARTURE FOR MEDOC. 341 
 
 ing her sabre^ and fearing nothing. I was obliged 
 to disclaim all tlie high feats attributed to me, and 
 'frankly tell how the least danger frightened me. 
 
 We now wished to set out for Medoc, and, as 
 a passport was necessary, M. Maccurtin gave me 
 an order of the representatives, which enjoined the 
 municipality to give passports to Victoire Salgues, 
 and to Marie Citran, as I had thought it better for 
 the journey to conceal the names by which we were 
 knoAVTi ; and, still di'essed as a peasant, I carried it 
 to the municipality'. Many persons waited for their 
 papers, and were veiy roughly treated. 
 
 A religieuse was immediately before me, and the 
 municipality, who, like the representatives, showed 
 now great attention to those whom they had 
 slaughtered a little while ago, behaved extremely 
 well to her, which encouraged me, and I advanced. 
 At the name of amnestiee^* they all rose, made me 
 a number of bows, called me INIadame, offering 
 their services with great civihty, and all this to a 
 poorVendeeu. Whilst they treated the republicans 
 so bluntly, and ilioud and iheed them, (tutoyer,^ 
 they spoke to me in the third person* 
 
 We set out upon our journey, with our maids, 
 in a carnage we had purchased ; taking with us Ma- 
 demoiselle de Concise, whose mother had perished 
 at Nantes, and who did not know where to go. 
 Our whole luggage was contained in two little bas- 
 kets, whicli astonished the postilions extremely. 
 
 I stopped to see the people to whom I had con- 
 fided the care of my eldest daughter, near Ance- 
 nis, having always indulged some hope of her being 
 still alive, and thought it might be for the purpose 
 
 * Person under the amnesty. 
 2f2
 
 342 DEPARTURE FOR BORDEAUX. 
 
 of better concealment, tliat they had said she was 
 dead. I was so persuaded of it, that I imj)nidently 
 offered them 3000 francs* down, and an annuity or 
 1200, if they would restore my daughter; for they 
 might have been tempted by this bribe to impose 
 another child upon me. But they repeated with 
 tears tliat she was dead, and that with her they had 
 lost their fortune. They had even the integrity to 
 offer to me the money I had given them for con- 
 cealing her. 
 
 At Ancenis, as the Chouans often appeared in 
 force upon the road of Angers, the district would 
 not allow us to proceed further without an escort, 
 although there were republican posts at every half 
 league. We durst not tell that we were not afraid 
 of the brigands. We passed two days waiting the 
 arrival of an aide-de-camp of General Canclaux, 
 who was to pass that way, and they wished to make 
 one escort serve for both. When he came^ on learn- 
 ing who we were, he had the politeness to make 
 our can*iage move first ; thinking too, perhaps, that 
 we sliould defend him better against the Chouans 
 than his escort of seventeen hussars. Thus were 
 we defended by the Blues against the brigands I 
 This strange situation distressed me ; but, after An- 
 gers, there was no further occasion for an escort ; 
 and we continued our journey to Bordeaux, with- 
 out any other impediment than those a very severe 
 season offered, being stopped eleven days by the 
 ice, at the passage of St Andre de Cubzac. We 
 observed a great deal of poverty everywhere in the 
 country, and even absolute famine. 
 
 On the 8th of Februaiy, we airived at Bordeaux, 
 
 • Tenpcnce sterling lo a frftiic.
 
 ARRIVAL AT BORDEAUX. 343 
 
 and found my uncle de Courcy had been long dan- 
 gerously ill ; but tills circumstance had saved him 
 from persecution ; and Citran was not sold. Our 
 friends, rejoiced as they were at seeing us, felt a 
 sort of terror ; they could scarcely credit the am- 
 nesty, the particulars of which were unlmowTi to 
 them ; we were objects of curiosity and interest, 
 and they looked upon us as very extraordinaiy per- 
 sons. We went to the department to have our am- 
 nesty registered, still in our peasant dress. They 
 receive4 us coldly, but civilly. The commissary 
 of the department was disposed to lecture us a lit- 
 tle, and said, they relied on our repentance. This 
 phrase shocked me ; I coloured, and looked at him 
 in a manner that alarmed my friends ; but it had 
 no bad consequences, and we returned quietly to 
 Citran. 
 
 The amnesty did not terminate my misfortunes ; 
 but those I have expenenced since have less in- 
 terest, as they only relate to myself. I lost my lit- 
 tle daughter, at the moment I again hoped to see 
 her. She died on being w^eaned, at seventeen 
 months old. By the laws, as well as by M. de Le- 
 scure's will, I succeeded to the whole of his pro- 
 perty. 
 
 When the 18th Fructidor arrived, my name was 
 found upon the Ust of emigi-ants, and that I, as well 
 as other persons whose names were not erased, must 
 leave France on pain of death, — although it was 
 very clear that I had never emigi'ated. I went to 
 Spain with M. de Courcy, whose name was also 
 upon the list ; but my mother remained. I passed 
 eight months upon the frontiers, and became sin- 
 cerely attached to the inhabitants of that country, 
 who possess an upright and noble character, from
 
 344. DEPARTURE FROM FRANCE. 
 
 ■vvliich I anticipated the conduct tliey have since 
 pursued. 
 
 ^Meantime, my mother succeeded in obtaining 
 my recall. She had represented that my exile was 
 a violation of the amnesty, and of tlie peace con- 
 cluded witl) the Vendeens, which declai'ed that all 
 those who had taken a part in the war were not 
 emif^rants. 
 
 This just remonstrance was attended to, owing 
 to some interest she employed ; and she prevailed 
 upon them to extend to my department of the Gi- 
 ronde, the secret instructions the ministers had 
 given to the departments of the west, to enable the 
 amnesties to remain in France. They did not, 
 however, know of this letter at Bordeaux : and thus 
 I was the only Vendeen who was obliged to leave 
 the kingdom. When I returned, therefore, I was 
 not even put under superintendence, (^surveillance^') 
 being one ivho ought not to have been sent away. 
 The department of Bordeaux erased me from the 
 list of emigrants^ upon my certificates of residence. 
 This decision required to be confirmed at Paris, 
 which appeared a thing of course ; but I had new 
 difficulties to encounter. Some unknown enemies, 
 or zealous republicans, stole from the offices one 
 Imlf of the documents ; and my demand was refu- 
 sed. I immediately received a new order to quit 
 France in eight days, under pain of being shot ; — 
 and all my property was put up for sale. J re;;urned 
 to the gOi,v. Spaniards, who had n ' :: ^ 'Tfi^'*^" ^e 
 an asylum, and passed six months . inong i..em, 
 where I began these Memoirs. I retume^l to France 
 in the month of May, when my name was erased. 
 Tlie face of everything had changed since the 18th 
 Brumaire.
 
 RETURN TO FRANCE — MY MARRIAGE. 345 
 
 I found, on my return, contrary to every expec- 
 tation, all the property I bad left, ^Nluch had been 
 sold during the war in La Vendee ; but I had been 
 deprived of nothing while I was exiled. 
 
 In Poitou, the memoiy of M. de Lescure had 
 protected me even with persons whom I did not 
 know, or who differed from me in opinions : From 
 regard and gratitude to him, they had taken the 
 warmest interest in my welfare, and exerted them- 
 selves to preserve the property ordered for sale. In 
 Gascony I owed eventhing to MM. Duchatel, 
 Deynaut, Magnan, and Descressoniere. 
 
 My mother pressed me to marry ; but I wished 
 to devote the remainder of my life to the memory 
 of those I had lost. Feeling it even a kind of duty, 
 after so many misfortunes, I often thought of con- 
 secrating my wealth and attention to relieve the 
 wounded Vendeens, who had fought under my eyes, 
 and whose misery I had shared. I was also un- 
 willing to lose a name so dear to me, and so gloii- 
 ous ! I could not bear renouncing all remembrance 
 of La Vendee, by thus entering on a new existence I 
 I therefore refused my mother's solicitations, till I 
 saw in Poitou M. Louis de la Rochejaquelein, bro- 
 ther of Henri, It seemed to me, that, by marry- 
 ing him, I attached myself still more to La Ven- 
 dee, and tlmt, by uniting two such names, I did not 
 offend against him whom I had loved so much ! 
 
 I married M.Louis de la Rochejaquelein the 1st 
 of March, 1802 ; and from that time have lived 
 with my mother in the country.
 
 SUPPLEMENT 
 
 When I wrote my Memoirs for you, my dear 
 Children, we lived in the country, shunning with 
 care every kind of publicity, avoiding- Paris, che- 
 rishing our opinions, our sentiments, and, above all, 
 the hope that God would one day restore to us our 
 legitimate Sovereign. 
 
 jM. de la Rochejaquelein occupied himself with 
 agriculture and field-sports. This peaceable and 
 obscure life was of no avail in soothing the irrita- 
 tion of the Government, which was far from being 
 satisfied with our submission, and seemed to be 
 provoked that it could not obtain our homage and 
 seiTices. 
 
 We suffered everything from a tyranny which 
 would permit us neither tranquillity nor happiness. 
 At one time a spy was placed among our domes- 
 tics ; at another, some of our relations were exiled 
 from their homes, from an apprehension that their 
 benevolence gave them too firm a hold in the affec- 
 tion of their neighbours ; then my husband would 
 be summoned to Paris to give an account of his 
 conduct ; or a hunting party would be represented 
 as an attempt to rally the Vendeens, Sometimes 
 we were blamed for going to Poitou, because it was
 
 PROCEEDINGS UNDER BUONAPARTE. 347 
 
 thought our influence there might he too danger- 
 ous ; then reproached for not remaining tliere and 
 employing that influence in favour of the conscrip- 
 tion. People in office thought nothing more me- 
 ritorious than annoying us in any way ; promises 
 and threats were in turn employed to engage our 
 family to accept some office under Government. 
 In 1805, Mc de la Rochejaquelein was offered a 
 place at Court, and solicited to make his own 
 terms. Our independent attitude, and the consi- 
 deration attached to pure and faithful principles, 
 disturbed the Government. In short, we were un- 
 ceasingly hai'assed. 
 
 It was nearly about this time that we became 
 acquainted with M. de Barante, then under-prefect 
 of Bressuire. 
 
 The conduct of the people of La Vendee, during 
 the war, had filled him with admiration ; he liad 
 the highest opinion of their simple and honourable 
 characters. He openly avowed his esteem for the 
 Constancy of om* sentiments ; and a perfect confi- 
 dence was soon established between us. He did 
 ever)i;hing he could to render our situation as lit- 
 tle irksome as possible. He boldly avowed that it 
 was both mean and unjust to exact fi-om us any- 
 thing more than obe(Hence to tlie existing laws. He 
 knew M. de la Rochejaquelein had too much sense, 
 and too much honour, to risk the shedding of blood, 
 by exciting useless tumults, and tlmt he would ne- 
 ver attempt an)i:hing, but with a reasonable hope 
 of saving his country. 
 
 In 1809, the persecution became more open and 
 direct ; they wished to force iNI. de la Rochejaque- 
 lein to enter the army as adjutant-commandant, 
 with tlie rank of colonel. He was loiown to have
 
 348 PaOCEEDINGS UNDER BUONAPARTE. 
 
 made, as captain of gi-enadiers, five campai^s 
 against tlie negroes in St Domingo. The letter of 
 the minister was equally pressing and polite ; and 
 stating how much his brotlier had distinguished 
 himself in aims, it was presumed he also must de- 
 sire to follow the same career. He refused ; the 
 state of his health, five children wliich we already 
 liad, were alleged in excuse, but which probably 
 would not have been admitted, if not enforced by 
 the zeal and kind offices of our relation M. de Moa- 
 badon. 
 
 My brother-in-law, Auguste de la Rochejaque- 
 lein, was also invited to enter the service at the 
 same time with M. de Talmont, M. de Castries, 
 &c. He went to Paris and refused. As soon as 
 they perceived he had objections to make, instead 
 of listening to him, they arrested him. Still he did 
 not yield, but demanded to be informed of what he 
 was accused, and why he was thrown into prison. 
 At last, after more than two months, he obliged 
 the minister to explain himself without disguise, 
 who then plainly told him that he should continue 
 a prisoner until he accepted a lieutenancy. He 
 was placed in a regiment of carabiniers, in which 
 he remained three years. At the battle of Mosk- 
 wa, he was covered with wounds, taken prisoner, 
 and conducted to Saratow. He was well treated 
 there ; and the King having had the extreme good- 
 ness to write in his behalf, much was done to mi- 
 tigate his sufferings. 
 
 Towards the end of 1811, the state of my health, 
 and the desire of seeing my relations, induced me 
 to visit Paris, where I had not been since 1792, 
 along with my mother. M. de la Rochejaquelein 
 came and joined me there. The expedition against
 
 RETURN TO PARIS. 349 
 
 Russia was then determined on. Those who, like us, 
 liad continued invariably attached to the House of 
 Bouibon, never beheld Buonaparte undertake a new 
 war, without indulging a secret hope, that some of 
 those chances which he braved with so much folly 
 might lead to his destruction. At this time, above 
 all, the gigantic and extravagant nature of this ex- 
 pedition, the distance of the armies, the nature of 
 the country where they were about to be engaged, 
 and the evident inutility of an enterprise thus con- 
 ceived, gave strength to the hope that the tide of 
 his prosperity was about to turn. We conversed 
 on this subject with those who partook of our sen- 
 timents. M. de la Rochejaquelein sought for and 
 saw those men who were the most distinguished 
 by their name and their constancy, and, among 
 others, MM. de Polignac, in spite of the strictness 
 of their imprisonment. We returned into Poitou, 
 and from thence into Medoc, where we passed the 
 winter of 1813. The disasters in Russia, the de- 
 struction of the army, the measures it was necessary 
 to take to repair these losses, the multiplied levies, 
 the sacrifices of every kind which the Goverament 
 imposed, the hateful establishment of the regiments 
 of guards of honour ; — everything, in short, seemed 
 calculated to hurry on the catastrophe, and lead to 
 a revolution for which it became necessary to be 
 prepared. 
 
 It was in the month of March in the same year, 
 that M. Latour anived at Bordeaux, bearing the 
 orders of the King. Before speaking of his mission, 
 it is necessary to give an account of what had pass- 
 ed in that city since 1795. The royalist party 
 liad always been very numerous there ; the young 
 men full of zeal and enterprise, the mass of the peo- 
 2g
 
 350 EVENTS IN BOIIDKAUX. 
 
 pie very well disposed. AU the emigrants that 
 were imprisoned had been set free either by ad- 
 dress or force ; a imdtitude of conscripts liad there 
 found an asylum, the Spanish prisoners had met the 
 most favourable reception, and a thousand other 
 circumstances had sufficiently proved what the sen- 
 timents of the Bordelais were. Besides, the chief 
 royalists had secretly formed themselves into arm- 
 ed bands ; the greater part composed of artisans 
 who have never received any pay. Tlie discretion 
 of so many people is still more remarkable tlian 
 their fidelity. I will now explain the origin of this 
 organization. 
 
 The- epoch which followed the second war of La 
 Vendee, that is to say, 1796, is that in which the 
 royalists had the greatest hopes, and concerted the 
 most numerous enterprises. The Directory had 
 then little power ; at no peiiod of the Revolution 
 was greater liberty enjoyed, or less restraint on pub- 
 lic opinion. The King had communication through- 
 out almost all the provinces ; everywhere an orga- 
 nization of the royalist party, scai'cely kept secret. 
 Commissaries named by the King, who was then 
 at Verone, were actively employed in his service. 
 M. Dupont Constant was his commissary at Bor- 
 deaux ; he presided over a numerous council. His 
 principal agents were M. Archbold, Dupouy, Cosse, 
 Estebenet, &c. 
 
 Some months before, (after the second war of La 
 Vendee,) M. Forestier and M. Ceris came to pass 
 a few days at Bordeaux. They were going to Ba- 
 reges for their health. We were not acquainted 
 with tlie last ; for, having emigi'ated, lie only ar- 
 rived in La Vendee in 1794. M. de Ceris retumed, 
 on the part of M. Forestier, to inform us, that they
 
 EVENTS IN BORDEAUX. 351 
 
 had resolved to go into Spain and England. He 
 asked letters of recommendation from my mother. 
 She gave him several, very pressing, for the Duke 
 d'Havre, her intimate friend, and for my uncle, the 
 Duke de Lorges. She had no idea that these gen- 
 tlemen were engaged in any enterprise ; and per- 
 haps they themselves had then no very distinct 
 views on the subject. The flattering reception they 
 had met with, the conversations they had held, the 
 state of France, which seemed every day to offer 
 more favouiable chances, all served to redouble 
 their zeal. 
 
 In the month of May, 1797, they returned, bring- 
 ing my mother a letter ft-ora Monsieur, in which he 
 charged her to collect the King's party at Bor- 
 deaux, She received also instructions from the 
 Duke d'Havre, the Piince de la Paix, &c. She im- 
 mediately saw that the extreme zeal of these gen- 
 tlemen had led them to exaggerate everything, and 
 represent the state of affairs under far too favour- 
 able an aspect. However, she considered it as a 
 sacred duty to second the views of the Princes, 
 who had honoured her by their confidence. She 
 confided every thing to M. Dudon, ancient pro- 
 cureiu'-general, and to his son. She conferred with 
 them on what was to be done. This worthy ma- 
 gistrate, in spite of his great age, was full of energy. 
 He immediately discovered that M. Dupont Con- 
 stant was a commissary of the King ; and they form- 
 ed a secret council, composed only of MM. Du- 
 pont, Dudon, Deynaut, and the Abbe Jagault, an- 
 cient secretary of the superior council of La Ven- 
 dee. They were of opinion that it was essential, 
 first of all, to enlighten the Princes as to the real
 
 352 EVENTS IN BORDEAUX. 
 
 State of France, of which they had received a very 
 inaccurate and much too flattering an account. 
 
 M. Jagault set out for Edinbiu'gh. He drew up 
 and presented to Monsieur, a memorial, in wliich 
 the real state of things was exposed. 
 
 The day of the 18th Fructidor soon came and 
 evinced the truth of these sincere observations. The 
 hopes of the royalists were at once destroyed, and 
 their projects overthrown, by that event. 
 
 It was not till about a year after, when the power 
 of the Directory began to be shaken, when the Aus- 
 trians and Russians liad obtained great advantages 
 in Italy, and everything seemed to announce an 
 approaching change, that the royalists were roused 
 to make more vigorous exertions. My motlier, long 
 before, had gained over to the King's party M. Pa- 
 pin, a merchant of Bordeaux. He had sjt out, 
 some years before, at the head of the volunteers, 
 and, having greatly distinguished himself in the Spa- 
 nish war, had obtained the rank of general of bri- 
 gade on the field of battle. He had joined the army 
 full of zeal for the revolution ; but, having leanied, 
 on his return, the excesses that had been commit- 
 ted during his absence, he would no longer asso- 
 ciate with men whose crimes he detested, and com- 
 plained to M. Denaut that they wished to place 
 him on the list of a Jacobin Club. 
 
 My mother got M. Papin introduced to her. She 
 heightened the horror he had already begun to feel 
 for the Revolution, and succeeded in overcoming liis 
 reluctance to join the opposite party, by convincing 
 liim liow disgraceful it was to remain faithful to so 
 bad a cause. She presented him to MM. Dudon 
 and Dupont with the confidence which he deserved. 
 These gentlemen Iiaving appointed him, in the name
 
 EVENTS IN BORDEAUX. 353 
 
 of tlie King, general of tlie wliole department, lie 
 immediately set about forming the royal guard, 
 which has existed ever since.* 
 
 At no period did success appear so near ; the law 
 of hostages had kindled the thii-d vrar of La Ven- 
 dee, and renewed and extended that of the Chou- 
 ans. At Bordeaux they had come to extremities ; 
 the Jacobins, assisted by a regiment, openly at- 
 tacked the young men of the town, 
 
 M. Eugene de Saluces was severely woimded, 
 and thrown into prison with about forty others, 
 who got out successively ; but he remained during 
 four months confined, along with a brave man, a 
 cabinetmaker, named Louis Hagry, a person of ex- 
 traordinary zeal. This passed in the summer of 
 1799 : we were then in Spain, whither my mother 
 had got permission to accompany me in my second 
 exile. We met at Oyarsun M. Richer- Serisy. This 
 journalist, after a long interview with my mother, 
 set out for Madiid with ]NL Alexandre de Lur Sa- 
 luces. His object was to endeavoiu" to persuade 
 the Court of Spain to take up ai'ms for the House 
 of Bourljon, and second the victorious eflbrts of the 
 Austrians and Russians. 
 
 The retm*n of General Buonaparte the 18th Bni- 
 raaire, and, above all, the battle of jNIarengo, ai'- 
 rested once more the projects of the royalists. 
 
 The MM. Dudon died, also the excellent M. La- 
 tom'-Olanier. A great number of the royalists were 
 airested, and kept in prison eighteen months ; among 
 others, MM. Dupont, Dupouy, Dumas, &c. M. 
 
 * M. Papin was chiefly assisted by MM. de Maillan, Sa« 
 bes. Labarte, Gautier, Latour-Olanier, Roger, Aquart, Mar* 
 niajour, Kollac. Dumas, Delpech, 6cc. 
 2 G 2
 
 354 MY MOTHER IMPLICATED. 
 
 Papin made his escape, and found means to clear 
 himself, through the influence of liis friends the 
 Marshals Moncey and Augereau. At the time of 
 Pichegi-u's affair, he had returned to Bordeaux. 
 New arrests took place there. He again escaped, 
 and returned to General Moncey. They affected 
 to believe him innocent, on account of his protec- 
 tion ; but scarcely had he returned to Bordeaux, 
 under a promise of not being molested, when they 
 came to seize him. He concealed himself; and 
 then finding that the informations against liim were 
 80 positive, he quitted France. He was tried by 
 a military commission, and condemned to death 
 (^par contumace). Since that time he has remain- 
 ed in America. MM. Forestier, de Ceris, du Che- 
 nier, &c. were also condemned (^par contumace). 
 M. Goguet was executed in Bretagne, and the in- 
 trepid M.Duperat imprisoned for life. These events 
 put a stop to all communication with the King, and 
 the party sunk into silence and inactivity. 
 
 My mother was seriously implicated in what had 
 passed at Bordeaux, after the battle of Marengo. She 
 narrowly escaped being put in prison and tried ; but 
 she was ably assisted ; and her defence was the more 
 easy, from the tranquil life she led in the country, 
 never putting herself at all forwai'd in boasting of 
 the confidence of the Princes. After having shown 
 M. Dudon Monsieur's letter, she burnt it in liis 
 presence, and never spoke of it again. Our friend M. 
 Queyriaux, the most zealous of the party, was almost 
 the only one through whom she held any communi- 
 cation with the royalists. She was often consulted ; 
 but seldom interfered, but to maintain confidence 
 and unanimity. This conduct arose from her charac- 
 ter, and not from any feeling of fear. She never con-
 
 A PLOT DISCOVERED. 855 
 
 cealed her opinions ; and it was, perhaps, owing to 
 her frankness and simplicity in that respect that 
 she escaped. One who spoke so openly, and led 
 so quiet a life, could hai-dly be suspected of con-, 
 ceelment and dupFicity. 
 
 In 1806, the seizure of the Princes of Spain ex- 
 cited a lively indignation at Bordeaux. M. Rol- 
 lac arranged a plan with the Spanish consul, M. 
 Pedesclaux, M. Taffard, de St Germain, Roger, 
 and some others, to carry off Ferdinand VII. and 
 conduct him to the English station. They sent M. 
 Dias, a Spanish teacher at Bordeaux, to give him 
 notice of it ; and he succeeded in introducing him- 
 self, and speaking to him for a few moments in his 
 chamber ; but it seems the Prince did not choose 
 to trust a stranger ; and these gentlemen waiting 
 in vain for his order, the project failed. M. Rollac, 
 a little after, contrived a plot to deliver Pampelune 
 to the Spaniards. He was on the point of succeed- 
 ing, when he was discovered, and obliged to fly. 
 His friend M. Taflkrd got him on board a vessel 
 for England ; and carrying a few lines fi-om my 
 mother to my uncle de Lorgues, was by that means 
 made known to the King, and informed him of the 
 devotedness of the Bourdelais, and, above all, of 
 the courage and zeal of M. Taffard, to whom he 
 owed his life. The communications with Bor- 
 deaux were thus re-estaWished ; but nothing took 
 place for several years. The retreat from Moscow 
 in 1813 once more awakened hopes. INI. Latour 
 arrived at Bordeaux, bringing ]M. Taffard a letter 
 from his friend, inviting him to rally the royalist 
 party. M. Latour charged him to do so on the 
 part of the King : he was far from expecting this 
 honour. A gentleman of small fortune, with a nu-
 
 356 MEASURES CONCERTED. 
 
 merous family, without ambition, M. Taffard only 
 thought, in serving M. Rollac, he fulfilled the du- 
 ties of friendship ; and, attached as he was to the 
 House of Bourbon, he had no idea of forming a 
 party. But the orders of the King appeared to him 
 sacred. 
 
 M. Latour was also charged by his Majesty to 
 see M. de la Rochejaquelein, and tell him that he 
 reckoned on him for LaVendee, My husband went 
 immediately to Bordeaux, and had the same even- 
 ing a conference of four horns with MM. Latour 
 and Taffard. 
 
 M Taflard, assisted by M. Queyriaux, Marma- 
 jour, &c. once more took up the old plan of the 
 royal guard, and M. de la Rochejaquelein set out 
 for Poitou. He traversed Anjou and Touraine, 
 along with M. de la Ville de Bauge, who had al- 
 ways remained most warmly attached to him. They 
 went about everywhere sounding the state of opi- 
 nions, and visiting their friends, and the old Ven- 
 deens. He was exceedingly sorry to find that Ge- 
 neral Dufresse was no longer in the department ; 
 he had commanded them a long time, and had ren- 
 dered infinite service to the Vendeens. He was 
 the confidant of all my husband's hopes, and had 
 given him his promise to serve the King whenever 
 an opportunity occurred. At Tours he found all 
 the young men of La Vendee who had been forced 
 to enter the guard of honour. They were extreme- 
 ly dissatisfied. He did not conceal from them his 
 hopes and desires, but recommended to them to 
 wait with patience for the decisive moment. 
 
 The carrying off Ferdinand VH. from Valencey 
 was then talked of. M. Tiiomas de Poix, a gen- 
 tleman of Berri, and a great friend of M. de la
 
 M. LYNCH. 357 
 
 Rochejaquelein, was to have conducted that en- 
 terprise ; but he died at the moment he was about 
 to act. My husband continued his journey, passed 
 a fortnight at Nantes with his friend M. Barante ; 
 he also saw MM. de Sesmaisons, M. de Suzannet, 
 his cousin-german, and the Prince de Laval, who 
 had left Paris with the same views as himself. 
 
 The young guards of honour at Tours did not 
 conduct themselves with all the discretion that had 
 been recommended to them ; they did many rash 
 things ; several of them were arrested ; and among 
 othei-s M. de ChaiTette, a brave young man, and 
 worthy of the name he bore. 
 
 M. de la Rochejaquelein retm-ned into Medoc. 
 I lay in on the 30th of October ; and on the 5th 
 of November M. Lynch, mayor of Bordeaux, an 
 old and respectable friend of my mother, sent an 
 express to my husband, to inform him that they 
 were just setting out to arrest him, M. Lynch him- 
 self was going on a deputation to Pai'is ; but he did 
 not go till he was sure of the safety of ^I. de la 
 Rochejaquelein. My husband left me in ignorance 
 of all this, and went to Bordeaux with M, Quey- 
 riaux. While at dinner at Castelnau he saw the 
 gendarmes arrive who had been sent to seize him. 
 M. Bertrand commanded them. He knew perfectly 
 well what was intended ; but as he was not the 
 bearer of the order, and only charged to lend as- 
 sistance to a commissary of police, he allowed M. 
 de la Rochejaquelein to pass, although he knew 
 him perfectly. The commissary of police, who was 
 in a carriage, was retarded by the bad roads. At 
 break of day, however, the Chateau was surround- 
 ed by the troops ; the servants, who knew nothing 
 of the departure of their master, told them he was
 
 358 SEARCH FOR LA ROCHEJAQUELEIN. 
 
 ill the house. They and tlie peasants, who had ar- 
 rived in crowds to attend mass, were in tlie deep- 
 est affliction; and, if lie had been taken, would have 
 fallen upon the gendarmes to deliver him. Many 
 of the neighbours, whom we scarcely knew, had got 
 on horseback with the same design. The search 
 was long, brutal, and ridiculously minute.* 
 
 While M. de la Rochejaquelein was concealed 
 at Bordeaux, MM. de Tauzia and de Mondenard, 
 both of the mmiicipality, watched over his safety ; 
 and, in the meantime, MM. de Monbadon and de 
 Barante made every possible eflfort to get the order 
 for his arrest revoked. The minister, after some 
 difficulties, replied, that M. de la Rochejaquelein 
 had only to come to Paris, and give him the ne- 
 cessary explanation. I had not an entire confi- 
 dence in these assurances ; yet they were repeated 
 so strongly, and the cause appearing so utterly 
 hopeless, from the negotiation of the Allies with 
 Buonaparte, and the daily expectation of peace, 
 that I confess I sometimes was inclined to accept 
 the proposal of going to the minister. I w^s cer- 
 tain, besides, that there did not exist a single line 
 of writing that could implicate my husband ; and 
 I dreaded a long separation, and fresh persecu- 
 tions. For his part, on the contrary, he never he- 
 sitated for a moment. He foresaw, that, even if 
 the minister should keep his word, and not put him 
 in prison, he would be harassed, either by an exile, 
 
 • The commissary of police was furious in missing his 
 prey. We learned afterwards, that he had sent orders to take 
 M. de la Rochejaquelein dead or alive, and to bring him post 
 night and day, and at whatever hour it miglit be, to the mi- 
 nister.
 
 SECRET ASSOCIATIONS. 359 
 
 or an imperative offer of some post in the army. 
 He determined, at all events, to preserve his liber- 
 ty ; his thoughts were constantly turned towards 
 the project of raising La Vendee, when the moment 
 should aiTive. His eyes were always fixed on that 
 quarter ; his name, his perfect knowledge of the 
 country, and his influence over the inhabitants, na- 
 turally led him to this ; and besides, the request of 
 the King determined him iiTevocably. Durmg his 
 concealment at Bordeaux, he became the mean of 
 uniting several secret associations, which, till that 
 time, had acted separately, though with the same 
 views. The persecutions directed against him liad 
 marked liim out as a leader of the party ; and all 
 those devoted to the cause were eager to he con- 
 nected with him. He informed M. TafFard of 
 this, who, as commissary of the King, could not so 
 generally make himself known.* 
 
 In the month of December, one of the captains 
 of the royal guard, M. Gigoulon, a fencing-master, 
 was seized, carried to Paris, and put in irons ; but 
 he continued resolute during fifteen inteiTogatories, 
 and nothing was discovered. 
 
 Towards the beginning of January, 1814, INI. de 
 la Rochejaquelein came and passed three days with 
 me at Citran. He then traversed the Lower Medoc 
 with his friend M. Luetkens, a person remarkable 
 for his calm and cool bravery, and his devotedness 
 to the King. They informed all those in whom 
 they could confide, of what had been concerted at 
 
 • jMM. de Gombault, Ligier, a glazier, Chabaud, a teach- 
 er, Badin, the Abbe Rousseau, Dupouy, &c. had distinct 
 associates- I\IM. Ligier and Chabaud, zealous and enter- 
 prising men, had already organized eight companies ; they 
 had been engaged in it from 1809.
 
 360 TUMULTS IN LA VENDEE. 
 
 Bordeaux, and opened a communication to them with 
 the city : But it was in vain tliat their ardour in- 
 creased every day ; the position of the Frencli army 
 between Bordeaux and the EngHsh put a stop to 
 every attempt. 
 
 M.de la Rochejaquelein returned to live at Citran. 
 Our children and all our sei'vants saw him. Per- 
 sons whom we knew nothing of before, were con- 
 stantly coming to converse with him ; and yet, 
 such was their discretion, that his retreat was 
 never disturbed. The police had not abandoned 
 their seai'ch ; but it was more anxiously continued 
 in Poitou and at Nantes, on account of the friend- 
 ship of M. de Barante. 
 
 From the month of December, some tumults 
 had taken place in La Vendee. Several conscripts 
 refused to obey, and fought with the gendarmes. 
 But the Government, fearing a civil war, and know- 
 ing their want of power to repress it, consented to 
 show some indulgence ; exacted much fewer sa- 
 crifices, and raised fewer levies, from that part of 
 the country, than from any other ; and did not 
 there impose those enormous requisitions which 
 oppressed the rest of France.* This prudent 
 system, together with the presence of about two 
 thousand gendarmes, prevented the war from 
 breaking out during the winter ; although there 
 were bands of refractoiy conscripts, who defended 
 themselves with their arms in their hands ; and the 
 people could hardly be restrained from rising en 
 masse. But the chiefs were unwilling to do any- 
 thing rash, and waited till the insurrection could 
 
 ■ The insurrection of La Vendee extended to part of four 
 departments; to each of th&sc, different indulgences were 
 granted.
 
 TUMULTS IN LA VENDEE. 861 
 
 be quite general, before tliey declared themselves. 
 The continued prospect of peace paralyzed the 
 most darmg. 
 
 In the meantime, M. de la Rochejaquelein con- 
 stantly recurred to the design of thiowing himself 
 into the midst of the brave Vendeens ; but it was 
 precipitating himself into certain danger. He was 
 more particularly sought after there than at Bor- 
 deaux. He could not venture to follow the gi'eat 
 roads, when he was so well known; and the cross- 
 roads that year were impassable, on account of the 
 extraordinary floods. At last, with gi-eat difficul- 
 ty, we got him to consent to delay his decision un- 
 til M. Jagault should have made a tour into the 
 west, to ascertain the position of things, and pre- 
 pare for him the means of aiTiving in La Vendee. 
 He set out on the 26th of January. He was first 
 to traverse La Saintonge, and inform my brother- 
 in-law, M. de Beaucorps, of his intentions to con- 
 fer M-ith M. de la Ville de Bauge, and endeavour 
 to communicate with the ancient chiefs. He was 
 then to go to Paris, and concert matters on a gi'eat 
 and genei-al plan with ^NI. de Duras my cousin, de 
 Lorges, (S:c, ; and to finish by Nantes, where he was 
 to confide all to M. de Baraute. These were pre- 
 cisely the provinces, and the same arrangement 
 for the insurrection, that had been pointed out 
 fifteen years before by INIonsieur, when he gave 
 his instructions to M. Jagault. 
 
 On his arrival at Thenars, on the 5th Febniaiy, 
 he WTote, that it would be impossible, at that time, 
 for M. de la Rochejaquelein to penetrate into La 
 Vendee, and midertake an)"tliing of importance ; 
 that he was continuing his route to Paris ; and that 
 he lioped, on his retuni, to find things in a more 
 2h
 
 362 MEASURES FOR THE 
 
 favourable state. These delays but ill accorded 
 with the impatience of my husband. 
 
 For some time a report had been cuiTent, that 
 the Due d'Angouleme had joined the English 
 army ; and it was soon confirmed. M. de la 
 Rochejaquelein instantly determined to go to him, 
 to inform him of what was passing, and take his 
 orders. (M. Arniand d'Armailiiac had anived 
 three days before to offer him a vessel, which was 
 about to sail for St Sebastian.) He left Citran, to 
 concert matters with MM. Taffard and de Gom- 
 bauld. 
 
 On reaching Bordeaux, M. de la Rochejaquelein 
 begged M. de Mondenard to tell M. Lynch,* 
 who was just come from Pai'is, that he was anxi- 
 ous to testify his gratitude, and open his heart to 
 him. He immediately came to see him. M. de 
 la Rochejaquelein told him, he believed he could 
 not better recompense the gi-eat services he had 
 rendered him, than by informing him of all the se- 
 crets of the royalists, of what had been arranged 
 at Bordeaux duiing his absence, and of his de- 
 parture for St Jean de Luz. M. Lynch, transport- 
 ed with joy, without hesitation said, " Assure the 
 Due d'Angouleme of my entire devotion; tell him 
 I shall be the first to cry ' Vive le Roi,' and de- 
 liver him the keys of the city." 
 
 • M. Lynch, when at Paris, foreseemg tlie fall of Buona- 
 parte, found means to get into Lft Maison de Sante, where 
 3lM. de Polignac were confined; and, after a long confer- 
 ence, gave them his word of honour, that, if Bordeaux should" 
 ever declare for the King, he should be the first to mount 
 the white cockade. These gentlemen recommended him to 
 explain himself to MM. de la Rochejaquelein and de Gom- 
 bauld, with whom they had long maintained an intercourse.
 
 RESTORATION OF THE KING. 863 
 
 The vessel prepared by M. d'Armailhac for the 
 passage of M. de la Rochejaqueleiu was command- 
 ed by Captain Moreau, who had a license for 
 Spain ; but it was very difficult to get on board ; 
 for, besides the search that must take place before 
 leaving the river, the customhouse-officers were to 
 remain until she was four leagues at sea, and re- 
 turn in a boat. 
 
 I had just received a veiy encouraging letter 
 from the senator M. Boissy d'Anglas, extraordi- 
 nary commissary of the twelfth division. M. de 
 la Rochejaquelein took it wuth him to prove to the 
 Duke that it was not to save himself that he came 
 to him. He quitted us on the evening of the 15th 
 Februar)\ 1 had only strength to pray God to 
 receive this last sacrifice we could make to the 
 King. 
 
 He embarked in the night of the 17th along 
 with ISI. Francois QuejTiaux, who insisted on sha- 
 ring all his dangers, in the clialoupe of Taudin, a 
 coasting pilot of Royan. They lay in the tillef 
 without being able to change their posture, for 
 forty-two houi-s ; they managed to escape the Re- 
 gulus, a guard vessel, which searclied tiie smallest 
 boat that went out. A dreadful gale arose, and 
 threatened the utmost danger to their bark ; the 
 vessel of Captain Moreau lost her anchor, and they 
 thought at one time he would be obliged to re- 
 turn to Bordeaux, but he found another at Royan. 
 During this time Taudin's chaloupe was at anchor 
 in the midst of all the boats of the port ; and the 
 two fugitives were every moment in danger of be- 
 ing discovered. Captain Moreau put to sea ; some 
 pretext was necessaiy to enable them to follow 
 him. Taudin thought of cning out to his son,
 
 364 MEASURES FOR THE 
 
 with a loud voice, so that all those on the quay 
 might hear, asking him if he had delivered Moreau 
 the bread as he liad ordered him. The son an- 
 swers, No ; the father in a rnge scolds him for Iris 
 neglect ; his anger prevented all mistrast. He 
 goes for the bread to his house at Royan, and at 
 the same moment confides liis secret to the pilot, 
 who was going to bring back tlie dotuiniers. They 
 then agreed that they would board the ship at the 
 same time, he on one side, and Taudin on the 
 other; and while the dmoaniers came down into 
 the boat, M. de la llochejaquelein and M. Quey- 
 riaux slipped on board the ship on the other side. 
 Their passage was rapid ; in twenty-two hours 
 they were at the entrance of the harbour of Pass- 
 age. A violent gale had come on ; several vessels 
 perished a few hours after within sight of land ; 
 however, Moreau succeeded in getting in. M. de 
 la Rochejaquelein found Lord Dalhousie at Ren- 
 teria, and they entrusted him with the object of 
 their voyage. He received them with the greatest 
 attention, made them the most obliging offers, and 
 even pressed them to accept of money. M. de la 
 Rochejaquelein only begged to be conducted to the 
 Due d'Angouleme, who was at St Jean de Luz. 
 Lord Dalhousie had no horses, but he ordered two 
 soldiers to conduct them, who marched with them 
 the whole night. They went immediately to the 
 Prince ; he had only arrived about a fortnight be- 
 fore, under the name of the Count de Pradelles, 
 accompanied by Count Etienne de Damas. Lord 
 Wellington had already paid him his respects (Jiom- 
 mages.) The mayor of St Jean de Luz, and the 
 inhabitants of some small neighbomdng parishes, 
 were the only Frenchmen that had yet made known
 
 RESTORATION OF THE KING. 865 
 
 to him their sentiments and wishes. As soon as 
 he learnt the plans at Bordeaux, the situation of La 
 Vendee, and the general state of opinions, his he^rt 
 once more opened to hope, and he declared that 
 nothing should again induce him to quit the soil 
 of that France where he still found so many faith- 
 ful subjects, and that he would rather perish among 
 them than ever quit them more. He informed 
 these gentlemen that Monsieur was in Switzerland, 
 and the Due de Berri at the island of Jersey, en- 
 deavouring, like himself, to penetrate into France. 
 The Due de Guiche was ordered to conduct the 
 travellers to the head-quarters of Lord Wellington, 
 then at Garitz. That illustrious general received 
 them very well. He had, from the first, shown 
 himself very favom-ably inclined to the cause of 
 the House of Bourbon. But when England and 
 the Allies consented, or seemed at least still will- 
 ing to consent, to treat with Buonaparte, Lord Wel- 
 lington could no longer lend his assistance to any 
 decided step in favour of the Princes. Besides, he 
 had fallen into the common error of foreigners, and 
 did not believe the people of France so favourably 
 inclined to their cause as they really were. He 
 had before him the French army, commanded by 
 an able general, and this was the main object to 
 which his views must of course be directed. Such 
 were the objections which M. de la Rochejaquelein 
 had to overcome ; and, although urged with all 
 possible respect for the Princes, and even with re- 
 gret, they were not the less strong nor reasonable. 
 M. de la Rochejaquelein first required that Bor- 
 deaux should be occupied, promising that the city 
 would declare for the King. Then, that a power- 
 ful division might be eflPected in favour of Bor- 
 2 H 2
 
 366 MEASURES FOR THE 
 
 deaux, he requested one or two vessels, with only 
 a few hundred men, to land in the night on the 
 coast of Poitou, to escort him a few leagues into 
 the country, and leave him there, and immediate- 
 ly retire and re-emhark, which would attract the 
 attention of the troops, and enable him to pursue 
 his route. Lord Wellington told him positively, 
 that he could dispose of no troops for an expedi- 
 tion which his government liad not authorised. M. 
 de la Rochejaquelein was then obliged, for the pre- 
 sent, to renounce his project of penetrating into 
 La Vendee ; the coast being everywhere guaided 
 with the most scrupulous exactness by the dou- 
 aniers. 
 
 Lord Wellington determined to march forward. 
 M. de la Rochejaquelein had the honour of follow- 
 ing him the next, as far as the passage of Gave 
 d'Oleron. He then returned to the Duke. He 
 arrived at the same time with MM. Okely and de 
 Beausset, deputies from Thoulouse, who came to 
 offer him the services of that city; — he heard at 
 the same moment of the battle of Orthez. He im- 
 mediately set out for head-quarters. M. de la 
 Rochejaquelein followed, and M. Queyriaux went 
 on to Bordeaux, to acquaint the council* with the 
 success of their journey, and to cairy the Prince's 
 proclamation. He made his way through the midst 
 of conscripts, and the people whom the battle of 
 Orthez had put to flight. 
 
 The Duke sent the Count de Damas to sound 
 the disposition of the city of Pau ; he ran a thou- 
 
 * The royal Council was composed of MM. TafFard, 
 livnch, de (rombauld, dc Rudos, Alexandre de Lur Saluces, 
 de Pommiers, Queyriaux -alne, and Luetkens.
 
 RESTORATION OF THE KING. 367 
 
 sand risks in his journey, and obtained no satis- 
 faction. 
 
 M. Bontemps du Barri had set out in the morn- 
 ing, sent by M. Taffard to inform Lord Wellington 
 that the city was without defence, and that they 
 ardently washed for the presence of the Due d'An- 
 gouleme. — This information decided Lord Welling- 
 ton ; he ordered Marshal Beresford with three di- 
 visions to advance upon Bordeaux. M. Bontemps 
 instantly returned to give an account of his mission. 
 He encountered many dangers between St Sever 
 and Bordeaux; and only extricated himself by his 
 extreme courage and presence of mind. 
 
 The English army marched the next morning ; 
 and INI. de la Rochejaquelein, who was with the 
 advanced guard, went to receive the last orders of 
 his Royal Highness, who told him, that Lord Wel- 
 lington, whom he had just quitted, was still per- 
 suaded that Bordeaux would not dare to declare it- 
 self. M. de la Rochejaquelein then assured him, 
 that Bordeaux would undoubtedly make the move- 
 ment, and that he would answer for it with his 
 head ; and only asked permission to precede the 
 English thirty-six hours. " You are then verysure 
 of it ? " " As sure as I can be of any human event." 
 
 The Prince then replied with warmth, "Go on, 
 then ; I confide in you !" 
 
 M. de la Rochejaquelein continued with the light 
 troops till they reached Langon ; he then went to 
 the house of M. Alex, de Saluces, at Preignac, from 
 thence M. de Valens acted as his guide to the city. 
 Through detachments of the French troops and gen- 
 darmes, he arrived at Bordeaux at ten o'clock in 
 the evening of the 10th of March. He learned that 
 the council had just sent to beg Maishal Beresford
 
 368 MEASURES FOR THE 
 
 to delay his movement, that they might have more 
 time to prepare the minds of the people, and to 
 concert measures for uniting the royalists of tlie 
 neighbourhood with those of the city. M. de la 
 Rochejaquelein warmly opposed this delay, and urged 
 the danger of giving time for reflection to the weak 
 and timid, assuring them, that the sudden bent of 
 the royalists would be instantly followed by a spon- 
 taneous movement throughout the city. They adopt- 
 ed his opinion, and MM. Luetkens, Francois Quey- 
 riaux, Valens, d'Estienne, and de Canolle, were suc- 
 cessively sent to meet the Prince and the English, 
 and entreat them to hasten their mai'ch. 
 
 During this time all the superior authorities quit- 
 ted the city. 
 
 At last on the 12th, at eight in the morning, all 
 was prepared for the reception of the Due d'An- 
 gouleme ; they assembled at the Hotel de Ville. 
 The English hussars had already begun to enter the 
 city. Some inconvenience was apprehended from 
 their thus appearing, before the inhabitants were 
 fully acquainted with what was about to follow. 
 M. de la Rochejaquelein mounted hastily on horse- 
 back, with M. de Pontac, and went to meet Mar- 
 shal Beresford, to beg he would call back the hus- 
 sars, that the royalists' movement might be made 
 before the arrival of the English. The Maishal 
 agreed to it, and he remained with him. M. de 
 Puysegur stayed at the Hotel de Ville, to proclaim 
 the King there ; at the same moment it was done 
 at the outside of the gates. The royal guards were 
 ordered out on the road with their arms concealed. 
 The chiefs openly followed the cavalcade of the mu- 
 nicipality. M. Lynch was in a carriage ; he quit- 
 ted it when out of the city, and said to the Mar-
 
 RESTORATION OF THE KING. 369 
 
 shal, that if he entered the city as a conqueror, he 
 should allow him to take the keys, having no means 
 to defend them ; but that if he came in the name of 
 the King of France, and his ally the King of Eng- 
 land, he should deliver them to him with joy. The 
 Marsiial answered, " That his orders were to oc- 
 cupy and protect the city, and that he might act as 
 he thought proper." INI. L\Tich immediately cried, 
 " Vive le JRoif"* and mounted the white cockade. 
 The whole royal guai'd did the same. At the same 
 moment the white flag appeai'ed floating from the 
 steeple of St Michael, where it had been deposited 
 the evening before. The news was quickly spread 
 among the royalists, and those who, from curiosity^ 
 had followed M. Ljnich, that the Due d'Angou- 
 leme would arrive in the com-se of the day. Then 
 the cries of Vive le Boi ! became imiversal ; every 
 one put white paper in his hat, and ran through 
 the street, announcing the unexpected intelligence. 
 When, about an horn* after, the Due de Guiche an- 
 nounced the Due d'Angouleme, joy and surprise 
 animated every heart ; all danger was forgotten. 
 The whole city flocked round MM. Lynch, Taf- 
 fard, &c. ; — almost everyone fell on their knees, and 
 the common people cried out, *' He is of our own 
 blood !" They were eager to touch his clothes, or 
 liis horse ; he was carried along by the crowd to 
 the Cathedral, where the Archbishop was waiting 
 
 • It ought not to be forgotten, that the evening before, iixQ 
 people of the little town of Bazas cried out Vive U Roi^ 
 without knowing whetlier Bordeaux would do the same, — and 
 that as soon as the Prince appeared, and indeed in spite of 
 him, for his goodness made him fear the royalists might be 
 compromised by partial movement
 
 370 MEASURES FOR THE 
 
 for him. He was for some time separated from Ins 
 suite, and nearly suffocated by the pressure. I had 
 not the satisfaction of enjoying tliat spectacle; I Iwd 
 remained in the country. It happened to be the 
 very day (the 12th of March) on which the war of 
 La Vendee had broke out, twenty-one years before ; 
 and I was so deeply moved by the recollections of 
 that period, that I was quite overcome, and conti- 
 nued in a kind of stupor for above thirty hours. 
 
 M. de la Rochejaquelein asked permission of the 
 Duke to raise a corps of cavahy. It was impos- 
 sible for the Prince to obtain funds for the pay of 
 troops, the country had been so ruined and drain- 
 ed by repeated requisitions, and the public chests 
 all carried off. Tliis cavalry was then necessarily 
 composed of volunteers, equipped at their own ex- 
 pense. MM. Roger, Fran9ois de Gombauld, and 
 de la Marthonie, also obtained leave to raise com- 
 panies ; but M. de la Rochejaquelein, always look- 
 ing upon himself as destined to fight in La Vendee, 
 would only accept the command provisionally. 
 
 One of the first objects of the English was to 
 get possession of the mouth of the river, and esta- 
 blish communication with both banks, to secure 
 themselves from the attack of a pretty numerous 
 flotilla which had been hastily fitted out, and con- 
 tinually menaced Medoc and even Bordeaux. A 
 courier was dispatched for St Jean de Luz, with 
 orders to the English squadron ; but it was thought 
 these orders might arrive sooner by sending them 
 from the little port of La Teste. Lord Dalhousie 
 entnisted his dispatches to MM. Eugene de Salu- 
 ces, Failles, and Moreau. La Teste had been oc- 
 cupied on the 12th of March by a post of infantry, 
 and three hundred chosen men of the national
 
 RESTORATION OF THE KIXG. 871 
 
 guards. MM, de Manleon and de Mallet de Roque- 
 fort, who commanded them last, made them take 
 the white cockade. They found some resistance 
 from the inhabitants and the troops of the line ; 
 they ran the gi'eatest risks, and their firmness alone 
 saved them. They brought with them to Bor- 
 deaux a great part of the national guards, and of 
 the detachment of infantry ; the rest had gone to 
 join the French troops that were at Blaye. How- 
 ever, M. de Saluces and his companions found they 
 could not embark at La Teste as they had expect- 
 ed. The mayor and some of the inhabitants op- 
 posed their de2)arture, and they were obliged to re- 
 turn to Bordeaux. His Royal Highness then or- 
 dered M. de la Rochejaquelein to proceed to La 
 Teste with two hundred and fifty Englishmen, a 
 party of the national guards under M. de Mallet, 
 and some volunteers. The inhabitants were at first 
 much alarmed ; but as they knew M. de la Roche- 
 jaquelein, who was charged by the Piince to treat 
 them with kindnes^ and indulgence, everj'thing 
 passed amicably. The three most mutinous were 
 merely put in prison for a few days. My husband 
 remained a week there, occupying himself in ex- 
 tending the authority of the King along the coast, 
 dissipating the prejudices of the inhabitants, and 
 collecting powder and battering caimon to send to 
 Bordeaux. 
 
 A few days after. Lord Dalhousie set out to at- 
 tack St Andre de Cubzac and Blaye. He propo- 
 sed to M. de la Rochejaquelein to go with him, 
 on account of his knowledge of the people and 
 the country, and in the hope that he might be able 
 to establish some communication with the interior, 
 and especially with La Vendee. His company of
 
 372 MEASURES FOR THE 
 
 volunteers wished to follow liiin, but Lord Dal- 
 housie would not permit them. They encountered 
 the French ti-oops at Etauliers ; they were inferior 
 in number, and were repulsed. 
 
 My husband took advantap^e of the passing of 
 the river to send back M. de Menard, a gentleman 
 from the neighbourhood of Lu9on, who had come 
 tlu*ough a thousand dangers, to take the orders of 
 the Prince for La V^endee. He was arrested at 
 Saintes, but saved by General llivaux, who was a 
 royalist at heart. He airived in La Vendee, and 
 instantly began to arrange the insunection ; but 
 the news from Paris rendered his efforts unne- 
 cessary. 
 
 Some hours after the combat at Etauliers, M. 
 Bascher anived, whom my husband had seen among 
 the guards of honour. He had deserted at Troies, 
 and hid himself in the house of a relation near 
 Nantes, where he had met M. de Suzannet, who 
 sent liim to M. de la Rochejaquelein. He came to 
 announce that all was ready in the west, where the 
 ardour of the peasants daily increased, and that the 
 tocsin would be sounded the week after Easter. 
 Our ancient army was anxious to have M. de la 
 Kochejaquelein to command them. They wanted 
 fifteen thousand muskets, and, above all, powder, 
 of which they had absolutely none. No troops 
 were wanted to land those articles, as the country 
 would be up in arms before they arrived. 
 
 M. Bascher had run great risks in this mission ; 
 he had been pursued, and only escaped through the 
 disorder of the Frencli troops. My husband im- 
 mediately sent him to the Prince. 
 
 Lord Dalhousie returned to Bordeaux, to pre- 
 pare for the attack on the citadel of Blaye. Ad-
 
 RESTORATION OF THE KING. 373 
 
 miral Penrose having forced the passage of the ri- 
 ver, had already begun the bombardment from that 
 side. M. Deluc, the mayor of the town, had, on 
 the 13th March, sent to his Royal Highness to as- 
 sure liim of his attachment ; and had made eiForts, 
 but in vain, to induce the garrison to surrender. 
 
 In the meantime, they were not without uneasi- 
 ness at Bordeaux. A strong French division was 
 advancing by Perigueux ; the English were not 
 numerous ; and at that time they did not know that 
 the Marquis of Buckingham, as soon as the insur- 
 rection at Bordeaux was known, had obtained per- 
 mission to embark with 5000 English militia to 
 defend that city. But a contrary wind prevented 
 them from entering the Gironde ; and although the 
 ardour of the royalists daily augmented, there had 
 not been time to form a sufficient number of French 
 corps. The Prince became more and more beloved. 
 He went every day to visit the military posts, ac- 
 companied only by two or three persons, always 
 going slowly through the streets in the midst of a 
 crowd, who, charmed with his goodness and confi- 
 dence in them, never ceased shouting, " Vive le 
 Roi I Vive le Due d'Angouleme I" They were 
 electrified by the idea that he exposed himself to 
 60 many dangers for his love to France. There 
 was not one but would have given his life for him. 
 Count Etienne de Damas set a noble example. He 
 will be ever dear to the people of Bordeaux, for 
 his affability and the indefatigable zeal with which 
 he laboured night and day in the service of the 
 Prince, Every one felt encouraged by the prospect 
 of the insurrection in the west, which was on the 
 point of breaking out. Lord Dalhousie, who show- 
 ed equal skill and attachment to the Piince, con- 
 2i
 
 374 LOUIS XVIII. RESTORED. 
 
 sented to everytliing which could facilitate that 
 movement. 
 
 The 13th of April was the day fixed for the de- 
 parture of M. de la Rochejaquelein ; his company 
 of volunteers were to follow him. He obtained 
 the powder and arms that were wanted. A mes- 
 senger was sent to Jersey to the Due de Bern, 
 who was impatient to throw himself into LaVendee. 
 
 We were in the midst of these agitations of hope 
 and fear, when, on the 10th of April, (Easter,) at 
 four o'clock, a courier arrived, bringing the intel- 
 ligence that the King had been acknowledged at 
 Paris, and that all was over. It is impossible to 
 describe the general intoxication of joy ; the whole 
 city were in a state of enthusiasm. The Due d'An- 
 gouleme bestowed the most flattering recompense 
 on M. de la Rochejaquelein,* by confiding to him 
 his dispatches for Monsieur at Pai'is, and request- 
 ing him to go and receive the orders of the King. 
 He anived at Calais a few minutes before his Ma- 
 jesty. When the Due de Duras named him, the 
 King said, " It is to him I owe the movement of 
 my good city of Bordeaux." He held out his hand 
 to M. de la Rochejaquelein, who threw himself at 
 his feet. 
 
 • M. de la Rochejaquelein was killed in June (1815), a 
 few days before the battle of Waterloo, at the head of the 
 new Vendeen amiy raised to oppose Buonaparte. 
 
 THE END. 
 
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