Then on the 14th, Cathelineau. took the village of
Chemille defended by 200 Republicans. In the 15th,
reinforced by several new bands of insurgents and knowing
that the city of Cholet had an insufficient garrison, he
decided to attack. The majority of his followers were
peasants in wood clogs, armed with forks, scythe, etc. but
among them were fine hunters and smugglers. About 500
Republicans came out of the city
and a violent combat developed. The Republicans were
overwhelmed and retreated in the city, closely followed by
the Vendeans. There the revolt found weapons,
ammunition and even a gun promptly called "La
MarieJeanne" and promptly added to "Le Missionaire".
Easter was close, and these insurgents simply went
home. But the revolt had spread to the Marais
[7] (the country
around Machecoul) and by March 13, the Vendee was in
full open revolt. As early as the 10, the peasants had taken
over the town where they decided to massacre their
enemies. They set up a tribunal to judge the captured
Republicans over which Charette,
[8] a new leader
,presided. Over five weeks they massacred their prisoners
until all the Republicans, men and women, were killed.
These massacres had set a barbarous trend that was going
to be followed by both sides. So was the beginning of the
Vendean insurrection. It would be unfair to claim that all
the Royalists agreed to the massacres. To many of the
Royalists who took the sword only to reinstate the king,
these excess were horrible and unacceptable but the trend
had been set and terrible acts of cruelties were to take
place on both sides. This produced martyrs for the
government whose sacrifice was fully exploited by
republican propagandists.
The most famous was Le petit Bara, a little drummer
boy captured by the Vendeans and offered his freedom (by
legend) if he would shout "Vive le Roi!". He refused, and
was shot, shouting "Vive la Republique!"
Thousands of words were printed about him, and prints
depicting his death were circulated throughout France.
"Only a Republic" said Robespierre "can produce a hero of
thirteen."
In 1793, the Vendean country, the bocage, offered an
admirable field for the insurrection for it was covered by
woods and intersected by thick hedges and deep ditches
while the poor, primitive narrow roads just wide enough to
accommodate the peasants' carts were badly marked and
difficult for strangers to use. A military convoy had
difficulties in covering more than 10 miles in a day. How
could troops be deployed in such country? In the south, in
the marais, the conditions were even more favorable to
guerrilla warfare.
The Vendean tactics were simple. They fought in
three bodies. The front line was composed of their elite
sharpshooters, the gamekeepers, the smugglers and
poachers, armed with the double barreled muskets which
they could shoot so well. That first line spread out as
skirmishers, some along the front, some on the flanks and
on the rear of the "Blues". They moved rapidly behind the
hedges in an attempt to outflank their foes.
Then in the second line, came the best armed of the
peasants, brave men who charged when the front line had
done its work. Then in rear, in the third line, were the less
well armed, often accompanied by priests, women and even
children. Whether the Republican stood in selected
positions or advanced in the narrow
roads on which they could only move three abreast (like
Marce's column), a line of fire suddenly swept on their
flanks, while blood-curling yells ringing all along the line
told on the nerves of the soldiers, who often could not
even see their enemies. If the Republicans gave way or
wavered, the mass of the Vendeans poured over them.
Were the peasants defeated, they vanished into thin air. As
in all guerrilla wars in which the local people held the
countryside, the Vendean scouts infested the roads and the
countryside, while the Republicans seldom knew anything
of their enemies until they struck.
If the insurgents [9] who had taken Cholet went home for Easter, the
rest of the West was in full insurgency. On March 15, the
town of Chantenay was taken and pillaged. Verteuil, the
commander of the 12th Division militaire, decided to act. He
ordered Brigadier-General Marce with 1200 men of the line
to head for Santenay. At St. Hermine, he was reinforced by
some National Guards and a detachment of chasseurs and
grenadiers from the city of Niort including two guns.
With his small army now including 2400 and 9 guns,
Marce set directly for Santenay which on its approach the
insurgents abandoned. He moved toward St. Fulgent, was
stopped by the destruction of a small wooden bridge,
repaired it and moved on. On March 17, the insurgents
faced him on the heights of Chantenay. Three round shots
dispersed them and Marce continued his forward march.
On the 17th at 4 in the afternoon, the small army
entered rugged country and miry sunken roads close to the
Castle of the Oie. The peasants hidden in the woods let
Maille's artillery enter defiles where it became useless and
screaming opened a deadly fire on the Republican columns
which could neither deploy nor defend themselves. No
country has yet produced sharpshooters as good as the
Loroux hunters or the poachers of the Marais. Every shot
hit its mark. The night increased the confusion. The
Republicans broke and took to their heels throwing away
their weapons and knapsacks. They arrived at St. Hermine
but continued their flight to La Rochelle. That gave away
some twenty leagues of grounds and abandoned Fontenay,
Niort and Luqon to the Vendeans.
Blinded by their own orations on the liberty they
professed to have won, the Republicans were at a lost on
how to contain the Vendean uprising and could not
understand how a whole population with few men who
could be called aristocrats could fight to restore the
Monarchy. The central government in Paris was much too
involved in republican rhetoric
[10] and the
parliament much too busy in fighting among themselves to
face the everyday problems of France. Understanding of
the local problems in the Vendee would have averted the
revolt in that department. The excess of the Republican
rhetoric finally led to Robespierre's dictatorship and the
reign of the Terror. As it will be seen, the Vendean rebellion
was treated with complete intransigence by the Paris
government and its Representatives. It was only after the
fall of Robespierre in July 24, 1794, that some sanity was
slowly restored to deal with the Vendean problem.
Several armies existed in the West but none were
strong enough to deal with the uprising. In 1793, these
armies were mostly composed of volunteers and National
guards and some poorly led by incapable generals like
Rossignol, whose qualifications were purely political. The
theory was that a good republican sans-culotte
[11] could do
anything and that military competence was not necessary.
The armies "Nord" and "Ardennes" hard pressed by the
Allies were required to send to the Vendee six men of each
company of regulars and of volunteers of the first levy. But
that measure was not sufficient and, as it will be seen later,
the balance only tilted in favor of the Republicans after
Kleber reinforced Canclaux with the seasoned garrison of
Mainz.
The early Vendean victories and the capture of
convoys gradually furnished the revolts with everything
they needed: guns, muskets, ammunitions, food etc.. The
Vendeans, in time, captured four hundred guns on the left
bank of the Loire alone. In addition, the ranks of the
insurgents was increased by the desertion of some
seasoned soldiers that significantly boosted their military
values.
The taking of Saumur is worth commenting. The city
had a Division composed mostly of volunteers of the worst
kind completely undisciplined under the com mand of Santerre a notorious sans culotte. These were
reinforced by good troops like the 35th Legion de
Gendartnerie. General Byron during an inspection called
the volunteers "a collection of men". That was a sarcastic
compliment. One of the Representative even feared that the
better troops would fire on Santerre's men. All attempts to
discipline or drill the volunteers were opposed by Santerre.
On June 9th, the Vendeans 25,000 to 30,000 strong
attacked. Menou was given the command of the Division.
Berthier commanded the 1200 infantrymen of the Line (they
were the only regulars of the Division). Santerre led a
column with his volunteers.
At first Berthier pushed back the enemies but on the
other parts of the battlefield, some of the volunteers
battalions ran at the sight of the Vendeans. General
Coustard's life was threatened by his own men as he
ordered them to attack. As a last resource, Berthier and
Menou decided to use the cavalry but at the moment of
charging the men cried 'treason' and bolted. The
Republicans were in full rout. The victorious Vendeans
poured into Saumur shouting "Vive le Roi!".
They took 8,000 prisoners and 48 guns. The
Republicans had 2000 dead. Santerre who had been
preaching insubordination to his volunteers could not
believe what had happened. He had not meant that. But the
Revolution had to learn the hard way that only disciplined
soldiers could win battle and that insubordination did not
equate liberte. Some of these Republicans did not rally until
they reached Tour, La Fleche or Angers.
On June 12, Cathelineau was appointed commander
in chief. Crossing the Loire River, he marched east seizing
Angers (June 18) but failed to capture the important city of
Nantes which would have allowed receiving British aid. In
the fighting Cathelineau was mortally wounded. There
followed two months of confused fighting during which the
Vendeans, falling back to Chatillon-sur-Sevres elected
d'Elbee [12]
as their commander. The death of Cathelineau was to
have serious consequences. A series of victories by the
combined army of the Vendeans and Chouans was not
followed upbecause of disagreements between the
insurgent leaders. The unity of command of the Vendean
army had disappeared.
On August 1, 1793, the Committee of Public Safety in
Paris decreed that the Vendee should be devastated [13]
and sent reinforcements including troops commanded by
Kleber released from the garrison of Mainz [14]
and Valenciennes.
In October, Charette withdrew his Vendean forces
(about 40,000) to the west coast of Vendee called the
Marais, greatly weakening the insurgents cause. On
October 17, the Vendean army was severely defeated at
Cholet where Bonchamps, Lescure and d'Elbee were fatally
wounded. The army about 60,000 strong fled north across
the Loire, leaving only a few thousands men under Charette
to continue resistance in the Vendee. Against the advice of
their new commander, the comte de la Rochejacquelin [15] , the Vendeans marched north to raise the Cotentin. At
that point, the main Vendean army numbered 60,000 but
consisted of only 30,000 well armed men. In addition, the
army was followed by a disorganized multitude of women,
children, elderlies, priests, monks and nuns. There were
some 1500 horses, 600 carts of all sorts, 22 full caissons, 30
guns and quantities of ammunitions but food was in short
supply.
That army was far from being the victorious,
enthusiastic mob of the previous weeks but still capable of
defeating the Republicans. The road from Chateau-Gonthier
to Laval was blocked by the Republican vanguard
commanded by Beaupuy and supported by Kleber's
Division followed by Chalbos' Division. The "Blues'"
vanguard composed of 4,000 elite soldiers captured a small
hill that dominated the enemy position and the combat
started shortly afterward. L'Echelle, the army commander,
ordered his troops to advance and to deploy on both sides
of the road. The Republicans had a clear position
advantage since the Vendeans could not advance without
coming under the fire of a strong battery established on the
hill captured by the Republican vanguard.
So, the main Vendean effort was directed against that
battery which was promptly captured and its guns turned
against the "Blues". The battery was judged so important
by La Rochejacquelin that he, and some of lieutenants,
remained there pushing the guns against the Republicans
as they retreated. It resulted in a complete route of the
Republicans. Madame de la Rochejacquelin in her memoirs
says that the victory was due to splendid courage and
tenacity [16] of that attack.
At Fougeres, after the promised help from England
was taken in consideration, [17] it was decided to attempted
the capture of a seaport. The situation of the Royal and
Catholic army was not bright but it continued unopposed
its progression to the north. On November 10, the army
entered Dol and two day after Avranches, where all the
followers and baggage were left.
On November 13, at the news of the Vendean advance
part of the garrison of Granville was sent to observe the
revolts. Those troops were quickly repulsed and pursued to
Granville. The suburbs were quickly captured. However, the
Royal army had not even a single axe, or a ladder available
but could have easily forced the primitive fortifications
which consisted only of wooden palisades. Instead, the
attackers engaged themselves in a useless fire fight with
the defenders and lost heavily. At night fall, 400 Vendeans
remained in the suburbs and the rest went foraging in the
countryside.
The next morning some artillery pieces were put in
battery on the heights around the city and an attack was
prepared along a beach left exposed at low tide.
Unfortunately, two small ships arrived from St.Malo and
with their artillery repulsed the attack. Help from the English
from Jersey was expected but did not materialize. On the
order of a Representative by the name of Lecarpentier fire
was set the suburbs. Suddenly, a violent wind rose and for
a while it was feared that the flames would set the city
ablaze. The suburbs could not be held and the Vendeans
occupying them came quickly out and, without orders
began to withdraw. According to Blanc, it was a strange
sight to see some 20,000 men retreating across the fields
toward the road to Avranches. They covered 24 kilometers
in 4 hours!
At Avranches La Rochejacquelin tried to convince
his army to go further into Normandy. He did so, and
followed by the Stoffet and the bravest ones, he advanced
toward Ville-Dieu which was promptly captured and
pillaged. But almost immediately he had to go back to
Avranches to control a sedition that had taken place in his
army. The Vendeans were to the point. They would not go
any further in Normandy and wanted to return to the
Vendee. So, the next day, the retreat began. The Republican
army had reorganized but the command was left to the
incompetent Rossignol [18]
who was defeated at Dol and had to retreat on Rennes
while the Vendeans marched south to Mayenne and Laval
for the Loire.
After failing to capture Angers on December 3, the
Vendeans turned east. They managed to capture Le Mans
and pillaged the city. But they were attacked, overtaken
and defeated at Le Mans on December 12 by Hoche's
forces. Trying to recross the Loire to reenter the Vendee,
they were finally crushed at Savenay on December 23.
General warfare was now at an end and the region
might have been pacified at that early date if not for the
extreme measures of the Republican commander General
Turreau, who was carrying out the scorched earth policy
with his "colonnes infernales". No less that 8 columns were
to scour the country, removing all grains, etc. and burning
all villages, farms and houses, as decreed on August 10.
The bayonets were to end all the rebels found. But the
killing was not limited to the rebels. Women, girls and
children taken with the rebels were to receive the same
treatment. Suspects were not to be spared.
January 24, 1794 saw the beginning of this work
worse than the drowning of the Vendeans prisoners at
Nantes. That terrible business was carried on. In the reports
one can read: "Bayoneted about 30 suspects of both sexes"
and "Have done the same to about 20 men and women
convicted (in a most summary way) of participating in the
troubles."
At Bellenoue the wife of Joseph Vrigonneau far
advanced in pregnancy was killed with two of the women
children, beside the children of Pierre Lejean, with their
mother and also six other women. How the regular soldiers
felt about these sordid massacres? Alexandre Dumas, (the
father of the famous author) expressed the opinion of
almost all real officers when he said that they would have
blown their brains out rather than execute such orders.
[19]
After Savenay, things had quieted down in Vendee,
but the activity of the "colonnes infernales" provoked
further guerrilla warfare. It should be realized that because
of the broad interpretation of "suspect" no one was safe in
the country not even the truest patriots such as the
officials of the villages, National Guards, men who had
fought the Vendeans.
With the recall of Turreau [20]
(May 1794) and the fall of Robespierre in July 1794, a
more conciliatory policy was adopted by the new
government. In December 1794, the new government, the
Directory, announced an amnesty. Hoche was now in
command of the armies of the West and even the most
stubborn of the Representatives, perhaps because of the
excess of Turreau became anxious to come to term with the
Vendeans.
On February 17, 1795, the Convention of La Jaunay
signed by Charette for the Vendeans and General Canclaux
for the Republicans granted the Vendee freedom from
conscription, liberty of worship, and some 20 millions in
indemnities for losses.
On April 20, the Royalists, i.e. "the Chouans" of
Brittany under Cormartin signed the Convention of La
Prevalaye.
Practically the Vendeans were left triumphant, for
though they recognized the republic, they obtained most
every thing they had fought for. They had hoped to restore
the King but the Monarchy was lost. The fall of
Robespierre gave hope for a sensible government in the
future. They even retained a force of 2000 armed men, the
"Territorial Guard" (garde territorial). Such a force, as both
Grouchy and Hoche saw, gave a nucleus around which a
fresh army of insurgents could be build up. Much to the
disgust of Grouchy, when Stoffet, the last of the Vendean
leaders to come to terms with the Republicans, he too was
allowed a "Territorial Guard" of 2000 men.
In fact, the Vendeans had established their own
kingdom inside France and committed some excesses. It
was only a matter of time before things got worse and the
first pacification of the Vendee was to be of short duration.
The Chouans had been active again for sometime and
the arrest of their leaders began. Charette pushed by the
Bourbons who promised English help, again took arms on
June 25, 1796 and the Vendee was once more set ablaze.
These time the English helped and on June 27, landed an
emigres force of 3,500 at Quiberon Bay in Brittany. But the
forces landed can be called "too little, too late". On July 21,
the unfortunate emigres were decisively defeated by
General Hoche. [21]
The eventual capture and execution of Stoffet in
February 1796 and Charette in March ended the struggle. In
June 1796 Hoche announced that the West had been
pacified. At least the cause of the Vendee had receded to
near extinction.
Subsequent, though smaller royalist risings in the
Vendee occurred in 1799. Not until Bonaparte's policy of
religious pacification finalized by the Concordat [22]
of 1801 with Rome did the region know real peace.
The Vendee was to raise again during the Hundred
Days and the suppression of the new uprising there
occupied a large corps of Napoleon's army that was sorely
missed at Waterloo and may have made the difference. But
that is another story.
Conscription was reinstated in the Vendee in 1803.
La Vendee Napoleonic French Rebellion 1793
The open revolt did not start in La Vendee. On March
10, 1793, on the day of the decreed levy, the insurrection
spontaneously bursted out at several points. In Anjou,
3000 men of the district of St. Florentin ask to be exempted
to serve in the militia. A few Republicans marched toward
them, the gendarmes arrived, a gun was deployed. But far
from giving up, the peasants ran
to the gun, captured it and turned it against the
Republicans who took to their heels. Not far from there, in
the Vendee, in the village of Pin-en-Mauge, a quiet 40 year
old man by the name of Cathelineau
[5]
was raising his five children. He was told about the affair at
St. Florentin and immediately assembled his friends and
immediately led them to Jallais where there was a small
Republican outpost. The tocsin
[6] sounded in all the
surrounding villages and Cathelineau's party constantly
increased in size. The post was taken and a gun captured
which to the delight of the peasants was called "Le
Missionaire " (i.e. The Missionary).
The early peasant leaders, Cathelineau, Bourdic and
Stoffet were now joined by the royalist nobles such as the
marquis de Bonchamps, Gigot d'Elbee, Charette, and later
by the famous comte de la Rochejacquelin. In May, the
rebels (about 30,000) took Thouars, Partenay and Fontenay.
Their army, until then called "the catholic army" was
changed to "the catholic and royal army", on June 9, took
Saumur and headed north.
In September, Carrier entered the Republican
stronghold of Nantes and began to deal with Royalists, and
Girondins already imprisoned there and newly captured
Vendean rebels. The overflowing prisons induced him to
carry the infamous noyades (mass drownings). He was
congratulated by the government!
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