Battle of Cholet
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Cholet was fought on 17 October 1793 during the French Revolutionary Wars
, between French Republican forces
under General Léchelle
and French Royalist Forces
under Louis d'Elbée
. The battle was fought in the town of Cholet
in the Maine-et-Loire
department of France, and resulted in a Republican victory. D’Elbée was wounded and captured; he was later executed by Republican troops
in Noirmoutier. The Royalist insurgent, Charles Melchior Artus de Bonchamps
, was fatally wounded in the battle.
, beaten at the battle of La Tremblaye
, with neither ammunition nor artillery, had evacuated Cholet
to take up positions in Beaupréau
. The republican avant-garde, commanded by Beaupuy
, entered in the town square by the south and moved through the town to settle on the high grounds north of the town. Kléber
then deployed the remainder of his troops by positioning the divisions of Beaupuy and Haxo on the left flank of the château de La Treille, and those of Louis Vimeux on the right flank of the château de Bois-Grolleau.
As for François Séverin Marceau-Desgraviers
, who had just been promoted brigadier general
after the Battle of La Tremblaye
, he occupied the center with general Marc Scherb, in front of the Papinière moorland
where the terrain was open. Kléber informed Jean Léchelle
of the situation, who was the chief general of the Army of the West, and he approved. The military competence of Léchelle were known to be null, most of the representatives had agreed to unofficially entrust the commandment to Kléber.
That evening, the commissioners Pierre Bourbotte, René-Pierre Choudieu, Fayaud and Bellegarde arrived which brought the number of representatives in Cholet
to seven considering Antoine Merlin de Thionville, Jean-Baptiste Carrier
and Louis Turreau were already there. The republican forces waited again for a reinforcement of 10,000 men of the general Chalbos
before pushing further to the north and towards Beaupréau
, but they arrived during the night.
offered to divide the army in three columns and to march to Saint-Florent-le-Vieil
, Gesté
and Beaupréau
in order to surround the Vendéen army and cut it from the Loire
and the road to Nantes
. The strategy was approved by the generals from Mayenne
, by Marceau
and by Merlin de Thionville, however a few other representatives and officers, particularly Chalbos
, were against it. Chalbos thought the troops were too tired and the other officers were against dividing the army. Kléber's plan was rejected and the counsel opted for an undivided march to Beaupréau
.
, the Vendéen officers were as divided as the former during the war counsel held at noon on 16 October. Bonchamps
offered to have his Breton
soldiers pass the Loire
to start an uprising in Brittany
and get reinforcements. Talmont, d'Autichamp
and Donissan wanted the whole army to go. On the other hand, d'Elbée
, La Rochejaquelein
and Stofflet
refused to leave Vendée
. As for Royrand, he wished to try to breach enemy lines by the west in order to meet with Charette
's army.
Finally, an attack on Cholet
was decided and the army started its march. Nonetheless, Talmont was allowed to leave for Saint-Florent-le-Vieil
with 4,000 men to take Varades
.
In early afternoon of 17 October, the Vendéen army regrouped and strong of 40,000 men started the offensive on republican lines north of Cholet
. Rapidly it managed to push back Beaupuy
's first lines to the Papinière moorlands. The Vendéens then burnt down the brooms
, creating a huge amount of smoke which prevented the republican artillery from aiming correctly.
The Vendéens advanced in formation like regular troops, in three tight lines, which contrasted with their regular tactic. La Rochejaquelein
and Royrand commanded the right flank, d'Elbée
and Bonchamps
the middle, Stofflet
and Marigny
the left. Marceau
's troops which were bombarded by the 22 Vendéen canons and were clearly inferior in numbers were ready to fall. Kléber
thus had the reserve troops intervene. Chalbos
' troops and the 4,000 men of François Muller were sent to aid Marceau. Seeing the quantity of Vendéens who were advancing with determination, the arriving republican army fell back to Cholet
creating great confusion. Carrier
himself fled.
At the same time in Bois-Grolleau, Vimeux and Scherb managed to hold against Stofflet
and Marigny
. In La Treille, Haxo and Beaupuy
's troops were beaten against La Rochejaquelein
and Royrand and pulled back to the faubourgs of Cholet
. Kléber
then joined this flank and regrouped a few battalions from his reserves, and the 109th infantry regiment, and ordered them to flank the Vendéen lines. The order was correctly executed and seeing this troop flank them the Vendéens thought a new republican army had arrived as reinforcements so a moment of hesitation spread in their ranks. Being subjected to the republican counter-attack, they managed to resist a little while, but facing the multiple charges of the troops of Kléber, Bard and Beaupuy, they panicked and fled.
In the middle, Marceau
placed his artillery behind his infantry. When the Vendéens attacked, Marceau had his infantry step back to reveal the canons, which opened fire at the last moment causing a huge number of losses among Vendéen soldiers. Surprised, the Vendéen middle line fled as well while the republican infantry counter-attacked. D'Elbée and Bonchamps knew victory was close so with a few hundred cavaliers and soldiers they tried to rally their troops. They didn't manage, and ended being encircled by the Republicans. D'Elbée and Bonchamps fell severely wounded practically at the same time. The last Vendéens fled taking their wounded officers with them. The escape became general and "to the Loire" cries could be heard. At Pontreau, the troops of Lyrot and Piron de La Varenne managed to intervene in time to secure the retreat of the Vendéen army to Beaupréau
.
Once at Beaupréau, the Vendéen generals decided it was best to leave, the entire army moved to Saint-Florent-le-Vieil
in order to cross the Loire. The expedition of Talmont on Varades
having easily succeeded, the entry to Brittany was free.
Only d'Elbée
, severely wounded, didn't follow the army. A small number of Vendéen soldiers took him west where to Charette's army where he could seek refuge at Noirmoutier.
In the mean time, the republican army had returned to Cholet
. Westermann who had stayed at Châtillon-sur-Sèvre during the battle wanted to pursue the Vendéens. Followed by the troops of Beaupuy
and Haxo, he briefly fought the 8,000 strong Vendéen rear guard, but managed to reach Beaupréau
. The town was deserted except for 400 wounded Vendéens who were killed as revenge of the massacre of republican wounded soldiers in the battle of Clisson.
On 17 October and 18, small Vendéen boats went back and forth over the Loire to bring the Vendéen army to the other side, accompanied by tens of thousands of wounded, elderly, women and children. The Vendéens also had 4,000 to 5,000 republican prisonners. They couldn't bring them to the other side, and the officers didn't know what to do of them.
In her memoirs, Victoire de Donnissan de La Rochejaquelein said the officers all agreed to have them executed but none would dare give the order. The presence of republican prisoners caught the eye of the Vendéen soldiers who wanted to kill them to avenge their wounded generals and the ravages of the republican army.
The general Charles de Bonchamps had been transported to a house in Saint-Florent-le-Vieil
. Severely wounded, , and was dying when he heard that the republican troops were to be executed. He ordered his second Charles de Beaumont d'Autichamp
to prevent this from happening as his dying wish.
D'Autichamp
thus showed up and told the soldiers that the dying general wished that the prisoners be spared. Bonchamps was very popular amongst his soldiers, so they obeyed and the prisoners were set free.
, certain that the war was definitively won and that the last Vendéens pushed off to the Loire
would be easily destroyed. On 19 October at 3 in the morning, the first detachment of hussards of captain Hauteville (second to Westermann) entered an astonishingly deserted Saint-Florent-le-Vieil
. All the Vendéens had managed to pass to the northern side of the Loire
, which the republicans thought to be an impossible feat in such little time. Charles de Bonchamps died 4 hours earlier and his body was buried at the Varades
cemetery.
Rapidly, the republican prisoners were found and Merlin de Thionville wrote to the Committee of Public Safety
that he had told the republican soldiers that they needn't feel any recognition to the Vendéens, "ennemies of the Nation", and hoped this episode would be forgotten in history.
Contrary to republican hopes, the war in the Vendée was not over. A new campaign called the Virée de Galerne
started, risking to spread the uprising to Brittany
and Maine
, and spreading the war north of the Loire
.
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars were a series of major conflicts, from 1792 until 1802, fought between the French Revolutionary government and several European states...
, between French Republican forces
French Revolutionary Army
The French Revolutionary Army is the term used to refer to the military of France during the period between the fall of the ancien regime under Louis XVI in 1792 and the formation of the First French Empire under Napoleon Bonaparte in 1804. These armies were characterised by their revolutionary...
under General Léchelle
Léchelle
Léchelle is the name of two communes in France:* Léchelle, Pas-de-Calais* Léchelle, Seine-et-Marne...
and French Royalist Forces
Catholic and Royal Army
The Catholic and Royal Armies , is the name given to the royalist armies in western France composed of insurgents during the war in the Vendée and the Chouannerie, who opposed the French revolution, hence they were counterrevolutionary by definition.-Catholic and Royal Army of Vendée:The Catholic...
under Louis d'Elbée
Louis d'Elbée
Maurice-Joseph-Louis Gigot d'Elbée was a French Royalist military leader. He was the second commander in chief of the Royal and Catholic Army formed by Royalist forces of the Vendean insurrection against the Republic and the French Revolution.-Life:Born in Dresden, he moved to France in 1777,...
. The battle was fought in the town of Cholet
Cholet
Cholet is a commune of western France in the Maine-et-Loire department. It was the capital of military Vendée.-Geography:Cholet stands on an eminence on the right bank of the Moine, which used to be crossed by a bridge from the fifteenth century...
in the Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire
Maine-et-Loire is a department in west-central France, in the Pays de la Loire region.- History :Maine-et-Loire is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. Originally it was called Mayenne-et-Loire, but its name was changed to Maine-et-Loire in 1791....
department of France, and resulted in a Republican victory. D’Elbée was wounded and captured; he was later executed by Republican troops
French Revolutionary Army
The French Revolutionary Army is the term used to refer to the military of France during the period between the fall of the ancien regime under Louis XVI in 1792 and the formation of the First French Empire under Napoleon Bonaparte in 1804. These armies were characterised by their revolutionary...
in Noirmoutier. The Royalist insurgent, Charles Melchior Artus de Bonchamps
Charles Melchior Artus de Bonchamps
Charles-Melchior Arthus, Marquis de Bonchamps was a French politician and leader of the Vendéan insurrection of Royalists against the Republic during the French Revolution....
, was fatally wounded in the battle.
Prelude
On the morning of 16 October 1793, the Vendéen armyCatholic and Royal Army
The Catholic and Royal Armies , is the name given to the royalist armies in western France composed of insurgents during the war in the Vendée and the Chouannerie, who opposed the French revolution, hence they were counterrevolutionary by definition.-Catholic and Royal Army of Vendée:The Catholic...
, beaten at the battle of La Tremblaye
Battle of La Tremblaye
The battle of La Tremblaye took place near Cholet during the war in the Vendée, and was a Republican victory over the Vendéens.-Prelude:...
, with neither ammunition nor artillery, had evacuated Cholet
Cholet
Cholet is a commune of western France in the Maine-et-Loire department. It was the capital of military Vendée.-Geography:Cholet stands on an eminence on the right bank of the Moine, which used to be crossed by a bridge from the fifteenth century...
to take up positions in Beaupréau
Beaupréau
Beaupréau is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France....
. The republican avant-garde, commanded by Beaupuy
Michel de Beaupuy
Armand-Michel Bacharetie de Beaupuy was a French general of the Revolution.-Republican of noble blood:Michel Beaupuy was born in 1755 in a noble family of the Périgord...
, entered in the town square by the south and moved through the town to settle on the high grounds north of the town. Kléber
Kléber
Kléber may refer to:* Jean Baptiste Kléber , a French general* Kléber de Carvalho Corrêa , a Brazilian football player* Kléber de Souza Freitas , a Brazilian football player...
then deployed the remainder of his troops by positioning the divisions of Beaupuy and Haxo on the left flank of the château de La Treille, and those of Louis Vimeux on the right flank of the château de Bois-Grolleau.
As for François Séverin Marceau-Desgraviers
François Séverin Marceau-Desgraviers
François Séverin Marceau-Desgraviers was a French general of the Revolutionary Wars.-Early life:Desgraviers was born at Chartres, Eure-et-Loir. His father served as a legal officer, and Marceau received an education for a legal career, but at the age of sixteen he enlisted in the regiment of...
, who had just been promoted brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
after the Battle of La Tremblaye
Battle of La Tremblaye
The battle of La Tremblaye took place near Cholet during the war in the Vendée, and was a Republican victory over the Vendéens.-Prelude:...
, he occupied the center with general Marc Scherb, in front of the Papinière moorland
Moorland
Moorland or moor is a type of habitat, in the temperate grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome, found in upland areas, characterised by low-growing vegetation on acidic soils and heavy fog...
where the terrain was open. Kléber informed Jean Léchelle
Jean Léchelle
Jean Léchelle was a French general of the French Revolutionary Wars.-Life:He was master of arms at Saintes when the French Revolution broke out and, enrolling in the National Guard of Charente-Inférieure, served in 1791 as lieutenant-colonel of the first volunteers' battalion from Charente.On 17...
of the situation, who was the chief general of the Army of the West, and he approved. The military competence of Léchelle were known to be null, most of the representatives had agreed to unofficially entrust the commandment to Kléber.
That evening, the commissioners Pierre Bourbotte, René-Pierre Choudieu, Fayaud and Bellegarde arrived which brought the number of representatives in Cholet
Cholet
Cholet is a commune of western France in the Maine-et-Loire department. It was the capital of military Vendée.-Geography:Cholet stands on an eminence on the right bank of the Moine, which used to be crossed by a bridge from the fifteenth century...
to seven considering Antoine Merlin de Thionville, Jean-Baptiste Carrier
Jean-Baptiste Carrier
Jean-Baptiste Carrier was a French Revolutionary, known for his cruelty to his enemies, especially to clergy.-Biography:...
and Louis Turreau were already there. The republican forces waited again for a reinforcement of 10,000 men of the general Chalbos
Alexis Chalbos
Alexis François Chalbos was a French general of the French Revolutionary Wars.In 1751, he joined the régiment de Normandie as a private. In June 1789 he was promoted to captain, then to general in 1793. He served especially in the War in the Vendée, for a short time succeeding Thomas-Alexandre...
before pushing further to the north and towards Beaupréau
Beaupréau
Beaupréau is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France....
, but they arrived during the night.
Republican strategy
The republican generals met in a war counsel early on 17 October. KléberKléber
Kléber may refer to:* Jean Baptiste Kléber , a French general* Kléber de Carvalho Corrêa , a Brazilian football player* Kléber de Souza Freitas , a Brazilian football player...
offered to divide the army in three columns and to march to Saint-Florent-le-Vieil
Saint-Florent-le-Vieil
Saint-Florent-le-Vieil is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.-Geography:The Èvre forms the commune's western border, then flows into the Loire, which forms the commune's northern border.-References:*...
, Gesté
Gesté
Gesté is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.-References:...
and Beaupréau
Beaupréau
Beaupréau is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France....
in order to surround the Vendéen army and cut it from the Loire
Loire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
and the road to Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
. The strategy was approved by the generals from Mayenne
Mayenne
Mayenne is a department in northwest France named after the Mayenne River.-History:Mayenne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. The northern two thirds correspond to the western part of the former province of Maine...
, by Marceau
François Séverin Marceau-Desgraviers
François Séverin Marceau-Desgraviers was a French general of the Revolutionary Wars.-Early life:Desgraviers was born at Chartres, Eure-et-Loir. His father served as a legal officer, and Marceau received an education for a legal career, but at the age of sixteen he enlisted in the regiment of...
and by Merlin de Thionville, however a few other representatives and officers, particularly Chalbos
Alexis Chalbos
Alexis François Chalbos was a French general of the French Revolutionary Wars.In 1751, he joined the régiment de Normandie as a private. In June 1789 he was promoted to captain, then to general in 1793. He served especially in the War in the Vendée, for a short time succeeding Thomas-Alexandre...
, were against it. Chalbos thought the troops were too tired and the other officers were against dividing the army. Kléber's plan was rejected and the counsel opted for an undivided march to Beaupréau
Beaupréau
Beaupréau is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France....
.
Vendéen strategy
At BeaupréauBeaupréau
Beaupréau is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France....
, the Vendéen officers were as divided as the former during the war counsel held at noon on 16 October. Bonchamps
Charles Melchior Artus de Bonchamps
Charles-Melchior Arthus, Marquis de Bonchamps was a French politician and leader of the Vendéan insurrection of Royalists against the Republic during the French Revolution....
offered to have his Breton
Breton people
The Bretons are an ethnic group located in the region of Brittany in France. They trace much of their heritage to groups of Brythonic speakers who emigrated from southwestern Great Britain in waves from the 3rd to 6th century into the Armorican peninsula, subsequently named Brittany after them.The...
soldiers pass the Loire
Loire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
to start an uprising in Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
and get reinforcements. Talmont, d'Autichamp
Charles Marie de Beaumont d'Autichamp
Charles Marie Auguste Joseph de Beaumont, comte d'Autichamp . A brave but ponderous man, he was one of the few Royalist survivors of the War in the Vendée.- Revolution :...
and Donissan wanted the whole army to go. On the other hand, d'Elbée
Louis d'Elbée
Maurice-Joseph-Louis Gigot d'Elbée was a French Royalist military leader. He was the second commander in chief of the Royal and Catholic Army formed by Royalist forces of the Vendean insurrection against the Republic and the French Revolution.-Life:Born in Dresden, he moved to France in 1777,...
, La Rochejaquelein
Henri de la Rochejaquelein
Henri du Vergier, comte de la Rochejaquelein was the youngest general of the Royalist Vendéan insurrection during the French Revolution.-Early activities:...
and Stofflet
Jean-Nicolas Stofflet
Jean-Nicolas Stofflet was a French leader of the Revolt in the Vendée against the First French Republic.Born in Bathelémont-lès-Bauzemont , the son of a miller, he was for long a private in the Swiss Guard, and afterwards gamekeeper to the comte de Colbert-Maulévrier, he joined the Vendéans when...
refused to leave Vendée
Vendée
The Vendée is a department in the Pays-de-la-Loire region in west central France, on the Atlantic Ocean. The name Vendée is taken from the Vendée river which runs through the south-eastern part of the department.-History:...
. As for Royrand, he wished to try to breach enemy lines by the west in order to meet with Charette
François de Charette
François Athanase de Charette de la Contrie was a French soldier and politician, one of the leaders of the bloody events termed the "Revolt in the Vendée"...
's army.
Finally, an attack on Cholet
Cholet
Cholet is a commune of western France in the Maine-et-Loire department. It was the capital of military Vendée.-Geography:Cholet stands on an eminence on the right bank of the Moine, which used to be crossed by a bridge from the fifteenth century...
was decided and the army started its march. Nonetheless, Talmont was allowed to leave for Saint-Florent-le-Vieil
Saint-Florent-le-Vieil
Saint-Florent-le-Vieil is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.-Geography:The Èvre forms the commune's western border, then flows into the Loire, which forms the commune's northern border.-References:*...
with 4,000 men to take Varades
Varades
Varades is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.-Twinning:Varades has since August 2009 been twinned with the small Welsh town of Knighton....
.
The battle
Cholet
Cholet is a commune of western France in the Maine-et-Loire department. It was the capital of military Vendée.-Geography:Cholet stands on an eminence on the right bank of the Moine, which used to be crossed by a bridge from the fifteenth century...
. Rapidly it managed to push back Beaupuy
Michel de Beaupuy
Armand-Michel Bacharetie de Beaupuy was a French general of the Revolution.-Republican of noble blood:Michel Beaupuy was born in 1755 in a noble family of the Périgord...
's first lines to the Papinière moorlands. The Vendéens then burnt down the brooms
Broom (shrub)
Brooms are a group of evergreen, semi-evergreen, and deciduous shrubs in the subfamily Faboideae of the legume family Fabaceae, mainly in the three genera Chamaecytisus, Cytisus and Genista, but also in many other small genera . All genera in this group are from the tribe Genisteae...
, creating a huge amount of smoke which prevented the republican artillery from aiming correctly.
The Vendéens advanced in formation like regular troops, in three tight lines, which contrasted with their regular tactic. La Rochejaquelein
Henri de la Rochejaquelein
Henri du Vergier, comte de la Rochejaquelein was the youngest general of the Royalist Vendéan insurrection during the French Revolution.-Early activities:...
and Royrand commanded the right flank, d'Elbée
Louis d'Elbée
Maurice-Joseph-Louis Gigot d'Elbée was a French Royalist military leader. He was the second commander in chief of the Royal and Catholic Army formed by Royalist forces of the Vendean insurrection against the Republic and the French Revolution.-Life:Born in Dresden, he moved to France in 1777,...
and Bonchamps
Charles Melchior Artus de Bonchamps
Charles-Melchior Arthus, Marquis de Bonchamps was a French politician and leader of the Vendéan insurrection of Royalists against the Republic during the French Revolution....
the middle, Stofflet
Jean-Nicolas Stofflet
Jean-Nicolas Stofflet was a French leader of the Revolt in the Vendée against the First French Republic.Born in Bathelémont-lès-Bauzemont , the son of a miller, he was for long a private in the Swiss Guard, and afterwards gamekeeper to the comte de Colbert-Maulévrier, he joined the Vendéans when...
and Marigny
Gaspard de Bernard de Marigny
Gaspard Augustin René Bernard de Marigny was a French officer and Vendéen general.-Life:...
the left. Marceau
François Séverin Marceau-Desgraviers
François Séverin Marceau-Desgraviers was a French general of the Revolutionary Wars.-Early life:Desgraviers was born at Chartres, Eure-et-Loir. His father served as a legal officer, and Marceau received an education for a legal career, but at the age of sixteen he enlisted in the regiment of...
's troops which were bombarded by the 22 Vendéen canons and were clearly inferior in numbers were ready to fall. Kléber
Kléber
Kléber may refer to:* Jean Baptiste Kléber , a French general* Kléber de Carvalho Corrêa , a Brazilian football player* Kléber de Souza Freitas , a Brazilian football player...
thus had the reserve troops intervene. Chalbos
Alexis Chalbos
Alexis François Chalbos was a French general of the French Revolutionary Wars.In 1751, he joined the régiment de Normandie as a private. In June 1789 he was promoted to captain, then to general in 1793. He served especially in the War in the Vendée, for a short time succeeding Thomas-Alexandre...
' troops and the 4,000 men of François Muller were sent to aid Marceau. Seeing the quantity of Vendéens who were advancing with determination, the arriving republican army fell back to Cholet
Cholet
Cholet is a commune of western France in the Maine-et-Loire department. It was the capital of military Vendée.-Geography:Cholet stands on an eminence on the right bank of the Moine, which used to be crossed by a bridge from the fifteenth century...
creating great confusion. Carrier
Jean-Baptiste Carrier
Jean-Baptiste Carrier was a French Revolutionary, known for his cruelty to his enemies, especially to clergy.-Biography:...
himself fled.
At the same time in Bois-Grolleau, Vimeux and Scherb managed to hold against Stofflet
Jean-Nicolas Stofflet
Jean-Nicolas Stofflet was a French leader of the Revolt in the Vendée against the First French Republic.Born in Bathelémont-lès-Bauzemont , the son of a miller, he was for long a private in the Swiss Guard, and afterwards gamekeeper to the comte de Colbert-Maulévrier, he joined the Vendéans when...
and Marigny
Gaspard de Bernard de Marigny
Gaspard Augustin René Bernard de Marigny was a French officer and Vendéen general.-Life:...
. In La Treille, Haxo and Beaupuy
Michel de Beaupuy
Armand-Michel Bacharetie de Beaupuy was a French general of the Revolution.-Republican of noble blood:Michel Beaupuy was born in 1755 in a noble family of the Périgord...
's troops were beaten against La Rochejaquelein
Henri de la Rochejaquelein
Henri du Vergier, comte de la Rochejaquelein was the youngest general of the Royalist Vendéan insurrection during the French Revolution.-Early activities:...
and Royrand and pulled back to the faubourgs of Cholet
Cholet
Cholet is a commune of western France in the Maine-et-Loire department. It was the capital of military Vendée.-Geography:Cholet stands on an eminence on the right bank of the Moine, which used to be crossed by a bridge from the fifteenth century...
. Kléber
Kléber
Kléber may refer to:* Jean Baptiste Kléber , a French general* Kléber de Carvalho Corrêa , a Brazilian football player* Kléber de Souza Freitas , a Brazilian football player...
then joined this flank and regrouped a few battalions from his reserves, and the 109th infantry regiment, and ordered them to flank the Vendéen lines. The order was correctly executed and seeing this troop flank them the Vendéens thought a new republican army had arrived as reinforcements so a moment of hesitation spread in their ranks. Being subjected to the republican counter-attack, they managed to resist a little while, but facing the multiple charges of the troops of Kléber, Bard and Beaupuy, they panicked and fled.
In the middle, Marceau
François Séverin Marceau-Desgraviers
François Séverin Marceau-Desgraviers was a French general of the Revolutionary Wars.-Early life:Desgraviers was born at Chartres, Eure-et-Loir. His father served as a legal officer, and Marceau received an education for a legal career, but at the age of sixteen he enlisted in the regiment of...
placed his artillery behind his infantry. When the Vendéens attacked, Marceau had his infantry step back to reveal the canons, which opened fire at the last moment causing a huge number of losses among Vendéen soldiers. Surprised, the Vendéen middle line fled as well while the republican infantry counter-attacked. D'Elbée and Bonchamps knew victory was close so with a few hundred cavaliers and soldiers they tried to rally their troops. They didn't manage, and ended being encircled by the Republicans. D'Elbée and Bonchamps fell severely wounded practically at the same time. The last Vendéens fled taking their wounded officers with them. The escape became general and "to the Loire" cries could be heard. At Pontreau, the troops of Lyrot and Piron de La Varenne managed to intervene in time to secure the retreat of the Vendéen army to Beaupréau
Beaupréau
Beaupréau is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France....
.
Crossing the Loire
Saint-Florent-le-Vieil
Saint-Florent-le-Vieil is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.-Geography:The Èvre forms the commune's western border, then flows into the Loire, which forms the commune's northern border.-References:*...
in order to cross the Loire. The expedition of Talmont on Varades
Varades
Varades is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.-Twinning:Varades has since August 2009 been twinned with the small Welsh town of Knighton....
having easily succeeded, the entry to Brittany was free.
Only d'Elbée
Louis d'Elbée
Maurice-Joseph-Louis Gigot d'Elbée was a French Royalist military leader. He was the second commander in chief of the Royal and Catholic Army formed by Royalist forces of the Vendean insurrection against the Republic and the French Revolution.-Life:Born in Dresden, he moved to France in 1777,...
, severely wounded, didn't follow the army. A small number of Vendéen soldiers took him west where to Charette's army where he could seek refuge at Noirmoutier.
In the mean time, the republican army had returned to Cholet
Cholet
Cholet is a commune of western France in the Maine-et-Loire department. It was the capital of military Vendée.-Geography:Cholet stands on an eminence on the right bank of the Moine, which used to be crossed by a bridge from the fifteenth century...
. Westermann who had stayed at Châtillon-sur-Sèvre during the battle wanted to pursue the Vendéens. Followed by the troops of Beaupuy
Michel de Beaupuy
Armand-Michel Bacharetie de Beaupuy was a French general of the Revolution.-Republican of noble blood:Michel Beaupuy was born in 1755 in a noble family of the Périgord...
and Haxo, he briefly fought the 8,000 strong Vendéen rear guard, but managed to reach Beaupréau
Beaupréau
Beaupréau is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France....
. The town was deserted except for 400 wounded Vendéens who were killed as revenge of the massacre of republican wounded soldiers in the battle of Clisson.
On 17 October and 18, small Vendéen boats went back and forth over the Loire to bring the Vendéen army to the other side, accompanied by tens of thousands of wounded, elderly, women and children. The Vendéens also had 4,000 to 5,000 republican prisonners. They couldn't bring them to the other side, and the officers didn't know what to do of them.
In her memoirs, Victoire de Donnissan de La Rochejaquelein said the officers all agreed to have them executed but none would dare give the order. The presence of republican prisoners caught the eye of the Vendéen soldiers who wanted to kill them to avenge their wounded generals and the ravages of the republican army.
The general Charles de Bonchamps had been transported to a house in Saint-Florent-le-Vieil
Saint-Florent-le-Vieil
Saint-Florent-le-Vieil is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.-Geography:The Èvre forms the commune's western border, then flows into the Loire, which forms the commune's northern border.-References:*...
. Severely wounded, , and was dying when he heard that the republican troops were to be executed. He ordered his second Charles de Beaumont d'Autichamp
Charles Marie de Beaumont d'Autichamp
Charles Marie Auguste Joseph de Beaumont, comte d'Autichamp . A brave but ponderous man, he was one of the few Royalist survivors of the War in the Vendée.- Revolution :...
to prevent this from happening as his dying wish.
D'Autichamp
Charles Marie de Beaumont d'Autichamp
Charles Marie Auguste Joseph de Beaumont, comte d'Autichamp . A brave but ponderous man, he was one of the few Royalist survivors of the War in the Vendée.- Revolution :...
thus showed up and told the soldiers that the dying general wished that the prisoners be spared. Bonchamps was very popular amongst his soldiers, so they obeyed and the prisoners were set free.
Virée de Galerne
The republicans were celebrating after the victory at CholetCholet
Cholet is a commune of western France in the Maine-et-Loire department. It was the capital of military Vendée.-Geography:Cholet stands on an eminence on the right bank of the Moine, which used to be crossed by a bridge from the fifteenth century...
, certain that the war was definitively won and that the last Vendéens pushed off to the Loire
Loire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
would be easily destroyed. On 19 October at 3 in the morning, the first detachment of hussards of captain Hauteville (second to Westermann) entered an astonishingly deserted Saint-Florent-le-Vieil
Saint-Florent-le-Vieil
Saint-Florent-le-Vieil is a commune in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France.-Geography:The Èvre forms the commune's western border, then flows into the Loire, which forms the commune's northern border.-References:*...
. All the Vendéens had managed to pass to the northern side of the Loire
Loire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
, which the republicans thought to be an impossible feat in such little time. Charles de Bonchamps died 4 hours earlier and his body was buried at the Varades
Varades
Varades is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique department in western France.-Twinning:Varades has since August 2009 been twinned with the small Welsh town of Knighton....
cemetery.
Rapidly, the republican prisoners were found and Merlin de Thionville wrote to the Committee of Public Safety
Committee of Public Safety
The Committee of Public Safety , created in April 1793 by the National Convention and then restructured in July 1793, formed the de facto executive government in France during the Reign of Terror , a stage of the French Revolution...
that he had told the republican soldiers that they needn't feel any recognition to the Vendéens, "ennemies of the Nation", and hoped this episode would be forgotten in history.
Contrary to republican hopes, the war in the Vendée was not over. A new campaign called the Virée de Galerne
Virée de Galerne
The Virée de Galerne was a military operation of the War in the Vendée during the French Revolutionary Wars across Britanny and Normandy. It takes its name from "gwalarn", a Breton word for the "vent de noroît" ....
started, risking to spread the uprising to Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
and Maine
Maine (province)
Le Maine is one of the traditional provinces of France . It corresponds to the old county of Maine, with its center, the city of Le Mans.-Location:...
, and spreading the war north of the Loire
Loire
Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...
.