CHAPTER XII. WAR IN LA VENDEE. ARGUMENT. Origin of the Religious Resistance in La Vendée to the Revolution-Character and aspect of the Country-The Bocage, its peculiar character-Manners of the Inhabitants and the Landlords-Strong Religious Feelings of the People-Discontents excited by the first Severity against the Priests-Previous Conspiracy in Brittany, and abortive attempts at Insurrection-The Levy of 300,000 Men occasions an Insurrection over the whole Country-Fifty Thousand Men are soon in arms-' ms—Their Leaders are appointed-Henri de Larochejaquelein joins them-First Conflicts, and great Activity in the CountryThe Peasants' rude Levies―Their enthusiastic Valour-But cannot be kept to their Standards after any success-Their Mode of giving Orders, and Fighting -Their Humanity, till it was extinguished by the Republicans-Character of Bonchamps-Of Cathelineau-Of Henri de Larochejaquelein-Of M. de Lescure Of D'Elbée-Stofflet, and Charette-The Forces which they severally Commanded-Savage Orders of the Convention to Extinguish the RevoltThe Republicans are Defeated at Thouars-Storming of Chataignerie and Fontenay-Bishop of Agra-Great Effect of that Incident-Victory over the Republicans at Fontenay-Repeated Successes of the Royalists-Their great Victory at Saumur-Cathelineau created Commander-in-Chief-The Royalists Defeated in their Attack on Nantes-Death of Cathelineau--D'Elbée Generalissimo-General Invasion of the Bocage on all Sides-Arrival of the Garrison of Mayence-Able Design of Bonchamps, which is not Adopted—Defeat of the Republicans at Torfou-Defeat of General Rossignol and the Republicans at Coron-General Defeat of the Republican Invasion-Vigorous Exertions of the Government at Paris-Ruinous Divisions of the RoyalistsFresh Invasion by the Republicans-The Royalists are Defeated, and M. de Lescure mortally Wounded-Desperate State of the Royalists-Battle of Cholet, in which they are Defeated, and D'Elbée and Bonchamps mortally Wounded-Humanity of Bonchamps to Five Thousand Republican Prisoners -Atrocious Cruelty of the Republicans—Dreadful passage of the Loire--The Royalists enter Brittany-Battle of Chateau Gonthier gained by them-Desperate State of the Republicans after their Defeat-Death of M. de LescureAttack on Granville-The Royalists are Repulsed-Their Retreat towards the Loire They Defeat the Republicans at lontorson, and at Dol-Their great Difficulties, notwithstanding these Victories-They are Repulsed at AngersDefeated with great Loss at Mans-Their Hopeless State-Heroic Conduct of Henri de Larochejaquelein—Final Rout at Savenay-Tardy Movements of the English to Support the Insurgents-- Operations of Charette-Death of Henri de Larochejaquelein, and the Prince of Talmont-Unheard of Cruelties of the Republicans-Thurreau and the Infernal Columns-Executions at NantesCompany of Marat-Carrier-Republican Marriages and Baptisms-Dreadful Scenes in the Prisons—Adventure of Agatha Larochejaquelein, and Madame de Bonchamps-Cruelty of the small Shopkeepers in the Towns-Heroic Benevolence of the Country Peasants-Reflections on the extraordinary Successes of the Vendéans, and the Causes of their Disasters-Vendéan War finally commits the Revolution against Religion. XI. 1793. THE French Revolution was a revolt not only against CHAP. the government and institutions, but the opinions and the belief of former times. It was ushered in by an inundation of scepticism and infidelity; it was attended by unexampled cruelty to the ministers of religion; it led to the overthrow of every species of devotion, and the education of a generation ignorant even of the first elements of the Christian faith. When the French soldiers approached the cradle of their religion, when they beheld Mount Carmel and Nazareth, when they visited the birth-place of Christ, and saw from afar the scene of his sufferings, the holy names inspired them with no emotion; they gazed on them only as Syrian villages, unconnected either by history or tradition, with any interesting recollections. The descendants of Godfrey of Bouillon and Raymond of Toulouse, of those who perished in the service of the holy sepulchre, viewed the scenes of the Crusaders' glory with indifference; and names at which their forefathers would have thrilled with emotion, were regard- 1 Lav. i.372 ed by them only as the abode of barbarous tribes.1 the Religi ance in La the Revolu But it was not in the nature of things, it was not the intention of Providence, that this prodigious Re-Origin of volution should be effected without a struggle, or the ous Resist Christian faith obliterated for a time from a nation's Vendée to thoughts, without a more desperate contest than the tion. dearest interest of present existence could produce. Such a warfare accordingly arose, and marked too with circumstances of deeper atrocity than even the Reign of Terror, or the rule of Robespierre. It began, not amidst the dignity of rank, or the lustre of XII. CHAP. courts; not among those distinguished by their knowledge, or blessed by their fortune, but among the simple 1793. inhabitants of a remote district; among those who had gained least by the ancient institutions, and periled most in seeking to restore them. While the nobility of France basely fled on the first appearance of danger, while the higher orders of the clergy betrayed their religion by their pusillanimity, or disgraced it by their profligacy; the dignity of patriotism, the sublimity of devotion, appeared amidst the simplicity of rural life; and the peasants of La Vendée set an example of heroism which might well put their superiors to the blush, for the innumerable advantages of fortune which they had misapplied, and the vast opportunities of usefulness which they had neglected. It was there too, as in the first ages of Christianity, that the noblest examples of religious duty were to be found; and while the light of reason was unable to restrain its triumphant votaries from unheard of excesses, and stained with blood the efforts of freedom; the village pastors, and uneducated flocks of La Vendée bore the temptations of victory without seduction, and the ordeal of suffering without dismay. Character of the Coun try. The district immortalized by the name of La Venand Aspect dée, embraces a part of Poitou, of Anjou, and of the county of Nantes, and is now divided into four departments, those of Loire Inferieure, Maine and Loire, Deux Sevres, and Vendée. It is bounded on the north by the Loire, from Nantes to Angers; on the west, by the sea; on the south, by the road from Niort to Fontenay, Lucon, and the Sables d'Olonne; on the 10. 1 Guerres east, by a line passing through Brissac, Thouars, Pardes Vend. i. thenay, and Niort. This space comprehends the whole Beauch. i. of what was properly the seat of the La Vendée contest, and contains 800,000 souls; the Loire separat Th. iv. 165, et seq. ed that district from that which afterwards became so well known from the Chouan wars. CHAP. XII. This country differs, both in its external aspect, and 1793. the manners of its inhabitants, from any other part of France. It is composed for the most part of inconsiderable hills, not connected with any chain of mountains, but which rise in gentle undulations from the generally level surface of the country. The valleys are narrow, but of no great depth; and at their bottom flow little streams, which glide by a gentle descent to the Loire, or the neighbouring ocean. Great blocks of granite rise up at intervals on the heights, and resemble castellated ruins amidst a forest of vegetation. On the banks of the Sevre, the scenery assumes a bolder character, and that stream flows in a deep and rocky bed amidst overhanging woods; but in the districts bordering on the Loire, the declivities are more gentle, and extensive valleys reward the labours of the cultivator.1 1 Laroch. 31, 32. Beauch. i.8. The Bocage, as its name indicates, is covered with trees; not indeed anywhere disposed in large masses, The Bocage. Its peculiar but surrounding the little inclosures into which the Character. country is subdivided. The smallness of the farms, the great subdivision of landed property, and the prevalence of cattle husbandry, has rendered the custom universal of enclosing every field, how small soever, with hedges, which are surmounted by pollards, whose branches are cut every five years for firewood to the inhabitants. Little grain is raised, the population depending chiefly on the sale of their cattle, or the produce of the dairy; and the landscape is only diversi- Guerres fied at intervals in autumn, by yellow patches glitter- 16. ing through the surrounding foliage, or clusters of vines overhanging the rocky eminences.2 The air in this region is pure, the farms small, the situation of 2 des Vend. i. Laroch. 32. Beauch. i.8. Th. iv. 165, 166. CHAP. 1793. 1 Beauch, i. 9. the farm-houses, overshadowed by aged oaks, or peeping out of luxuriant foliage, picturesque in the extreme. There are neither navigable rivers nor canals, no great roads nor towns in the district; secluded in his leafy shroud, each peasant cultivates his little domain, severed alike from the elegancies, the ambition, or the seductions of the world.1 The part of La Vendée which adjoins the ocean to the south of the district, and formerly was buried beneath its waves, is called the Marais, and bore a prominent part in this memorable contest. It is perfectly flat, and in great part impregnated by salt marshes, which never yield to the force of the sun. This humid country is intersected by innumerable canals, communicating with each other, which are planted with willows, alders, poplars, and other marsh trees, whose luxuriant foliage frequently overshadow the little enclosures. The peasants are never seen without a long pole in their hands, with the aid of which they leap over the canals and ditches with surprising agility. Nothing can be more simple than the habits of the inhabitants; one roof covers a whole family, their cows and lambs, which feed on their little possessions; the chief food of the people is obtained from milk, and the fish which they obtain in great quantities in the canals, with which their country is intersected. The silence and deserted aspect of these secluded retreats; the sombre tint of the landscape, and the sallow complexions of the inhabitants, give a melancholy air to the country; but in the midst of its gloom, a certain feeling of sublimity is experienced even by the passing 2 Beauch. i. traveller;2 and in no part of France did the people give greater proofs of an elevated and enthusiastic charac 6, 7. Personal observation. ter. A single great road, that from Nantes to Rochelle, |