by Rob Harper
Meanwhile La Rochejaquelein and Stofflet’s men, from the cover of woodland, opened up on those defending the Château Park and 500 more men were sent eastwards to reinforce those attempting to turn this park.
Gauvilliers men initially held well but became disordered when they attempted to pull back on news that they were being outflanked. Stofflet and La Rochejaquelein used this opportunity to advance towards the bridge. Seeing his men hesitate La Rochejaquelein seized a fusil, fired on the enemy, then galloped to the bridge, followed by Stofflet and some mounted men. Their troops now moved forwards infiltrating the streets and uniting with other rebels in a general advance.
In the town a company of national guards is said to have died under arms rather than surrender, the gunners of the Eure-et-Loire battalion were cut down at their pieces, and it is claimed by Muret that a squadron of dragoons was surrounded and forced to surrender.18 The republican defence completely fell apart as they fled north, pursued all the way to the Loire.
Gauvilliers had not been present at this battle as he had been in St-Florent when the rebels attacked. His men lost five cannon and many weapons and the republicans admitted to 300 captured and 5-600 killed or wounded. The remaining troops pulled back to Ingrandes.
On hearing news of this further defeat Berruyer withdrew to St-Lambert as both his flanks were now exposed and his supply line to Les Pont-de-Cé at risk. He blamed the setbacks on the indiscipline and cowardice of the men and said the cavalry were useless in this heavily covered country where, he wrote, the enemy fought like those he had faced in Corsica.19
By 26 April Berruyer had withdrawn to Les Ponts-de-Cé and indicated that he would remain there until he received reinforcements. Writing to the interim minister of war he said he needed 15-20,000 experienced troops as the enemy had at least 25,000 men who were led by ‘audacious leaders’.20
As Berruyer retreated, so Leygonier prepared to drop back towards Saumur, concerned that rebels in Vihiers were about to attack him. The patriot women of Doué, however, are reputed to have firmly held the town gates shut, forcing him to reconsider.21
Between 11 and 22 April the Vendéen rebels had held, defeated and routed four republican columns and seized abundant military supplies and numerous cannon. They had also gained valuable time to pause, regroup, and plan their next move.
Three commissaires were sent to find out just how serious the situation had become. They reported that the Vendéens were guided by a religious fury whereas the national guards were formed of fathers of families engaged for only fifteen days or a month at a time who persistently asked to go home. ‘If this horde of fanatics cross the Loire it will be impossible to stop the torrent that will move to the heart of the Republic…or the seat of the National Convention.’22
Berruyer’s plan had completely failed. In reality he had insufficient troops advancing in widely separated columns that were targeted in turn by the Vendéens, each time in overwhelming numbers.
After Beaupréau the Vendéens dispersed, seizing the opportunity to head home to their farms and villages and await the next summons to assemble. Now, for a few days, both sides paused.
Roc-de-Cheffois and La Châtaigneraie 10 and 12 April
While the republicans advanced in the north-east, in the south Chalbos moved up to La Châtaigneraie early in April where there was a post of 800 men, and 1,200 men occupied Ste-Hermine. On 10 April he launched an attack against rebels on the prominent position of Roc-de-Cheffois, 2km north-west of La Châtaigneraie. He had hoped for support from Quétineau but discovered he was marching north in accordance with Berruyer’s orders.
Chalbos’ small force probably exceeded 1,000 men and was supported by five guns. They advanced unnoticed and deployed in three columns near to the rebel positions and when he launched the attack many rebels simply fled, covered by a minority that put up a fight.
Two days later the rebels launched a sudden counter-attack and 3,000 were seen descending from the Cheffois area under Verteuil, one of Royrand’s commanders.
To avoid being cut off the republican post at Roc-de-Cheffois pulled back and the rebels used that position to deploy their artillery and bombard the town. Chalbos managed to deploy his men in the roads of La Châtaigneraie as ‘the brigands advanced in two columns with astonishing speed’.23 As they advanced they were firing on the republicans and according to Chalbos this created clouds of dust and bullets ‘whistled about their heads’, but there were few casualties.24 However, although the rebel artillery was badly aimed, Chalbos was forced to steady his left flank.
When he felt the time was right Chalbos ordered his cavalry to mount up and he led them in an outflanking manoeuvre to the left of the enemy-held high ground, and with this move the rebels soon withdrew. Chalbos claimed over 200 rebels were killed and two guns captured.
In spite of these small victories D’Ayat’s chief of staff expressed concern about the quality of the troops in La Châtaigneraie, Ste-Hermine and Fontenay. The volunteers, he said, did not know how to load their weapons and were visibly shocked when gunfire first began. ‘Without line troops this war will not end,’ he said, and Chalbos had to take the precaution of deploying his gendarmes behind his volunteers to prevent them from fleeing.25
For the rest of the month the republicans on this front simply held their ground and took no further aggressive action.
Boulard’s offensive in the Coastal Vendée 8 to 22 April
Completely independent of the activity to the east and north-east, Boulard, who had replaced Marcé, launched an assault northwards against the rebels in the coastal Vendée. By 3 April he had gathered an active field army of around 4,000 men in Les Sables d’Olonne, ably assisted by Representatives Niou and Gaudin.
Boulard reviewed 4,151 troops and sent 320 to St-Cyr-en-Talmondais, 50 to Avrillé, 300 to Olonne, 420 to Port-la-Claye, and left only 500 naval personnel and national guards in Les Sables.26
He divided his troops into two columns: one under his personal command and the other under Adjudant General Esprit Baudry (brother of the rebel leader Baudry d’Asson) and began his offensive at 10am on 8 April as news arrived of a further rebel move from La Mothe-Achard.27 Both columns were led by 100 cavalry as they separately headed for La Grève and La Grassière. They were followed by seventy-two supply wagons, caissons, and carts for the wounded.28
Boulard’s orders were to march through the Marais, recapture Noirmoutier, and pursue the royalists. His first step would be to march on La Mothe-Achard while Baudry headed for Vairé.
La Grassière 8 April
Boulard brushed aside 600 rebels at Pont Chartran and his advance guard halted before La Grassière where they found the bridge had been cut. The soldiers settled down to eat while workmen began its repair covered by the 9th Gironde and thirty mounted gendarmes who had crossed at a ford and deployed north of the river on a height beyond La Petite Grassière.29 At around 2pm rebels under Joly’s command were seen approaching.30
Boulard’s men formed up in column on the main road south of the bridge but the troops north of the river, in spite of being protected by earthworks, fled across the partially repaired bridge as the rebels advanced which prevented their own artillery from being able to fire.31 Joly’s men managed to destroy the repairs to the bridge and was also looking for a way to turn the republican position but Boulard countered this threat and moved the 1st Bordeaux, with cavalry support, to successfully turn Joly’s left flank. Simultaneously a company of grenadiers and four companies of the 2nd Bordeaux marched on the enemy entrenchments and recaptured the position originally held north of the river.32
Boulard occupied La Mothe-Achard that night as Joly retreated north to link up with Charette. Royrand, meanwhile, instructed the rebels in La Roche-sur-Yon to keep an eye on the enemy’s march.33
Baudry’s column, marching on Vairé, clashed with rebels led by Guerry-du-Cloudy dug in near La Grève on the far bank of the Auzance River.34 Baudry was unable to build a bridge without exposing his workers a
nd the conflict degenerated into a long and fruitless firefight.35 Overnight the rebels slipped away and at 8am on the following morning Baudry crossed the river and marched to L’Aiguillon. He subsequently destroyed rebel entrenchments at both Vairé and La Gachère.36
Aware that the rebels were retiring on Challans, Boulard and Baudry moved up to St-Gilles and Croix-de-Vie respectively.37 The tocsin was sounding in the Beaulieu area and Boulard soon realised that he had no hope of securing his landward line of communications back towards Les Sables with the small army at his disposal and found few supplies in St-Gilles. Nevertheless on 10 April he received instructions from Niou to hasten his march on Noirmoutier, while being separately informed that Apremont was in enemy hands and several thousand rebels were near St-Hilaire.38
Guerry-du-Cloudy had abandoned St-Gilles to the republicans and retired on St-Hilaire-de Riez during 9 April. On the follow day, having heard that three frigates and two sloops had been sighted and mistakenly believing them to be English, he gathered 3-4,000 rebels and marched towards the coast.39
Boulard also feared that the rebels might be about to receive supplies from the English when they spotted three columns of rebels marching to the north of the River Vie.40 He ordered Baudry to march from Croix-de-Vie on St-Hilaire-de-Riez to cut their retreat, and although the rebels withdrew before he was in position they did sustain some losses.41
Boulard left the 9th Gironde in St-Gilles and around midday on 11 April took the Challans road. His column moved along the left bank of the River Vie aiming to cross at Le Pas-Opton. Around 3pm he encountered ‘a great number of brigands’ forming part of Joly’s command, entrenched near some houses at Le Pas-Opton with an 18pdr mounted on braced beams at the crossing.42 Boulard moved his men to the left of this crossing and the fire from his battalion guns forced the rebels to abandon most of their entrenchments. High tide prevented him crossing the river so he resorted to using grapeshot to force the remaining rebels to withdraw, abandoning the 18pdr and two small guns as they did so.43
Baudry had been marching in three columns on the St-Hilaire-de-Riez road, aiming to attack the rear of these same rebels. He was delayed by rebels at St-Hilarie-de-Riez but dispersed them with cannon fire. Marching via La Jettière he rejoined Boulard in time to catch Joly in retreat that night.44 The Republicans claimed more than 300 rebels killed.45
On 12 April Boulard and Baudry entered Challans and made preparations to march on Noirmouitier over the following days.
Challans 13 April
In addition to facing Boulard, Charette, based in Machecoul, was warned on 8 April that a column of 3,000 republicans was marching south from Nantes. On the following day he called for help from rebels in Bouin, announcing that he intended to defend the approach to Challans, where he arrived early on 13 April.46 Joined by rebels under Joly, Cloudy, Savin and Du Chaffault between them they mustered 3-4,000 men.47
Boulard and Baudry’s men, however, had pre-empted Charette and deployed in two echelons before Challans as the rebels approached: the 1st Division towards the north-east, the 2nd Division towards the north-west and their artillery in the centre.48
The rebels formed up in a semi-circle and attacked the north-eastern part of the town, with Charette on the right. Their armed troops formed a first wave of attack and advanced with loud cries, but when their army was in the process of deploying some cannon they noticed this first wave flooding back onto their second line. Boulard had stopped the initial assault in its tracks when he opened up with his cannon at very close range.49
Baudry followed up this success by launching a bayonet attack on Charette’s men, who soon fled, abandoning their cannon as they did so. Joly and Cloudy now withdrew and Charette was nearly captured in the pursuit that followed. To negligible losses Boulard claimed 400-600 killed and three small guns.50
On 14 April Boulard and Baudry were approaching Noirmoutier, heading for Beauvoir-sur-Mer and St-Gervais respectively, when Boulard received a letter from Les Sables, dated 11 April, reporting a large rebel gathering at La Roche-sur-Yon and that rebels had reoccupied La Mothe-Achard. Representatives Carra and Auguis ordered him to send part of his column to La Mothe-Achard, explaining that D’Ayat’s 4,000 troops were covering most of the southern front and they could not risk it being broken. They were also concerned that Berruyer’s plan compromised Boulard’s advance, believing that the march on Coron had not been carried out in coordination with D’Ayat and might push large numbers of rebels in Boulard’s direction. Boulard was therefore instructed to await new orders from D’Ayat.51
While in this vulnerable predicament Boulard sought advice from Niou in Les Sables, whose response simply indicated that their own ships had been prevented from sailing by ten English ships sighted off the coast and that he should send some troops to protect Les Sables.52
Nevertheless by the evening of 14 April Boulard was at Beauvoir and Baudry at St-Gervais, moving ever closer to Noirmoutier. Boulard was still eager to achieve his first objective in spite of the diverse instructions and on 15 April he inspected the long causeway connecting Noirmoutier to the mainland, normally accessible at low tide, but was forced to concede that it was impractical in the current season.53
St-Gervais 15 April
The royalists seized the opportunity to attack Baudry’s isolated column and with 7-8,000 rebels they headed for St-Gervais. Charette marched from Machecoul with 3,000 men and one cannon;54 Du Chaffault and Gaston marched on the Palluau road from the south-east, and Guerry-du-Cloudy approached on the Challans road.55 Baudry deployed in three bodies to face them. He was attacked by Charette towards 2pm near La Salle, east of St-Gervais, an hour before the other columns arrived. His artillery initially held the rebels back, but when Boulard joined Baudry in person he ordered the troops to pull back to the village while the Chasseurs-du-Midi, 1st Bordeaux and two 8pdrs were ordered to force-march to their support.
Guerry became embroiled in obstinate fighting and Du Chaffault, who reached the edge of St-Gervais, was repulsed in a counter-attack.
Charette led a strong column through unoccupied woodland near St-Gervais and successfully entered the village, forcing the republicans to abandon most of it and redeploy near their cannon on the Beauvoir road. At the western edge of St-Gervais, Charette’s men were repulsed by the Volunteers of Barbézieux and these same cannon, and a counter-attack by the 1st Bordeaux forced him to give up the fight and retreat on the Challans road.56
According to Boulard the cavalry worked wonders that day and the rebels lost sixty killed, in addition to a cannon, a white flag, and a guidon.57 The republicans admitted to a dozen casualties.58 Among the dead was Gaston, who for a considerable time was mistakenly thought by the British government to be the main royalist leader.
After the battle Boulard withdrew to Challans and remained there until 20 April. He not only faced growing numbers of rebels but also mutiny by the Volunteers of the Charente (called the battalion de la Liberté formed on 26 March) and the Volunteers of Barbézieux (a Compagnie-Franche of around 120 men also from the Charente).59 Men from these units left the ranks without permission and some may have joined Joly’s rebels.60
Boulard was unable to continue his advance as supplies had effectively dried up. A further appeal by Niou to pull troops back at last won him over and on 20 April he set out towards Les Sables.61 He left detachments to cover St-Gilles and on 22 April he was back in La Mothe-Achard. Baudry, meanwhile, re-established a post at Vairé.62
Although Boulard had secured Les Sables, the Vendéens had completely thwarted his plans.
Beysser’s Advance from Nantes
On 20 April, while Boulard was retiring south, so Adjudant General Beysser set out from Nantes at the head of 2,000 infantry, 200 horse and 8 guns.63 He headed straight for Port-Saint-Père which was being held by 200 rebels supported by an 8pdr, a 24pdr, and a few small guns.
The 600 strong republican advance guard was accompanied by two 12pdrs.64 Capturing entrenchments near the River Achenau t
hey discovered that the bridge had been cut and the far bank was defended by rebels. Once counter-battery fire commenced, the republicans soon gained the upper hand, helped by their grenadiers firing on the rebel gunners.65 Meanwhile the bridge was repaired.
The Vendéens were commanded by a peasant named Pajot (not to be confused with the rebel leader of Bouin with the same name), who hoped to stall the republicans and give time for Charette to march to the sound of the guns. To conserve his ammunition he alternated between periods of musketry and cannon fire and held his ground for over three hours. Unfortunately Pajot was struck and fell seriously wounded, causing his men to take flight. Beysser seized the position and on the following day advanced on Machecoul.
Machecoul 21 April
Hearing of the defeat at Port-Saint-Père, Charette vainly appealed for help from Bouin, St-Philbert and Bourgneuf.66 His force totalled around 3,000 men and included 80 cavalry and 5 cannon, but Machecoul was only protected by some crudely constructed entrenchments.67
Vendéen scouts spotted enemy dragoons 4km north of Machecoul and in response Charette deployed his men in a crude line at the junction of the Bourgneuf and Port-Saint-Père roads, just north of the town.68
Towards 6am the republican advance guard appeared and an exchange of cannon fire commenced. According to Savary the battle was something of a farce.69 Beysser, he wrote, had given orders that when they arrived on the field of battle they should fire their cannon and watch how the enemy reacted. When the army arrived, two 12pdrs unlimbered and began to fire while the cavalry deployed and the infantry formed up in four columns. All at once the firing ceased and the Vendéens were seen to break up and flee, allowing the republicans to enter Machecoul unopposed.