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Les diagrammes suivants lllustrent I& m^thode. 1 2 3 4 5 6 .-'^- -/ o Surrender! » ' I ' lY.I y^ f\^ . -v •=■•,] f 1 tii"i I y NO SURRENDER! f.f ^y ^j^L' ij y . r--' -y 1.,.^ - to drill or discipline, i' ranee could furnish, and which grew after every defeat .nt,l at length armies numbering in all over two Lndml thousand men were collected to crush La Vendee T e losses „„ both sides were enormous. La Vend.e was alm^ vi PREFACE. depopuJated, and the Eepublicans paid dearly indeed for havmg fallen on the.r side. La Vendue was crushed bul never surrendered. Had the British goverlett hee„ properly .„,„r„ed by its agents of the 'desperar natare into La Vendue, have changed the whole course of events have crushed the Republic, given France a monarch ati hus spared Europe over twenty yea., of devastating Z W^rofr™"™"-™-"' --"<>''>« C^. A. HENTY. indeed for isand men ushed, but lent been te nature throwing id money af events, arch, and ting war- , and the CNTY. CONTENTS Chap. I. A Fbench Lugger ^^* II. The Beginning of Tuoubles 9g Hi. The First Successes . . . .„ 48 IV. Cathelineau's Scouts ... aa 00 V. Checking the Enemy g- VI. The Assault op Chemille iqq VII. A Short Rest ,„. VIII. The Capture of Saumur 143 IX. Bad News 162 X. Preparations for a Rescue jgg XI. The Attack on Nantes XII. A Series of Victories q^. XIII. Across the Loire . *'*'•••••• 2.00 XIV. Le Mans . . 256 . XV. In Disguise . , 273 XVI. A Friend at Last 292 XVII. A Grave Risk XVIII. Home . . 328 ILLUSTRATIONS Westermann's Cavalrv charge into the Streets of ^'^" ' ' frontispiece. 259 "Follow Me!" he SHOUTED. "xAIake for the Gun!" . u "At the First Vollev the Colonel of the Dragoous and many op his Men fell " 59 "A Scattered Fire broke out from the Dkfeni>i:rs" . 89 "Leigh gave the Word, and leaping up they threw Themselves on the Traitor". . ,^0 1\)q " He WAS THE Bearer of Terrible News " 162 "Jean seized one op Them by the Throat" 215 "For Two or Three Minutes Husband and Wipe stood together " 342 NO SURRENDER! CHAPTER I. A FRENCH LUGGER. Q^wLt'l: l!" r '"', '">"■ ""^ '^ "-^ ""o point when the weather waa d J 1.™ theTftT :r pine Wts of Bournemouth a„t Zia^ Churfa T s^I to the .outh wa. StuCand ^;. tlc'lr H n S X waTe ""L~ t'' "«^' - a g'-t sheet ^f . J tey? "" "'"*°'"''' ""'' "^ ■"'«'«™'>' creeke cor!et™Tl' "" ""^ "" """"'^ "'"' "-y "ook- and ^™on^.t^prret:e:---:tt^=.2-^ 12 NO surrender! pleasant word as he rode along, and who in case of illness knew that they could always be sure of a supply of soup or a gill of brandy at Netherstock. Among those of his own class it was often a matter of wonder how James Stans- field made both ends meet. The family had for two or three generations been of a similar temperament to that of the present holder, men who spent their money freely, and were sure to be present whenever there was a horse-race, or a mam of cocks to be fought, or a prize-fight to come oflf, withm a day's ride of Netherstock. Gradually farm after farm lad been parted with, and the estate now was smaller by half than it had been at the beginning of the century. James Stansfield had, howeve-, done nothing further to diminish it. He had a large fan ily, but they could hardly be said to be an expensive one, seeing that little was spent upon the fashion of their clothes; and beyond the fact that the curate in charge of the little church in the village of Netherstock came over every morning for two or three hours to give the boys and girls the elements of education, they went very much their own way. Mrs. Stansfield had died five years before this. Polly, the eldest girl, aged twenty, acted as mistress of the house. Next to her, at intervals of little more than a year, came Ralph and John, two strongly-buiit young fellows, both fearless riders and good at all rustic games. What supervision the farm work got was given by them. Patsey, the second girl, was generally admitted to be the flower of the Stansfields. She was bright, pretty, and good-tempered. She was in charge of the dairy, and the Netherstock butter was famous through the country round, and always fetched top prices at the market. The youngest of the family was Leigh, who was now fourteen. He was less heavily built than his brothers, but their A FRENCH LUGGER. 13 tutor declared that he was the quickest and most intelli- gent of his pupils, and that if he had but a chance he would turn out a fine young fellow. The boys were all fond of boating and sailing, which was natural enough, as the sea washed two sides of the estate. They had two boats. One of these lay hauled up on the sands, a mile to the east of the entrance to the harbour. She was a good sea boat, and when work was slack about the place, which indeed was the normal state of things, they would often sail to Weymouth to the west, or eastward to Yarmouth or Lymington, sometimes even to Portsmouth. The other boat, which was also large, but of very shallow draught of water, lay inside the entrance to the harbour, and in her they could go either north or south of Brownsea Island and shoot or fish in the many inlets and bays. There were few who knew every foot of the great sheet of water as thty did, and they could tell the precise time of the tide at which the channels were deep enough for boats drawing from two to three feet of water. The most frequent visitor to Netherstock was Lieutenant or, as he Avas called in courtesy, Captain Whiffler, the officer m commiindof the coast-guard station between Poole and Christ Church, his principal station being opposite Brownsea Island, the narrowest point of the entrance to the harbour He was a somewhat fussy little officer, with a great idea of the miportance of his duties, mingled with a regret that these duties did not afford him full scope for proving his "Smuggling has almost ceased to exist along here," he would say. " I do not say that across the harbour some- thing that way may not still be done, for the facilities there are very much greater than they are on this side. Still, my colleague there can have but little trouble, for I keep a 14 NO surrender! sharp look-out that no boat enters by the passage nnufh .t the .land without being searched. Of courofe hears a better, and I believe they are only set on foot to put our officers from Swanage westward, and beyond Christ Churoh down to Hurst Castle, oflF their guard " ^ ^gree. St 11, I fancy that although times are not what asioTallVn " /'" '7'''' ^^ '"^ ^ ^^^ ^^ brandy pIklTty ^' ' '" '"'^ '' ''''' °^ ^^^«' ^^^^ h-- never run'I'ir t°"^' °^*f f "'-^"y «ome small craft manages to run a few kegs or bales, and unfortunately the gentr; nstead of aiding his majesty's representatives kefpth^ thing ahve by purchasing spirits and so on from those who have been concerned in their landing " ^° J'7'^} ^'" ^T"' ^'P'^"'" ^^'^^ffler, human nature is and fa -lals, and offers them to the girls at half the price at which they could buy them down at Poole, you canTrdly expect them to take lofty ground and charge the man with having smuggled them." "I do not think the young ladies are offenders that way " the officer said, "for I have never yet seen them in foreign gear of .ny sort. I should, if you will allow me to say so be more inchned, were you not a justice of the peac^to " suspect you of having dealings with these men, for your brandy is generally of the best." ^ "I don't set up to be better than my neighbours, captain." way I will not say that I should refuse to buy a good artic^ a he price I should pay for a bad one in the town " lour tobacco is good too, squire." A FRENCH LUGGER, j. "Yes, I am particular about my tobacco an,! r ™. . say that I think government lays too hTri. f, in had the making of the law,, HX X^^^^IZ » bad tobacco, and a low duty on a good article fhlt^u encourage the importation 'of good w-hok^m;': ;""'? n"Cg^rf:b^-ht::r^f"oVrrt?. - --- smecuro. The irennetle came into Poole thismorninl b„f we never trouble about her. She i, a fa,r t™! ^'j -ell known at every port between Pr 1 rh:;dPir wtrraick^rc-^^^^ men with her into Poole r«^h:;; ™':;"'' ■'' ?™f '« »' consigned to well-known me cWs at n r""'™^'' enter, and eons,,., of winer r hU ; ^t ^'^ t' does oc^sionally bring in brandy H Ta fine fo Mow the skipper, Jean Martin/ 1 bel eve his fith '* a large wine merchant at Nantes. I sunpo,! vo^ l" " kim, squire?" suppose you know "Ve.% I have met him several times down in (!,» . and mdeed have bought many a barrel o7wie of hZ' * e^ t iTytr *'t" T; '- ' "- -M ^^'- or spirits t;,erm7k: « 'T^^:fvi -■"? ray girls like to have a chat wlh hi k T J «'"''■ ""^ Trainee where thi ''"""P^'" »? "•<»'Wo» in the west of Betwee'utdUlT.Zr.l^.!!-.",' *- ■■"■'ee-'ng s that there is in other parts. 16 NO surrender! The dei)arturc i •» Captain Whiffler was always followed by a broad smile on the faces of the elder boys, breaking occasionally into a hearty langh, in which the squiie joined. "I call him an insufferable ass," linlph said on this particular evening. "It would be difficult, as father says, to find an officer who is, as far as we are concerned, so admn-ably suited for his position. "That is so, Kalph; there is scarcely a man, woman, or child in this part of Dorsetshire who does not know that there are more goods run on that piece of water over there than on the whole south coast of England. I sincerely trust that nothing will ever bring about his recall. Per- sonally, I would pay two or three hundred a year out of my own pocket rather than lose him. There is no such place anywhere for the work; why, there are some fourteen or fifteen inlets whe.v* goods can be landed at high water, and once past the island, I don't care how sharp the revenue men may be, the betting is fifty to one against their being at the right spot at the right time. "If the passage between our point and the island were but a bit wider it would be perfect, but unfortunately it is so narrow that it is only on the very darkest night one can hope to get through unnoticed. However, we can do very well with the southern channel, and, after all, it is safer. We can get any number of boats, -md the Henriette has only to anchor half a mile outside ih(> entrance. We know when she is coming, and have lu^ t;, ;;».(',;' a light directly she makes her signal and the boats will put out from Eadhorn passage and Hamworth, while messengers start for Bushaw and Scopland and Creach and a dozen farmhouses, and the carts are sure to be at the spot •her^ they have been warned to assemble by the time the boPfv come along with the kegs, and everything is miles (H572) A FRENCH r,UGGER. jy away in hiding before morning. If it is a dark night the mnnette makes off again and comes boI.Uy i,. the n xt btudland happens to come across her before she gets ud anchor, there she is-the crew are all asleep wfth the exception of a man on watch; she is simply waiting to come .m when there is light enough to enable her to make he way up the passage." James Stansfield was in fact the organizer o- the smugghng busmess carried on at Poole and the adj. en tt '^ There was not a farmhouse among the h L to h south of the great sheet of water with which he Z not m communication. Winter was the season at wh .h the trade was most busy, for the short summer nigh s were altogether unsuitod for the work; and wherthe ci weather drove the wild-fowl in for shelter there was splend d mel :ih"b ^^' '^"! '^'" ^^'^'-^ ''''' '^ combine':.:! ment .v.th business and to keep the larder well stocked Th night signals were made from a cleft in the sand-hHls t ould not be seen from Brownsea Island, though visible he h iT rV ? .'' "'^ ''''"^ ^^"^'^"d -ght away Zl the hdls to Corfe Castle, even to Wareham ^ Fo1Z:!T: 't ''' '''' ' "'""^^ J"^"^ - ^he bells of wL ex^ ted T "'"• ^' '"'-'' ^^"'•' ^^^«" ^he lugger was exi,eoted there was a look-out at the door of everv farmhouse, and the moment tbp Urri^f ^ were made for fl,« i T , ^^ '^''' '^^"' P^-eparations been eiven bv ? '' '^' 'P^' ""^ ''^^"^^ "«^i^e l^ad been g.ven by one or other of the boys on the previous n fsehl di n T '''^ ''''''' ^'^ '^^'^ would'put o" on V at 1^ T-.^ u""" ""^^ ^''"^'"^ '° ^^^' '^'^' for it was only at high tides that the shallows were covered Thev would gather in the channel south of Brownserwherlt^I B 18 NO surrender! boys, and often their father, would be in their boats in where tt ^^'' '.^^ ''"^^' "'^^ ^« ^^<^" ^''^"^ the spot ciatt and then- readiness to discharge cargo It was exciting work and profitable, and so well was it managed that, although it had been carried on for le years, no suspicion had ever entered the minds of any of the revenue officers. Sometimes many weeks would elapse between the visits of the lugger, for she m.s obliged 'to make her appearance frequently at other ports, to maintain her character as a trader, and was as such w 11 known aU aon th It was only a year since the //..n./;h" taken the place of another lugger that had previously coast. She had been the property of the same owner, or fir t mal %""^ 'r' '°^ ^^^^" ^^-^-' ^^o had b en fi St mate on board the other craft, had invested some of h s own money m the ffenriette and asstm.ed the command It was noticed at Poole that the ffenrieUe used that port more frequently than her predecessor had done, and indeed she not mfrequently came in in the daytime with he ho d as full as when she had left Nantes. It was on one of the e had a long talk with the squire. "So you want my daughter Patsey!" the latter said when h , t„ h„j ^„y ^.^ ,^^ .^ te a d a Frenchman. I don't say that I have not heard my boy, tnakmg a aly joke more than onco when the Ilcnie Z seen comn,g m and I have seen the eolour flying up into "C I don t aay that I am averse to your suit. Wo may be saki A FRENCH LUGGER. 19 to b» partners ,„ h„ trade of y„„rs, And „ both owe each other a good deal. During the last eight years yo.rst have run something like forty cargoes and never los a ke. always being .ucky'l^dontlra;: , t^tn;" ir, ^d I ,:t:id:^ttiv:rht-:,;;— ■•-"" whispered as .nch as alordTthfr "p LT' '"^i" accidents will take place sometimes Y„m ,Tl, ' have done .oil with L trade, an,?: have"' 'TZ;:^ I Will leave it in Putsey's hands T }>..v„ u ^ and to spare. And. of fouit , u wil^^e .bleTo b 'Y" over sometimes to pay us a visit Wo T h ° ^""^ ^''' •di, souvered, 20 NO surrender! I and that ruin might fall upon Netherstock, was ever present in her mind and in that of her elder sister. To her brothers engaged in the perilous business, it was regarded as a pleasant excitement, without which their lives would be intolernbly dull. It was not that she or they regarded the matter in the light of a crime, for almost everyone on that part of the coast looked upon smuggling as a game in which the wits of those concerned in it were pitted against those of the revenue men. It brought profit to all concerned, and although many of the gentry found it convenient to express indignation at the damage done to the king's revenue by smuggling, there were none of them who thought it ner-essary to mention to the coast-guard when by some accident a keg of brandy or a parcel with a few pounds of prime tobacco was found in one of the outhouses. Patsey had suffered more than her sister, being of a more lively imagination, and being filled with alarm and anxiety whenever she knew that her father and the boys were away at night. Then, too, she was very fond of Leigh, and had built many castles in the air as to his future, and the thought that not only would he be with her, bu'. would be in the way of making his road to fortune, was very pleasant to her. She knew that if he remained at Netherstock he would grow up like his brothers; his father might, from time to time, talk of putting him into some business, but she understood his ways, and was certain that nothing would come of it. Martin had before expressed to her his doubt as to whether her father Avould consent to her going away with him, but she had no fear on the subject. In his quiet, easy-going way he was fond of his children, and would scarcely put himself out to oppose vehemently anything on s ever present ) her brothers egarded as a ^es would be regarded the yone on that s a game in )itted against hough many 3 indignation y smuggling, necessary to cident a keg rime tobacco had suffered imagination, henever she ly at night. 1 built many bought that in the way sant to her. k he Avould , from time ess, but she thing would oubt as to away with 1 his quiet, and would mything on i A FRENCH LUGGER. £1 which they had set their hearts. He had, too, more than once said that he wished some of them could be settled elsewhere, for a time of trouble might come, and it would be M-ell to have other homes where some of them could be received. "Patsey has consented," Jean Martin said joyously as he rejomed the squire. " Well, that is all right. I think myself that it is for the best. Of course it must be understood that in the matter of religion she is not to be forced or urged in any sort of way but is to be allowed to follow the religion in which she has been ])rought up." "I would in no way press her, sir. We have Protes- tants in France just as there are Catholics here, though I must admit that there are not many of them in La Vendee. Still, the days when people quarrelled about religion are long since past, and certainly at Nantes there IS a Protestant congregation, though away in the country they would be difficult to find. However, I promise you solemnly that I will in no way try to Influence her mind nor that of the boy; he will still, of course, look upon England as his home, and I should even oppose any attempt being made to induce him to join our church ■ You have plenty of Frenchmen in this country, and no question as to their religion arises. It will be just the same with us. ^ Six weeks later the Henrktte returned. In her came Monsieur Martin, whose presence as a witness of the cere- mony was considered advisable, if not absolutely necessary. He had, too, various documents to sign in presence of the French consul at Southampton, giving his formal consent. Ihe maniago was solemnized there at a small Catholic ciiapel, and ii, was repeated at the parish church at Poole 22 NO surrender! I and the next day the party sailed for Nantes. It was two months before the lugger again came in to Poole. When it returned it took with it the squire and Polly, to whom Monsieur Martin had given a warm invitation to come over to see Patsey in her new home. They found her well and happy. Monsieur Martin's house was in the suburbs of Nantes. It had a large garden, at the end of which, facing another street, stood a pretty little house that had been generally used either as the abode of aged mothers or unmarried sisters of the family, or for an eldest son to take his wife to, but which had now been handed over to Jean and his wife. This was very pleasant for Patsey, as it united the privacy of a separate abode with the cheerfulness of the family home. She had her own servant, whose excellent cooking, and, above all, whose scrupulous cleanliness and tidiness, astonished her after the rough meals and haphazard arrangements at Netherstock. Whenever she felt dull during Jean's absences, she could run across the garden for a talk with his mother and sister; at meals and in the evening she had Leigh, who spent most of his time at the cellars or in the counting-house of Monsieur Martin, learn- ing for the first time habits of business, and applying himself eagerly to acquiring the language. The squire was put up at Monsieur Martin's, and Polly slept in the one spare room at her sister's, all the party from the pavilion going over to the house to the mid-day meal and supper. The squire and Polly were much pleased with their visit. It was evident that Patsey had become a prime favourite with her husband's family. Jean's sister Louise was assiduous in teaching her French, and she had already begun to make some progi-ess. Louise and her mother were constantly running across to the little pavilion on A FRENCH LUGGER. It was two )ole. When lly, to whom ion to come T found her was in the the end of little house lode of aged "or an eldest leen handed united the Iness of the se excellent iiliness and 1 haphazard e felt dull 1 garden for and in the time at the irtin, learn- d applying squire was le one spare ilion going jr. their visit. 9 favourite jouise was id already ler mother pavilion on 23 some errand or other, and Patsey spent as much of her time with them as she did in her own house. Jean's absences seldom exceeded ten days, and he generally spent a week at home before sailing again. He had driven her over to stay for three or four days at a small estate of his own some forty miles to the south-east of Nantes, in the heart of what was called the Bocage— a wild country, with thick woods, narrow lanes, high hedges, and scattered villages and farms, much more English in appearance than the country round Nantes. The estate had come to him from an aunt. Everything here was very interesting to Patsey; the costumes of the women and children, "the instruments of husbandry, the air of freedom and in- dependence of the people, and the absence of all ceremony uiterested and pleased her. She did not understand a smgle word of the patois spoken to her by the peasants, and which even Jean had some difficulty in following,' although he had spent a good deal of his time at the little chateau during the lifetime of his aunt. "Should you like to live here when not at sea, Jean?" asked Patsey. " Yes, I would rather live here than at Nantes. Next to a life at sea I should like one quite in the country. There IS plenty to do here; there is the work on the place to look after, there is shooting, there is visiting, and visiting here means something hearty, and not like the formal work in the town. Hero no one troubles his head over politics They may quarrel as they like in Paris, but it does not concern La Vendee. Here the peasants love their masters, and the masters do all in their power for the comfort and happiness of the peasants. It is not as in many other parts of France, where the peasants hate the nobles, and the nobles regard the peasants as dirt under their feet 24 NO surrender! Here it is more like what I believe it was in England when you had your troubles, and the tenants followed their lords to battle. At any rate life here would be very preferable to being in business with my father in Nantes. I should never have settled down to that; and as my elder brother seems specially made for that sort of life, fortu- nately I was able to go my own way, to take to the sea in the lugger and become the carrier of the firm, while taking my share in the general profits." "How is it that your brother does not live at home? it would seem natural that he should have had the pavilion when he married." "He likes going his own way," Jean said shortly. " As far as business matters go he and my father are as one, but m other matters they differ widely. Jacques is always tal ang of reforms and changes, while my father is quite content with things as they are. Jacques has his own circle of friends, and would like to go to Paris as a deputy and to mix himself up in affairs. Though none of us cared for the lady that he chose as his wife, she had money, and there was nothing to say against her personally. None of us ever took to her, and there was a general feeling of relief when It was known that Jacques had taken a house in the business quarter. He looks after the carrying business. Of course my lugger does but a very small proportion of it. We send up large quantities of brandy to Tours, Orleans, and other towns on the Loire, and have dealings with Brittany and Normandy by sea, and with the Gironde. He looks after that part of the business; mv father does the buying and directs the counting-house. Though my art IS a very inferior one, I have no reason to complain of my share of the profits." The first eighteen months of Patsey'.s married life passed 3 'I m 3# '^MWMWiMny A FRENCH LUGGER. 25 quietly and happily. She could now speak French fluently, and having made several stays at the country chateau could make herself understood in the patois. Leigh spoke French as well as English. Fortunately he had picked up a little before leaving home, partly from his tutor, partly from endeavouring to talk with French fishermen and sailors who came into Poole. He frequently made trips in the Hen- riette, sometimes to Havre and Rouen, at others to Bordeaux. He had grown much, and was now a very strong active lad. He got on very well with Monsieur Martin, but kept as much apart as he could from his eldest son, for whom he felt a deep personal dislike, and who had always dis- approved of Jean's marriage to an Englishwoman. Jacques Martin was the strongest contrast to his brother. He was methodical and sententious, expressed his opinion on all subjects with the air of a man whose judgment was infal- lible, and was an ardent disciple of Voltaire and Rousseau. It was very seldom that he entered his father's house, where his opinions on religious subjects shocked and horrified his mother and sister. He lived with an entirely diflferent set, and spent most of his time at the clubs, which, in imita- tion of those of Paris, had sprung up all over the country. "What is all the excitement about, Jean?" Leigh asked his brother-in-law one evening. " There are always fellows standing on casks or bales of timber along the wharf shout- ing and waving their arms about, and sometimes reading letters or printed papers, and then those who listen to them shout and throw up their caps, and get into a tremendous state of excitement." " They are telling the others what is being done at the Assembly." "And what are they doing there, Jean?" " They are turning things upside down." 26 NO surrender! "And is that good?" ml^'i^' ^^r '' "° "^^"^^ ^^^^ <^^'"g« are not as well managed as they might be, and that there is a great deal o ation has bean very heavy, and the extravagance of the fault of the present king, who is a quiet fellow, and does not ca,-e for show or pageants, but it is rather the fault o the k,ngs who preceded him, especially of Louis XIV who was a great monarch, no doubt, but a very expensive one to h. subjects, and whose wars cost an enoLou's Z You see, it is not in France as it is with you. The noblTs hei-e have great power. Their tenants and serfs-foi th l are still nothing but serfs-are at the mercy of their loi7 who may flog them and throw them into pdson almos at he r pleasure, and will grind the last sou out of them that they may cut a good figure at court "In this part of France things are more as they are in England. The nobles and seigneurs are like yourLmt ^ IZT:"J.:' ''•' " ''"^ '^''^^^"^' '"^^y -^^ -^h their an? L 1 ^ "• 'T''' ^" '^'"^^ '^'y S° *° ^heir f^tes, and the ladies visit the sick, and in all respects they live as do your country squires; paying a visit for a few weeks each year to Paris, and spending the rest of their time on their estates. But it is not from the country that the members of the Assembly who are the most urg ^ fo town?' t "°'"' " ''"^ ^^^"^ ^°-«' ^"^ ^-- the towns. There were two writers, Voltaire and Eousseau, thn. )r .T T'r''' ''''''^''^- ^^^h «f them perceived that the state of things was wrong, but they went to ex- ofT T ':""' ''' ^^""'^' ^"^ ^"-'^^d ^""^titutions Ik. ° 1 T^'\'' ratings are read by everyone, and have shaken people's faith in God and in all things as ihey are. A FRENCH LUGGER. 27 not as well great deal of nee the tax- ?ance of the It is not the )vv, and does the fault of Louis XIV., y expensive )rmous sum. The nobles fs — for they their lords, n almost at lit of them they are in )ur country : with their their fetes, s they live few weeks }ir time on r that the urgent for from the Eousseau, perceived 3nt to ex- istitutions and have hey are. " I do not say that much improvement could not be made but It will never be made by sudden and great changes, nor by men such as those who are gradually gaining the upper band in the Assembly. The people ought to have a much stronger voice than they have in their own taxation. They see that in England the ministers and parliament manage everything, and that the king-although his influence goes for a good deal, and he can change his ministers as often as he hkes-must yet bow to the voice of parliament I think that that is reasonable; but when it comes to a parlia- ment, composed largely of mere agitators and spouters I for my part, would rather be ruled by a king." ' ' "But what is it that these people want, Jean?" "I do not thiuK they know in the least themselves beyond the fact that they want all the power; that they want to destroy the nobility, overthrow the church, and lay hands on the property of all who are more wealthy than themselves. Naturally the lowest classes of the towns who are altogether ignorant, believe that by supporting these men, and by pulling down all above them, it would no longer be necessary to work. They want to divide the estates of the nobles, take a share of the wealth of the traders and of the better class of all sortc, in fact they would turn everything topsy-turvy, render the poor all-powerful, and tread all that is good and noble under their feet The consequence is, that the king is virtually a prisonerm the hands of the mob of Paris, the nobles and better classes are leaving the country, thousands of these have already been massacred, and no one can say how matters will end Here m Nantes there is, as you see. a feeling of excite- ment and unrest, and though as yet there has been no vioence, no one could venture to predict what may take place If the moderate men in the Assembly are outvoted 28 NO SURRENDER? long run. I relX? °" '"""' ''"' P™™" '" the shall have the satisfaction „fT ... ''"'''' ""'' "''" ™ oow the leaders o the Z„/p °° ° "°""''™'^' ''•■° -« they deserve. HoweveTL if ,™' ''°'"™ ""' P'""='-™t - uneasiness ,„r iiZZ^^::: ^^"f ' '""^ retire to my chateau in th. fi,-7 T '^''■'^^'' ^^ can of La Vendl, .re th^t^t^t^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^ ever rise against their masters." ^'^''"'' ^^" CHAPTER II. THE BEGINNING OF TROUBLES. T™f J,? ^^^^^"^ ™°- -d more serious, Patsey " said Jean one evening, "i dnn'f tn f ^' come of it thp Pvr.,-fnrv, ^ • -^ ^ont know what will he no doJb? haTt rim r^^'"* "'"■ "" *- »" long- The greater „17- ,1 '""'' "'"'"" "-""We^ ere AssLh,y,?„r:;r °o" " n'Wrtc"^" ^^^ ""^ "-^ priests and the nerLn(in„ „f u T ^ "^^'n't the what has taken';; rrp2:.^^7/'~- ^™ '=""" repeated here. We are ™l„ ""'' .V"' ""at it will be -an, thinks tb^tl:Z!':ZtZ\lTl '^' ^""^ to express no opinion .vbZ I '"' *"•"'"«» and that tt storm ZZlwr T' ?"''"'= "«•'"". and - .>. ,* .-".5- «Xftt ~ the hands of the 'ill prevail in the porary madness, ses, and that we mdrels, who are thr! punishment >n-^« rned I have ■Nantes we can >st wooded part le peasants will ous, Patsey," )w what will and there can troubles ere are Avith the against the • You know It it will be ', dear good business and affairs, and My brother say, as far Is the cause le cause of a THE BEGINNING OF TROUBLES. 29 revolution, of confiscation, of irreligion, and abomination .:^rrr:f7r^:.::::::::^^---nedin trary to the public imn,l I k ? , opinions con- n.i.,e„-„s thfre fh ' tim Z' U^ ^' '""' ^'™"- "' that in a case like this iTV " 8°' "P ""'' ™<1 patriot. p,ace ^'Z^Zr:^!']^-" ''^" 1™= affected to speak mildly i„ ^ ^Z bit S ""' r'" doing me as much harm as h^ coul ' I blve Z' """ .s capab e of denouncing his own father F Ithe b- I hear that the whole country is in confusioi Th T of course, side with their nrie,,, • ,L , ^'"' P""?'"' are naturally royalisto aifd ! ' J " "' ""'' '""^-owners !>« held in whaf H;; M I T' """ "•" ""'"S »'>»»W degree, and wht, ItC^I V':-':^" '' """ "' '"" men amone them h-ive ,1 ^^ ' '"""' "''"'0"s gradually g',nt';„!::™ ;*:,rr;;7 """"""'^ '-■"» knJXXn^er'':^;?^""'"^"^ peasants tat this persecution of f^ *' "' ''° " ''' ""'•« "™e; and if, asl saitZe^i tl b^rl-^lfr /^^ «-'^; and to drag men away from thei, bf^ I r" "" """y' to go or not, you :nay "esire b ^^ 7^"'^"'' ""^ '"'^ trouble there. Now you s det l"' "« ''"•'' '"'" ''^ character. At sea I L r 1 4 ™ " ™'' "' double trader with, a, ; , Low hft ^t- ^"""' •■" """"''"" laws of your country o'n'hVotTi '" ^^ ''=™"- am Monsieur Jean Martin ri». i "''■ '" ^ ^"'"^^^ I terms with all the nob™' ^ ''P™''"°""---'"'^»"f™ndly It « evident that I^nnot^T^ '" "^ "^^'■•'""■■""d , part; already great nurr'ofrrhr t' '"'' ""'""« I -nd the prisons are half.full T h ar tha^ " ™'' ''■'"• I A uear tHat a commissioner so NO SURRKNDER! from the Assembly is cx,>cctol here shortly to trv .,h„.. -sp™'». as they .are ealled, „„d f„„, ,vh f ■. „ knot aT re dy we m,.y be sure that there .viil bo little mercy Zv„ subsZe: t: 7'e::i:h''''''Tf """°^"' *" "»" °' «I.nii 1 1 icmain here I have no doubt that T to Jsngland and leave jou there with yonr father until fhll n-Cir :her::i7„?-^ ■" "'"''™' ---■ - > » "Certainly I Avill go down with you Jean Tt i= , no hi .of , h r " "^""^ *" ^° '" ^"^''""> ""d t° know nothing of what is passu.g hero and what danger might wor e l::"' 71 '''' '"* ■=""■ »*- for'bette mo e it wm b ^ «'""""• *''«'"■ 3""> -""y 1"= in. the very hlnv d!l "^T 'u '^ '^ ^'"" '"«■ ' ='«'»« b= been herfwftb v / """"' """^ '^PP^ '^^ ' '-e be vir! ^ /°'' ™™ """^ P^'- '»'■ °« »nnot but be very anxious when one sees one's f.iond. thrown ilZ 11 THE BEGINNING OF TROUBLES. 31 " Very well .vifo, so be it. I am sure that there at least we shall be safe. It ,s only i„ the towns that these rascals are dangerous, and ,n a country like ours there is little fear hat he kr,aves w,ll ve.iture to interfere when they see that they are stirring up a nest of hornets. They have plenty of work to satisfy even their taste for confiscation and murder in the large towns; there is an army gathering on he frontier, and they will have their hands fidl ere ion. And now about Leigh. My brother has always shown ''a di.sl.ke for him and as it is certain that he cannot remain here he must either return to England or go with us " " I am sure that he would choose to go with us, Jean. You say yourself that he talks F.ench like a native now, and though he has often told me that he would never Settle m France-for naturally he is as horrified as I am with the doings in Pans and the other great towns-still, I am sure tha he wou d choose to remain with us now. You se he .s strong and active, and has made so many trips with you that he IS almost a sailor. He is within a few monthso wou d hke to go some long voyages and have some adven^ "lI\h!'fi'V^'f' ''^'' ^^"^ "^^'^ "^'" J«'^" «-^l heartily, [life and t T\ ." ' ''^ ""'''' "^ ^^^" '^--t' ^-^^ 't P t in tf; f f '"^^ '''■"'-" ^"°"S^ *° ^-k« his own .part, in the next place, although I hope for the best a man en never say exactly what will take place. I may be awav 32 NO surrender! would certainly be seized. Pierre Lefaux, my mate, is a shrewd as well as a faithful fellow; I shall appoint him captain. I shall tell him to leave here at once and employ the lugger in coasting voyages, making Bordeaux his head- quarters, and taking what freights he can get between that toM'n and Rochelle, Brest, or other ports on this coast. "So long as he does not return here he might even take wines across to England or brandy from Charente. He knows his business well, and as long as we are at peace with England, trade will still go on. The best thing would be for him to be at Bordeaux once every fortnight or three weeks, so that we shall know where to find him. I have a great friend at Bordeaux, and shall get him to have the lugger registered in his name, and give him a receipt for her pur- chase money, so that in case the people here learn that she is trading at Bordeaux, he will be able to prove that she is his own property. Then, if the very worst should come, which I cannot bring myself to believe, there will be a means of escape for us all to England. She will be sailing there in two or three days. I have fifty thousand francs lying in my father's hands, 1 shall send that over by Lefaux, and instruct him to ask your father to go with him to the bank at Poole and pay the money in to my account. Then if we should have to leave Fiance, we shall have that to fall back upon, and the lugger. I should, of course, transfer her to the English flag, and have no doubt that we should be able to get on very fairly. So you see I am preparing for all contingencies, Patsey." " It seems very dreadful that the country should be in such a state, Jean." " It is di-eadful, and I am afraid that things have by no means got to the worst yet. Ah, here comes Leigh! After supper I shall go in and have a talk with my father. I have :, my mate, is a all appoint him jnce and employ rdeaux his head- jet between that I this coast, might even take Charente. He .re at peace with ing would be for or three weeks, I have a great lave the lugger ipt for her pur- B learn that she prove that she st should come, will be a means be sailing there francs lying in by Lefaux, and im to the bank ount. Then if ive that to fall ;ourse, transfer that we should ' am preparing ^ should be in gs have by no Leigh ! After Father. I have i THE BEGINNING OF TROUBLES. 33 very little hope of having much success with him, but at least, when he sees the steps that I am taking, it cannot but make him think seriously of his own position, and that of my mother and sisters." Leigh was delighted when he heard Jean's proposal. His own position had been unpleasant of late. He had long since ceased to go to Jacques Martin, for the dislike between them was mutual, and do what he would, he failed to give satisfaction. And of late, even in Monsieur Martin's cellars and storehouses he had met with a good deal of unpleasantness, and would have met with more had it not been that he had on one occasion knocked down one of the chief clerks who had sworn at him for some trifling act of carelessness. As the clerk knew that the merchant would have been very angry at the insult he had offered to Leigh he had not ventured to make a complaint, but in many ways he had been able to cause numberless petty annoy- ances. Many of the others were inclined to follow his ^ ead, and would have done so more openly, were it not that they held in respect Leigh's strength, and readiness Im the science they called le hoxe. I The talk that there might be troubles in La Vendue Iheightened his satisfaction at leaving Nantes and going Jdown to stay in the country. The thought of a life spent at Foole or Weymouth as a wine merchant and agent of the house of Martin had for some time past been unpleasant fo him. The feeling of general unrest that prevailed in France had communicated itself to him, and he thought ^^ossibly that something might occur which would change ^he current of his life and lead to one more suited to his "Tiatural activity and energy. i "J'''' ^^^ ^^^^"^ P^'^k up quietly to-morrow," Jean said r \^'ll!. ''^^*''" ^'' ''®^"'" *'^'*^n^ fa'« father's; "if there 34 NO surrender! were any suspicion that I was thinking of going away it might bring matters to a head. I will get the lugger's boat down to the wharf, and four sailors shall come up here and take the boxes doAvn in one of the hand-carts with a tarpaulin thrown over them. I will arrange for a cart and a carriage to be waiting for us on the other side of the river. "There is no moving my father; he cannot persuade himself that a man who takes no part in politics, and goef. about his business quietly, can be in any danger. He has, however, at my mother's entreaty, agreed for the present to cease buying, and to diminish his stock as far as possible, and send the money, as fast as he realizes it, across to England. He says, too, that he will, if things get worse, send her and my sister to England. I promised him that your father would find them a house, and see thai, they were settled comfortably there for a time. He would not believe that Jacques could have been at the club when I was denounced, without defending me, for although himself greatly opposed to the doings in Paris, and annoyed at the line Jacques has taken up, he thought that there was at least this advantage in it, that in case of troubles coming here he would have sufficient influence to prevent our being in any way molested. However, there can be no question that I have to some extent alarmed him, and he agreed not only to draw to-morrow my fifty thousand francs from his caisse, but to send over with it a hundred thousand francs of his own. Fortunately he can do this without Jacques knowing anything about it, for although Jacques and I have both a share in the business he has always kept the management of the money matters in his own hands. So that is settled as far as it can be settled. Fortunately the club does not meet this evening, so there is no fear of a demand being f going away it ^et the lugger's I shall come up the hand-carts II arrange for a I the other side :annot persuade olitics, and goes inger. He has, for the present I far as possible, es it, across to ings get worse, mised him that I see thai, they He would not ae club when I Ithough himself annoyed at the lere was at least coming here he iir being in any question that I greed not only from his caisse, id francs of his icques knowing [ I have both a [Q management > that is settled Q club does not demand being * ts THE BEGINNING OF TROUBLES. 35 made by it for my arrest to-morrow. I have a friend who belongs to it-not, I think, because he at all ag ees with |ts v.ews, but because, like many others, he deems ft pTuIent to appear to do so. It was from him that I heard what tn passed there, and he promised to give me warnL of to the lugger early, and remain on board all day seeing to Z stowage of the cargo we are taking on board ToTh?^ Pi^oncanarisethatlamthinking^fl^^^^^^^^ sJet ZZ:2 th^" ''''''' '' nnfre,nenL cto lui me quay, the nurse carrying tho ohihi ^ I r.a months o,d. The boxes had gone h,^f a„ ho 'tC here „a» a ferryac™ to a m /T^-^ " P™"' ^'"'™ tf La Vendue »71 , u "" '""^'"S »"' "-o heart »aitiL Th^ " «'" "86°" ^"<> '' triage were Ue in char^'rr hltX s^td'o^h^ '"^'" M arrived at the chateau It niCtck in thT ""'""'' Sht L way throthTh "°"""« *"' °' "" ''™y '» he»% ^r^t^'srerthChe'XiiTv-r " '-^ 36 NO surrender! The news that the master had come down, and that he was going for a time to live among them, spread rapidly, and in the course of the day some fifteen of the tenants came in to pay their respects, few of them arriving without some little offering in the way of game, poultry, butter, or other produce. "Our larder is full enough for us to stand a siege," Patsey said, laughing, "and I know that we have a good stock of wine in the cellar, Jean." " Yes, and of cider too. When the tenants are in any difficulty about paying their rents, I am always willing to take it out in wine or cider, for my father deals in both, and therefore it is as good as money ; but I have not sent any to Nantes for the past two or three years, and, as you say, the cellars are as full as they can hold. To-morrow, Leigh, we will ride over and call upon some of our neigh- bours, to hear the last news, for the Bocage is as far away from Nantes as if it were on the other side of France, and we hear only vague rumours of what is going on here." The ride was a delightful one to Leigh. He had only once visited the chateau before, and then only for a day or two. The wild country, with its deep lanes, its thick high hedges, its woods and copses, was all new to him, for the country round his English home was for the most part bare and open. Some of the peasants carried guns over their shoulders, and looked as if accustomed to use them. *' Very few of them possess guns," Jean Martin remarked, "and that they should carry them shows how disturbed a state of mind all these people are in. They know that their priests may be arrested and carried off at any moment; and no doubt the report that an order hiis been issued to raise thirty thousand men throughout France, and that wn, and that he spread rapidly, of the tenants irriving without poultry, butter, stand a siege," tve have a good ants are in any [ways willing to r deals in both, I have not sent ars, and, as you d. To-morrow, le of our neigh- 3 is as far away 5 of France, and ig on here." He had only only for a day lanes, its thick II new to him, as for the most ts carried guns iistomed to use artin remarked, how disturbed rhey know that it any moment; been issued to ance, and that ^ THE SEGINNING OF TROUBLES. 37 every town and village has to furnish its quota, has stirred them up even more effectually. I don't suppose that many of them think that the authorities will really try to drag men off against their will, but the possibility is quite enough to inflame their minds." At the very first house they visited they received from the owner ample confirmation of Jean's views. "There have been continual fracas between the peasants and the military," he said, "over the attempts of the latter to arrest the priesta They can scarcely be called fights for It has not come to that; but as soon as the peasants hear that the gendarmes are coming, they send the priest into the wood, and gather in such force that the gendarmes are glad enough to ride away unharmed. Of course until we see that the peasants are really in earnest and intend to fight to the last, it would be madness for any of us to take ^ariy part in the matter, for we should be risking not only hfe but the fortunes of our families, and maybe their lives too. You must remember, moreover, that already a great number of the landed proprietors have either been mur- Cer ''''"^"'''"''^ "' ^^'''' ""' ^'' ^''^^'^^' '''^^"^ ^^^ "If the peasants would fight," Jean Martin said, "it ^tnight not be a bad i.^ng that there are so few whom they could regard as their natural leaders. If there are only a few leaders they may act together harmoniously or each operate in his own district, but with a number of wnl . T" ''"^' "' ""'''"'^y «^ '^' '^^^ rank, each ould have Ins own ideas as to what should be done, and there would be jealousy and discord." "That is true," the other replied. "Of course if this ytre an open country it would be necessary, to give us a ™^£achanofl of success that o^w, i. r , "b'^^ "» <* - J. success, that some sort of discipline should be UT 38 NO SURRENDER 1 established, and none could persuade the peasants to submit to discipline except their own lords. But in a country like this, discipline is of comparatively little importance; and it is well that it is so, for though I believe that the peasants would fight to the death rather than submit to be dragged away by force from their homes, they will never keep together for any time." " I am afraid that that will be the case. We must hope that it will not come to fighting, but if it does it will take a large force to conquer La Vendee." "What has brought you down here. Monsieur Martin?" " It was not safe for me to stay longer in Nantes. If I think a thing 1 say it, and as I don't think well of what is being done in Paris, I have not been in the habit of saymg flattering things about the men there. In fact I have been denounced, and as there is still room for a few more in the prisons, I should have h;..d a cell placed at my disposal if I had remained there many more hours, so I thought that I should be safer down here till there was some change in the state of affairs." " And you brought madame down with you V "Assuredly; I had only the choice open tome of sending her across to England, and of making my home there, or of commg here. If there had been no prospect of trouble here I might have joined the army of our countrymen who are m exile; but as, from all I heard. La Vendee was ready to take up arms, I determined to come here, partly because, had I left the country, my estates here would have been confiscated, partly because I should like to strike a blow myself at these tyrants of Paris, who seem bent on destroy- ing the whole of the aristocracy of France, of wiping out the middle classes, and dividing the law} and all else among the scum of the towns." asants to submit I a country like •ortance; and it at the peasants t to be dragged all never keep We must hope oes it will take ieur Martin?" in Nantes. If think well of sn in the habit ere. In fact I oom for a few II placed at my re hours, so I till there was II?" me of sending lome there, or lect of trouble intrymen who dee was ready >artly because, Id have been strike a blow it on destroy- •f wiping out ill else among THE BEGINNING OF TROUBLES. 39 Three or four months passed quietly. There were occa- sional skirmishes between the peasants and parties of troops in search of priests who refused to obey the orders of the Assembly. At Nantes, the work of carrying out mock trials, and executing those of the better classes who had been swept into the prisons, went on steadily. From time to time a message came to Jean from his father saying that he had carried out his determination to lessen his stocks, and that he had sent considerable sums of money across the Channel. So far he had not been molested, but he saw that the public madness was increasing, and the passion for blood ever growing. Then came the news of the execution of the king, which sent a thrill of horror through the loyal province. Shortly afterwards it was known that the decree for the raising of men was to be enforced, and that commissioners had already arrived at Saumur with a considerable force that would be employed if necessary, but that the process of drawing the names of those who wore to go was to be carried out by the local authorities assisted by the national guards of the towns. During the winter things had gone on quietly at the chateau. There had been but little visiting, for the terrible events passing in Paris and in all the large towns, and thf uncertainty about the future, had cast so deep a gloom over the country that none thought of pleasure or even of cheerful intercourse with their neighbours. Many of the gentry, too, had given up all hope, and had made tiiou- way down to the coast and succeeded in obtaining a passage m smuggling craft, or even in fishing-boats, to i-.-igland. Jean Martin and Leigh had spent much of their time in shooting. Game was abundant, and as so many of the chateaux were shut up, they had a wide range of .country open to them for sport. Once or twice they 40 NO surrender! succeeded in bringing home a wild boar. Wolves had multiplied in the forests, for during the last three years the regular hunts in which all the gentry took part had been abandoned, and the animals had grown fearless. One day, soon after the news of the king's death had been received, Jean, who had ridden over to Saumur on business, brought back the news that war had been declared with England. "It would have made a good deal of difference to me," he said, "if I had still been on board the lugger, for of course there would be an end to all legitimate trade. However, no doubt I should have managed to run a cargo sometimes, for they will want brandy and tobacco all the more when regular trade is at an end, and prices, you may be sure, will go up. I have no doubt, too, that there will be a brisk business in carrying emi- grants over. Still, of course the danger would be very much greater. Hitherto we have only had the revenue cutters and the coast-guards to be afraid of, now every vessel of war would be an enemy." As during their expeditions they were generally accom- panied by half a dozen peasants, who acted as beaters, Leigh had come to understand the patois, and to some extent to speak it, and he often paid visits to the houses of the principal tenants of the estate, who not only welcomed him as the brother of their mistress, but soon came to like him for himself, and were amused by his high spirits, his readiness to be pleased with everything, and his talk to them of the little-known country across the water. It was evident from the manner in which the drawing for the conscription was spoken of that it would not be carried out without a strong resistance. Sunday, the tenth of March, had been fixed for the drawing, and as the day approached, the peasants became more and more determined Wolves had ;hree years the part had been 3SS. One day, been received, siness, brought th England, difference to 'd the lugger, all legitimate 1 managed to t brandy and is at an end, lave no doubt, carrying emi- '^ould be very I the revenue if, now every lerally accom- d as beaters, and to some the houses of nly welcomed I came to like 'h spirits, his d his talk to ater. the drawing voxild not be lay, the tenth id as the day e determined THE BEGINNING OF TROUBLES. 41 that they would not permit themselves to be dragged away from their homes. Three days before, a party of the tenants, together with some from adjoining estates, had come up to the chateau. Jean Martin at once came out to them. " We have come, monsieur, to ask if you will lead us We are determined that we will not be carried off like S1166p. "There you are right," Jean said; "but although I shall be ready to do my share of fighting, I do not wish to be a eader. In the first place, there are many gentlemen of far larger possessions and of higher rank than myself, who would naturally be your leaders. There is the Marquis de Lescure at Clisson, and with him are several other noble gentlemen, among them Henri de la Rochejaquelein-he IS a cavalry officer. His family have emigrated, but he has r mained hei^ on his estates. Then, too, you have many ^th^ mditary officers who have served. There is Monsieur 11 ^rt'""^.' '"'"'"' ^'^^^^^' "»^ Monsieur Dommaigne, 11 of whom have served in the army. If the insurrection becomes general, I shall head my own tenants and join the IsTir. " T' '"7" --"zander, but I shall not appear airs but were it known in Nantes that I was prominent the rising, they would undoubtedly avenge themselves ipon my relations there." tuemseives jLroZn7:i T "''f7 ^"' ^^"^™- '^^d been rthered ,n all the towns of La Vendee. Two days before »all ride to-morrow to the castle of Clisson. I know „..,..es now at his house. I shall be able to learn from 42 NO surrjsnder! him whether his intention is to take part in the insur- rection. It is a long ride, and I shall not return until to-morrow; if you like, you can ride north to St. Florent. If there should be any tumult, I charge you not to take any part in it; you had better leave your horse at some cabaret on this side of the town, and go in on foot. It is possible that there will be no trouble there, for they are sure to have made preparation? against it, and it is more likely that there will be disturbances at smaller places. Still, it will be interesting to mark the attitude of the peasants. " You see, if there is to be a wa,r, it is thc'r war. The gentlemen here would have fought for the king had there been a shadow of a prospect of success, and had he given the smallest encouragement to his friends to rally to his support. They might even have fought t^gainsfc the dis- turbance of the clergy, but they would have had no followers. The peasants cared but little for the king, and though they did care enough for the priests to aid them to escape, they did not care enough to give battle for then. They are now going to fight for their own cause, and for their own liberty. They have to show us that they are in earnest about it before we join them. If they are in ear- nest, we ought to be successful. We ought to be able to put a hundred thousand men in arms, and in such a country as this we should be able to defy any force that the Con- vention can send against us, and to maintain the right of La Vendee to hold itself aloof from the doings of the rest of France. "But, as I said, until we know that they are really in earnest, we cannot afford to throw in our lot with them ; so if you go to St. Florent keep well away from the point where the drawing is to take place. Watch affairs from a distance. I have little doubt that those who go will go THE BEGINNING OF TROUBLES. 43 with the determination of defending themselves, but whether they will do so will depend upon whether there is one among them energetic enough to take the lead; that is always the difficulty in such matters. If there is a fight, we must, as I say, simply watch it; it is at present no affair of ours. If it begins, we shall all have our work before us, plenty of it, and plenty of danger and excite- ment, but for the present we have to act as spectators." It was a ride of fifteen miles to St. Florent, and although Leigh had twice during the winter ridden there with Jean, he had some difficulty in finding his way through the Winding roads und numerous lanes along which he had to pass. During the early part of the ride he met with but few people on the way; the church bells were ringing as usual, and there was nothing to show that any trouble was impending; but when ho arrived within two or three miles of the town, he overtook little groups of peasants walking in that direction. Some of them, he saw, carried pitchforks, the rest had stout cudgels. St. Florent stood on the Loire, and in an open space in the centre of the town the authorities were gathered. Behind them was a force of gendarmes, and in the middle of their line stood a cannon. Leigh had, as Jean had told him, left his horse outside the town, and now took up his place with a number of towns- people on one side of the square. As the peasants arrived, they clustered together at the end of the street, waiting for the hour to strike at which the drawing was to begin. A few minutes before the clock struck, some of the gendarmes left the group in the centre of the square and advanced to the peasants. They were headed by an officer, who, as he came up, exclaimed, " What do you mean by coming here with pitchforks ? Lay them down at oiico 1 " 44 NO surrender! There was a low murmur among the peasants. "Follow me!" he said to his men; and, walking up to one of the men carrying a pitchfork, he said, "I arrest you in the name of the Republic." In an instant a young man standing next to the one he had seized sprang forward and struck the officer to the ground with his cudgel. " Follow me ! " he shouted. " Make for the gun ! » With a cheer the peasants rushed forward, overthrowing the gendarmes as they went. The municipal authorities after hesitating for a moment, took to their heels in the most undignified manner. The gun had not been loaded the gendarmes round it, seeing that they were gieatly out- numbered, followed their example, and the peasants with exultant shouts seized the cannon, and then, scattering chased the gendarmes out of the town. Never was a more speedy and bloodless victory. Headed by their leader whose name was Rend For^t, the peasants went to the municipality, broke open the doors, took possession of the arms stored there, collected all the papers they could find and made a great bonfire with thetn in the centre of the square; then, Avithout harming any. ne or doing the slightest mischief, they Tt the town and scattered to their homes M the Bocage. Leigh waited until all was over, returned to the cabaret where he had left his horse, and rode on. Passing through the little town of Pin, a powerful-looking man some thirty- hve years old, with a quiet manner, broad forehead, and intelligent face, stepped up to him. "Pardon, monsieur," he said, "but you have come from ot. l^lorent?" "Yes," he replied. "Has aught happened there?" ;ng up to one rrest you in o the one he fficer to the ;un!" verthrowing authorities, leels in the leen loaded, greatly out- asants with scattering, was a more leir leader, ent to the sion of the could find, ntre of the lie slightest lieir homes he cabaret ig through me thirty- sheaid, and some from FOLLOW me:" HKsnOLTED. '. MAKE E FOR THE GUN!" i n b tl OJ w la m fo: th ex de has pea mi^ I told i< mar wha men THE BEGINNING OF TROUBLES. « "Yes the peasants attacked the gendarmes, who fled leaving their cannon behind them. The peasant^ t"„k what rin "' :r ': "^ ""-"-I-'i'y. -/made a iTflre „ "They have done well," the man said, "they have made a beginning. My name, monsieur, is Cathelinelu mv business, so far, has been that of a ha4er; I am wel,T„„:^ .n this part of the country. Maybe, sir, you wufhear mv name again, for henceforth I am an insurgent. wthZ borne thi, tyranny of the butchers in Paris too W and or die. You belong to another class, but methinks that when you see that we are in earnest, y;u will join "u^ '""' lad Jef bn r . \r *!"■" ^'^^ ™<'- "I -» but a my ^rl» ^^° ' '"'™ ""^ '■"■« """"^ ' *"" do The man lifted his bat and moved off, and Leigh rode e ml^r- h? ™: ''™* ^""- ">^ --' -nnefo tne man He had spoken calmly and without excitement expressed himself well, and had the nir of a man wht^ng de ermmed upon a thing, would carry it through ^ " A iTlt \1'"'" '""" "' "■" "8™'" '■^ ™d to himself A man ike that, travelling round the country, no doubt has a deal of influence; he is just the sort o man the ™™„,dfo,,ow,indeod,asitseemstome,tLr:yot « Zi!:: :rrh:t":i*". -^ -''"^ '- -' "I am not surprised, Leigh," she said. "If I were a 2 I would take up arms too. There must be anind to w^t IS going on. Thousand, have been murdered in Pari^ men and women, and at least as many more in the „2 46 NO surrender! great towns. If this goes on, not only the nobles and gentry, but the middle class of France will all disappear, and these blood-stained monsters will, I suppose, set to to kill each other. I feel half French now, Leigh, and it is almost too awful to think of. It seems to me that the only hope is that the peasants, not only of the Bocage, but of all Poitou, Anjou, and Brittany, may rise, be joined by those of other parts, and march upon the towns, destroy them altogether, and kill all who have been concerned in these doings." " That would be pretty sweeping, Patsey," Leigh laughed. " But you know I hate them as much as you do, and though I don't feel a bit French, I would certainly do all that I could against them, just as one would kill wild beasts who go about tearing people to pieces. It is no odds to me whether the men, women, and children they kill are French or English, one wants to put a stop to their killing." "I wish now that I had not brought you out with me Leigh." " In the first place, Patsey, I deny altogethar that you did bring me out, Jean brought me out; and in the next place, I don't see why you should be sorry. I would not miss all this excitement for anything. Besides, I have learned to talk French well, and something of the business of a wine merchant. I can't be taken in by having common spirit a year or two old passed off on me as the finest from Charente, or a common claret for a choice brand. All that is useful, even if I do not become a wine merchant. At any rate it is more uaeful than stopping at Netherstock, where I should have learned nothing except a little more Latin and Greek." "Yes, but you may be killed, Leigh.*^ "Well, I suppose if I had stayed at home and got a e nobles and all disappear, lose, set to to igh, and it is that the only ige, but of all ned by those destroy them :'ned in these eigh laughed. ), and though 3o all that I i beasts who odds to me 11 are French lling." 3ut with me, i3r that you in the next I would not ides, I have the business ing common 3 finest from d. All that rchant. At "^etherstock, little more and got a THE BEGINNING OF TROUBLES. 47 commission in the army or a midshipman's berth in the navy I might have been killed, and if I had my choice I wouW much rather be killed in fighting against p.ople who murder women and children who have committed no c -ime whatever than in fighting soldiers or sailors of another nation, who may be just as honest fellows as we are " to you I sh.-iH blame myself all my life." & ii^ « "T^,t^■ouId be foolish," Leigh said. « It is funny what fooh :. ., .s women have. You obuld not have foreseen what was commg when you came over here, and you thought hat It would be a good thing for me to accompany you or a tune. You did what you thought was best, and which I thmk was best. Well, if it doesn't turn out just what we expected, you cannot blame yourself for that. Whv if I you were to ask me to come for a walk, and a tree fell on j me as we were going along and killed me. you would hardly bL-^me yourself because you asked me to come; and thi^ 13 just the same. At any rate, if I do get killed which I don't mean to be if 1 can help it, there fs no one'eL who ar pWv nf"t? "'"\'' ""'''' ''''^' ^--«lf- There lare plei.ty of them at home, and now that I have been I" YoVtTlfr ^"1 ". T ^''^''^ ^'y" ^'"'^y '^^ g-'^vely. I you talk a great deal too much nonsense." fvery word hat you have said applies equally well to your |ome to such a dangerous place as this. Now I hone thaf |upper ,s ready, for I am as hungry as a hunter!" ' _iM. 48 NO surrender! CHAPTER III. THE FIRST SUCCESSES. TEE next morning at twelve o'clock Jean Martin reached home. '* The war has begun," he said as he leaped from his horse. "Henri de la Rochejaquelein has accepted the leadership of the peasants at Clisson. Lescure would have joined also, but Henri pointed out to him that it would be better not to compromise his family until it was certain that the insurrection would become general. The young count was starting just as I got to the chateau. He is a splendid young fellow, full of enthusiasm, and burning to avenge the misfortunes that have fallen upon his family. A peasant had arrived the evening before with a message from his aunt, who lives farther to the south. He brought news that the chevalier de Charette, formerly a lieutenant in the navy, and a strong Royalist, who had escaped the massacres at Paris and was living quietly on his estate near Mache- coul, had been asked several times by the peasants in his neighbourhood to take the command, and had accepted it, and that the rising was so formidable there that it was certain the authorities in that part of Poitou would not succeed in enforcing the conscription. •' I have told Lescure that I shall be prepared to join as soon as there is a general movement here, but that I should attach myself to whoever took the direction of affairs in this part, for that in the first place I knew nothing of war, and in the seco u place I have resided here so small a por- tion of my time that I am scarcely known save to my own tenants. After our meal we will ride round and see Low artin reached om his horse. be leadership e joined also, be better not ];in that the ng count was is a splendid io avenge the . A peasant age from his irought news tenant in the ;he massacres near Mache- asants in his I accepted it, ! that it was u would not ed to join as that I should of affairs in ;hing of war, small a por- e to my own and see Low -X THE FIRST SUCCESSES. 49 they are off for arms and powder, that is our great weak ness. I am afraid, taking the whole country found that not one man in twenty possesses a gun " th Jtit f '''' ^'' ^'""^' '" ^'' '^' '''' ^ f-^ «« those on the estate were concerned; the men themselves, howeve seemed to thmk little of this. "">vevei, ''We will take them from the Blues," several of them said confidently. " I, does not matter a bit; they will only have time to fire one volley in these lanes of our^ and th n e shall be among them, and a p.Ke or pitchfork is tst as good at close quarters as a bayonet " facf thaf !,!^"'' country was astir was evident from the tact that the sound of the church bells rose from the ^^-oodsm all directions. All work was suspend d. all the peasants flocked into the little villages to'hear he new hat was brought m from several directions. Cathelin el, had m the course of the night gathered a party of twentJ «even men, who at daybreak had started ou Worn Pn' ^ng the church bells ringing in the villages Xourh ^vh, h they passed, until a hundred men, armed for he hr 'TL:tiT'' ^1 ''-''-' ^ad'gathefedi:^^ them a cannon. This was fi ed W t [\ ^"^"^ "^''^ the. pants' heads and :^t^:tl.:::^^^^^^ of fireals some ho". ''""^"" '^^^"^« P«d cannon ' '''"' '"^' '^ '^''^' ^'^^^ delight, a onc^e^g^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^ -ment, but marched at as the'm flocked tl^^ '' "'"^ "^"^"^ Chemill. two Sred ^^l^T ^'"^. ^^^^ ^^ (M672) suiuiers with diree guns, but some D 50 NO surrender! of the fugitives from Tallais had already arrived there bringing news of the desperate fury with which the pea- sants had attacked them, and at the sight of the throng approaching with their captured cannon the garrison lost heart altogether and bolted, leaving their three cainion, their ammunition, and the greater portion of their muskets behind them. The news spread with incredible rapidity. From each village they passed through boys were despatched as messengers, and their tidings were taken on by fresh relays. By the afternoon all the country for thirty miles round knew that Cathelineau had c;.ptured Tallais and Chemille, and was in p ssession of a quantity of arms and four cannon. From St. Florent came the news that early in the morning a party of Eepublican soldiers had endeavoured to arrest Foret, who led the rising on the previous day, but that he had obtained word of their approach, and, setting the church bells ringing, had collected a force and had beaten back those who came in search of him. Close by a detachment of National Guards from ChoUet had visited the chateau of Maulevrier. The proprietor was absent, but they carried off twelve cannon which had been kept as family relics. The gamekeeper, Nicholas Stofflet, M'ho was in charge of the estate, had served sixteen years in the army. lie was a man of great strength, courage, and sagacity, and, furious at the theft of his master's cannon, had gathered the peasantry round and was already at the head of two hundred men. " Things go on apace, Patsey," Jean Martin said as they sat by the fire that evening. "We only know what is happening within some twenty or thirty miles of us, but if the spirit shown here exists throughout Poitou and Anjou, there can be no doubt that in a very short time the '% ' arrived there which the pea- . of the throng le garrison lost three cannon, f their muskets edible rapidity, vere despatched en on by fresh [or thirty miles ed Tallais and ity of arms and b early in the id endeavoured evious day, but ch, and, setting force and had him. Close by )llet had visited or was absent, had been kept is Stofflet, who ixtcen years in ,h, courage, and laster's cannon, I already at the tin said as they know what is les of us, but if tou and Anjou, short time the THE FIRST SUCCESSES. 61 insurrection will be general. This Cathelineau, by their description, must be a man of no ordinary ability, and he has lost no time in showing his energy. For myself, I care not in the least what is the rank of my leader. Here in La Vendue there k no broad line between the seigneurs, the tenants, and the peasantry; at all rustic fetes they mix on i.qual terms. The seigneurs set the example by dancing with the peasant girls, and their wives and daughters do not disdain to do the same - ith tenants or peasantry; they attend the marriages and all holiday fes- tivities are foremost in giving aid, and in showing kindness in cases of distress or illness; and I feel sure that if they found in ci man like Cathelineau a genius for command they would follow him as readily as one of their own rank." On the fourteenth the news came that the bands of Stofflet and Foret had with others joined that of Cathelineau. Jean Martin hesitated no longer. "The war has fairly begun," he said. "I shall be off to-morrow morning. If Cathelineau is defeated wo shall have the Eepublicans devastating the whole country, and , massacring women and children as they did last August after a rising for the protection of the priests; therefore I shall be fighting now in defence of our lives and home, wife." "I would not keep you at home, Jean; I think it is the duty of every man to join in the defence against these Iwretches. I know that no mercy will bo shown by them lif they concpier us. But you will not take Leigh with vou |8urely?" "^ ' Leigh uttered an exclamation. " Leigh nuust choose for himself," Jean said quietly " He Is not French, and would have no concern in the matter ^eyond that of n-imanity were it not that you are here- out at present our home is his, your life and his also are 52 NO surrender! vTh kI ''T ^'"''"' "^ ^^ ^'^""S *° %ht. but there vill doubtless be muny others no oluer and probably much less strong than he is. Moreover, if I should be killed ^ IS he who must bear you the news, and must arrange with you your plans ane act as your protector. I do not S f 1 T. ir '"" ^'"' ^'^''"^ "^« "^^^''-^'^ directly, but ,f the Eepubhcans come this way it will be no place fo^ you. and I should say that it would be vastly betL tha you should at once endeavour to cross to EngLd. There vorth three or four times their value in assignats, and should. If you can gan the coast, be amply sufficient to procure a passage for you to England. Do not weep, deai It IS necessary to leave you, on an undertaking of thfs kind' prepared or whatever may happen. At presLt the risk ^ Ziri " "' '"" '^^^^'' '""^ '^'y « '^b« P— ts h stn k such consternation into the National Guards and newly-raised soldiers that they will not await their onslaught of he really serious nature of the storm they have raised hat there wUll. any hard fighting. Still, even in a pet y skirmish men fail, and it is right that before I go we shou d rr .r ^V^^'\« you had best pursue in case 1 my death. From the first, when we came here we did so shouirif '^'' '^'"' l^ "' ^'^ ""'"''^y ««"ght safety we should have gone to England. We came here partly be- mrtlVl" "' '""'' "f *'^"'^^^ "^^ P-P- P'-«. -d cutioners of Pans, every man of honour and loyalty should aid in the good cause." ^ "y snouia II I know, Jean, and I would not keep you back." T« V T "^^'', ^'' '''^""' ^"^ '^ ^^' Kepublicans conquer La Vendue, we know how awful will be the persecutions » fight, but there i probably much should be killed id must arrange jctor. I do not bateau directly, I be no place for stiy better that ngland. There reau, which are assignats, and )ly sufficient to not weep, dear, ig of this kind, sent the risk is le peasants has il Guards and heir onslaught, )ecomes aware iy have raised ven in a petty f go we should sue in case of ere we did so ;ht safety we ire partly be- •er place, and ist these exe- jyalty should ack." cans conquer persecutions, THE FIRST SUCCESSES. 53 What thousands of victims wih be slaughtered Our n 7 hope is m vicf nru- ar,rt „*. "fe'ii'Cjeu. uur only into the ha„dlfth;T„;' '"'*'•'"" "'* '''"^ "h" ^ " You wish to go, Leigh !" "Certainly I do," the lad said. " I .hi„k ,t,. strong enough to carry arms in La V.™!. """, '™''y°"e and do his best. I canThoot h I u °"^'" '° '"'" peasantry, not one in ZlZ ^tT\'"' ""^' "' "'"^ i" his hands, and I am .^huT " "'" '""' " «"" them. Besides if I had IT . i "' '"'""g "^ ""»' »' has begun, hav'e r edt ! fe !?• ^''°'""' "°" "■" ^'^ ftencWl mean the peoXholT'T" "'"' '" "«'" ">« a"d iu fighting them here?, * .''^'■"'"■'"" ?««""- of EnglisLen^wiuTe ttg 2::^^^" ''""' "■°-"^' --i:^:i':f,'nr;rrtfr'* '^r"- ' *^" wounded or ill the other ciriook T u-' '" """ « »"" '^ h^e. I shall do the be.^Tea„ tl^": '"™ """ ''""8 >>'"> "I think that « shall soon bT b7°" "^ '"™^'-" shall be constantly see.nl vou M -T'"' ""'' ""■■" "'^ sure that the peLZlJ \ f '""'■ "^'"'^ "ay h" gather and figh't ^d .I^" " o ,1" "^ "'"' T^^/-™ 'heir homes fg,a'in unt heeh ^'eh 2,;"" ,^" ^^'^"^ '» ■■epel a fresh attack of the enemv t, '• ' "'°"' ™' '" ness, there will never be nn, l— ',- '^ "^ "■"■•'' «alc- »'•■»■ K all the pealt in' he ''l'"'' ""'"" ""^ »"""»" effort and march on Paris j ,1™ ?"" '"'" '" " g™at 'ho departments thro.^h which u™ "'° "'"■■""■■y »' ;™uH only be the Na;;! .^ro Ir :^ f^ -M i°in «s; it --very member ?tt^rL'„n:r:h?-;! 54 NO SUKItKNDERl never do it; it will be a war of defence only, and a war so carried out must in the lung run bo ai, unsuccessful one. However, the nisult will be that we shall never bo very far away fiora home, and shall often return for a few days. You must always keep a change of clothes and your trinkets and so on packed up, so that at an hour's notice you and Marthe can start with the child, either on receiving a note from me telling you where to join us, or if you get news that a force from Nantes is marching rapidly in this direction. Two horses will always remain in the stables in readiness to put into the light cart. Henri will be your driver. Frangois you must send off to find us, and tell us the road that you have taken. However, of course we shall make all these arrangements later on, when affairs become more serious. I don't think there is any chance whatever of the enemy making their way into the country for weeks, perhaps for months, to come." The next morning Jean Martin and Leigh started early; each carried a rifle slung behind him, a brace of pistols in his holsters, and a sword in his belt. Patsey had recovered from her depression of the previous evening, and hei- natural good spirits enabled her to maintain a cheerful face at parting, especially as her husband's assurances that there would be no serious fighting for some time had somewhat calmed her fears for their safety. "The horses are useful to us for carrying us about, Leigh," Jean Martin said as they rode along, " but unless there are enough mounted men to act as cavalry we shall have to do any fighting that has to be done on foot; the peasants would not follow a mounted officer as they would one who placed himself in front of them, and fought as they fought. I hope that later on we may manage to get them to adopt some sort of discipline, but I have great nly, and a war ii unsuccessful shall never bo turn for a few jthes and your ur's notice you :• on receiving , or if you get rapidly in this in the stables i will be your IS, and tell us ourse we shall affairs become mce whatever try for weeks, started early; } of pistols in had recovered ing, and hei- . cheerful face ces that there lad somewhat ng us about, "but unless airy we shall on foot; the ,s they would nd fought as lanage to get I have great THE FIRST SUCCESSES. 55 doubts about it. The peasantry of La Vendee are an inde pendent race; they are respectful to the.r seigneurs and are always ready to listen to their advice, but it Is respect and not obedience fancy from what I have read of vour Scottish Highlanders that the feeling here closely resenbles that among the clans. They , ,ard their seigneurs a hr na ural h.uls, and would probably die for thfm in the d but in other matters each goes his own way, and the ch f^ I-ovv better than to strain their power be;ond a ce ai StI t t: '"" T '''' ''"' ^''^'^'y ^'-- own leader!- Stofflet the gamekeeper, Foret the wood-cutter, and CatL Lneau a small peddling wool merchant. Doubtless mlnv men of rank and family will join them, and w 1 na .3 rom t e. ,uperio. knowledge, take their place as oS but I doubt whether they will displace the men who havJ from the beginning taken the matter in hand I Tm 1 i that , .Hould be so; the peasants understLd men oTtS own lass, and will, I believe, follow them better than thel would men above them in rank. They wir^t let h ^ Hr;;:r r: 'It---' ''- --gtif jti;;;;: ;^ At ten o'clock they arrived at Cathelineau's eami, Tn,f hundred „ all of 1' "^ "' """ '"^ "' "•'°"'» They had raXtltn ?™ '"•"""' *'"' '»''«'""'■ biers IZ ■^ ,?; °';""'« '"'^^"■^ "•« 'i"'e town of Her- ranged then,s ^a ^h ^h "r I" 7' V^" '°™ '"«' defeat^d the ■^^^t^':;i:^t;L:z::-::'^ 66 No SURRENDER! sufficien supply of muskets to arm themselves. As Jean or IXnr" " ''^"'^"^ ''^''-' ''-' -'^^^' ^ vnl l"" ^T.""'" r""'"^ ^^^^i^g^y, Monsieur Martin. There you have the advantage of me, for these good fellows made n.e and my nephew co..e with them a. ^their ad! s and we ha already made uo our minds to join the movem nt.» I come H.h„gly enough, Monsieur Sapinaud. If I had r^nd"; :T ' ^'^"" '"'^ '^^" ^""'^^"-^ '^v t^is would, on the first opportunity, do a little fighting before I was put an end to. This is my hrother-in-lal, he\as been out here now nearly two years, and has seen Jnou^h of h domgs^ the murderers at Nantes to hate them as much made'hif r?^ '^" '^"'' "'"'^^^ ''^^'^ Cathelineau had made his head-quarters were thronged with men; through nZ vh Z ™""^''' ^"^'^^'"^" '"^^^ ^heir wly slo"^y until, when they came to the church, they saw three men standmg apart from the others. ^ inree men Leightid!' ^''^''"•''"' '^'' °"^ «*^"^'"g in the middle," "We have come to place ourselves under your orders " Monsieur Sapinaud said as they rode up to him and t named himself and his companions ^ ' ^ ^' •'Ylu'aTet^ f r' 'V" ^'°"' ^^■"'" Cathelineau said. fh VtI \''^ gentlemen who have joined us here though I hear that farther south some have already declared themselves; we M-ant you badly. One of you I have s en already;" and he smiled at Leigh "I told you that you would hear of me, young sir, and nselves. As Jean they saluted each r Martin. There ;ood fellows made their leaders, and )ut drew us into lad intended, for I the movement." )inaud. If I had lillotined by this 'eft there that I fighting before I law, he has been sn enough of the 3 them as much ^athelineau had 1 men; through lieir way slowly saw three men in the middle," f your orders," him, and he thelineau said. )ined us here, ready declared u I have seen oung sir, and i THK FIRST SUCCESSES you see I have kept mv word Ti,oo« -^u . u ^ -^ *^"™' inese with me nm ^tr^m ^ striking the «„t ^Zut fC;.''° ''"' "'" """""- "< to fight under y„„r „rd, ,, I L, ,1 ' ," ' T ^""^ """"' with me, and 4 have .^.VZ^l' '"""'™'l »>- account, for we k,t nigh, tp t, JT' "^ "\°"'' °™ defended h, two eo.^ies :itr l-ttr T.""' f gamed a sufficient number of musket., „ti '"""' -. " H I do not offer to gi™! theT T i""' ^•''>'" Monsieur de ia Verrie,-X.ttll :,^ "X'.^t'" T"' no desire on mv nait tn Iv. , , g™'e]y, it ,s from k"o.v„ to the Za, t^v ^, '°"""''"<'«i '">t I am widely perhaps beeausfnulrs^aMT T"" '■°'""' ^'"' -"'^ haveconfidenee in n" a^d , Id " thiT/ u™ """'■ '"^^ -^agent,e„,an,ik;your::i;^'rm':;;';7rt choose their own leaders V , "* ' ""'" ""^^ ^""'"'d lave already their eonfldence n'udt ^T '7° ""^P""'"'^ "hould be their leaders 1 1..V V" "'' ^^"" ""« V™ join you will be TLiI 1 "™ "" »"■«■■ gentlemen who am sure that the oTh^I,: ,■:, T '° '°"°" J'°"> ""<' I >avely expose hims* "h V ' "u '" '"'"' ""'« "><»' i "I thank yo„ " r » cLT , "' ""^ ™™y-" --% that i' ma y re^ltT" l''"' . "' ''^"-^ - •kould have their ownTeS W *"' ""^ ■^"^'^ --e^rAirriirt^f^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ --omakea„W:/rm:t/-?hatSLr 68 NO surrender! be done. They will fight and die as bravely as men could do, but I know that they will never submit to discipline. After a battle they will want to hurry off to their homes. They will obey the order to fight, but that is the only order one can rely upon their obeying. We are on the point of starting for Chollet; it is a town where the people are devoted to the cause of the Convention. At the last drawing for the militia they killed, without any pretext, a number of young men who had come unarmed into the town. Many inhabitants of adjoining parishes have been seized and thrown in prison charged only with being hostile to the Convention, and expressing horror at the murder of the king. The capture will produce an impression throughout the country. They have three or four hundred dragoons there, and yesterday, we hear, they called in the National Guard from the villages round, though scarce believing that we should venture to attack them. Your reinforcement of a hundred men all armed with muskets will be a very welcome one, for they will hardly suspect that many of us have firearms. However, we had before your arrival three hundred who have so armed themselves through captures at St. Florent and Chemill^." He now ordered the bell to be rung, and, as soon as its notes peeled out. started, followed at once by the crowd in the village, without any sort of order or regularity. Jean and Leigh co .tinned to ride with Monsieur de la Verrie and his nephew. After some hours' marching, at two o'clock in the afternoon they approached Chollet. On the way thej received considerable reinforcements from the villages they passed through. As soon as they approached the town they saw the dragoons pouring out, followed by three or lour hundred National Guards. The Vendeans now fell into some sort of order. A short council of war was held. ly as men could it to discipline, to their homes, hat is the only We are on the liere the people n. At the last any pretext, a rmed into the ihes have been /h being hostile at the murder an impression r four hundred 7 called in the though scarce them. Your h muskets will r susi)ect that d before your selves through as soon as its ' the crowd in darity. Jean la Verrio and two o'clock in the way they villages they led the town by three or ans now fell \^ar was held. "AT THE FIKST VOI I FV tu,- .. AM. MANV OK ,„s mkn ,^,'^ '''"" )ONS THE FIRST SUCCESSES. 59 It was arranged that Monsieur de la Verrie with his hun dred musketeers, and For6t with as many more, should advance against the dragoons, while Cathelinoau and Stofflet with a hundred musketeers and the main body of peasants with their pitchforks, should attack the National Guards The dragoons had expected that the mere sight of them would be sufficient to send the peasants flying, and they were amazed that they should continue to advance. As soon as they were within easy range the peasants opened fire At the first volley the colonel of the dragoons and many of his men fell. Reloading, the peasants advanced at a run poured m a volley at close quarters, and then with loud cheers charged the dragoons. These, being but newly- raised troops, were seized with a panic, turned, and galloped off at full speed. Astounded at the defeat of the cavalry in whom they had confidently trusted, the National Guard at once lost heart, and, as with loud shouts Cathelineau with his peasants flung themselves upon them, they, too broke and fled in all directions. The peasants pursued them tor a league, and then returned exultant to ChoUet Here the leading revolutionists were thrown in prison but with the exception of the National Guards who at^ tempted resistance after reaching the town, no lives were fpllT; ^J'Y^^^"^"^ity «^ ^rms, money, and ammunition jgatheedm ChoUet, than the news arrived thai the National j'^uard of Saumur were marching against them, and Cathe- lineau requested Monsieur de la Verrie and For6t with their ifol owing to go out to meet them. They marched away at )nce. and met the enemy at Vihiers. Unprepared for an ■tt ck th, National Guard at once broke and fled, throwing -^ ^heir arms and abandoning their cannon Among .he,e was one taken from the Chateau de iliohelieu. U 60 NO surrender! had been given by Louis XIII. to the cardinal. On the engraving with which it was nearly covered, the peasants thought that they could make out an image of the Virgin and so called it by her name. With these trophies the party returned to Chollet. The next day being Saturday the little army dispersed the peasants making their way to their homes in order to spend Easter there, while Cathelineau with only a small body remained at Chollet. From here messengers were sent to Messieurs Bonchamp, d'Elbee, and Dommaigne, all officers who had served in the army, but had retired when the revolution broke out. Cathelineau offered to share the command with them, and entreated them to give their military knowledge^ and experience to the cause. All assented. Thus the force had the advantage from this time forward of being commanded by men who knew the business of war. Leigh had started frr home as soon as the National Guards of Saumur were defeated, Jean Martin at Lathelineau's request, remaining with him in order to join some other gentlemen who had that day arrived in calling upon the three officers, and inviting them to join Cathelineau in the command. Leigh's sister ran out as he rode up to the house The news of the capture of Chollet, almost without loss, had already spread, and although surprised she felt no alarm at seeing Leigh alone. "I hear that you have taken Chollet and defeated the dragoons and National Guards." "Yes; and this morning we put to flight the guards of Saumur without the loss of a single mp- ^ don't know what ,t may come to presently, but juoi no. ' can hardly be called fighting. The sight of peasants running on seems to strike these heroes with a panic at once, and they are off- helter-skelter, throwing away their guns and ammunition " W- cardinal. On the ered, the peasants lage of the Virgin, ihese trophies the le army dispersed, homes in order to vith only a small messengers were d Dommaigne, all had retired when offered to share hem to give their the cause. All antage from this sn who knew the home as soon as ted, Jean Martin, him in order to t day arrived, in ng them to join the house. The ithout loss, had felt no alarm at ^ft taken Chollet lards." It the guards of ^ don't know >. ■ can hardly I. lung on seems md they are off I ammunition." THE FIRST SUCCESSES. gj whose name I foro ffo wV ' '"" ^"^^^er officer the comma^^l htrtht he n' Vn " "^^^'"^^"^^ '" .and that thev wi 1 act" « ht ''- ''^" ''"''^" ^' ^'^^'^' Columns." • ^'' '"""^'"^^« ^"d in command of "More than 'ZT'"^ '' r""'' "^"^ '« -"^^^^ ^" more tnan confirmed Jpan o..,m *i,- ,«. ■- a born leader of „",', While I ' T?"* """ >" Excitement and confusir! h, ™""'' '""' ""<"■" « >ere alone. He i" eWj nM '^ ""''" ""'' '''™'"' '"' « ^e .ileal and thought ; dt'^.\„7" '^'° "" """ » «'"«' «e influence he hat «il,i ' T" ''""* ""deratand ■{.eighhourhood, and haf H? T I'" ^"""""''y '" ^'^ :|efcr all dispuC to W , t ffl7 •"*'" ,'"'" "«"■» 'o fiii^ixrtrThtrT^rr'''-''^''''^'---'' ie Blue, he is su,e to Ltr ';,"•■"'."»' P^"^"" "8 ™»t '■•y difforent chaste ° but '„ °7"«- ™''>' "" "■™<' peasant leaders ™' "' "" "' "■»■» """ ""ed to act I" And mil Jean be a lead ler?' Not a leader, Vatney, that is to say certainly not a NO surrender! general, he docs not want it liimsolf; but }> « \»'il( no doubt lead the peasants on the estate, antl perhaps those in the neighbourhood. You know that ho would not have the church bell rung ^. i.en he s»anod, because he did not wish the tenants to join until he had seen the rosult of tho first fight, but when he ccmes horn 3 ho vill snniinon those who like to go with him," ^es, 1 have had to explain that ovor and over again. Yosteiday and to-day almost all the men have been up hero to ask why Jean did not take them. I told them that •■«;:f,t waK one reason, and another willingness to eo Leigh asked Jean, who had warmly entered into the t)kn' to speak to the fathers of the iads a'nd get thenTto eon t to their going with him. i-onsent He accoz-dingly called them together for that purpose. masttr '"' """ '''^^ '''' ^^" '^ ™y ^4ther, " Yes, while this goes on." "But we shall lose their labour in the fields »" "There will not be much labour in the fields till this is over, a^d by having scouts watching the enemy you wi get early news of their coming and have time fo drive"" your beasts before they arrive." "But how will they live?" "When they are in this neighbourhood, one or two can come back and fetch bread, if they are to^ far off fTthat ™y brother will buy bread for them. In cases whr hev cannot well be spared, I will remit a portion of y„, Z s long as they are away; but this «.ill not be forTng fo I can see that ere many weeks ar,- past the Blues wSl be warmmg round in such numbers that there will b "tie tae for work on your land, and you will all havelo ™ake great sacnflces. You must remember that the less here is ,„ your barns the more difficult it will be for an enemy to .nvade you, for if they can find noth L here they will have to bring everything with them, and everv tnat one of the things he means to do is to break m th.. roads when he finds out by which line the Bl es are ^ Z:^^ '7.'-- P-P- I «• serve out IT my Store c..:.c. a picK or an axe to each of the band." 70 NO surrender! ''■> I Itlfj At last all difficulties were gor, over, and twenty lads were enrolled. Another three weeks passed; the peasants ot loitou and Anjou thought but little of the storm that was gathering round them. General Berruyer had arrived from Pans with his army. A portion of the army from Brest moved down to Nantes, and were in concert with the army of i.a Eochelle to sweep that part of La Vendue bordering on the coast. General Canclaus woe at Nantes with two thousand troops. General Dayat was sent to Niort with SIX thousand men, and was to defend the line between Sables and St. Gilles. Bressuire was occupied by General Quetnieau with three thousand men. Lcigonyer, with troni four to five thousand men, occupied Vihiers, while ht. Lambert was held by Ladouce with two thousand five hundred. The right bank of the Loire between Nantes and Angers was held by fifteen hundred men of the National ^uard. Thus that part of upper Poitou where the risin- had been most successful was surrounded by a cordon of troops, which the Convention hoped, and believed, would easily stamp out the insurrection and take a terrible vengeance for what had passed. When the storm would burst none knew, but Jean one day .aid to Leigh that it was certain that it must come soon, and that if ho was still resolved to carry out his plan It was time that he set out. "I am quite ready to carry out my plans, Jean, as you know; but dangers seem to threaten from so many quarters that 1 dont hke going away from home. While mv corr^pany are scattered near Chollet, for instance, the iil'ies may be burning down your chateau." "I don't think there is much danger of that, Leigh It is quite certain that as soon as these divisions begin to move they will have their hands full. We may CATHELINEAU'S SCOUTS. 71 hope that in some cases they will be defeated; in others they may drive off the peasants and march to the town that they intend to occupy, but they will only hold the ground they stand upon, they will not be able to send out detached parties to attack chateaux or destroy villages lov the present I have ..0 fear whatever of their coming here, we are well away from any of the roads that they are hkeb^ to march by. I don't say that any of the roads are good, but they will assuredly keep on the principal lines and „ot venture to entangle themselves in our country lanes There are no villages of any size within miles of us, and this IS one of the most thickly wooded parts of the Bocage - which, as you know, means the thicket-therefore I shall when the time comes, leave your sister without uneasiness' \Ve may be quite sure that if, contrary to my anticipation, any column should try to make its way through this neigh- bourhood. It would le hotly opposed, and she will have ample t;me to take to the woods, where she and the child will find shelter in any of the foresters' cottages bhe IS going to have peasant dresses m.de for her and Marthe. She will, of course, drive as we intended, and the two men will take the horse and vehicle to some place in he woods at a considerable distance from here, and keep it there until we join her and carry out our original plan of making for the coast. Directly you are gone I shall make it my business to find out the most out-of-the-way spot among the woods and ride over and make an arrangement with some woodman with a wife and family living there, to receive her if necessary, and I will let you know the ^pot nxod on and give you directions how to find it " In order to add to Leigh's influence and authority, Mai in persuaded the village cur6. who was a man of much intelligence and perceived that real good mi.^ht be done by 72 NO SURRENDER! this party of lads, to have a farewell service in the church Accordingly on tlje morning on which they were to start all attended the church, which was filled by their friends and We he addressed the boy, telling them that the service m which they were about to engage was one that would be Is rr/"'""" '" '^'''' ^°""'^^' ^"^ '^^' ^' ^-ouid them n f 1 "' "T^' '"^ '''''''^'''- «« ^''«» -ked them to take an oath to carrj- out all orders they might r ce,ve from their leader, the seigneur's brother, who would h im e,f ,hare m their work and the many hardships they might nave to undergo. ^ "^ "Here" he said, "is a gentleman who is by birth a foreigner, but who has come to love the land that his sister adopted as her own, and to hate its enemies, these godless murderers of women and children, these okecutio'ers If tbeir king, these enemies of the church, so much that he is ready to leave his home and all his comforts and to risk his lin J w' ""T ^^^"'«"^^«'' tJ'^^<^ y"» have voluntarily joined him and accepted him as your leader. The work once begun there must be no drawing back; there is not a man m La Vendee who ,s not prepared to give his life if or more.'' '""''' '"^ ^'"" "' ^'""'^ ''""y ^^" ^° ^« "^"^^ He then administered an oath to each lad, and, as had been arranged, Leigh also took an oath to care for them in every respect and to share their risks and dangers Then he cure pronounced his blessing upon them, and the service thP nn rf''"''^' ™^"''"''^' ''''^' ''^'^' ^«d *''^J and followed MoMieur Bonchaap and Leigh. They were at a loss at first to comprehend the instructions given them, but by the end of an hour ther had fairly mastered the very simple movement. ♦^That wm do," Monsieur Bonchamp said. "Of ^ourse you are im perfect jet, but with a quarter of an hour's drill by your ''oiaHiaj"ia" s— -r— j . .» _ . '' " "" """^^ -^c^j ■-'•*7> ao zae cuu oi a week 78 NO surrender! you will be able to do it quickly and neatly, and you will certainly find it a great advantage if you come upon the enemy." A large empty room was allotted to them, and as they sat down on the floor and munched the bread that they had brought with them, they felt quite enthusiastic over their work. It was a high honour indeed to have been praised by Monsieur CatheJineau, and been taught by one of his generals; they even felt the advantage that the drill had given them, contrasting the quickness with which they had finally formed into line with their trouble in arranging themselves before Monsieur Cathelineau. The fact, too that they were next morning to be furnished with pistols was a great gratification to them, and over and over again they said to each other, "What will the people at home say when they hear that Monsieur Cathelineau has praised us that Monsieur Bonchamp himself has drilled us, and that we are to be provided with pistols?" In the morning the pistols and ammunition were served out. Leigh had during the previous evening seen Cathe- lineau and asked for orders. "I cannot say exactly the line the Blues are likely to take. I should say that you had better make Chemill^ your head-quarters. Berruyer, who is their new commander has arrived at St. Lambert. There is a strong force at Thouars, being a portion of the army from St. Lambert The enemy are also in force at Vihiers and at Parthenay ' It IS from the forces at Thouars and Vihiers that danger is most hkely to come. Doubtless other columns will come from the north, but we shall hear of their having crossed the Loire m time to oppose them, and with so small a band as yours, you will be amply employed in watching Ihouars. There are many roads, all more or less bad. bv CATHELINEAU'S SCOUTS. 79 set the bells ringing, promise that aid will soon arri f Z ' f ™ "'""■«'''' "■'"> '■•■"■^"'g 'he country Lectin village that we are marching towards Tours in anoth,^r n a Z r.r""" '" *» -ghbourhood o'st Florent ode menttt*^''" '"=" ''^ "^'^^ '» """ " Nantt Z T, *? "'' '" °'»°^" "'<' 'o"-™ ">n,i„g from 1 ? wh,ch has already taken Clisson, and carried mZ this lew tt l,r- '° ''" 't" """*-'"■■=■ ^"■' ">« " -ish tais news to be given to the BJuos if they should come here, or ,f questioned they would tell thorn sLeth ' eZ w^-: ::tte' biI:tl- r ::! ^itf '"'■ t that these are the answers to be given t„n^ 7.1 who may enter the village." ^ °' """" " -. e only thing, sir, is that thej ma,, and the villages 80 NO surrender! empty as they come along. The women and children will no doubt take to the woods; the men will perhaps offer some resistance, but when they find how strong the Blues are, will probably hurry to join you." " There will probably be a few old people remaining in each village; however, we must trust much to chance. The great thing is for you to let me know as soon as their main body is in motion. Whichever way they come we must meet and attack them. It is in the woods and lanes that we must defend ourselves." "I will endeavour to cany out your orders, sir, and shall start to-morrow morning as soon as we get our pistols." As soon as the little band was well away from the town the j>ktx)\s were loaded, and each of the lads in tun. fired thive ;-hf-ts at the trunk of a tree at a distance of ten yards, urui'.r Leigh's directions. The shooting was quite as good as he had expected, and the boys themselves were well satisfied. Then, the pistols being reloaded and placed in their belts, they resumed their march. They halted at a tiny hamlet consisting of half a dozen houses, four miles from Thouars. The inhabitants were greatly surprised at their appearance, and an old man, Avho was the head of the little community, came out and asked Leigh who they were. " We are Cathelineau's scouts," he replied. " We have orders to watch the movements of the enemy. We wish to be of no trouble. If there is an empty shed we should be glad of it, still more so if there is a truss or two of straw." "These you can have," the old man said. "If Cathe- lineau's orders had been that we were to turn out of our houses for you we should have done so willingly." " A shed will do excellently for us. We shall be here CATHELINEAU'S SCOUTS. 81 but little, half our number will always be away. If you can supply us with bread I will pay you for it. If you cannot do so I shall have to send two of v party away every day to fetch bread from Cathelinea ,„p " ^'1 1 will see what can be done; it will not be for long?" No, It may possibly be or.ly two or three days, and it may be a week." "^ "Then I think that we can manage. If we have not flour enough here to spare I can take my horse and fetch halt a sackful from some other village." "Thank you very much. However, I think that we shall only occasionally want bread, for I shall be sending messengers every day to Monsieur Cathelineau, and these can always bring ^read back with them." The old man led them to a building which had served as a stable, but which was then untenanted. "I will get some straw taken in presently, lads As for you, sir, I shall be glad if you will be my guest " "I thank you," Leigh said, "but I prefer to be with my followers. They come by my persuasion, and I wish to share their lot in all things; besides, my being with them . will keep up their spirits." There was h -If an hour's drill, and then Leigh led the party to the Miod, to which four or five bundles of straw had by this time been brought. "Now," he said, "before we d , anything else we must choose two sub-officers. At fimes we may divide into two parties, and therefore it is necessary that one should be responsible to me for what is done in my absence. I will leave it to you to choose ther Remember it is not size and strength that are of mosi importance, it is quickness and intelligence. You know your comrades better than I do, and I shall be quitq content to abide by your choice. I \ H 672 ) a IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I a Hi ^ 1^ 12.0 \\M IIIIIM III 1.6 & // ^/ ^ .<^k.. /. f/. ll X- Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y, 14580 (716) 872-4503 i-\ 5v •^ ^^ <^\^^ ^\^ ,.. 4Ls i/.A 82 NO surrender! will go outside for a quarter of an hour while you talk it over. I doti't want to influence you at all." In ten minutes two of the lads came out. " We have chosen Andre Favras, and Pierre Landrin." " I think that you have done very wisely," Leigh said. " Those are the two whom I myself should have selected." He had indeed noticed them as the two most intelligent of the party. They had been his first recruits, and i^^^ was in no small degree owing to their influence that the others had joined him. He returned to the shed. "I approve of your choice, lads," he said. "No doubt Andr^ and Pierre will make very good sub-officers. When I am not present you must obey their orders as readily as you do mine, and I shall be able to trust them to carry out my directions implicitly. Now you will divide in two parties: the first two sections and two of the third section Avill form one party, and will be under Andre's command when acting in two parties; the other two of the third section and the fourth and fifth will form the second division, under Pierre. You will take it in turns to be on duty. We shall not need to watch by night, for there is no chance of the enemy venturing to enter our lanes and thickets after dark. The party not out on scouting duty will remain here, and will furnish messengers to carry news to Cathelineau, to fetch bread, or to perform other duties," The next morning Leigh set out with the whole band except two. He had gathered from the people of the village the position of the various roads and lanes by which troops going westward from Thouars would be likely to travel. When within two miles of the town he placed two boys on each of these roads. They were not to show themselves, but were to lie behind the hedges, and if they ou talk it mdrin." icigh said, ielected." intelligent md it was the others No doubt s. When readily as I to carry divide in the third ir Andre's wo of the ihe second s to be on for there our lanes I scouting s to carry 3rm other bole band le of the by which likely to ilaced two to show id if they ! * cathelinp:au'.s scouts. §3 saw any body of troops coming along, were at once to bring news to him, his own point beh.g on the principal road. Andre and Pierre were to leave their arms and belts behnul them, to make a long detour, and to e.iter the town from the other side. They wer'c to saunter about the place l.ste,, to what was being said, and gather as much news as possible. Each was pro\ idcd with two francs, and if (,ues- tioned they were to say that they had come in from some village near to buy an axe. "I should have gone in myself, Andre, but although I can get on fairly enough in your patois, I cannot speak it wel enough to pass as a native. However, you are not likely to be questioned ; in a town crowded with troops two lads can move about without attracting the smallest attention from the military. It would be only the civilian authorities that you would have to fear, but these will be so much occupied in attending to the wants of the soldiers that they will not have any time ou their hands for asking questions. Be sure before you enter the town that you hnd out the name of some village three or four miles on the other side, so as to have an answer ready if you are asked where you come from. It is probable that yon will find troops quartered in all the villages beyond the town which could hardly accommodate so large a number as are there. Kemember you must try to look absoluteJv unconcerned as you go through them, and as you walk about the streets of the town. The great object is to find out how many men there are in and around Thouars, whether they are looking for more troops to join them from baumur, and when they are expecting to move forward " As soon as they had left he repeated to the six lads who remained with him the orders that he had given to those posted on the other roads. " You are to remain in hiding " 84 NO surrender! he said, " whatever the force may be. It is likely enough that patrols of four or five men may come along to see that the roads are clear, and that there ar*^ no signs of any bodies being gathered to oppose their advance. It is quite true that M'e might shoot down and overpower any such patrols, but we must not attempt to do so; if one of them escaped he would carry the news to Thouars that the roads were beset. This would put them on their guard— doubtless they imagine that with such a force as they ha,ve gathered they will march through La Vendee without opposition— and they would adopt such precautions as to render it far more difficult than it otherwise would be to check their advance when it begins in earnest. We are here only to watch, we shall have opportunities for fighting later on. This is a good spot for watching, for Ave have a thick wood behind us, and plenty of undergrowth along its edge by the road, where we can hide so closely that there will not be the slightest chance of our being discovered if wo '^o but keep absolutely quiet." Three or four times during the day, indeed, cavalry parties passed along the road. They did not appear to have any fear of an attack, but laughed and jested at the work they had come to do, scoffed at the idea of the peasants venturing to oppose such forces as had gathered against them, and discussed the chances of booty. One party of four men and an old sergeant pulled up and dismounted close to tae spot where the lads were hidden. 'It is rll very well, comrades," their leader said, "but for my part I would rather be on the frontier fighting the Austrians; that is work for soldiers. Here we are to fight Frenchmen like ourselves, poor chaps who have done no harm, except that they stick to their clergy, and object to be dragged away from their homes. I am no politician. ly enough see that iny bodies luite true h patrols, n escaped )ads were doubtless gathered :ion — and far more r advance to watch, This is a d behind the road, )t be the but keep ry parties have any rork they venturing (lem, and men and 1 the spot lid, "but dting the e to fight done no object to )olitician, CHECKING THE ENEMY. 35 and I don't care a snap for the doings of the Assembly in Pans_I am a soldier, and have learned to obey orders whatever t^ey are-but I don't like this job we\ 1 . hand, which m„,d you, is bound to be a good deal h.ard than most of you expect. It is true that they say tier! them the oth3rs are either National Guards or newK m sed levies, or those blackguards from the slums of Pa.t they twtr tr^^^^ ' ''-''' ^^^' '■^'' -"^'^ '^^ CHAPTER V. CHECKING THE ENEMY. you see," Leigh said when the patrol had ridden on, .^1 A , '""""^ ''" "<" "ke the work they are t^uard, or m the new levies. It will P,ake all the difference n then, own fightn.g when they know that they cannot r, upon some of the troops workina with t.hpn, T T ' douht that what they Ly of theVJioL Guards sT™: th y have had to come ont becanse they are sllTd' but they can have no 'nterest in the war a..unst ,rr„d doubtless many of them hate the government PaS 1 st agam with their homes and families. It is jnst as hard el 86 NO surrender! patrols had all gone back to Thouars. From time to time boys had come in from the other roads. One or two patrols only had gone out by each of the lanes on which they were posted. It was evident that the main road was con- sidered of the most importance, and it was probable that the greater portion of the enemy's force would move by it. "Well, what is your news?" Leigh asked as his two lieutenants came down from the wood behind. " I hope all has gone well with you." "Yes, captain," Andre replied; "we have had no diffi- culty. The troops in the villages on the other side of the town did not even glance at us as we went through, sup- posing, no doubt, that we belonged to the place. Thouars was crowded with soldiers, and we heard that two thousand more are to arrive from Saumur this evening. We heard one of the officers say that orders were expected for a for- ward movement to-morrow, and that all the other columns were to move at the same time, and three of them were to meet at Chemille." "That is enough for the present, Andre. You have both done very well to pick up so much news as that. We will be off at once." Messengers were at once sent off to order in the other parties, and as soon as these joined they returned to the village, where they passed the night. On arriving there Leigh wrote a report of the news that he had gathered, and sent off one of the band, who had remained all day in the village, to Cathelineau, and the other to Monsieur d'Elbee at Chollet. The next day's watch passed like the first. Tvfo or three oflScers, however, trotted along the main road with a squadron of cavalry and rode to within a few miles of Chemille, and then returned to Thouars. The next morning Leigh and Ij'< CHECKING THE ENEMY. oj h.-s band „ere out before daybreak, and, making their way and trumpets sounding. There was no doubt that th! force there was getting into motion. The band to dispersed, carrymg the news not only to every vilh. e a^ong the road warning the women and'lhildrr ^ tak to he woods, and the men to prepare for the passage of the enemy, but to all the villages within two or'thref miL of he road, ordering the ehurch bells to be sounded to al the peasants to arms; while two lads started to earry the news to Cathelineau and d'Elbfe ^ When once the bells of the churches near the road were «e ringing, they were speedily echoed by those of thT villages beyond, until the entire district knew tha the had kept a sharp look-out for points where an enemv ni^ht be checked, and had fixed upon one about ha f.Z between the two towns. A stream some four feet in deZ beyond this the ground rose steeply and was covered with a thick wood of very considerable extent. As soon as he reached this point, he sot his band to work to dest^rt bridge As groups of peasants came (locking alon/ and ^w what was intended, they at once Joined t„ the^ivrk As soon as ,t was done, Leigh led them to the spot where th^rto trL:r ""'^ '"'- -^ '^^ -■"■ -" -' malfofT ™* *°, """''■' "" """" ■■'«™«'omed, and as many of them carried axes, the trees nearest to the road tieam they were cut so as to fall down the slope, and » form .an abattis. Before the work was finished to a distance of two or three hundred yards on each side of 88 NO surrender! the road, several hundred peasants had come up; of these about a third were armed with muskets. Seeing the advan- tage of the position, and that in case it Avas forced the forest oflfered them a means of retreat, all prepared for a desperate resistance. The men with firearms were placed in the front rank, those with pitchforks and other rural weapons were to keep at work till the last moment cutting underwood, and filling the interstices between the boughs of the fallen trees so as to make it extremely difficult to force. They were ordered to withdraw, when the fight began, to a distance of two or three hundred yards, and then to lie down in any inequalities of the ground so as to be safe from cannon-shot. Only when the defenders of the abattis were forced back were they to prepare to charge. A young fellow with a cow-horn took his place by Leigh's side; when he blew his horn the front rank were to run back and the reserve to come forward to meet them, and then they were to rush down again upon their assailants who had passed the abattis, and to hurl them into the stream. The peasants all recognized the advantages of these arrangements. Those who had come first had found Leigh in command, and by the readiness with which he was obeyed by his own followers saw at once that he was in authority. As others came up he showed them Cathe- lineau's circular; these recognized its order, and informed the later arrivals that the young officer who was giving orders was specially empowered by Cathelineau to take command, and Leigh was as promptly obeyed as if he had been their favourite leader himself. They saw? too, that he knew exactly what he wanted done, and gave every order with firmness and decision, and their confidence in him became profound. i X o/ J A SCATTKKKl) KIKK ISROKK () I'T FROM TIIK I)|:i KNlil.; RS. CHECKING THE ENEMY. 89 It was three hours after he arrived at the river when a party of horse came down the opposite slope. Leigh had ordered that not a shot was to be fired until he gave the signal. He waited until the enemy came to the severed bridge, when they halted suddenly, and as they did so he gave the word, and from the long line of greenery fifty muskets flashed out. More than half the troop of horse fell, and the rest, turning tail, galloped up the hill again, while a shout of derision rose from the peasants. Half an hour passed, then the head of the column was seen descending the road. It opened out as it came, forming into a thick line of skirmishers some two hundred yards wide. Moving along, Leigh spread the musketeers to a similar length of front. At first the enemy were half-hidden by the wood at the other side of the slope, but as they issued from this some twenty yards from the stream a scattered fire broke out from the defenders. The Blues replied with a general discharge at their in- visible foes, but these were crouching behind the stumps or trunks of the felled trees, and the fire was ineffectual. Leigh's own band were lying in a little hollow twenty yards behind the abattis; their pistols would have been useless until the enemy won their uay up to the trees, a..d until then they were to remain as a first reserve. Exposed as they were to the steady fire of the peasants, the as- sailants suffei-ed heavily, and at the edge of the stream paused irresolutely. It was some fifteen yards wide, but they were ignorant of the depth, and hesitated to enter it; urged, however, by the shouts of their officers, who set the example by at once entering the stream, and by seeing that the water did not rise above their shoulders, the men followed; but as they gained the opposite bank they fell fast. At so short a distance every shot of the peasants |! 90 NO surrender! told, and it was some time before a sufficient number had crossed to make an assault against the wall of foliage in their front. Fresh troops were constantly arriving from 1)ehind, and, encouraged by this, they at last rushed forward. As they did so, Leigh called up his own band, and these, crawling forward through the tangle as far as they could, opened fire on the enemy as they strove to push their way through the obstacle. For a quarter of an hour the fight went on; then the assailants, having with great loss succeeded in pass- ing over or pulling aside the brushwood, began to pour through. The moment they did so, Leigh's horn sounded, and at once the defenders rushed uj) the hill, pursued by the Blues with exulting shouts. Pnit few shots were fired, for the assailants had emptied their muskets before striving to pass through the obstacle. Leigh and his men had run but a hundred yards into the wood when they met the main body of the peasants rushing down at full speed. Turning at once, his party joined them and fell upon the advancing enemy. Taken wholly by sur- prise when they believed that victory was won, the two or three hundred men Avho had passed the abattis were swept before the crowd of peasants like chaff; the latter, pressing close upon their heels, followed them through the gaps that had been made. The panic of the fugitives spread at once to those who had crossed the river, and were clustered round the openings, jostling in their eagerness to get through and jgin, as they believed, in the slaughter of those who bad caused them such heavy loss, and all fled together. The peasants were at their heels, making deadly use of their pitchforks, axes, and knives, and drove the survivors headlong into the CHECKING THE ENEMY. 91 river. The horn again sounded, a.id in accordance with the stnct orders that they had received they ran back ngani to then- shelter, a few dropping hvni tlu.. scattered hre that the troops on the other side of the stream ope,.cd ugan,st them, as soon as the fugiti^ es hae, Leigh thought that enough had been done, and ordered the peasants at once to make through the woods and to proceed by lanes and by-ways to join Cathehneau, who, he doubted not, would by this time have gathered a considerable force at Chemille By ill 92 NO surrender! the time that the Blues were ready to advance again, this time in overwhelming force, the peasants were well away. The wounded, as fast as they fell, had been carried off to distant villages, and when the enemy advanced they found, to their surprise, that their foes had disappeared, and that only some thirty dead bodies remained on the scene of battle. Their own loss had exceeded three hundred, a large propor- tion of whom were regular soldiers, and the National Guards and the new levies were profoundly depressed at the result of the action. "If," they said to themselves, "what must have been but a comparatively small number of peasants have caused this loss, what will it be when we meet Cathelineau's main body?" There was no thought of pursuit. A regiment was thrown out in skirmishing order and advanced through the wood, the rest following in column along the road. General Berruytr had joined General Menou the evening before with the force from Saumur, and as they moved forward the two generals rode together. " This is a much more serious business than I had ex- pected," Berruyer said. "I certainly imagined that, with such forces as we have gathered round La Vendue, the cam- paign would be little more than a military promenade. I see, however, that I was entirely mistaken. These men have to-day shown themselves capable of taking advantage of the wild character of their country, and as to their courage there can be no question whatever. If this is a fair sample of the resistance that we have to expect -throughout the whole country, we shall need at least fifty thousand men to subdue them." "Fully that," Menou said shortly. "There is no doubt that we blame the National Guards, who were so easily CHECKINO THE ENEMY. 93 routed by the peasant, on the tenth of March, „„« severely an they deserve. I rode forward to enco n-age tht,t at the,r last attack. I never ..w soldiers flghfw th ,"ch t oiruk 't r "^"''- ''"'y ""-" «>c4eiv:: , tioops like t.gcrs, ,„ many cases ivrcsting their arms from t em and braining them with their own ml.skcts Even „°™ best soldiers seemed cowed by the fierceness with whi h hey were attoeked, and as for the men of the new 1 "s hey were worse than nseless, and their eflbrts to f^rce their way to the rear blocked ti •.,„„(,i. . ■* '" '"rce who were t,-„i„ .1, u t ^ °' ""^ '"'"forcements, .no were tiy,„g, though I must own not very vigoronslv to get to the front The peasants were wcIlL "oo afd' »cfng on an excellent plan of defence; they must h"^ been sheltered altogether from our fire, f;r amL^t e deJd I d.d no see one who had been killed by a cannon-blll The country must possess hundreds of points eonallv w!n herd « this has been, it will take even more than fittv thousand men to suppress the insurrection." ^ I he Convention is going to work the wron» way" Berruyer said. "The commissioners have orders to Z'l, every peasant found in arms and everv susnlct tb t ,^ say virtually every one in La VendTe ^ woS h . infinitely better for them to have t ed a ™ l,"" Zkin r- *""''"'' '"'■ ""^ '"""■"' "> «<"•«"'« their work m their respective parishes without interruption and hat for a year at least this part of France sZiM be exempt from conscription. AVhy, if this campaign go s on a far larger force will be employed here than thefumW of troops which the district was called upon to contrluTe to say nothing of the enormous expense and loss of men 94 It : NO surrender! would a hideous business altogether, to my mind, give all I ijossess to be recalled and sent to fight on the frontier." Two hours after the fight, Leigh with his band, of whom none had been killed, although several had received wounds more or less serious, arrived at Chemillo. They had been preceded by many of the peasants, who had already carried the hews of the fight, and that tho column from Thouars had been delayed for three hours and had suffered very heavy losses. "It was all owing, Monsieur Cathelineau," the head of one of the peasant bands said, " to the officer you sent to command us. He was splendid; it was to him that every- thing was due. He was cutting down the bridge when we came up, and it was by his oiders that we felled the trees and blocked the road and made a sort of hedge that took them so long to get through. AVe should have been greatly damaged by the fire of their guns and muskets, but he kept us all lying down out of reach till we were wanted, while the men with the guns defended the line of fallen trees. When we were wanted, he called us up by blowing a cowhorn, and then we drove the Blues back into the stream, and returned to our shelter until we were wanted again. We did not lose more than thirty men altogether, while more than ten times that number of the Blues have fallen. We thought at first that you had chosen rather a strange leader for us, but, as always, you were right, for if you had been there yourself things could not have gone better." * ^ " But I sent no one as your commander," Cathelineau said in surprise. " He had a paper that he read out saying that he was acting on your orders. As I cannot read, I cannot sav that CHECKING THE ENEMY. 95 it was written down as he read it; but if you did not send hirn God nnast have done so." nffl"^^ 'I ;''''''-'' Bonchanip," Cathelineau said to that thor'^/ r//"'""^^ ''''' "«^ --' -'yo'-- I neve thought of defending the passage of that stream How ever, whoever it is who has comn.anded, has done us great" make all the difference ; they carn.ot arrive now until after dark and will not attack before morning, and by IZ t me our force will have doubled." ^ ^ ciaZraT'\"' fr' """"'"'" ^'^« i---'t ex- it r. rf ''^''^ ^'^ i''''y «'"^^« down the street ,.-nn p ^' i " ^^'''^^"' ^^""g brother-in-law t" Mon leur Bonchamp exclaimed; and, raising his voice he c aH od to Jean, who was talking to a group of othL nffl Jean ran up. ^ ^ '' "'^''^''^ "«''^^- hasTeldtr """'•"' i" " ^°"^ ^^""^ ^"S^-hman who Has held Berruyer in check for three hours ^ee how thl peasants are cheering him!" ^ Cathelineau advanced to meet Leigh, who halfpd h;. band and saluted the -eneral Tlio uf T f . ' o«^ t , ^ ''"ts e,enerai, ^ no latter stepped forward and returned the salute by lifting his hat. Monseur Stansfield," he said. "I salute you as th„ -«our of our position here. H,«i Berruyer a'rivM thi ate noon „.e must have retired, for we arc not yet t ufficent foree to withstand his attack. T„-m„rr„w , " "hall I hope be strong enough to beat him. I have been wondering who this officer could be who with bult ree or four hundred men held the principal force of „ r tl l;d.'V hLrr.fr-f '»'; ■•". «--.^'- '-ree hot: as I hear, killed three hundred of his best troop: IS of hUf. f.Kirt., ..f T . . " a loss of but thirty of ours, >s, with I ought to have thought of 96 NO surrender! you when they said that you read them an order saying that you were acting in my name." " It was great presumptiori on my part, general," Leigh said, "and I know that I had no right to use it for such a purpose; but I felt how important it was that you should have time to prepare for defence, and I thought it my duty, as there was no one else to take the matter in hand, to do so myself." " You have done magnificently, sir, and the thanks of all La Vendee are due to you. I sec that several of your lads are wounded," for five of them wore bandages, and a sixth was carried on a rough litter by four of his companions. "Lads," he said, "I salute you; you have done well indeed, and there is not a boy of your age in La Vendee but will envy you when he hears how you, under your brave young comn>ander, have to-day played the chief part in checking the advance of an army of five thousand men. I shall publish an order to-day caying that my scouts have rendered an inestimable service to their country." "Well, Leigh," Jean Martin said after the little band had fallen out and one of the surgeons had taken charge of the wounded, "you have indeed distinguished yourself. I certainly did not think, when I persuaded your sister to let you go, that you were going to match yourself against the French general, and to command a force which should inflict a heavy check upon him. Cathelineau has asked me to bring you round to his quarters presently so that you can give him the full details of the afiiiir, saying that a plan that had succeeded so well might be tried again with equal effect. I cannot stay with you now, for I am going with Bonchamp to see to the work of loopholing and forti- fying the church." " I am going to look after my boys, Jean; they have had CHECKING THE ENEMY. 97 nothing to eat this morning except a mouthful or two of d vthT Do T "" ''"" "" ''"'' "™ •""- ''^fo"' to night;- ^°'' ""° """ ""^ ^'""^ "■'" ""' "'teck "Yes, I thinl< so; after the lesson you have given Berruyer of the fighting qualities of the peasants T i discrragjir:'"'" ' '''' '"" "■•^' --« --'>• That evening news came in from several quarters Le,gonyer had marched from Vihiers by three roadT dn.ct,ug his course towards Corou. Two o^f the co , „„ ' had been attacked by the peasants, and being largely om posed of new levies had at once lost heart fnd fetLted he central column, in which were the regular troop ,71' d^lredThrr"" ^'r r "■ "^ '«""''- -•»- had crossed the Lo.re and taken St. Florent without a^v very heavy flghtu,g, and Quetineau had advanced f,^m Br,ssu,re to Aub.ers without meeting with resistance. Th" 'hTtrf '" "r ,^5-'^ '''"*"'°'-^' I» ■••■«' ^0- feared that the force at V.h.ers would march north and join that ttianTLge't^r" '"" '""' ''^"'^" *- ^"^''^ There was disappointment that St. Florent had been recaptured, but none that Quetineau had advanced without h tTrt "'"■"•. '" "■" "'■"'^ °' *e peasantry f^m that locality were with Cathelineau. In point „f f„ct foHr T """''^ *' '°™ »' ^'■'■-- '» "»«h ru Z' ™.*V°""''"''>'' '"" ''"<' '"'ended, after capturing Chemdld „h.ch he expected to do without serious troubfe to march south and effect a junction with Leigonver a^ Coron.^ He halted tour miles from Cheraiiy, harangued o 98 NO surrender! the new levies, reproaching those who had shown cowardice during the day's fighting, and exhorting them to behave with courage on the following day. No inconsiderable portion of them belonged to the force that had marched down from Paris, and these heroes of the slums, who had been foremost in the massacres in the prisons, and in their demand for the blood of all hostile to them, behaved throughout with abject cowardice whenever they met a foe with arms in their hands. After having had an interview with Cathelineau, and relating to him full particulars of the fight, Leigh, having nothing to do, strolled about the town. Presently he came upon a group of three or four peasants who had been drinking more than was good for them. One of them, whose bearing and appearance showed that he had served in the army, was talking noisily to the others. " You will see that I, Jacques Bruno, artilleryman, will be a great man yet," he said. " I shall soon be rich. I have had enough of poverty since I left the army, but I shall have plenty of gold yet. You will see what you will see." "How can you be rich?" one of the others said with an air of drunken wisdom. "You are lazy, Jacques Bruno, we all know you; you are too fond of the wine-cup; it is seldom that you do a day's work." " Never mind how I shall get rich, I tell you that it will be so, and the word of Jacques Bruno is not to be doubted;'* and he turned away saying, " I shall go for a few hours' sleep now to be in readiness for to-morrow." "Who is that man?" Leigh asked sharply, going up to the others. The scarf that he wore showed him to be an oflacer, and the peasants removed their hats. "It is Jacques Bruno, monsieur. He is in charge of * CHECKING THE ENEMY. 99 Leigh moved away. This fellow was half-drunk b„t not too drunk to know what he was saying "hat d he mean by declaring that he would soo^ be rich! T e Zest"r:;'%e;c t m-i^t r •"""'"■" "•-"" "^ treachery P ,tt , ' 1? , ,? *-'" *"= '"""'*"« •■•" »«' "f nIH .„T • ' ,^^ '''' "*<"■ ™nsiderations, ho as an •'^0, you had better lie down with f^n * u -e w,h you, and s,eo„ til, lello t 'l™^; Z: ^ that hour We will say one o'clock instead o " eZ f^r trnt.r„i;:"'*^-'^^''^"'-^--"':vt: Oorng out again. Leigh i„c,uired where the cannon had 100 NO surrender! been placed. They were on an eminence outside the town, and commanded the road by which Berruyer's column would advance. Strolling up there, he saw Bruno lying asleep between two of the guns, of which there were five. "It seems all right," he said to himself, "and as he cannot walk oif with them, I don't see what his plan can be— that is, if he has a plan. However, there is no harm in keeping watch. The guns are against the sky-line, and lying down fifty yards away, we shall be able to see if he does anything with them. Of course he might spike them, but I don't suppose that he avouM risk that, for the spikes might be noticed the first thing in the morning. I don't think that it would do for him to try that. It seemed a stupid thing even to doubt him, but half-drunk as he was, he certainly was in earnest in what he said, and does believe that he is going to be a rich man, and I don't see how that can possibly come about except by some act of treachery. At any rate we will keep ai* eye upon the fellow to-night, and if we are not posted in any particular spot to-morrow, I will be up here with my band when the firing begins and keep my eye on him." He spent three or four hours with Jean Martin, and then went back to his quarters. Andre and two of the lads were in readiness. They moved out quietly, for the street was thick with sleeping peasants. There were no sentries to be seen. "If the enemy did but know," he muttered to himself, "they might take the place without firing a -shot." Pres- ently, however, he came upon an officer. " Where are you going?" he asked sharply. " I am Leigh Stansfield, and am going with three of my party to keep watch near the guns." "That is good," the officer said. "I am on duty here, CHECKING THE ENEMY. jqj and Jean Martin has just ridden out: he is goin. a counle of nules along the road, and will give the alarm"? he h mile he is to fire off his pistols, and I shall have time to get the men up long before their infantry can arrive We t::::. rriiiinrtr %~ ^^ ^^ - and even Cathelmeau could not move them. It is heart breaking to have to do with such men » "I do not think that it is laziness, it is that they have a fixed objection to doing what they consider any^iJof comes, and then to make a rush upon them, and when iTn'ed a f,! T°' ^^ " ^^'^ '»"'"«"«'-. -d have gamed a ..ctle d.sciphne, we shall suffer some terrible disaster from the obstinacy of the peasantry " Vy.th a word of adieu Leigh turned off the road and made h,s way half-way up the eminence. Here The' /uns oonid be plainly made out. Leaving Andrfa^d h s^tvo that the artilleryman was still there. Had he missed h,l he wa, determined to go at once to Catheleau™ nd st ™ h. suspicions, and his belief that Bruno had goTe „fft inform Berrayer that if he advanced he would find tht I "•fi°"''" ''°, '*'''■ " "«^™ « "o «™ion for us all to watch I with one of the others will keep a look-out fo thlnet r otS-''"'' " ''" "'"' " '-- "- "'" -- yould Is 102 NO SURRENDER! Leigh's watch had passed off quietly, there was no move- ment among the guns, and from the position in which Bruno was lying his figure would have been seen at once had he risen to his feet. "If the man up there stands up you are to awaken me at once, AndrtV he said. Over- come by the excitement and the heat of the day, Leigh dropped off to sleep almost immediately. An hour later he was roused by being shaken by Ai.dri^. " The man has got up, sir." The artilleryman, after stretching himself two or three times, took up something from the ground beside him, and then went some distance down the side of the hill, but still in sight of the watchers. " He has got something on his shoulder, sir, I think it is a shovel, and he has either a cloak or a sack on his arm." "He is evidently up to something," Leigh replied, "but what it can be I cannot imagine." Presently the man stopped and began to work. " He is digging," Andre said in surprise. " It looks like it certainly, but what he can be digging for I have no idea." Presently the man was seen to raise a heavy weight on to his shoulders. "It was a sack he had with him," Andr6 said, "and he has filled it with earth and stones." Leigh did not reply, the mystery seemed to thicken, and he was unable to form any supposition whatever that would account for the man's proceedings. The lattel- carried hia burden up to the cannon, then he laid it down, and took up some long tool and thrust it into the mouth of one of the cannon. A light suddenly burst upon Leigh. " The scoun- drel is going to draw the charges," he said, "and fill up the cannon with the earth that he has brought up." Andr^ but •LEIGH GAVE THE WOK,,, AN,, ..KAHNG r. THEV Ti,K lll£.Mi,ELVES ON THE TRAJTOK."' E\V i zm CHECKINQ THE E..EMY. 103 would have leapt to hia feet as he uttered an exclamation of I'age. "Keep quiet!" Leigh said authoritatively; "we have no evidence against him yet; we must watch him a bit longer before we interrupt him," After two or three movements the man was seen to draw something from the gun. This he laid on the ground and then inserted the tool again. "That is the powder," Leigh whispered, as something else was withdrawn from the gun; "there, you see he u taking handfuls of earth from the sack and shoving it into the mouth." This was continued for some time, and then a rammer was inserted and pushed home several times. Then he moved to the next cannon. "Now follow very (quietly, Andr^; busy as he is, we may get quite close up to him before he notices us Mind, you are not to use your knife; we can master him easily enough, and must then take him down to Cathelineau for his fate to be decided on." Noiselessly they crept up the hill; when within five or SIX paces of the gun at which Bruno was at work, Leigh gave the word, and, leaping up, they threw themselves on the traitor, who was taken so completely by surprise that they were able to throw him at once to the ground Snatching up a rope that had been used for drawing the guns, Leigh bound his arms securely to his side, and then putting a pistol to his head, ordered him to rise to his feet.' "Shoot me if you like," the man growled; "I will not move." "I will not shoot you," Leigh replied; "you must be tried and condemned. Now, Andre, we must carry him." The four boys had no difficulty in carrying the man 104 NO surrender! down. As they passed the officer on sentry, he said, " Whom have you there, Monsieur Stansfield?" "It is Bruno, the artilleryman. We have caught him drawing the charges from the guns, and filling them with earth. We must take him to the general." "The villain!" the officer exclaimed. "Who would have thought of a Vendean turning traitor?" Cathelineau was still up talking with some of his officers as to the preparations for the battle. There was no sentry at his door; Leigh entered, and, tapping at the door of the room in which he saw a light, went in, Cathelineau looked up in surprise as the door opened. "I thought you were asleep hours ago, monsieur," he said. "It is well that I have not been, sir." And he related the conversation that he had overheard, and his own sus- picions that the man Bruno meditated treachery, the steps they had taken to watch him, and the discovery they had made. Exclamations of indignation and fury broke from the officers. " Gentlemen," Cathelineau said, " we will at once proceed to try this traitor; he shall be judged by men of his ov.n class. Monsieur Pourcet, do you go out and awaken the first twelve peasants you come to." In a minute or two the officer retiirned with the peasants, M'ho looked surprised at having been thus roused from their sleep. " My friends, do you take your places along that side of the room. You are a jury, and are to decide upon the guilt or innocence of a man who is accused of being a traitor." The word roused them at once, and a'l repeated indig- nantly the word "traitor!" CHECKING THE ENEMY. 105 "Monsieur Stansfield," he said to Leigh, "will you order your men to bring in the prisoner?" The man was brought in and placed at the head of the table opposite to Cathelineau. "Now, Monsieur Stansfield, will you tell the jury the story that you have just told me 1" Leigh repeated his tale, interrupted occasionally by exclamations of fury from the peasants. Andre and the other lads stepped forward one after the other and con- firmed Leigh's statement. "Before you return a verdict, my friends," Cathelineau said quietly, "it is but right that we should go up to the bat ery and examine the cannon ourselves; not, of course, that we doubt the statement of Monsieur Stansfield and the other witnesses, but because it is well that each of you should be able to see for himself, and report to others that you have been eye-witnesses of the traitor's plot " Accordingly the whole party ascended to the battery. There lay the spade and the sack of earth; the tool with which the work had been done was still in the mouth of the second cannon, and on pulling it out, the powder-cartridge came with it^ Then Leigh led them to the next gun, and a man who had a bayonet thrust it in and soon brought some earth and stones to the mouth of the gnn and those with him tested by ourselves examining the guns. tliti o7n:r' ""'' ''^"'^' ''' '''' "-" ^-'^ p--^ ^ '•He has!" the peasants exclaimed in chorus. "And what is your sentence?" " Death !" was the unanimous reply. "I approve of that sentence. March him down to the siUc ot the liver and shoot him." liUl 106 NO surrender! Three minutes later four musket-shots rang out. "Thus die all traitors!" Cathelineau said. Bruno, however, was the sole Vend^an who during the course of the war turned traitor to his comrades and his country. CHAPTER VI. THE ASSAULT OF CHEMILL^. T^EW words were spoken as the gi'oup of officers returned J- to the town. When they reached Cathelineau'e quarters, Leigh would have gone on, but the general said, "Come in, if you please, Monsieur Stansfield;" and he followed the party in. " This has been a trial, gentlemen, a heavy trial," the general said. "When I entered upon this work I knew that there were many things that I should have to endure. I knew the trouble of forming soldiers from men who, like ours, prize their freedom and independence above all other things; that we might have to suflFer defeat; that we must meet with hardships and probably death; and that in the long run all our efforts might be futile. But I had not reckoned on having to deal with treachery. I had never dreamed that one of my first acts would have been to try and to sentence a Vendean to death for an act of the grossest treachery. However, let us put that aside; it was perhaps in the nature of things. In every community there must be a few scoundrels, and if this turns out to be a solitary instance, we may congratulate ourselves, especially as we have escaped without injury. "That we have done so, gentlemen, is due solely to Monsieur Stansfield, who thus twice in the course of a THE ASSAULT OF CHEMILLt 107 7£ '^tI ■"" ""f °™""^ "" inestimAle service to the cause. There are few indeed who, on hearing the bragga- docio a drunken man, would have given the matter a momenta thought, still less have undertaken a nigl^ o? watchfulness ator a day of the heaviest work morl to est the truth of a slightly.founded suspicion that Jgl^ have occurred to them. It is not too much to say tha had not th,s act of treachery been discovered our defea to-morrow would have been well-nigh certain. You know IZZ Z '^°''' "■'* "' '""'' S"™' -<> if. "hen the %ht began, the cannon had been silent instead of pouring the,r contents into the ranks of the enemy, they would on.ouMj^,r«eirJrt::r:;.:^::r I thank you w.th all my heart. I shall add to my ord respecfng your fight of yesterday a statement of wL has taken place to-night, and I shall beg that all ofBcers read i aloud to the parties that follow them." "I agree most cordially with the general's words," M Bonchamp sa,d. ..Yo„r defence yesterday would have been a credit to any miliury man, L this discovery ha «aved US from ruin to-morrow, or rather to-day 7wm venture to say that not one man in five hundred wou d have taken the trouble to go out of his way to ascertan .vl,^^her the words of a drunken man rested on any fouX inJflX'T.*'"'" ^''■''■■'/°"''<>~«o„ as to the approach- malt th..nhT"! "' """" '''"' " ™^'='' ™ ""■^t Zl ,. ^'" ''"""'^"'d. o»'ing to the fact effect of retaunng the peasants of the various localities for tl.o defence of their own homes. Leigh learned that a 5 H J 108 NO surrender! mounted messenger had been despatched shortly before he brought the prisoner down, to beg Monsieur d'Elbee to bring the force he commanded at Chollet with all speed to aid in the defence of Chemille, for if that town fell be would be exposed to the attack of the united forces of Generals Berruyer and Leigonyer. "Now, gentlemen, I think we had better get a few hours' sleep," Cathelineau said. "They will not be here very early, probably not until noon, for they may wait for a time before starting, in hopes of being joined either by Leigonyer or one of the other columns, and it is not likely that any news of the sharp reverse that Leigonyer has met with has reached them." It was now two o'clock in the morning, and Leigh slept heavily till roused at eight. "You should have called me before, Andrd," he said reproachfully when he learnt how late it was. "I thought it was better that you should have a good sleep, captain. Of course, if there had been any message to say that you were wanted I should have woke you, but as no one came, and there is still no news of the enemy, I thought that it was better to let you sleep till now." Pierre had started with his party at five to scout on the road by which the enemy was advancing. Leigh first hurried down to the river and had a bathe, and then felt ready for any work that he might have to do. He then went to the house where Jean was lodged. The latter, who had not returned from his outpost work till day broke, was just getting up. "Well, Leigh," he said, "I called in at Cathelineau's quarters to report. I found him already up. He told me the work that you had been doing, and praised you up to the skies. It seems to me that you are gettin» all the THE A.SSAULT OF CHEMILLE. 109 credit of the campaign. Really I feel (pute proud of you and vve sha be havi,)g you starting as a rival leader to Lathelineau. Leigh laughed. "One does not often have two such opportunities in the course of a day, and I don't suppose I am likely to have such luck agani if the war goes on for a year. Where are yougomgtobe to-day?" •|I am going to act as aide-de-camp to Bonchamp." " And what shall we do, do you think?" "Well, I should say you had best keep out of it alto- gether, Leigh. You and your band did much more than your share of fighting yesterday, and your pistols will be of no use in a fight such as this will be. Seriously unless Cathehneau assigns you some post I should keep out of It. Your httle corps is specially formed to act as scouts, and as we are so extremely badly off in that respect, it will be far better for you to keep to your proper duties than to risk your lives." "How do you think the fight is likely to go, Jean?" "It depends in the first place upon how the Blues fight- If they do well they ought to beat us. In the next place' It depends on whether d'Elbee comes up in time. If he does I thmk that wo shall hold the place, but it will be stiff nghtmg. It was not until noon that Berruyer's force was seen approachmg. As soon as it was in sight the Vendeans poured out and took up their station by the hill on which the guns were placed. In spite of what Jean had said, Leigh would hr.ve placed his band with the rest, had not Cathehneau sent for him half an hour before and given him orders which were almost identical with the advice of Jean. "I wish you and your band to keep out of this battle, I" I 1 110 NO SURRENDER 1 Monsieur Stansfield. Your force is so small that it can make no possible diiference in the fortunes of the day, and whether we win or lose, your lads may be wanted as messengers after it is over. They have done extremely well at present, and need no further credit than they have gained. I beg, therefore, that you will take post with them some- what in rear of the village, away on the right. I shall then know where to find you if I have any messages to send; and moreover, I want you at once to send oflf one of your most active lads with this note to d'Elbee urging him to come on at full speed, for the fight is likely to go hard with us unless he comes in time to our assistance, and telling him I wish him to know that, even if I have to fall back, the church will be held till the last, and that as soon as he arrives I shall, if possible, again take the offensive, and beg tha^i he will attack the enemy in flank or in rear as he sees an opportunity. Upon the belfry of the church, half a mile on our right, you will be able to see how the battle goes, and can send off news to d'Elb(?e from time to time." " Very well, sir. I will despatch your letter at once and then march out to the church, which I noticed yesterday." "Here is a telescope," Cathelineau said. "We are well provided with them, as we took all that we could find at Chollet and Vihiers. I think that with its aid you will be able to have a good view of what is going on." In twenty minutes Leigh had taken up his uost in the belfry of the village church that Catheliiftau had indicated. Andre and Pierre, whose party had returned an hour before, were with him. The rest of the band were in the story below them, from which a view was also obtainable. The three most severely wounded had started for their homes early that morning, the others were fit for duty. The fight began by a discharge of the guns of the assailants. THE ASSAULT OF CHEMILLK. m Leigh could see that the defenders' guns had been some- what withdrawn from their position on the top of the rising ground, where they would have been too much exposed to the enemy s fire, and their muzzles now only showed over the brow During the course of the morning an earthwork had been thrown up to afford protection to the men serving them. They did not return the fire until the enemy were within a distance of a quarter of a mile, then they com- menced with deadly eflfect. The Blues halted, and Leigh could make out that a con- siderable number of men in the rear at once turned and ran In order to encourage them, they had been informed just before they marched of the plot that had been arranged to silence the guns, and this unexpected discharge caused the greatest consternation among the young levies A body of cavalry were at once sent off in pursuit, and drove the fugitives back to their ranks, the troopers using the Hats of their swords unstintingly. Then the advance was resumed, covered by the fire of the guns and by volleys of musketry. These were answered but feebly by the fi4- arms in the peasants' hands, and the Blues pressed on until ]ust before they reached the foot of the slope, the peasants charged them with fury. The regular troops and a regi- ment of gendarmes had been placed in front. These stood firm, poured heavy volleys into the peasants as they approached, and then received them with levelled bayonets In vam the Vendeans strove to break through the hedge of steel. Cathelineau and his officers on one side, and the French generals on the other, encouraged their men, and for a quarter of an hour a desperate conflict reigned, then the peasants fell back, aud the Blues resumed their advance Ihree times Cathelineau induced his followers to renew the attack, but each time it was unsuccessful. The Blues 112 NO SURRENnEIl! mounted the hill, the cjinnoii were captured, and the Vendeiins fell back into the town. Hero the ends of the streets had been barricaded, and in spite of the artillery and the captured guns now turned against their former owners, the assailants tried in vain to force their way into the town. From every window that commanded the approaches the men with muskets kept up an incessant fire. The mass of the peasants lay in shelter behind the barricades or in the houses until the enemy's infantry approached to within striking distance, and then, leaping up from these barricades, and fighting with an absolute disregard of their li\es, they again and iigain repulsed the attacks of the enemy. Berruyer, seeing that in spite of his heavy losses he made no way, called his troops from the assault, and forming them into two columns, moved to the right and left, and attacked the town on both sides. Here no barricades had been erected, and in spite of the eflForts of the peasants an entrance was forced into the town. Every street, lane, and house was defended with desi)erate energy, but dis- cipline gradually triumphed, and the Blues won their way into the square in the centre of the town where the principal church stood. As they entered the open space they were assailed with a rain of bullets from the roof, tower, and windows. As soon as the flanking movement began. Monsieur Bonchamp, seeing that the town was now certain to be taken, had hurried with the greater portion of the men armed with muskets to the church', which had already been prepared by him on the previous day for the defence. A great number of paving stones had been got up from the roadway and piled inside the church, and as soon as he arrived there with his men the doors were closed and blocked behind with a deep wall of stones. Berruyer saw that the position was a formidable one, and, ignorant of the THE ASSAULT OF CHEMILLi::. ijg number of the defenrlera «.r,f i.n.i * i.- tented himself for th t me l .1 '.^'^ ^""'^ ^"^ ^°"- of its defenders Th . ^ "'^ ^^'^ '''^ ""^ *h« town rallied hvr!r ' ''°"''"'''' '' '^'^y '««"«! out were rallied by C.-itheiir.eau and his ofticers. Thev assnr J\r peasants that the day wis unt v„f i . ""f-^ ''^^"'^^^^ <^he would hold nnf f { ^'^'^ ^°'^' ^^^^ ^^e church of the fire of fho If i ""^ '^'''' "'^ •'^'^atement i-nc ijie or the defenders, an ncpssTnf fir-,,* i ~is, ■:: r^ '^-^ '^-'™""'- ""- cx^ij' wiiiuow in the houses around I'f a*- i *. l i that d'Elbee's force was bnf . / r '^ ^' ^'^'^ of battle. "^=P«'-"">ly. ll»lf-madde„cd with the sound t.e x^ ir:\rdr^ r oi t^ "™r feuss }ou will be able to undprisfanri +u^ x • tion." unaerstand the exact situa- n-.-^TheT'hT.f/r"™',"'"™^'' '" '™ -'- eastern corne^f tL Lwn ''°™ '°™^' '"^ »°'"*- o/twf, r ^"^""^ *"' '''''"*'' ™ elose at hand, sent t« .acssengers to Cathelineau f. iufo™ him of the i 114 NO surrender! fact, and he now sent off another stating the direction in which the reinforcement waa marching. " I am going to attack at that corner instead of in the rear," Monsieur d'Elbeo said to him; for, now that the duty assigned to him had been performed, Leigh thought that he would be justified in joining ir. the attack with what remained of his band. "If I were to get directly in their rear they would, on finding their retreat cut ofT, fight so fiercely that I might be overpowered — oven the most cowardly troops will fight under these circumstances; therefore, while threatening their line of retreat, I still leave it open to them. It is a maxim in war, you know, always to leave a bridge open for a flying foe." In a few minutes they reached the town. None had observed their approach, the troops "ining assembled round the church. These were at once thrown into confusion when they found themselves attacked with fury by a large force, of whose existence they had no previous thought. The Vendeans fought with desperate valour. The new levies for the most part lost heart at once, and, in spite of the efforts of Berruyer and his officers, began to make for the line of retreat. The movement was accelerated by an outburst of shouts from the other side of the town, where Cathelineau's force poured in, burning to avenge their former losses; and as they fell upon the enemy, Bonchamp led out the defenders of the churchr by a side door and joined in the fray. Berruyer saw that all was lost. By great eflforts he kept together the gendarmes and regular troops to cover the retreat, and fell back fighting fiercely. Bonchamp and his musketeers pressed hotly upon them. The peasants made charge after charge, and as soon as the force issued from the town many of the peasantry set off at full speed in pursuit of the fugitives, great numbers (rf TIIK ASSAULT OF CIIKMILLi::. US Whom were overtaken and killed. Benuyer cor.tinued hiB retreat all rught and entered St. Lambert before morning haymg lost the whole of his canr.on and three thousand me! m this disastrous fight. The joy of the Vendeans was unbounded. The stones were speedily removed from the shattered doors of the church mass was celebrated, and the peasants returned thanks for their great victory. The gains were indeed considerable, three thousand muskets had fallen into their hands. They had recaptured the guns that they had lost and taken twelve others. Their own losses had been heavy- eighteen hundred men had been killed, and a great number wounded. But of this at the time they thought but little; those who had died h.d died for their country and their God as all of them were ready to do. and how could men do more \ On the Kepubhcan side General Duhaus had been very dangerously wounded, and most of Berruyer's principal officers kined. A council of war was held the next mornL at Chemilld For the moment the victory had secured their safety; but while the peasants believed and hoped that the war was over, their leaders saw that the position was scarcely improved. They had. indeed, captured guns and muskets but these were useless without ammunition, and then- stock of powder and ball was quite exhausted. Already the peasantry were leaving in large numbers for their homes Borruyer might return reinforced at any time and effect a junc ion with Leigonyer. while the column that had cap- tured St. Florent would doubtless advance. It was there- fore decided that Chemille must be abandoned, and that the officers should retire to Tiffauges until, at any rate, the peasants were ready to leave their homes again By evening that day the greater portion of thn armv had melted away, and on the following morning the feaders 116 NO surrender! also left the town they had so bravely defended. On the following day, indeed, Berruyer, having learned the position of Leigonyer, returned to Chemille, and, two days later, was in communication with Leigonyer's force. The latter had occupied Chollet, which had been left devoid of de- fenders since the day they marched away. On the other hand, Quetineau had, on the thirteenth, been attacked it Aubiers, and had been forced to evacuate the place, leaving three guns behind him, retiring to Bressuire. The capture of Aubiers was the work of Henri de la Eoche- jaquelein. He had ridden to join Cathelineau, and met him and the other leaders retiring from Chemille. They were gloomy and depressed. They had won a battle, but they were without an army, without ammunition. Almost all the towns were in the possession of the Blues. It seemed to them that the struggle could not be much longer main- tained. The young count was too energetic and too en- thusiastic to be seriously moved, and rode back to the residence of an aunt at St. Aubin. There he learned that Aubiers had been taken by the enemy. The peasantry around w^ere in a state of extreme excitement. They had hoisted the white flag on their churches, and were ready to fight, but they had no leader. Hearing that Eochejaquelein was at his aunt's house, they came to him, and begged him ,to take the command, promising him that in twenty-four hours ten thousand men should be ready to follow him. He agreed to the request. The church bells were set ringing, and before morning almost that number were assembled. Of these only two hundred had guns. With this force he attacked Aubiers. The resistance of the enemy was feeble, and they were chased almost to Bressuire. Eochejaquelein was very anxious to capture this town, as his friends, the Lescurcs, THE ASSAULT OF CHEMILL^ II7 had been brought from Clisson and imprisoned there, but he saw that ,t was of primary importance to curry assistance to Cathehncau and he accordingly marched to TiflUuges. The church bells again rang out their summons, and CaUie- Iineau in twenty-four hours found himself at the head of an army of twenty thousand men. " I told you at Clisson that I should soon meet you again Monsieur Martin," La Kochejaquelein said when, as heL^ into Tiffivuges at the head of his newly raised force, he met Jean m the street, "and here I am. you see. I am only Chimin?' '"' '"' '"'' '" ''^' ^''' '" '^' ^'"'''^ «gh^ ^' "Eight glad are we to see you. count." Jean replied. rhis ,s my wife's brother of whom I was speaking to you at Chsson. Cathelineau will tell you that he has been dis- tinguishing himself rarely." Henri held out his hand to Leigh and said warmly, "I am gad to know you; it would be a shame indeed were any Venddans to remain at home when a young Englishman "I shall be glad indeed to be so," Leigh replied with equal warmth, for he was greatly struck with the appear- ance of the young soldier. ol^^rif "^l ^^ Rochejaquelein was but twenty-one years old tall, and remarkably handsome. He had fair hair and a noble bearing. His father had been a colonel in the army and he himself was a cavalry officer in the king's guard! He was the beau ideal of a dashing hussar, and his appear- ance was far more English than French. He was immensely popular, his manner frank and pleasant, and he was greatly beloved by the peasantry on his family estates. At this moment Cathelineau with his two generals came 118 NO surrender! up, and Leigh retired from the circle. The arrival of the young count with his strong reinforcement at once altered the position. The leaders, who had, since they fell back from Chemille, been depressed and almost hopeless, beamed with satisfaction as they talked with Henri, whose enthusiasm was infectious. La Rochejaquelein accompanied them to his quarters. Hitherto he had only heard rumours of the fighting at Chemille, and Cathelineau now gave him a full account of the affair, Jean Martin had, at his invitation, accompanied him, and when Cathelineau had finished, Henri turned to him and said : " Indeed you did not exaggerate, Monsieur Martin, when you said that your brother-in-law had already distinguished himself; in fact, there can be no doubt that the splendid defence he made at that little river, where he held Ber- ruyer's whole force in check for upwards of three hours, and so forced him to halt for the night on the way instead of pushing forward and attacking Chemille at once, saved the town, for it gave time to ISIonsieur d'Elbee to come up. Scarcely less important was his detection of the treachery of the man in charge of the artillery. I cannot but regret that so gallant a young fellow is not my countryman, for I should have felt proud of one so daring and so thoughtful. When you do not want him for scouting work, Monsieur Cathelineau, I shall get you to lend him to me. I should be really glad to have him by my side. His face pleased me much, there was something so h\mk and honest about it, and after what he has done I am sure that I shall always respect his opinion." There was another consultation as to what should bo their first operation, and it was resolved that Leigonyer should be attacked at once before he could make a complete THE ASSAULT OF CHEMILLt ng junction with Berruver '?h^ ^„ * the whole force moved off Th ""T® "' '^'^^'"'^ for Berruyer had 1!^ 7 ? "■"■' ""'>' J"'' >'" «««, advance to Beaup^, n! '"'' '"P'""^ «*• ^"'o-^. to and he himself tlLaX "" 'r° "™'' '° ^'^'-' On the previa,,, even, TCi hall°'"af* f."'"" '' *'''^- of the council reo„c„p5 T ,? '. '^^ ""^ t^^ination hou.e where L^^h "d hi. Mo*?" *" '"'^ '"" '° ">« "I havp !>»„„ t , ''""y ''■«■''' quartered. than myself should h^vIT ' ' ^°"' ^'^^''^ >^«»"ger family Lfiuel L r ? '° "^"'^' ^^"^ I' ^^^^ all my nothing btThisri^rro'uttf" A r- ^^^ 'r ^-' that you, who have hnrl T? *^ '^"^'^''- ^^^ ^^ it conceLd th:idt:fte:ir;;ra:er^^^ "'"'' "-« "'^ur tvLr^ '™ "^ tie;rdred?™r -"' tance that Chemille shall ;"' °' *' '"■"°»' ™I»-- received reintefe mfnf A t^f h^?"" ?" ^""''"' doing more than breaking dmvn 1 1 f "" *°"8'" »' checking the advanced c^vIT hj! i"'*?' r"" "' ^^''^P^ peasants who came .Z ^' ' '™'"' "">' the -emed to me ZthllJ"^'""'' '"""« *» -d- it block the ro^d and mal'r,! "^r™ *° "•'"='■ 'o "« '» to cause the eremrct id , t rdX" ' 7 h""'^dl' 'l ""'? to succeed in holding? ont «. i ^' ^^"""^'^ ^°Pe^ -pon him as Z tTlT:! ''u^^' '"^ '- military knowledge whatever 2i " ™ "°' "\»'" any tempted it had 1 nr,,:T !l ! , ""''' """ '"« at- should be abl to retl The ' '"""t' '° '"" ^°^-'' -" barricade of fdlXr." " '°"" "" '°"8^^ >■«" ">e 120 NO surrender! "Well, you could not have done better if you had been a general. I have Cathelineau's permission to ask you to ride with me when you are not engaged in scout- ing, "I should be delighted to do so, but at present I have no horse. However, I can send one of my lads back to the chateau to fetch the one that I generally ride." "I have brought a spare animal with me," the young count said "I brought it iu case the other should be shot! and I shall be glad if you will ride it to-morrow, and until yours arrives; but I would not send for one until after to- morrow for incely enough we may make some captures before nigh fall. We are to march at three in the morning and to attack Leigonyer. The great thing that we need is powder Cathehneau says that there is scarcely a charge left among his men. Mine are not much better off. We should have had none with which to attack Aubiers, but I sent off during the night to a quarry a few miles from my aunt's and succeeded in getting forty pounds of blasting-powder' It would not have been of much use for the muskets, but the fact of its being powder was sufficient to encourage the peasants; and the Blues made such a feeble resistance that Its quality made no difference to us; it enabled those who had muskets to make a noise with them, and was just as effectual in raising their spirits in attacking the Blues as if it had been the finest quality. We got a few hundred cartridges when we took the place, but that will not go very far, and I hope that to-morrow we shall be able to obtain a supply from the enemy." Before the hour for starting the force had swelled con- siderably. The news that Monsieur de la Rochejaquelein had retaken Aubiers, and had come with twelve thousand men to assist Cathelineau, spread like wildfire. The peasants THE ASSAULT OF CHEMILLt igi from all the country round flnot ^ • started in the mornin.thr„>7^ '"' ^"^ ^^^^ they twenty thousand™: 1 "so "l'^' ^"^"^ ^^ -- him, Leigh sent oft" all his bind IT .' f ""^ ''^""^ ^^^^^ orders to proceed towa.Ive^t to" ""'"""^■^' ^^^^ I^e^gonyer had made, and the Z'iH /?"" '^' P^'^^^^^^ send back news to Lim jlf "u °^ ^'^ ^^^^««' -"d to one of the boys returned, and s'id thl'''"'^ "'' ''''''''^' cavalry and a detachmen of Info . t f ^"''^ "^ ^^^^^^ chateau of CriUoire Leilh . '^ ^T^ ''''' ^"^«^'«d the -ho sent off a hundred tnd IT " ""'^ Cathelineau, place. They ..re ord^d ' 11"?^^' "^^"''^ ''^ speed, and Jean Martin was in J ^' '°P ^^ ^h^^^ The expedition was'rorn d ^7" '' ''^"• w^o had been stationed irl^^tlriu 7] '"f "^^^' Their commandant Villpm,.t t ■ ™'«JU, fled at once. *e Vend^ans Jb1^rm:tT':''''''''''''''^''e^-i received with a volley T« „,? "'™'''^- ^e waa ke himself and nine of his ,„e,! „ ' ■""" """" ''"''^<'' ^"^ aged, however, to bur. th o^h ZVT"'^- «' »»"■ toko his flj-ing i„f„„t ™ s he ,!n rV"'^ '» °'^■- the chateau, which he found Z , f"^ '""> 'ed back to "« captured the pit and 1:::^ t ?^'"' ^' ^°°" - gone oirwith his men to join he I! I *' ""''"■J'' •""^ "1» started early and ,1 « T ''"'^- ''"■■ruyer had where he expected Leil te t^ ""'"'' "»" '» "ay, before he r^ched th?" Z he V™J" " '''' '">"-■ >>"' advanced^guardofthelat,^ " eal^Thfr "'"*^'' ""= companies of grenadiers tL J ' !, '' ™™""ed of two threw themsekes toothe ehl '^ » '°''«'' "^"^ ^^^ "'g fifteen hundred men to surro . ^""-Groleau. Leav- *e main army preTrd forwTrd J."' """"""^ "'^'™. the disaster, sent forwardT™1hou r^"'' '""'"^ "' — t»o thousand men to succour 122 NO surrender! the besieged force, but the Vendeans fell upon them, and after a short resistance they broke and fled into Vezins. The arrival of the fugitives caused a panic among the whole of Leigonyer's force assembled there, and they fled precipitately, two hundred and fifty men of the regiment of Finisterre alone remaining steady, and these, maintaining good order, covered the retreat of the guns, repulsing the attacks of the peasantry who pursued them. Fortunately for the Vendeans, a waggon laden with barrels of powder was left behind in the confusion caused by their ap- proach, and proved of inestimable value to them. Had the Vendeans pursued the fugitives with vigour the force would have been almost annihilated, but Cathelineau, learning from Leigh's scouts that Berruyer was already approaching Vezins, feared to be taken in the rear by him, and there- fore fell back to May and Beauprdau. The garrison that defended the chateau of Bois-Groleau, repulsed the re- peated attacks made upon them, but surrendered on the approach of the main army, their ammunition and the food they had brought with them in their haversacks being entirely exhausted. Berruyer, on his arrival at Jallais, heard of the defeat of Leigonyer, and marched back in all haste to Chemill^, where he had left his magazines. On hearing, however, that Leigonyer on his arrival at V'ihiers had been deserted during the night by the whole of his troops, and finding himself in the morning with but a hundred and fifty men of the Finisterre regiment, had evacuated the town and retreated to Dou6, Berruyer wrote to him to endeavour to gather his forces together again and to return to Chemill^. But the news of another disaster convinced him that he could not maintain himself there. The Vendeans had marched without delay against Beaupreau and attacked 123 THE ASSAULT OF CHEMILL^. ,.,.^ greatly dispirited at the tl^ a d or^'n ."^ '°™ "' tance to the fierce assault Ct>^ '""''''"'»'»■ tie to„-„ with th C" thi fi "^ "■■' """" <»" »f pursued to St Flo eut „ ? ™""°"' ""-^ »'<'™ iotly numbers on the«r ' ' "'' '"■°''°'''°'' "' *-^ ie'i;::^ ir if-- --need Be.„,er that treated with his whole f„ ce t k ^ . ''°™'^'"S'^ "" wrote to the Convention T ,l , i""^'"' "'"'"'== '^ doing anything wlthlT I. ". ""= '"P^iWiity „f troops, as no denTndlV?! ™"forcements of regular tie National aZ^Z ^Z Z^X'"''' '^" ;.arched against him, he wouM be oM' ., '"'"S""'' Ponts-de-W in order tn 1 ! ^''^"^ '» ui^rch to the inhatttants :t\2Z ^"'"^' """" *^ ^■'™ "f a.t^rhotet:;That:or a'rr '"t^™-'^- '^"»<^ by the Bines along hHl?^'' '""' '"""' ^^'"^ »«™ted by the iie™ a !n t^ ';°''"' "■" '™P^ ''^ng tended them. Qt'tii auh'd'b '"'"f- '""''''''"» ''^'i -' and,agreatprop„ rn'fjtlo':!^^^^ '""■ ^"'"•-- Bressuire with so feeble a , ! ?,, ? . « '"'''"■""'■ ''«' heW himself if attacked Se3r°f"°"°«""™ ceased to exist as had tW T . .'"■'"^ '""' practically Florent. Berru™ had w t t^ "''™"^^'' '-■" ^t hack again at thrpoinf frnt *t -'^ ?T"<^ ■»«". ™d "as guillotine. ''°'' ""'' "'■■'■owly escaped the As soon as Eerruyer retired, CathCineau advanced 124 NO surrender! against Bressuire. News of his coming at once scared the Blues from the town, and they retreated to Thouara. They did not even wait to take their prisoners with them, and as soon as they had gone the Marquis de la Lescure with his family rode off to their chateau at Clisson. They had scarcely arrived there when la Eochejaquelein arrived and acquainted them with the general facts of the insurrection. " Cathelineau's army," he said, " consists of twenty thou- sand men, and on any emergency it would swell to nearly twice that number. Twelve thousand Bretons had crossed the Loire, and were on their way to join him. In lower Poitou, Charette had an army of twenty thousand, and besides these, there were many scattered bands." Lescure at once agreed to accompany la Eochejaquelein to Bressuire, and the Marquis of Donnissan, Madame Les- cure's father, arranged to follow them as soon as he had seen his wife and daughter safely placed in the chateau of de la Boulais. CHAPTER VIL A SHORT REST. T EIGH STANSFIELD had ridden with Eochejaquelein »^ during the march of the army to Vezins, and from there to Bressuire. He was charmed with his companion, who had been the first to dash with a few other mounted gentle- men into the streets of Vezms, and who had thrown himself with reckless bravery upo . the retreating infantry, and as the peasants came up, had led them to the attack several A SHORT BEST. ,, times, until Cathelincau's orders that ,1,. pushed no farther, reached him '""'™" ''■°'"<' '"' fellows shouM es ;« " "? '"«"' *"' "'^^« ^-^e can oall it a batUe"^ „T'j ? " 7" *" •"""»' » ■>'"= the others hav W '^e shZ" n,° T '''"' ""^ ^" defend their guns At lew !""/''"« 'oS<"ker and Mien since thTv eft ft t " '"""''■•='' "' "«"> have that numhertTdtud ,„r:',::: r '"^ '"'' ■'"""^ we finally overcame their ols'ttn ","7,^™ "''"^ the Eepublic were comn„»TT u' "" ""^ ''™"'«' »f I fear that our chLceo Tel 'di^ uT "d ""' "«™^"'' would be small indeed '• °"'"*°« ^ ^™dee successfully cai°nVotthllr?uif He""' T' "="""« "'' -^ '"^ " 4r the d fe t of ' °""' "'''""°'' "' '''^'i™- Berruyerwill noting be ^trt? ^"^ l"'" -« that Chemim,"hesaid-"and„h i. l ™'^'" ""'"'^'f "t 'hat he ;ill ret re at one! oVh'e "ir f ° ■""• ' '^"'^ fat it will be useless frkm tt^: 1' T Ml^Tf were to come down on our rear ^,Z a f ' '' ^^ have a bad effect unm, Z advanced, it would to avoid %h 1 Cle^ '?""''.' '""^ " "■" -""«■• better ajmost s„re^t:'^ve":s :-c:'ot 'ZTT: I'l ''' wecertainij::r:t;:i::a;r::rfK:r"'C^ tSetriChavTn:^::'™^ ^- >--£test general wonfd bT fod eZlT ■";""' "^P^^'' ">^ »» where they would be at !h. / °™"'^ into places same ti J ^ust ol ll.T'y "' "" ""«^» '"• At the - -me, i must own that I regretted to-day that we had 126 NO surrender! no mounted force. With but a squadron or two of my old regiment, not a man of Leigonyer's force would have escaped, for the country here is open enough to use them, and I should certainly have had no compunction in cutting down the rascals who are always shouting for blood, and yet are such arrant cowards that they fly without firine a shot." ® The day after the capture of Bressuire the Vend^ans marched against Thouars, to which town Quetineau had retreated with his force. Thouars was the only town in La Vendue which was still walled. The fortifications were in a dilapidated condition, but nevertheless offered a con- siderable advantage to a force determined upon a desperate resistance. With the fugitives from Bressuire, and the garrison already in Thouars, Quetineau was at the head of three thousand five hundred troops; of these, however, comparatively few could be depended upon. The succes- sive defeats that had been inflicted on the troops of the Republic by the Vendeans had entirely destroyed their moral, they no longer felt any confidence in their power to resist the onslaught of the peasants. Quetineau himself had no hope of making a successful resistance. He had repeatedly written urgent letters to the authorities at Paris saying that nothing could be done without large reinforcements of disciplined troops, and that the National Guard and volunteers were worse than use- less, as they frequently ran at the first shot, and excited the hostility of the people generally by their habits of plundering. Nevertheless, the old soldier determined to resist to the last, however hopeless the conflict; and when the Vendeans approached at six o'clock in the morning they found that the bridge of Viennes was barricaded and guarded. As soon as they attacked, the general re- A SHORT REST. 127 up a hivy flfauT r,"'""^' '''"'^« "'* keeping other ,rferf ^"^ """'' P^'P"'"^ "» ^''"'k from ca.^e:a"d't:'lral't"" ?' """^^ "«'■-'' "'^ gaee, thereby cut«L off* '" *° ™" "'^^ ""= ^ ^™ At five o'clock a triu-^ f "'^ """^"^ "' '•^'■•«"- an attack on the bridge arv-'"""''^/" ■"""'=<> '" seeing the storm That wf °'' ""'' "= '"'''"'Jers, -en ^.eu^-e ,^rd -tlltrefSr-^t re^irjsaj-^rrt '" t »" points. To avoid n «, ^^3^/"to the town at several L-sted th!"whT:irortirs Ts' *'"""^^" in the northern portfon of Lrv;nre th „ °°"™"' r;ri4:r^rerBr=- was afterward, t.ke„thr„4trta:'l::'°^''' " ''^^ *"»' made w",ld 3^; h m fTT T "^ '''"" """ h' ^ i 128 NO surrender! was sent to the guillotine, a fate which awaited all those who failed, in the face of impossibilities, to carry out the plans of the mob leaders. Instead of blame, the general deserved a high amount of praise for the manner in which he had defended the town against a force six times as strong as his own. Three thousand muskets, ten pieces of cannon, and a considerable amount of ammunition fell into the hands of the victors. This success left it open to the Ven- deans either to march against Leigonyer— the remnant of whose army was in a state of insubordination at Dou^, and could have offered no opposition, but must have retreated to Saumur— or to clear the country south and west. The former would unquestionably have been the wiser course, for the capture of Saumur would have been a heavy blow indeed to the Republicans; but the peasants, whose villages and property were thr atened by the presence of the Blues at Fontenay, Parthei.ay, and Chataigneraie, we-e so strongly in favour of the (fther alternative that it was adopted, and the force broke into two divisions, one moving towards Chataigneraie, and the other against Fontenay. Parthenay was evacuated at once by the Republicans as soon as news reached the authorities of the approach of the Vendeans. The latter, however, made no stay, but con- tinued their march towards Chataigneraie. The town was held by General Chalbos with three thousand men. After two hours' fighting, Chalbos, seeing that his retreat was menaced, fell back. He took up a position at Fontenay, where he was joined by General Sandoz from Niort. The country around the town was unfavourable for the Vendeans, being a large plain, and the result was disastrous to them. The Re- publicans were strong in cavalry, and a portion of these fell on the flank of the Vendeans, while the remainder charged i A SHORT REST. j .,g them in re' »' tbem sixteen cannon ami all '■""'^ '""""« '-''■""i captured. ' ""' """"«ons of war they had i^a Eochejaiiueloin, who after !,„ i, i • ■ , «t Chsson. had rejoined th ty vith a Z^'' ,^''""' men, covered the retreat whh i ^ '^ °' Scntie- 'be enen,y's cavalrv!tl , '''T'"'' "'«"■. charging back, allowing tb^ J : ""'V''^™"' »""■ ^^'-^ Minf the woods, Ihc tos "f ° ^ ''1 '° 8'™ ""^ shelter of fact that the pain ,;:';"? "'°"'°" '"">"■ '"" "•« almost irresistible I the „„.""?: '" '"' '■''«»'■''«'' as defeated, raised the Bl , T^^'?"?"- ""^ - easily "ito which they had falln H . ''"''"' °' depression 'be Vend^ans ^'::r^:^^ ^^'^ ^^-<^ "Pon leaders showed so t?d a"! f "' """ •■'■'■- 'heir parties of the Blues went '7 Z''''™''™'- reconnoitring troops were JZgl'JTJr ^""T^' *''^' «•' heart, while the generals wU 1, !?I ''*^'"" '"'«"" '° '^e at Fo„ten,ay ^ZT'^l^tf'T ''l '"^ ™'"^-^ of again joining the armv r \iv ^^^ necessity (H572) ^ '""^ ™^- Cathelmeau himself made a 130 NO surrender! tour through the Bocage, and the peasants, persuaded that the defeat was a punishment for having committed some excesses at the capture of Chataigneraie, responded to the call. In nine days after the reverse they were again in forte near Fontenay, and in much greater numbers than before; for very many of them had returned to their homes as soon as Thouars had been captured, and their strength in the first battle was but little greater than that of the Eepublicans. Burning with ardour to avenge their defeat, and rendered furious by the pillage of all the houses of the patriots at Chataigneraie, to which town Chalbos with seven thousand troops had marched, it was against him that the Vend^ans first moved. Chalbos, who had occupied his time in issu- ing vainglorious proclamations, and in writing assurances to the Convention that the Vendeans were so panic-stricken that the war was virtually over, only saved his army by a long and painful night march back to i ontenay. Here the troops lay down to sleep, feeling certain that there could be no attack that day l)y the enemy. At one o'clock, how- ever, the Vendeans issued from the woods on to tfio plain, and the troopi were hastily called to arms. The Royi Catholic Army, as it now called itself, ad- vanced in three columns. It was without cannon, but its enthusiasm more than counterbalanced this deficiency. The Vendeans received unshaken the discharge of the artillery of the Blues, pursuing their usual tactics of throwing themselves to the ground when they saw the flash of the cannon, and then leaping up again and rushing forward with loud shouts. The cavalry were ordered to charge, but only twenty men ol)eyed, the rest turned and fled. The infantry offered but a feeble resistance, and in ten minutes after the first gun was fired the Eepublican army ;■! ■ A SHORT REST 131 was a mob of f natives Fn... pleased the peasant eve i mor tT J Tf ''^'^"' ^"^'' ^^^^ Jeanne, was recaptured hWh^ ^°''^ '^''^""°"' M-"« for^t, who With i hand^,: fe, :::/'r--^V young that were covering the retveJTT "'^"^ ^^^ ^^^^^^y hands. After thfs v.'^^^orv 1 '"''^ '' '' ^''"^ '^''^ ^or the most part to Somes'"""'^ " "^"^^ ^^^^^^ As there was no probabih'ty of furfh... a »,.• moment, Jean Martin and t/» . ^^^*"'^ »* the They had first askerCaThelinefuiflr"' ''' ^^^ ^^^^-«- "For the moment yes r ^^ '^""^^^ '^^ ^P'-^^^^'- by the Count de Lesc'ufe „ ■ ' ^" T'' "' ^'^^" ^^ i^"-^ be one of our general He l^ "" ""' ^' ^^"'' ^^ ^^"rse, peasantry, and ,7 ho : l,ut 1 ^uX'.' "'""^" ^^^^^ ^^« ar'ns for a time ., will IC^IT "' ^^ ^^"^^in under d'Elb^e and Bonci.am ' LT f m """^- ^^^--s gentlemen with me a e nf ^' '''^ ^'^^^^^ ^f the successful in the end it ' T^ '^'' ^^ '^'^ ^''^ to be and nurching Igains V^ 's" ^^ '' '^''"^ ^^« ^^--e get Monsieur Charette to "o w,U '^ '"'^u '^'' ^« ^'^^"Jd the Loire, rouse all B ittanv «n^ T"'"" ^'' ^^"^y- ^^^ss tho. and strong against pS '"' ''^" "^''^-^ ''^ hundred " They say that although we hnv. i this tmie, and repulsed the Zl ] " ""^'^ successful the coast, they Jn come ' T ? «^'«'y where except on ti" they overpowe r^tX fi;;^" ""'''' ^^^^-^'r- '-^nd Henri de la RochejaqfeTe „ fi/ ^'""■""' '' ^^^--^ and authority, we might' if th""'' their influence better to make one grelt eZ^ ^ u ^'^^''^^^^ ^hat it is ^•t. than to be constat ej^d f' ' ^-'^ '^^^ ^^^ -^h the Blues are in suffic ent ' "T '^''' ^°"^«« ^^henever ^ell them, too, that ff eX^^^ ^? "^^'^ - We shall the Blue- "Mil ^^ the two repulses thev lia-c s-jff.r ? "■'' ^'^^ ""^^ ^"'i ■»- -ago, a;,d to .t::;^ 132 NO surrender! orders have been sent for all villages to be destroyed, and all hedges and woods to be cut down— a business that, by the way, would employ the whole French army for some years. However, as soon as our plans are decided upon I will send a messenger to you. At present there is nothing requiring either you or your scouts, Monsieur Stansfield, and after the good service that they have rendered it is but fair that they should have a short rest." Patsey was delighted when her husband and Leigh arrived. She was under no uneasiness as to their safety, as, after the repulse of Berruyer's army at Chemille, and the rout of Leigonyer, Leigh had sent one of the boys home with the assurance that they were unhurt. "I don't quite know how much to believe," she said, as they sat down to a meal, " of the reports that the boys have brought home. The first came and told me that on your arrival at Cathelineau's, he himself praised them all, and that Monsieur Bonchamp drilled them for an hour; then came home two wounded lads with a story about the great fight, in which they insisted that Leigh commanded, and that they kept the army of the Blues at bay for three hours and killed hundreds of them. The next messenger told us a tale about Leigh's having discovered some treachery upon the part of the man who was in charge of the artillery, and that he was in consequence shot. He insisted that Cathe- lineau had declared that Leigh had saved Chemille, because the enemy were so long delayed that Monsieur d'Elbee with his band had time to come up from Chollet and rout the Blues. " Of course I did not believe anything like all they said, but I suppose there must be something in it, for I questioned the boys myself; and though I had no doubt they would make as much as they could of their own doings among / A SHORT REST. 133 Leigh " You are not joking, jZr "«"" '" °" *™-" li P^poHion of th. pisa„;:trfo!;r:r»'°""' ^ '"^^^ 11 _ Ridiculous, Jean!" Leigh exclaimed hotly them the most fortunate If h.T T ^^P^^'' ^^ don't like, or thev do 1:^ '' ""^'^^"^ ^^^^ ^^^^ him so. L^hllfeneet^Thrr '' '"' •^^^"' ^^^^ ^^" army created a feel Lrnf 1 ''"'" "«"^"'' ^^^'^^^^'^ verify helieve ^!^.:^;72:Z'^^^^^ ^"V cannon useless was regarded bvfl,! , ''™''*'' *'= Superstitious and imo^t l^L T^"""' ™I»'-"»'"™1- always ready to r,!!'.?-''''''''''''^"^' '^3''''' ''>><>»', and which aL gl; " 7? ''"' ""''' """»'■''-"<' position of ProvSence T ' l"™"' "' " =1^™' '"^'■ acted upon siX;" t. I """ ^"""'^ '° '"y "«" I'«i«h neau, wl ia llTu ly" tX^cf 'oft ^™ ^''"■'^■■■ SCd^S,^"-'"~'-~^^^^ 134 NO surrender! '' The thing was as simple as A B C," Leigh broke in. "You will have to remain a silent listener, Leigh" his sister said, "when Jean is telling me the story. I cinnot have him interrupted." " Very well," Leigh said. «' Then I will put on my hat take a fresh horse from the stable, and ride off to see how the two wounded boys are going on." "I can tell you that they are almost well; but still, if you don't want to hear Jean's story of all your adventures, by all means go round. I am sure that the tenants will be gratified at hearing that you rode over to see them the very first evening you came home." The Venddan leaders had for some time felt the necessity of having a generally recognized authority, and after the battle of Fontenay they decided to appoint a council, who were to reside permanently at some central place and administer the affairs of the whole district, provide sup- plies for the armies, and make all other civil arrangements so that the generals would be able to attend only to the actual fighting. A body of eighteen men was chosen to administer affairs under the title of the Superior Council and a priest who had joined them at Thouars, and who called himself, though without a shadow of right the Bishop of Agra, was appointed president. He wa's an eloquent man of commanding presence, and the leaders had not thought it worth while to inquire too minutely into his claim to the title of bishop, for the peasants had been full of enthusiasm at having a prelate among them, and his in- fluence and exhortations had been largely instrumental in gathering the army which had won the battle of Fontenay. But although he was appointed president, the leading spirit of the council was the Ahh6 Bernier, a man of great energy and intellect, with a commanding person, ready I, A SHORT REST. 135 pen, and a splendid voice, but who was altogether without pnuc,plo. and throw himself into the caul for purely eelfish and ambitious motives. ^ ^ It was on the sixteenth of May that Fontenay was won and on the third of June the church bolls again calwThe more than a 1 the representations of their generals to rouse e Convenfon. Seven battalions of regular troo^ arr 3 mcl 1 Nio^t '''-■pointed commander-in-chfef,' read, I Niort and assumed the command. He wrote at .-to the muuster of war to say that he found co„ .-^.0 impossible to describe; there was an absence of anv organization whatever, the town was crowded w th , gi i^ef rto, having distinguished themselves by the violte of heir opinions and the severity of their mLuresTefo e the reckon broke out, were forced to take refuge" he s mbiv^l «"""?','•'?"'«' ">at he had caused the as- a t"n h It 'Z'f "«""' '"'' "«"■"' "'"■»"' "■»■■« than suml„r °°^' •"^"^ "■» '''e^^' heed to the The army was without cavalry, without waggons for trying supplies, without an ambulance traiuT fact It was nothing but a half-a.med mob. Biron h m elf wa^ ate bvthe ^'■n'?' ^"" '"'=" '^ '" '"" '-" '» - fate by the guillotine, openly declared himself to be one- ag nst tZ'r;'""'''"\'^'^''""»'^'™"'8''>ecommaid S delt ^«;"i7«-»"> ch he had only accepted after a When sending the order for the bells to ring on the first of June, the superior council „f the Vendcans fssued I prl I ^ "f-'l 136 NO surrender! clamation, which was to be read in all the churches, to the effect that provisional councils should be formed in each parish to provide for the subsistence of the women and children of men with the army. Receipts were to be gi\ en for all supplies of grain used for this purpose, which were to be paid for by the superior council. Those men who did not remain permanently with the arniy as long as necessary, would be called upon to pay the taxes to which they were subject prior to the rising. The sales of the land belonging to the churches— which had been sequestrated on the refusal of the clergy to comply with the orders of the Convention— were declared null and void. As these had been bought by the upholders of the Revolution, for no devout Vendean would have taken part in the robbery of the church, 'the blow was a heavy one to those who had so long been dominant in La Vendue. These lands were for the time to be administered for the good of the cause by the paiish council. It was hoped that this proclamation would act beneficially in keeping the peasants in the field, as they would know that their families were cared for; and that if they only went out at times, they would subject themselves to taxation, and be regarded by the families of those who remained with the army as being wanting in zeal. Upon rejoining the army, Leigh and his party of scouts learned to their satisfaction that it was intended to march against Saumur. They were now double their former strength, as the story of what they had done had roused the spirit of emulation among lads in the surrounding parishes, and Leigh could have had a hundred had he chosen. He wc this time mounted, in order that he might at times ride with la Rochejaquelein, while at others he went out scouting with his party. A SHORT REST. 137 I am hearfly glad to see you back again, my friend " "T„r wirr' r'- *"''"« ''™ "™'^ ^-y *« hand. ll™™ ^ '' ""° S*^' '^ *« Senerak, and even Leseure, are so senons and solemn that I feel afraid to make a joke. You see, in the cavalry we have 1 tie po„ s b,l ty except „, an actual battle. In an open country we should scout ahead and have affairs with tL enemvW posts, but m this land of woods, where one can seldom see more than twenty yards ahead, there is little use for Z B^.des, „,th the exception o: a score or two of gent emet have no troops to command, and having health and IZ jnts, and enjoyu,g life. I cannot go about a. if the ct^ i a t:i W Zr t?""t- ^°" brother.in.law Marti, Lf "^P"!' !'"»"■ I"", wft a wife and child, he cannot eel so hght-hearted as I do, though next to yo .rself he is tX^Tuf' "r '"" " "^ '""«'■• Sailors -emlwi; to be I,ght.hearted and he certainly is no exception." " He IS a splendid fellow, count." "Yes, he is a fine follow; but you see he is seven or e.ght years older than I am, while I feel with you thi y^u are about my own age. By the way, it is high tim thit we dropped calling each other by our surnames, peciX Leigh to each o her. Most of the peasants call me Henri." ■■ tnd wLfrrn ^ '•"'"' f ^°" "' '""' ^'•'"''" Wh said, ..nd wo dd follow you through fire and water, I think the Vendeans are, as a whole, serious people, and thev adm„e you al, the more because you are'so^u-dike theZ mtLorlT,. ""' '"":f '"'■ ^^"'« »»• y" «»™d »" Z. r , f ° T"« '^"S''* "'""•"^ I "'"l to -eet at i^oole than of Frenchmen." FrZr- ^ '"'"" °^^'" ''''" '"'^ '^""^ ^ ^"^ ™<^r« English than French m appearance, and perhaps in manner; for In France 138 NO surrender! most men have forgotten for the past four years what it is to smile, and I question whether a laugh would not be con- sidered in itself sufficient to ensure a man's condemnation as an enemy of the Republic. Well, so we are going to Saumur! That is an enterprise worth undertaking; it may be considered as the head-qtuirters of the Blues in these parts. There is a considerable body of troops there. If we capture it we shall give a rare fright to Poitiers, Tours, and the other towns, and cause a scare even in Paris." Leigh was requested to go forward at daybreak with his band to discover the situation of the enemy who might come out from their situation to give battle before Dord Leigonyer, who commande. here, had with him four good regiments, and occupied several strong positions on the nght bank of the river Layon, and also a post called Rochette on the left bank. The fact that the Vend^ans were advancing against them was already known to Lei- gonyer, for, confident as they now felt, the Vendeans made no secret of their destination, and the news was speedily earned by the adherents of the Convention, who every- where acted as spies. Three such men were captured by Leigh's party making their way to Leigonyer, and, being unable to give any account of themselves, were immediately shot. Leigh had no difficulty in ascertaining the position of the enemy, and, as the army was but two hours' march m the rear, he himself rode back to carry the news. At ten o'clock the Vendeans arrived, and at once attacked the Blues, their main column throwing itself upon the centre of the position, which it speedily forced. Leigonyer's troops at Rochette and Verches were thereby threatened in flank, and Leigonyer, who was himself present, ordered the whole force to fall back to a position which he had before chosen as being favourable for giving battle behind Dou^. A SHORT REST. 139 But the Vendeans pressed forward with such eagerness that or the most part throwing away their arms, fled precip - tate y, carrying the reserve with them to Eou Ian a strX As his men had fled too mpiMy to be overtaken ,h. numerical loss was not ureat H„ L ,,''.°™*«". ">. will send another messenger on with the news to Cathelineau, and you will reniain with him until I arrive. If he is not there, you will follow the bank of the river down to the other villas <>. You will give a shout as you pass the spot where we halted. If no answer comes, you will probal)ly find Pierre and the boat some- where below. You will Mot miss him, for I have ordered him to post t;vvo of your comrades on the bank so that you cannot pass them unseen. As in the first case, you will remain with him until I arrive, and your message will be carried to the general by another of his party. In case you do not find him at all, you will know that I have returned before you, and have taken him and the others on with me. In that case, you must make a faggot sufficiently large to support you in the water and swim across. The river is low, and it will not be many yards out of your depth." " I could swim that without the faggot, sir.." "Yesi but it is better to have it. I don't suppose that you have ever swum in your clothes, and you would find It heavy work; therefore you had better rely upon the faggot to keep you up, and with its aid you will have no diflSculty in crossing." The morning now was breaking, for in June the nights are short, and after waiting for an hour, Leigh and his two companions-all of whom had divested themselves of their weapons and belts, which they had left in Pierre's charge- started for Saumur. In the presence of so large a number of troops with scarcely any training and discipline, and with the excitement that would have been caused by the defeat of ti, THE CAPTURE OF SAUMUa I45 Leigonyer and the prospect of an attack by the Vendear.s Leigh felt confident that three country lads ran no risk of ben,g questioned. However, he took the precaution of earning the name of t^e village he passed through s.x miles from the town, s. .hat .:' any one should happen to ask where they came r.m and v-hat they were doing, he could give the name of -, .iilage, vnd say that they had merely come in from curios; . '.oaring that there was likely to be a battle; assuredly many country pe-ple would be coming tor the same purpose. * They entered the town at six o'clock. It was already astir. The citizens, with anxious faces, were talking to- gether in httle groups, soldiers were loitering about in the streets, totally regardless of the bugles and drums that were sounding in the marketplace and at various points outside the town, the civil functionaries in their scarves of office hurried fussily about, but for once they were un- heeded. But a week before, a denunciation by any of these men would have been sufficient to ensure the arrest arid imprisonment, and probably the death, of anyone against whom they had a grudge; now they were in greater danger than those who had dreaded and hated them. At present there was no talk of politics among the groups of towns- people. Men who were the chief upholders of the regime of confiscation and murder, and others who in their heart loathed and hated it, were discussing the probabilities of hattf. f f" ''"'''^"^' "'^ '''''' "-^S b'^PP- were that attack to be successful. Would the town be given over to sack ? Would there be a massacre and slaughter such as Chalbos and other com- manders of the Blues had inflicted in the Vendean villagl „._d ^y ,hc Blues -the brigands". Would they 146 NO surrender! behave like brigands, or would they conduct themselves as Royal and Catholic soldiers, as they called themselves? As the hours passed the streets became more crowded. Numbers of the country people came in to learn the news. Spies from Dou6 had already brought in word that orders had been issued by Cathelineau that the army should march at eight o'clock for Saumur, and all doubt that it was their intention either to attack the town, or to accept battle in the plain before it, was at an end. The assembly was sounded in all quarters of the town, and presently parties of the mounted gendarmes rode through the streets and drove the soldiers to their rendezvous. Presently Leigh saw General Menou and some other officers of rank enter a large house. "Who lives there?" he asked a woman who was standing near him. "General Duhoux; he is in command, you know, but he has not recovered from a wound he got at Chemill^, and is unable to ride." Leigh had no doubt that a council of war* was about to be held, and, bidding his companions wait for him at the end of the street, he sauntered across the road, and sat down on the pavement by the side of the entrance. Leaning against the wall, he took from his pocket a hunch of the peasants' black bread, and, cutting it up with his knife, proceeded to munch it unconcernedly. An officer and two or three troopers were standing by their norses' hesds in the road opposite the door, evidently awaiting orders. In half an hour General Menou himself came out, and said to the officer, "Sir, you will ride at once to Thouars by way of Loudun, and deliver this despatch to General Salomon; it is most urgent. When you hand it to him you can say that I begged you to impress upon him the necessity for THE CAPTURE OF SAUMUR. 147 losing not a moment of time. It is all-important that he should arnve here to-night, for to-morrow morning we may be attacked. Take your troopers with yr,< " The officer and his men mounted at once and rode off at full speed. Leigh remained quiet until Menou and the other officers rode out from the court-yard and proceeded down the street, followed by their escort. Then he got up stretched himself, and walked slowly .. the spot where his two comrades were awaiting him. "I have learned what I wanted to know," he said «'Do you both make your way back to the spot where Pierre will be awaitmg us and tell him that I am going to swim the river a mile above the town. He is to wait where he is until Lucien comes back from Tours, which will not be till sight of the town till six in the afternoon. If by that hour the troops there have not set out, they will not arrive unti after we have captured Saumur. Saunter alon^ quietly, there is no hurry." ^ After they had set out bo, too, strolled out of the town kept along the road for another half-mile, and then struck Zr^l I" ^"^^' '''"''^' '^' '^''- ^^"-«d there, he took off his heavy country shoes, tied them round his waist, and waded out into the river. He had but some thirt; yards to swim. As soon as he reached the opposite bank he poured the water out of his shoes, put them on again and set out at a run. He had to make a detour so as to get beyond the eminences on which the Republican troops were posted, and after running for a couple of miles, came down on the road. A short distance farther he arrived at a village • HZvet. ^''^ ' ^'"'' '""^ ""'' ^'' ''""^^"« >■" ^^°"t «f "Bo you want to earn two crowns?" he asked the man. 148 NO SURRENDER! The latter nodded. " Two crowns are not easily earned," he said. " I was just starting for Montreuil, but if it pays me better to go in another direction I must put that jour- ney off until to-morrow." "I want you to carry me to Dou^," he said, "at the best speed at which your horse is capable." The countryman looked at him doubtfully, his clothes were not yet dry. Leigh saw that the man was not sure of his power to fulfil his promise; he therefore produced two crowns and held them up. "By Saint Matthew," he said, "it is the first silver I have seen for months. I will take you." Leigh jumped up beside the peasant. The latter at once whipped up his horse, and started at a brisk trot. "You know that the Catholic Army is there?" he asked. "Yes, I know; I belong to it myself. I have been with it from the first." " I would have taken you for nothing if you had said so before," the man said. " We are all heart and soul with them here; and if, as they say, they will come along here to attack Saumur, every man in the village will go with them. How is it that you are here?" "I am an officer," Leigh said, "and have been in disguise into Saumur to see what is going on there, and am now taking^ the news back to Cathelineau." Conversation was difficult, for the jolting of the cart was terrible, and Leigh found it next to impossible to talk. He was well content when the belfries of Dou^ came into sight. On arriving at the town they drew up at the house where Cathelineau and the generals had their quarters. As he got down he offered the peasant the two crowns. "No, sir," the man said, "I will not take a sou for my service. We in this part have had no chance of doing any- THE CAPTURE OF SAUMUR 149 thing, and I should be ashamed inrlp^^^ f^ * 1 fr™ a„,e .ho have been "X^ tr tre^m "l you say they will advance to.morro,v 1 will w»7t, ! 7^^Ti7 ",' '"" •« -""^ a„V::Lr »; :; ■ we";:ai:xi:::uv:" ™^ ~ -■» ;'No one can enter, the general is in council " Do you not know me? I am Captain Stansfield." way of Loud™ w *:*":: ZTT^!°' ^'■""-™' "^ "■atandy into &umur and tha^h , ""™ '° """■°'' s:.ui^rorrf-'---^ th 150 NO surrender! "That is important news indeed," Cathelineau said. "Well, gentlemen, what do you think had best be done?" " It seems to me that nothing could be better," Monsieur de Lescure said. " The enemy's column cannot start until five o'clock at the earliest. It will be dark before they can arrive at Saumur. I know the road Avell; it runs in several places through woods, and where this is not the case there are high hedges. " Nothing could be more suitable for an ambuscade. I propose that half of our force should march at once and take post on. the other side of Montreuil, It will be nearly sunset before Salomon can arrive at that town, and if we engage him at dusk he will lose half the benefit of the dis- cipline of the regiment of gendarmes who will no doubt accompany him." "I quite approve of that plan, monsieur," Cathelineau said. " Are >ou all of the same opinion, gentlemen?" There v/as a general expression of assent. *'Will you, General Bonchamp, with Monsieur de Lescure, take command of that force? I myself will proceed with the rest of our army until past the point where the road from Montreuil falls into that from this town. In that way, if General Bonchamp fails to arrest Salomon's march, we can fall upon him; and on the other hand, if the firing should be heard at Saumur, and Menou leads out a force to assist Salomon, we can oppose him. General Dommaigne, your cavalry would be useless in the attack on Salomon, while it might be of grea*- va^ 'e if Menou comes out. You have rendeied us anc i ^ ^.ood service, Monsieur Stansfield. If Salomon had tb^owp , other four thousand men into Saumur, including h> -egiment of gen- darmes, it would have been a serious business to take the place, whereas with the troops Menou has, half of whom THE CAPTURE OF SAUMUR. I51 ^^^'^' '"^''""' ' "^ "^^ ^"^^^^P^*« -y great toth/^'^i be glad general, if you would speak a word to the good fellow who brought me here. I had bargained with him for two crowns, but when he found that I was one of your officers he refused to receive anything; and moreover, he said that he would remain here with his cart until to-morrow, as perhaps he migi^t be useful in carrying stores. He expressed the greatest iesire to see you " Certau.y I will speak to him," Cathelineau -.id, as he hor!::: ir "'"^ '^ ''' ^^^^'^^ ^^"^ ^^ -^ -^ ^^« The man was standing by his cart a short distance off in the hope of catching sight of Cathelineau. The general at once walked up to him. " This is General Cathelineau," Leigh said kles '''''"^'^'''''" ^''''^ °^ ^'' ^^t and dropped on his "Get up, my g. ' fellow," Cathelineau said; "I am but a Venddan peasant like yourself. I thank you for the good service that you have rendered by bringing Monsieur Stansfidd so quickly to us. The time it has saved may make all the difference to us, and in the future vou wiU have the satisfaction of knowing that you have played an important part in the capture of Saumur " In five minutes the quiet street was crowded with men Ihe peasants had encamp.d in the fields round the town and at the summons caught up their aru.s and ran in th«! r/i "^ T '^'' '^' "'^"^^"" ^^ important, as morning^ Ihe divisions commanded by Monsieur de Les- cure and General Bonchamp speedily gathered round the distinguishing flags of those officers. Other leaders joined V 152 NO surrender! them with their followers, until some tou thousand men were gathered outside tht town. Leigh had clu.nged bis clothes and mounted his horse, Monsieur de Lescure having invited hjn; to ride with him.' As they were about to start, o lo of Andrp'i: roessei.gors arrived Avith the news that an officer .;:id three troopers had arrived at the town, and that ten minutes later the trum- petij wore sounding the assembly. ** It is well that we got your news first," Monsieur de hi Mure said to Leigh, "for otherwise we could hardly have got our fcM«es together and been rea^iy for a start until it was too late to intercept Salomon." The route of the column was by a, by-road between Dout5 and Montreuil. It was seven o'clock before they approached the town. Then, striking off the road, they marched through the fields until a mile and a half to the east of it, when they halted m a thick wood. They were now divided into three columns of equal strength. That under Monsieur de Lescure occupied the wood on one side of the road, that under Monsieur Bonchamp the other side. The third column were posted in rear of the wood, and were to thickly line the hedges that bordered it. It was just dusk when the force from Thouars came along. It consisted of three thousand six hundred men, with four pieces of cannon. It was allowed to pass nearly through the wood, when a heavy fire was opened upon it on ^oth flanks. The regiment of gendarmes which led the couimn shov/ed great coolness, and, animated by their example, the whole force remained steady. Dar :V gg came on, but It was not until eleven o'clock that th as any change in th« ==ituation. Owing to th^ dar- ,,ss in the forest neithe. . le was able to distingui- .t .oes, the men fired only ao the flashes of the musl.o . Lescure then sent 1. men THE CAPTURE OF SAUMUR. 153 round four /or five hundred men, who suddenly fell upon the baggage train of the enemy. The guard were com- pletely taken by suri)rise. Many of the carters cut the ropes and traces and galloped off, delighted to escape from a service into which they had for the most part been dragged against their will. The alarm thus began spread rapidly. The young troops, who, encouraged by the example of the gendarmes, had so far stood their ground, at once lost heart. The darkness of the night, their ignorance as to the strength of the force that had attacked the rear, and the fear that all retreat would be cut off, would have shaken older soldiers than these, and in spite of the efforts of their officers the wildest confusion soon reigned. The Yendeans pressed their attack more hotly, and General Salomon, seeing that unless a retreat was made while there was yet time, a terrible disaster might take place, ordered the gendarmes to fall back in good order. The movement was effected without great loss. In the darkness it was impossible for Lescure and the other leaders to get their men together and to press hard upon their retreating foes, and they were well satisfied at having earned out the object of their expedition and prevented the force from Thouars from entering Saumur. Word was sent to Cathelineau that Salomon had fallen back, and the peasants then lay down till morning. Andr^ with his little band had joined the force when fighting- began; they had, as soon as Salomon started from Thouars, followed his movements at a distance, from time to time sending off a messenger to Done giving an account of the progress of the enemy. As soon as the firing broke out ni the wood, Andre, with the twelve who still remained with Inm, joined the combatants, and, finding that Leigh was with Monsieur de Lescure, was not long in discovering him. 154 NO SURREi\DER! \ " You have done very well, Andre," he said. " I don't think anything will come of this fighting; it is getting dark already, and I have no fear now that the Blues will break through. Neither party will be able to see the other in this wood, and certainly you could do no good with your pistols. Practically few are engaged on either side. The Blues have made one eifort, and, fi.iding that we have a very strong force in their front, have given up the attempt to push forward. I don't believe that the new levies have courage enough to keep steady through a whole night's uncertainty. You had best draw off some distance and rest till you hear, by the firing, that some change has taken place. If you hear that the Blues are retreating, follow them at a distance. It is important for the generals to know what course they are taking. '* Thev may halt in Montreuil, they may return to Thouars, they may retire to Niort or Parthenay. If they remain in Montreuil, let us know at once, because in that case we shall have to stay here, in case they should attempt to push on again. If they go farther, we need have no more concejn about them. Still, it would be of great importance to our generals to know whether they return to Thouars or retire farther south." "Very well, captain, I will see that you are kept in- formed." * "You had better instruct your first messengers to come straight here. Cathelineau and the rest of the forces started directly we did, and will halt at the junction of the roads, and are likely to remain there all day to-morrow. Therefore,' if your messengers find the wood deserted they have simply to follow the road, and they will either overtake us or find us with Cathelineau." " How long must we follow the Blues ?" THE CAPTURE OF SAUMUR. 155 " There is no occasion to go any great distance. I do not suppose that we shall pursue them; they could certainly defend themselves at Montreuil, and we should not risk sufTering heavy loss, and having the men dispirited by failure, when all are needed for the work at Saumur. If you follow them far enough to determine whether they are retiring on Thouars, or are marching towards Niort, that is all that is necessary, and you will be able to rejoin us in plenty of time to see the fight at Saumur." As Leigh thought would be probable, Monsieur de Lescure restrained the peasants from following in pursuit when the Blues retreated. The latter had left two of their guns behind them, and a number of carts laden with ami.-n- mtion and provisions for the march fell into the peasants' hands, the latter presiding them with breakfast before they started early next morning, rejoining Cathelineau's force two hours later. These had been apprised some hours before, by one of the mounted gentlemen who had accom- panied the column, of the success that had attended the operation, and they were received with great joy by their comrades on their arrival. Cathelineau with General Bonchamp and a small escort of cavalry had ridden towards Saumur to examine the positions occupied by the enemy, and to discuss the plan of att^ i They now felt confident of success, unless, indeed, Biron should come up in the course of the day with the Paris brigade at Tours together with its guns. The description that Leigh had given of the confusion and want of disci- pline in the garrison showed that it could not be relied upon for h^rd fighting, and as it was certain that the failure of baJ-.. ,n to get through to its assistance would be known m .:3aumur early in the day, it could not but add to the dismay produced by the advance against the town This 156 NO surrender! was indeed the case. As artillery had not been employed on either side, the sound of the conflict did not reach the town. However, a^' ♦': -, who had taken the order to Ihouars returned at seven o'clock, saying that Salomon was preparing to march and ^^ould assuredly arrive some time in the evening, the anxiety increased houi- by hour and by midnight the conviction that he must have been attacked by the enemy, and had failed to get through became a certainty and spread dismay through the town. At five in the morning a mounted messenger brought a despatch from Salomon saying that he had fought for four hours nearMontreuil against a large force of the enemy and that another coliii ,n of these having fallen on his rear' he found it necessary to retire, as a panic v. a. spreading among the National Guard, and a serious disaster would nave happened had he contiimed his attempts to push on In the evening Generals Coustard and Eerthier, who had been sent by Biron to act under Menou's orders, arrived in the town, and Santerre, the brewer of Paris, who uad been the leader of tne mwb there and was now a general, arrived next morning. Cath. ineau's army was astir early; the leader nad Loen gladucned by the arrival at five o'clork of a messenger from Pierre, saying that one of his messengers had come \v from Tours, and that up to seven o'clock in the evening no troops h..' left that city. It was, therefore, certain that the garrison of Saumur coula receive nc assis- tance from that quarter. Breakfast was er i, an : the arm.y tho.. formed up in its divisions. Mass . . c .rated, and it then set out for Saumur. In that . ,rn all was confusion and dismay. The newly-arrived generals were strangers alike to the town, its defences, and the troops they were to command. In front of the works defending Saumur ran the river Dives, which THE CAPTURE OF SAUMUR. 157 fell into the Loire a mile or so below the town. It was crossed by a bridge; but so great was the confusion that in spite of the representations of the civil authorities no steps were taken either to cut or guard it. It was not until three o'clock in the afternoon that the Vendeans approached the town, and General Menou sent two battalions of the line, one of volunt^ ■«, and eighty horse, lu.der the orders of General Berthier, to take possession of a chateau in front of the position. Two hundred and fifty men were posted in a convent near it. Santerre commanded the force which was to defend the intrenchments at NantiUy, and Coustard the troops who occuped the height-* of Bourlan. At four o'clock the skirmishers on both sides were hotly engaged. The Vendeans advanc*id in three columns— the central one against the post occupied by Berthier the left against NantiUy, and the right threatened to turn the position at Beaulieu. Berthier allowed the force advancing against him to approach within a short distance of the chateau nd then poured a storm of grape into it from a battery that he had established. Lescure, who Avas in command was badly wounded. The head of the column fell into con- fusion, and Berthier at once attacked them with his two regiments of the line, and for a time pre. cd the .olumn back. His little body of cavalry, whom he had *>c.u,red to charge, fell back as soon as the Vendeans opeiu d fire upon them and the latter then attacked the line battalions with such fury that Berthier was obliged to call up his regiment of volunteers. Cathelincau sent reinforcements to his troops and these pressed ou so hotly that Berthier, who had had a horse shot under him, was obl.^-ed to fall back, and the orFenS '"'^'"^ ^"''''^'"^ ^'nd carried the faubourg Dommaifirnfi. with hi« ''p^-^Itt?' '-'^-■r a +' • • „ n„ -rf-.,,iry, unarmed tue cuirassiers and t 158 NO surrender! the German Legion. There was a sharp fight; Dommaigne was killed, and the colonel of the German Legion despe- rately wounded ; but a body of the Vendean infantry, coming up, took the cuirassiers in flunk with their fire, and they fell back into Saumur. General Wenou had been in the thick of the fight and had three horses killed under him. He sent another battalion to reinforce Berthier, but as soon as they came within shot of the Vend^ans they broke and fled. The two line battalions, reinforced by four companies of gendarmes, kept up a heavy fire. The artillery until now had zealously supported them, but their ammunition was failing. Menou and Berthier placed themselves at the head of the cavalry, and called upon them to charge; but instead of doing so they raised their favourite cry of " Trea- son!" and galloped back to the town. The line regiments and gendarmes, pressed more and more hotly, and finding themselves without support, with- drew in good order into Saumur. The Vendeans had now possession of all the works in the centre of the defenders' line. Coustard, seeing that the centre was lost and that the. Vendeans were moving towards a bridge across the Dives, by which alone they could enter the town, ordered two battalions with two pieces of cannon to hold it. He was not only disobeyed, but with shouts of " Treason !" they rushed upon him, and with difficulty he escaped with his life. The Vendeans seized the bridge and established a battery for its defence. Coustard saw that it must be recaptured, as the town was now open to the enemy, and ordered a detachment of cuirassiers, commanded by Colonel Weissen, to carry the bridge; the two battalions of infantry now promised to follow. Although he saw that to charge the battery with a hand- ful of cavalry was to ride to almost certain death, Weissen THE CAPTURE OF SAT'MtTR. 159 gallantly led his men forward. The infantry followed for a short distance but, being taken in flank by a volley from a party of Vendeans, they broke and fled. The cavalrv were almost annihilated, and Weissen was desperately wounded, two or three o his men alone riding back. The main force of Coustards division in the redoubts at Bourlan had not been attacked and retired to Angers during the night. The rout of the rest of the defenders was now complete and the town open. La Eochejaquelein. by whose side Leigh and a small party of gentlemen rode, had made a succession of desperate charges into the midst of the fugi- tives; and he now said to Leigh and three other gentle- tTwn " T? 7^""" '''" '"' ^^'' '^'y ^'^ d«i"g i" the Tr V, I ' '^'"^ ^"'^''^'•^ ^' ^'^" «P^«d' they passed through the gate, entered the main street, and found that it contained a battalion of infantry retreatin^r allnlTTf r'\'^^^^ '^''' they opened their ranks and allowed the five horsemen to dash through them. Then they made a tour of the place, and returned to inform the Vendeans who were just entering that all resistance had owed fh. Z T ^T^'"' '''''^'^""'' '^' ^y'^'S Republicans owed their safety to the piety of the peasants, who, instead of pursuing at once, rushed into the churches, where the cur^s, who had accompanied ihem, returned thanks for the ZTVlTu ''''" ^""^'^' ^"^ ^h-^^ l««t the half-hour of dayhght that would have been invaluable. Cathelineau thaTitTn f '" 7''^ ^'^^"^" ^"'^ ^°"^^^-P' decided that It wouhl be useless to attempt a pursuit in the dark Berthier's battalion ..as, too, unbroken. The genemls finding that there was no pursuit, might have rallie^d a on siderable number of the others, when the peasants, coming up in the dark, could in turn have been repulsed with heavy loss. Saumur had been taken with all L stores of 160 NO SURRENDER! cannon, ammunition, and provisions, and it was considered that under the circumstances it was best to be contented with the signal success they had gained. Berthier and Menou. indeed, although both severely wounded had covered the retreat with the line regiments and gendarmes, and carried off with them seven cannon which they came across as they passed through the town and would have given the peasants a warm reception had they followed them. The rest of the army were hope- essly scattered, and continued their flight all night, some towards Tours, others to Angevs, their reports causing the wildest dismay in both towns. Had Charette, who had always acted independently in lower Vendee, been persuaded at this moment to join hands with Cathelineau there can be little question that they might have marched to Paris without encountering any serious resistance, and that their arrival there would have changed the whole course of events. Unfortunately, however, he was himself sorely pressed by several columns of the enemy, and was with difficulty holding his own. The great opportunity was, therefore, lost, never to return. The castle of Saumur was still in the hands of the Blues Five hundred of the National Guards of the town, and about the same number of men of different regiments threw themselves into it before the Vendeans entered -carrying with them what provisions they could lay hands upon. The wives of the National Guards soon surrounded the cMteau, crying to their friends to surrender, and assert- ing that if they did not do so the Vendeans would give the town over to pillage and fire. For a time the commandant resisted their entreaties, but feeling that his position was desperate, and that there was no nope of relief, he surrendered. In the morning the THE CAPTURE OF SAUMUR. 161 garrison marched out; the officers were allowed to retain their side-arms and the men to return to their homes Eighty cannon fell into the hands of the victors, many thousands of muskets, a large quantity of ammunition and very many prisoners. Here, as at other places, the peasants behaved with great moderation. The agents of the Convention, who had tyrannized the town so long were thrown into prison, as were their chief supporters! but private property was untouched. On the following day there was a council, at which Lescure, seriously wounded as he was, was present. It was agreed that it was indis- pensable that one man should be appointed commander- m-chief. Many difficulties had arisen from independent action by generals and leaders of bands more or less numerous, and it was necessary that all should act under the orders of a recognized head. When this was agreed to, the question had to be decided as to who should be appointed to this responsible post. The claims of Lescure, la Eochejaquelein, d'Elbee, Bon- champ, Cathelineau, and Stofflet were almost even Each had a large band of followers, all had been unwearied in their devotion to the cause. It is probable that Lescure wou d have been chosen. He was the largest landed pro- prietor, and was of the highest rank, with the exception of Rochejaquelein, who had, although the idol of the army scarcely experience and ballast enough to take so respon- sible a position. Lescure himself, however, proposed that Cathelineau should be chosen. His influence was great his talents unquestionable, and the simple honesty of his character, his modesty and untiring zeal in the cause, alike recommended him. Lescure felt that if he himself, Bon- champ, or dElbee were chosen, jealousies mi^ht arise cause (M672) sutter. His choice was felt by all to be a good 162 NO surrender! one and Cathelineau was unanimously appointed to the post of commander-in-chief. No finer tribute was ever paid to the virtues and talent of a simple peosant, than such a choice made by men so greatly his superior in rank and CHAPTER IX. BAD NEWS. 1\TEITHER Leigh nor Jean Martin was at Sanm.ir when ^^ this decision was arrived at. The very night that the town was taken one of the former's band, who was wounded and, greatly against his inclination, had been left behind, arrived there on horseback. He was the bearer of terrible news Eariy on the previous day a troop of the enemy s cavalry had arrived. They had apparently ridden all night and without exciting any alarm on the way Ihey had made straight for the chateau, without .o\L mto the village. Beyond the fact that they belonged to the force operatmg from Nantes none knew the route they had followed. They had doubtless expected to arrest Jean at the chateau, but on finding him absent, had seized his wife, hao placed her in their midst, set fire to the chateau, arid ridden off before any force could be gathered to oppose them^ Jean and Leigh were horror-stricken at the news "What is to be done?" the former exclaimed, "^^^hat can be done?" "I should say," Leigh said, "that the first thing to do will be to tell the generals that we must for the present leave them. Then we must go to Nantes in disguise, find out where she is imprisoned, and see what can be done to rescue her." I i l£. ed to the ever paid than such rank and nur when ight that who was been left bearer of >p of the ly ridden the way. lit going 3nged to ute they •est Jean )ized his chateau, oppose news. " ^^'hat ig to do present ise, find done to 4 I 1 ""'0 HAS THK DKAKKK ..K IKKKllll.K NKWi t BAD NEWS. 163 "Certainly that is the best thing, Leigh. Let as start at once. ^ " It will be daylight in two hours, Jean, and that will make no difference. I will go and talk with my boys, they are asleep together on the steps of the church of St. Marie They may be useful to us, and I am sure would follow us anywhere." Jean made no reply; he had buried his face in his hands and deep sobs broke from him. Tears were streaming down Leigh s cheek as he spoke, but he put his hand upon Jean's shoulder and said, in a voice which he tried to keep steadr, 'It is terrible, Jean, but we n.ust not give up hope; we have beaten the Blues in the field, and it is hard if we cannot manage to beat them somehow in this business " The other nude no reply, and Leigh, fcding that it would be best to leave him to himself for the present, went downstairs. Ihe lad who had brought the message was seated against the wall holding the horse's bridle in his hand. Bein" a stranger in the place, he did not know where to go. "Come with mo, Philippe, the others are all in the great square a hundred yards away. They got their bread yester- day morning, and will have plenty of it left for you and the horse. It can take a drink at the fountain in the centre. Ah! he exclaimed stopping suddenly, "you said nothing about the child, and we did not think to ask. Did my sister take it away with her, or was it left?" '; I did no'o hear, captain. My mother ran into the house crying, r.d ,sa:d, 'The Blues have come, and have set fire to the chat'^HU and carried madame away prisoner. Take the horse an.:' ride .o the army and tell Monsieur Martin what has happened.' I ran into the stable and saddled it, took two loaves of bread, one for him and one for myself, .vid Etarted. I should have been here in the middle of the ii I *t I 164 NO surrender! day, but I lost my way in the hvnes last night, and had to stop till daylight, and even then rod. for a long time in the wrong direction." Leaving the lad and horse in the middle of the square Leigh went to the steps of the church. A great number of peasants were sleeping there. He uas not long in findinir his own band He roused Andre and Tiorre with some difficu ty, for, having both been up all the previous rnVht they slept heavily. *' ' ^'Come with me." Leigh said as soon as they were suffi- ciently roused to understand who was speaking to them I want to have a talk with you. I have some bad news " he went on as they passed beyond the sleepers: "the Blues have been at the chateau; they have burned it down and have carried off Madame Martin." Exclamations of rage broke from both the lads. Patsev had, during the months she had spent on the estate, made herself extremely popular among the peasantry, whose cottages she constantly visited, and who always found her ready to listen to their tales of trouble, and \o supply dain y food for the sick. The thought, too, that the chateau had been burned down was also a blow, for all the tenantry considered that they had a personal interest in the affairs 01 their seigneur. "How was it that there was no defence?" Andrt^ asked "I know that most of the men were away, but surely enough might have been gathered to keep tho Blues back until niadame escaped to the woods." "It seems they rode by night, and arrived there soon after day broke. They had evidently come on purpose to seize your lord, for as soon as they found that he was not there they went away at once, only stopping to set fire to the chateau. They were evidently in a hurr^ fn K^ ^ ^m m nd had to me ill the le square, lumber of n finding •ith some 'US uiglit, rere suffi- to them, id news," rs: "the it down, Patsey te, made , Avhose s found 3 supply chateau enantry Q aifairs 'i asked. surely es back re soon pose to A'as not ■ fire to be of. BAD NEWS. 165 Here is Philippe Rehan, who has brought the news He only knows what I have told you, as he mounted and rode oil at once. "I suppose they have taken our young lord too^' " Philippe does not know about that. He says thev came from the direction of Nantes, and no doubt my sister has been taken there." "What is to be done, captain?" Arulre asked, as he i!i'oI.bir"'' '^ '"'^ '''^'' ^''^^'^'"'^^ ^" ^^^^ ^^ *'"« "Monsieur Martin and I are going to leave at once. We don t know what we are going to do yet, but we shall cer- tainly try by all means to get her out of prison. How it is to be managed we have not even thought, but if it can be dotie we shall do it. Now, I am sure that we can relv upon your assistance." ^ sai!i^"w'" :?,V'"'^'^""^'" ^''^I'-^^-^^l-i^^ed; while Pierre said, We will be cut to pieces for vou, captain " "A^tter-"'^^^^^" "I-sureofit,"hesaid. for "^I'7/"' r V^°'' "' ^'""'^ ""' ^''' ''' ««"W answer or Andr^ replied. "And I believe that the others can ^^trusted too. They all esteem it a high honour to h :: heen received into the band of Cathelineau's scouts a«l that they must be prepared to die for the cause. Al would ceitamly be faithful; there would be no fear about vou \o^r. T. '^" ^'"'' ^^'' '' P''^^"'^ '''^''' I «ball want ^re that you must meet us. We shall ride off in an mo-Pmpnf '\\ *'" '^'^''' '^^^^^ ^'''' "'*"'*^ '^ ^ general mo.ement, the« ,ou can tell them what has happened. 166 NO SURRENDER] y1 ^^^\«^y or^lers are that you shall march home at once. You can be there by to-morrow night, can you not?" captain." '''° ^'"^' '"'"""^'"' ^"' ''' ^^" ^« '^'''' haZlpf '" "°'^. ^"'^ ^'^"''^ ^°"- ^^ ^'^'^'^ t™« ^-e «hall shall be able to give you instructions, which will probably t n rj "1 '" """'' "' '"' ''''' I^^'"^ ^- -i" -range, just outside the town. Of course you will not go in a body, but singly or in pairs, crossing the river at various ponits and travelling by different roads. Enter the town a f you belonged to villages round. I will ask Monsieur de a Rochejaquelem to let you have another pistol each before you eave. Of course you will hide your arms to use force; of course, at first we shall try bribery At ZiT tT ""' '°'' '^ ""^ "^^^"^ "^ obtaining'^infor- Martm by sight, and a few who know me. Possibly some o your band may have friends in Nantes, and these If they are of our party, would be able to ask questions and to find out the place in which my sister IS imprisoned much better than strangers could do We have heai^ nothing of what is passing in Xantes for ^any weeks, and as they have sent troops to arrest Monsieur MarUn it is possible that his fatLr may so b arrested. If he is at liberty he would be sure to know wnere my sister is imprisoned:" The day was breaking now. and Leigh went next to the large house which had been set apart for the use of the generals. He knew Eochejaquelein's room, having been chatting with him till late the evening before. The youn^. count sat up in bed as he opened tho do-r ° BAD NEWS. 167 "You have given me a start, Leigh," he said with a smile. "I was dreaming that the Blues had retaken the town, and when the door opened thought that it was a party come to make me prisoner. Is there any bad news ? You look grave." "Bad news as far as Jean Martin and I are concerned. A messenger arrived two hours ago with the news that a party of Blues from Nantes arrived at his chateau without being observed, as they had ti'avelled all night and reached it at daybreak. They had no doubt been specially sent to arrest Jean, but, finding that he was away, they burnt the chateau and carried off my sister a prisoner. We are going to start at once. I trust that you will explain to the other generals the cause of our absence." " 1 am sorry indeed to hear your news," Rochejaquelein said warmly. "A curse upon the Blues! Vhy can't they content themselves with making war on men, without per- secuting and massacring women? Certainly I will explain to Cathelineau and the others the cause of your absence. But what are you thinking of doing?" " That we have not even considered. We mean to get her out of their hands, if possible, but until we see whether she has been really taken to Nantes— of which I have little doubt— which prison she is placed in, and how it is guarded, we can form no plan. If possible, we shall bribe the jailers; if not, we will try to rescue her by force. I am taking my band with me. I car depend upon them, and there is no one in Nantes on whom we can rely. They will of course enter the town singly, and will, I am ^ure, give us their loyal service should we require it." " If they serve you as well as they serve the cause, you could scarce have better assistants. I would that I could go with you, it would be an ad- euture after my own heart: 168 but private friendship .... I hope, Leigh, that it will NO SURRRNDEK must y not and that I may hear that you have been ive way to our country's needs. be long ])efore we meet again, Half an hour 1 successful. l.,.f. ' « . ■^''■'=^ '''"'^ ^^'"' ^^''^'ti'i started The n the .h Id. I was now nearly fifteen months old, but in he terrible shock caused by the news of his M-ife hav L" lerthrrm."' '"-'' '-' -' ^'-^'^ ^^ ^^ ^^'^ ^^^ "The child is as nothing to me," he said when Leish h-uJ told hnn that the messenger had heard nothing o t^ <atsey wish^l to taSS _'l do not think that she would d<, that," Leigh .aid iiu but she would have known that ,ts chances of life Tc tied ^'1^ 't'Tf ''" ^^"^' -'' ^'^ ^^^^ concealed it, ,f possible, before sl.c was seized " Ihey leachal tlio luiiis of tl.e chateau at noon next dav having stopped for the night at Cheniille, in orde, to t t hen- horses and keej, them in condition 'foi- ano e , " nde If necessary. The outliouse had been left standing FiaiHois came out on bearing the sound of the hote? ^u^tr^C''"' "'''•'"''''""''' '^'- "I"- th J Rh,? ""'f ' ""' *'",'■""' ="''"' '■'■ '^^'h'^" ""'dame heard nn in'.::*,";.™' '°°''''' °'" ■''"' '•™ *-• ™if»™' "he ran into Jlarthe's room and said, 'Hide the child BAD NEWS, 169 Marthe! Run with it downstairs without waking it, and put It in a cupboard in the kitchen. They will never think of searching for it there, then return to your bed again.' Tell your master, when ho cs back again, I have left little Louis for him. I getting up when I heard the horsemen, and guessed that it was the Blues, and without waiting a moment dropped from my window and ran past the stable and hid myself in the shrubbery behind it. I had scarcely done so when I heai-d them come round the house. Then there was a great knocking at the door, and a minute later a pistol-shot was fired. I heard afterwards that madame told Henri to open the door. As he did so the officer of the Blues shot him through the head. " For ten minutes I heard nothing moi-e. Then someone came to the stable, took out the two horses, and then set fire to it. Looking out through the bushes I saw the smoke coming out from two or three windoAvs of the chateau. I'hen I made off as quickly as I could, got into the church, and set the bells ringing, thinking that it might frighten off the Blues, though I knew that the men were all away, and there was no chance of help. Soon they came riding along at full speed, and I saw madame in the middle - 'hem. As soon as they had gone the women all ran out from their houses. We tried our best to i)ut out the flames, but the fire had too much hold. As we were doing this I saw Marthe with the child in her arms. " It l..id been saved \voll-nigh by a miracle, she said, and she told me how her mistress had run in to her. She caught up the child, and then, thinking that if they saw its clothes they would earch for it, she opened the drawers, seized them all, and ran down and put them and the chil-.l into the kitchen eu^iboard as her mistress had :i IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) k A A f/. 1.0 I.I £ Iffi 12.0 11:25 ■ 1.4 I.M 1.6 V] <^ 7^ %:^ ^ /. Sdences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 €3 v iV \ :\ ?v ^'\J^ ^^ ^ I ^ .'''^g''o travfil s ngly. If of „n „,!, ° , ' """'''^ ">ey nil] -k questroJis than r ? 1""' *^^ '"" "-^ ^^'te,- aWe .„ farm to see my h„y and to Zfl? 7"" """ '" '^'^I'a"'^ over yesterday to see the oh H ? f "" "'"'■ " ' "ent its escape had'heen contri '' ui" T" ""' "^ ""'^ the part: of its mother „d L '' ^'^ thought on But before you go yT; l"! f": r.:!:?'?' " °'" """■ you must want it " •^'' ^ "^"^ s"re that -.Xr^tl^rX?- ■■«''«^^. "'-™ have '",fS:t"":otrte':r"-r-t"^ village that the seigneur had n.ri! T ""'""S'" ">« °f toe priest, the^:';e 'C ", ' I ^^ "' ">^ ''»- dozen eggs, a fowl, or some tron 1,1/^ Tt P'^^^'^-a 'he hoys in the stream tltl"!!!' 'o ''''" ^""g"" V women volunteered to ass',t t ,e * ■ - "' '"" "' ">» fowls were hastily nlucke ' eut "T' """""■ ^hree 'he fire. As soo,! th „ T ,"■' """^ K''"''' °«r placed in ,,.„„t of Z tl t^^ T'^''"'^ ""=^ «'« took their place. The rILt , '!",''■ '''^"' "'» "-out '"■Weda,!ditw.ase::EX:lr'"^'-'^ "«.ve n:d:tt"/;^.';,,\7''. /-he,.. "-"" -". take a more hopefu view „ T ""' ' =''••'" ''e "Me to ■neal will be th,„w„ a^!^! ! "f "-^ '" that respect the 'he brightest vie^of "^X ^ •/» "e always takes e>eo thing, and has never ceased to. BAD NEWS. 173 assure me that we are rmre to manage to get my wife out of the hands of these villains somehow, and as he has so far always succeeded in what he has attempted, I feel a -ood deal of faith in him. I should be as hopeful as he if I knew that the Ilenridte was in the river at Nantes, and chat I had to my hand a dozen stout fellows I could thoroughly rely on." After paying a visit to the farm, praising Marthe, and • arranging that she should continue to live there, thev returned to the village. "We will go over to the chateau. Leigh, before we do anythmg else. I want to see how hot the ruins are " "I should think that they must be pretty cool by this tmie, Jean; you see it is nearly four days since it was burnt. "I have no doubt that the walls will be cool enough- but there was a lot of woodwork about it. When the roof fell in it would smother the fire for a time, but it might go on smouldering even now." "But what does it matter, Jean?" " It matters a good deal. I have with me only a hundred francs in paper which is not worth above a third of its face va ue; I have here four thousand in gold, which I brought with me from Nantes as soon as the troubles began I buned It one day under the hearth-stone of the kitchen, thinking It possible that the Blues might come here. The money is ol the utmost importance now, for we may want It to bribe some of the jailers, and therefore I must get it even if It delays us for a day." They found indeed that, as they had feared, there was still hre among the mass of debris. "We must quench it before we can do anything, Jean. I have no doubt that the women will help." 174 NO surrender! I ;( Fran9ois was at once sent round anH in n i, ... the w„™e„ in the pWe were Zlw J^^ .^ "^^ »» and iran^oi, ,v„,.ked the windlass of the wlr he wl earned pju s of wator i,»l T • u .l ' ® women time steam h.-rf ceased to rlo «''*"' ''-'' "'""'■ thJir t:'itr„::t'" t" t^:" ^'" «"'-'■ by that, time and »-illT„l ^'^ , ^'"'' "'" ^ hero beam, and tUel TtCZ'X^'"' "'."-^^ ''"'^^ -a„o. stuff „„t and ^elltte'ZpJe """ "'^" ■""^ "■" At eight o'clock the band arrived Io^"h«-e„f^ «poke to them, and thanked them for tl! 7 they had made. He had durin. ,Z 1 « "'''"''''"' eirk™ :^:: tt^ ""^^"" '°^ "■^•■^ "«-' pCi !„:: talk with he ure !; d l^ ^7- T"' " "™P'' "' ''"•"■^ '" I-sed since hey Id ef The H ™ "". ^™'^ *"' ''»<' ->ed to the ~;:fha/t:;:;s::tr' ':?r work that afternoon had been heavy thevhT^rT , the night the f^^ ::^ ^i::^:^ ^"-t "Now, Leigh,- he said, ..y„„ had better have a talk BAD NEWS. 175 With your boys and arrange where they are to meet you I should not press any of them who are unwilling to go This 13 a private business, and I do not think that it would be right to urge them." "Certainly not," Leigh agreed. "I am quite sure that all our boys will go with us, both for Patsey's sake and be- cause they are furious at the chateau being burnt down • as to the others, I shall put it to them that they are per- fectly free to do as they wish. They can go with us or they can rejoin the army, just as they like. If they go I think that it would be as well that they did not enter the town, but should take up their quarters in a copse or in a deserted house, a mile or two away, so that we could call them in if we wanted them. Even in a town like Nantes, forty strange boys wandering about might be noticed." Martin, after seeing that the workers all had refreshment went to the cure's, as he never interfered in any way with the boys, thinking that it might lessen Leigh's authority were he to do so. ''Now, I want to talk to you all," Leigh said, after they had drunk their wine and eaten their bread. "In the first place, do I understand that all who were first with me are ready to run a consideral)lc risk, to attempt with us to carry off Madame Martin from the hands of the Blues, and to save her from the fate that falls upon every one that thev once lay a hand upon?" " ''They are all willing, captain," Andre said. "We spoke to them again just before we came in last night and they all said that they were willing and anxious." ' "Good! Remember, lads, that it is not too late to draw back now." "We should not dare show our face in the village again," 1 70 NO SURRKNr»K|{! '< r fi. I ^ fin let) to so L',,,), ., I ., i thank yo.Mv.d, all ...v l.riH " J . •^•" . yo" fairly i h.tt I .xpeoto.l su,- . • '^^ ' '''"'• " ^ ^«" «hown such ooun,, , TZ "r""- '''''"'^" "■'•^> ''-o others." ' "' ^"" ^^'^"io I spoak to the Thero w.-is ji niovonuMit '.n,] fi.-, * 'ocon,!!,- ,,„/, u,i, i , „ ■ ; , '"™ »;"' >"o «. lo„«, „„,, 'Iocs „„t co„c,.,„ ,1,„ e,.„s„ f,„. „,, ' , Z ■""«""« '" »'»•■' Pnvato l,„.sino,s. ,u„l ti.ero i,, , ''«'"'"«! ''' '" " ■■'■>'""« ,-on-olvos, or r," „■ H ""'""' '" '■'""« -■ o«L,- "'0 «.-,„l,„„,„ „r,h l,i V '" '" '""I'"- '"■■ J-ou a„,„„jj '«' answc- ,„ half „„ |,t„;, .,""■""'' •"'•' «""» an,l gave „,„ o"o"'lCaR '""■'■'''"•"»'■■■'" '•••-'o.io.eap.ai,,," " Th.-it I can hardly do for T ,h^ „^f i ever, I think it probable tl. '" "'^^'^^'^- I^^-" ^-ci .ould renin out^de J tr';?'^^^^^ ''^ down by the river-side where von i ''^ '"'' '^"P^^^ you were wanted. Po 1 b Iv v " , ''"'' ^" ^''^^^^^^^ ""^i' -»» possibly you nn^!l^be I '" "1" '"' '^ ^^''"'^-^ ^^ desporato a„ „„te,,,.,,e .,3 s.„..2g I 'tf tl!" "" " t> one ot the prisons. I»AI> NKWH. 177 'I.-... No>v^„,,,„,; ■,/-;, '^j;- ■ion,,,™ t, It wanted f,v,, ni,„uto8 of M,o tin,. wl„.„ »«-n ,fa , 'hat ,11 „,.„ .,.v,;;;:^'t '-•;';; : i:'"'"" "■\^"»" '™' ym. All U,„.,„ „f ,„„. o,v,^... „ " ''^"".l-en with •■' «.cat .,„„„,„.. ..;,„„ if :: ',' *^ ;:':7 7"r "- couw „„t „„ » ,,,.„ ,,„ „„ ,.y;. : v:^:, w • "•" •■"id our comrales when vnii »,„■„ ..I 7. " ^"" p-iio„s ...vice. .,. „.i.T: ;: ,.ti " ";;;:'::,rt" "'•? remain with voii 'ind h. f ii i " ^'*^''^"'« t'^ ™.^dioi„::;::::;:jt:jt™™-^''''"'"^'™'-^ I-o.gli .shook tl,„m ,va„„|y |,j, n,„ I ,1 HiHvely siiKl, :m,i I thank yon l„.artilv 7 ,„ ™y ™nt8, an,l .am glad to see that „ v f , .'"■'""' "' well founded. CalUhc othli^ !!; » ' '""'"'"'" '" ^"" '' thel"" "■""""« '""^ "'■'"■ '-•«" -'"-»■ the whole of .o.:':; 4:;i«::;: rtef;:;:::: '^" -'■'' -* villages on the bird. .rh. ^^'"''' ^'"^ "^'"T to "u i/ut, oanK where von mn fi.wi i . > take you across TV^vn. f , ^ *'' ''^'^^ that will n.«/ai,' rrthe ; nirsT" '"^ '-^f "^- ^"" bolt, behind, and hide •„;"„;'' ,7" •■""■ '«-« J™- you, renlv that i-m, ." '.'^ 1"™"- " 'I'lestions are asked you h"„ds and tf T^ '° «°' "■"* "* N""'-. »•'>"« (.L, ■ ""'• *'"'^ ^'"" "■■'= »'™d to stay in your M : 178 NO SURRENDER t on the 4f VZJbZ ITV .° "'" ""'• ""'^ <°^ rivc-andtheothe, von trtv I tt '' °" ""'' «"'« "' «>o the fioWs. ^ '•""' "'"""■ •'J' hj'-l"""' or throngh Pierre are likelv to .?,l 7 ^°" «°' ""="• ^-"^'i or ont foryon The' «„ ot ""!' "'r' "■■" ''» ™ ">« look- ordera Jhen nil: ,",:,? 1*7™ ""," ^■■"•8 you in daily^to bny food f„ the ,1'' °' ""■"• "' y™ beyond that. No,v I ho,!- T \ l, *'™ ^'"'^ "° '"'''''■■* days' time at yonrLdoz™. P °"'"/°" "" "' *™« on the evening after v„, '^"'™ «"'' Andr^ yon will, the river bank Y™ ,wn ?"' ""'" ^^"""^^ '""owing face, the river S^^ d« 1^" " °"^ *" " ''"" "'■''™ » «'>''■■»* the clock strikes'L'" ,™ rar'n"";; "•'"' "" "' """' come back the next evenincr T( ,"■'• "''""■■" =""> will know that some bad h,?k hi 7 T,", '"" ""' '^'''' y" will then disperse'nd yo wi, Un'f 'I,"™ "'• """ «>« ''-<' I ahould ad4e y'on allT tr e ^t'Tv^ "" "T"- -o;r:::stt:d..'"''-™-°"-»-X^ PHe::^.''TearMS'srdy'tir"i'°'^' guises, and had narppH fV, ' ''^"^'''''^^ ^^^^^ed over their dis- 'hem„stapprtSrb1;t:tiX:^^^^^^^ ^ ;7p,:tr;:x:i- ■■- - '--"^ ",r: -p^^t-X5--^^^ear,.ea. would go against the grain to put ^ rag .„," RAn NEWS. 179 Martin .aid; "but yonr idea is a good one and I „ n .lre» np as a general of the Hues, oL IZ^, \Z^ peo,„e, and ^t.e vd^l^U'lS'::',; ifdttatr ^ any questions." ™ '" "»'< '« After di„i„g ,„ith eh„ ,„,^ ^^ ^^^^^^^_| Chsson, arnvmg there at live o'Hock in the afteZol f'LTd:;tr'°'"»^-°''^» '--'-. -i.oTra "It will not matter about that," Martin said- "and -.t « are all Z1T,T' '*"':''™™''<'"-. I'kase, that although inZ:":^zz Ttf^ ' r ^™'' '"" - «- morerooSr/ar^alfo""'''"'-' '""" '^'''' *"" «"' "I will remember," the other laughed "Just Irt m. „ -rriTi-'nrr"^^^^^^^^^^^^^ the waist and leg." ^''^ "''"'"^^ ^'^ ^«""d 180 NO surrender! j»,t,:' ""^ '" ™"'™"'' -"■ »- oi hi, .e„ carrying two h«e ; ken off h' '"' ""''"' '" " ='°™. ""d >■»-> to fo.' us and ,h„nl u " S^' feheimcn's clothos bit aLd „:J "" '"'™ "• ""^ *='» -^ "me, l.nv a our dav tr r'T "■"' °," ^■'"' '°"'"' '» «' ''"<-'y -ell. In our days the shoit-ivaisted coats with their Ion/ t„l= , 'aisrct :: ir'*'"«.r'"v° -■-. "oX'' t: u„nar,ie, hut as it was then the fashion amons the midrll» lasses, and especially the KepuHieans, Jean faw n™h" I mount da^x i-;t : -^::', - thciot';::!: SThe^'tT '°°v'"^' "-" --- ">- »ere led, then they rode on to the ferrv Thn boat wa. on the opposite side, and in half an hour tTrossed Then hey took their places and were ferried ove . rpartt of soldiers were posted at the landing-place '^ ^ carrying two BAD NEWS. 181 •' You are going to Nantes, I suppose citiy,.n«,?"fT,n « in command asked. 1 Pose, citizens ? the officer " We are. We come from V.Jlet, and are goin.^ to consult I ■e r the same complainU at Na,Ues, but haie ,"t heard o«tio,« that took place AW,! V ''""""'" '""'■ WHeted on it as ill "'■-'' ''°"''"' '""" ""''"^ra in the west of La V^ T ' ■'","""'' °P^™""8 in the river and ZTX J':'""™"«"™'y any shipping Plyingthei 'Js Lr t ,V ,fr™ '■"'' "'">-' 8"en „p - .«„, and :hr::rn:r:d t' srt: Convention. Ther Jor V „ "^^^ ? ° '""'"'"^ '° ""= court.yard of the ,> l.i w ^"«'' ''"''' ""» *e attentL wh t . r " '"'''""" ''"•'"« ""-"«" »y 182 NO SUBiUiNDEEl CHAPTER X. PSEPARATIONS FOR A MSCUE. I "^7^1° r^M"'"""" '" ^°"' '""•'=• ''''"'"<■ " yoke cour vari /r "'" """ ^"'^^ "'^^ ""» ^e little "MonDieu! it is— " Jean held up his hand snarply. " Yes, it is I, Citizen Gallon from Vallet It i. ..f .. Well, well, I „11 see what I can do for you comrade- but, a, you know, I don't profess to take inTo'rees Mv c«„ts come from the water-side, and generally ,„7abkt can do I wdl t.e them up in that shed for the present and then clear out a stall for them afterwards." ^ ' yo:rT^:^r:h::itst:t..^°"-"°""^^'"-'°''- "I wdl tell you presently, Brcnon, when we eet inside I am glad that you are able to take the horses in. W d^'t wnt to be stared at, or talked about; we have come alon. .^upstairs Where there ,^:o''ch:r^\-rsc':* PREPARATIONS FOR A RESCUE. Igo .ve come dow,, agj" ' ^'^'"""^ '^''''^ "''» The man nodded. "The boy is in the front room " he said «'T) three or four fishermen there haWn. fh! ' ^'' I have no other servantr U ^^^!'^,^^''' ™°'"n'ng glass, for I was obliged to dl 'a 'tZ f " f ? ^^ "^«'^^"^' has been so clfok of late.' '"' "' '^'' ^^^^"^^h^^S He led them up to a chamber looking on tn fh« never spoke strnncrh, . . ^ ^ ' ^ ^"^^> ^ut he opinron^tditTa:-:;,:,' s:\?™ "-'^--^ and that a man co„H „„, ^i, " ™» " '"'"'ler, he worried hii r've p iS : ''Hrr ''T r 'r™™ " and left if fn fi.. u ?, , ' ^® attended to his trade. ^^ ountiy. \V hat of my mother and sister?" Ihey are safe, monsieur. He sent them off a fortnight 184 NO surrender! before i„ ,Ii,g„i»„ to La Koci.elle; at lc,«t, so I l,„v. I.eard u \;:"ti;:"; '""I r- ?''- """•■• "■"™ '»■■-■■''' uoiiot but thiit they sailed in her for Ki.diuid Vn.i.. f... i wa. denounced hef,,™ ti,e c„„ U^oi t'ulZ^^Z one who ™ hostile to the C'onvction. le wi." L of ln.vn,g sent largo sun,,, of „,o„ov to l.'„„|.,' ' U^ie,.d.havesenth..if„audd:H!;:t;:'::r^ dn additional crime on his part." /'Then we have a double task to carry out i ,.,». - I «:e„o", ""^sK ';'■""■ ' ""' '"" >■"" "■'■''' »:«-'-; offmv wit .,""^ ""'"'•■'"■ ' "ns away, but they carried o;::; priso:.'."' ""° """ "^■'■" '" -^^ ^ « ™""°' ««• 1- " Von have thousht of such a thing as that!" the nru, exelanued u, surprise. .'Ah, monsiem-! it is weli , il a .mposs,b,l,ty that you have undertaken. The Jl , *i uo, that there are hundreds of men friends of ,1 1 "ith when, they have crowded th ^ i t wh voTr" tljem down stone by stone if they had t'h w „ "i: uW t,„„ to the prison warders -not .he me,f th! , ed o b there, butn.en taken fron, the lowest ehss i„ the to ™1 the prisons are ,vatched b, what they cdl the vohn.te r, hfteen hundred mcu belonging to the scum of the eitv' the men from the slaughter-houses, the skinner ■ a do tan-yarda Some of these are ever on guard r;,," t! P-.S n,ght and day. There have be^n great ng I'UKI'ARATIONS FOR A RESCUE. 185 A year ago almost cveryo.io thought that the A^ semi) y was going to do w,)M we ciunot venture out in thesi. in (i,„ c . i because we might be questionJ n 7 j, " I''"™' might be reoo..ni2e7. ' ' '°"'^' "■"• »™ndly, beeause we a wide llirtetLtT '" "/*"™-'^ dreas, wit,, think that anyon'reoTldTn'ow ::.'■' '^'' "-"'^^ ' "»»'' Fobabiy speak n,t M v to /° ,""^", ''^"'"f '™»" «.; ™t'tX"™ »' '''''""''• "^ -'"■ " I "i" «it; he ^■•tti..g With r; ™ t: r„r -'"-i"- «s until the servant c]nS fi. T , ^^ '^'"^ "°^ ^peak out both hritirvii'"™'' '"" "^ '="'" "p --^ "»" I know you now you have taken that hat off, but I own PREPARATIONS FOR A RKSCUE. igg loud. For auXt T V "^««««"gor. Please do not talk oui. ror aught I know, my servant has been bribprl tn act as a spy upon me anrl «...,. i i oubed to To tell you the trl Je n V '' ' ''' "' '^'' ^'y^''^'' the club The vio e^t n '. "^'' ''" '^""'"^ *^ '"^ ^^'^^^ '"^^ -ia.he.;^i;ri-^:tr?::t^"-^2 at any moment I may be denoiu.ced " ^'^ diminishes HoSJ 1 ! '"""""' '"'^'^'^ -"-er than :":trtTj;t:r^^^^^^^^^^^ purpose that has hrZgul h Tha f ","" '"" ''"' came to endeavour to resnip m^r i..,-f„ u ^"wuu. i bave heart, has been e t d 7a tiTo^- "° ""f ^^ Hnd my house J-iid in od, t °^ ^" "^^ absence, here." " "'''''• ^ ^"PP°«« «^« has been brought " ^ -, I am aware of it," Jules said. " The party of horse I 190 NO surrender! who did it were specially sent from here Of .. Cathelinoau a dothot iT^T, '"" "'"° ''«''""e with raise a voice o", vo nnSl, ,, 7 *"' " """ '"' ™^'«» «« the,room,ng before they entered the house" "" "' ^ Has she been brought here yet!" yes, she arrived three days ago. She is in tl,. „u ■• pnson, where your father is also Liined' ' '° "" °"^ wo^M havi bL;tL":;\:tt:tt:^^''" '-«— -I ne young advocate smiled bitff>rlv «\f • no part in l^^Z^^^ Z^^^TT :>ear Jean, painMl^ ^'^ ^etr ;: T^ ^V""' "^ father, butitd ^p^" Vrfate:!:;; ? ^T- denounced you at the club when I befl "'"' it was members of hi, cHauIwL ^''"'l^'" J""" "»™i"g; to send a small bLy of av Irv to f f ' ™"'°""" "? they also who deno,™ d ™ 7falr ' v: ^T' ?." "' "' far the most powerful of I ^Ittee oTry^S^T.^I PREPARATIONS FOR A RESCUE jgi <(Tu^ • , AiaiitB iiiatrrance can be frppr? The™ ,s a coU-bloododness about him that mil nerves tingliug, I believe myself th-,t 11^^,1 u ^ your father bad largely reduced hi Z^ZtZZtt^' proceed, to England, decided him i„ either irelJo ^ ^eircKtitLrofbix^--™"-" that, seeing the inestimable service rendered fo V . . u his eldest son, they would b,. hllZ """'""' f? ">« «'»'« by of gratitude f^r h,' lUt^'""''' "P™ """ ^ " '"'- reckon mv«splf «r;fi, *i, i f'^j'ou ms caras. i cannot myself with the scoundrel, deeply as he has wronged 192 NO surrender! a remote chance of sncccss!" ^ " '""'° "™" "I have Leigh with me; j-ou know him wel' ,I„1« t rather fvi.l h^e i " ,?e se "f a d! "''V'""' "^ forty lads, of whom he i "e captain who' h"' ' """.' "' «=out. to Cathelinean. The JTb ^^1, " ""'f "' two out of the town." '"''"'« '^ ™'« ^ Jules lifted his evebrnws « t „ j- • , , fact, of no use whatever. If you had fivp C a T an^ could gather them for a suSn-at ron Th ^ , Td had a couple of cannon to blow in the sate T IUIa rrtdnrr^lrg:^:--^^^^^^^^ PHEPARATIONS FOR A RESCUK. 193 e At this moment the servant brought in a note a„,„t.» ^ '™'"^"' """'-'^^ ^ke did not wait for an The advocate opened it. It was written in pencil After reading it he handeW yo:;?o°:lt-'^^ '°° '™^' •'"'''• ^ »■"'» ■'^ - » fever until 3pe:c'hL:rh t^rwiirtheijh? "'\''^''^" ^ ■'- friends will sep fll \ ^' '" ^^"^^"g "^e- My N 194 NO surrknder! Iiave no power whatever to order airesfs In.f fi rfo not stand „„„„ UgMtie,, except in c tcf l' f attract a great deal „f ,,„,,,,„ ,(,„„ J„ „ "'™ ''''"'y '» ioinXr '° '-^ "°- """ '»' ''^' Visitor out. J.,„ "Desailles is going to join us. He has inst hnnn i :.::;: ;/"'iti:' "^ rr '- " ■>•-- «"-': : t wliaif. It ,s very l„cky that Brenon comiilf.tP,l ,1, arrangen,o„ts ,„.day for the boat, an,l tl.H Z get ■ !^ Medart „n be expecting us this evening. I told th 1 boat ta.^,t::\: ;:!. i^hTf t^tr-" t higher up, because there are sure trh. i t ""'" -y fishing-boats put out^rinrthe^i^ht "'"'™' ""^"■"■ They walked fast back to the inn Brenon on ., • rs^ttltoTo^Lor^^n;'??-^^ here " he said " w>, . L ™ "™ '*"<>» ''"'"g nere, ue said, both of whom are carriers, and keen eirht or ten horses. To-morrow morning earl, I willJeot o^^your horse, to one and the second to the o^C. No o W.1I nofce them there, whereas if a .»-rch is -„ade-a d I have no doubt a search will be made of the ho^s ne"r Va kt iTv n^h ■' ""^ "u"^ """ ' ''^'' '™ "'«™« fro. Va et 1 v,ng here-,n the first place because it is an „„. ^k^y place to put them up, and in the second because no ^«c : o,t,zen, would be forthcoming. ,t is lucky that you t.,u the me;- -o get a cask of wine and a store of provisfons '" ""'" '«'°" »'^"'"g- Well, y„„ know, eap'Jn I' I'KKlMlUTroNS FOR A MSCUt ,9^, of w .om I can ,ir„„,l.„ „ \. , , ""'• """ '» «■ ' in .-. good caZr "'™" ''■■•""^'' f"-- " '"ghf^ work 1 iiave been nervous ever since I left vnn » T Tif • -Kl, as his friend shook hands .ith et'h 'ca ^^f' that a quarter of an hour's del'i V 1 ! ^^"^ "^ ^efo™ :;;„:;'rd„>f:i! '""'''-''''''''^^^^^ »„ h„„r tes than an hour -.flnr ,1,? ™° '"'y '"^'^'^ion in tl>e boat i, notlr oAlrrr' ^T "' ''""■ ' '°i- I can assure you." Po"ma.,toau of mine is heavy, Martin took it „p and swung it on to his shoulder „ „"■ ™y '■^<'" Jean, I won't have it " feci heavy." ° """''^ '^'"'s any exerme it would until the L„7 ;T ILtr/ult °? f " 'r° '^'^ ^'■"■"<'- and went to lift it iZ^Z ' ""'"' ' ''^ '""''od i* ;;Bidyo„rser:!,trrgrr"'^'^---«^''' o--n dormouse, a Jl-trrrouttrt^l' 196 NO SURRENDER! have had to wait for my breakfast. I was in a fnVht as I valked down here, lest someone who knew me 2 ru against me, but happily I saw no one " ^ "They would not recognize you if they had seen von " Jean laughed. " The idea of Monsieur dLTiL T ' ' a gentleman somewhat particula "1^^:: ' •:?r^^^' a portmanteau weighing a hundred pondth;^^^^^^ streets, would seem an impossibility » ^ '^' ju;:!i::;ed:'4ti?:rii"^^ --''t ''''^' --" J ^ , ' iienceroith 1 am a man of war a rpb^l n rare mdy to rush up to a cannon's mouth." *ing?:: :L:^^;^r"'- ^ ™ ^--^ - - that y„„ .a^o "My dear Jean, I feel as if I walk on air since you have taken my portmanteau. I have been living in .fs ,te o suspense for months, hating these wretches and thei wavs and k„ow,ng that I was gradually falling into W dX « .th them, and that the blow would certaFnly fall ero C are I d,d not see how the matter was to be elTeeted-wh™ of fhe h f '°.''°; ' ™ '"'^ ^ ''"^ *''™'-S at the edg b h nd V "", '^f'" '"P'""8'^ »' '■■""> ""Other corat out and r,".'! ""''!'' ''™ """ «■" «">■■. «"d he s ™k vvnn enjoys it. 1 have cut loose from the nasf T h PREPARATIONS FOR A RESCUE. 197 it IS a dark night, niv fnpnr?« "J, • 'i "Tf^.M-nu 1-1 ' "V "^^nas, he said. notttu Z'S L:: tl:;""'!, '" ''" y"^' J'-'-on did .va„ted our bolt oil 1r''\'' '"■"•S"'" -">> "» who -nt. No. .i4 x; : ;:,'r;:,r'' "'°"' •'■^^- were a boy of fourteen " ^^ •^^'^ '"^^^ you it either." ' ^""^ '^« ^^^ not going to take " ^^e will talk about that afterward. " T stepped on board. auerwards, Jean said as he " I doubted whethpi' it ,.r„ only »poke„ to us of 4'™^"; """i""'"' '"'■ ^""""^ had thought that you must bllonl ,' ™ ' T ''"'' "' y" I "p. There are twoT hre of /^° ""' u' ""^ ''""'^ '"s'-er . ■■! did not know ; ' f u t Ta» " f"'" °"-" "> my friend Monsieur Desaiir I °'"' ^«°- ^his from these butehors o ^,. r ' ° " '" '^' ^"^ danger thi;v>. do™:a^^tt:te'^:;;^ft::^f ^^, ^'- f^^^ "' the little cabin. It „as bn 1! , ^'"^ «''""''-«d "It will be close w rk catli "r""' '™' '°''«' "It will do very well » """"'..^""e"' ™d. room for two of T, fsilT if '''r''^'«y- " There is w-ughthe;cri::':;o^:^rern 11 198 NO surrender! from St. Florent. She is very well for up there, but she is scarce fit for fishing far below Nantes." " I am glad that she did not belong to this place," Martin said. " The fishermen might have been surprised to see two strange men in a boat they knew; but so many have come down here from the towns above that we shall excite no atten- tion. Now, the first thing to do is to get up sail and drop down two miles past the town, then you can go about your fishing as usual. Only one of us will show upon detl- at a time. Now as to the matter on which wo arc here. Brenon;told you that it was a dangerous business for which you would be required?" " He told us that it was to hide two gentlemen whom the committee of public safety would be glad to get hold of, and I knew of course that to do such a thing was dangerous ; but we did not like it any the worse for that. All honest men are horrified at the way these commissioners from Paris are carrying things on, and would be glad enough to aid in getting anyone out of their hands." " But the danger is greater in our case than ordinary," Jean went on. " You heard that my father had been im- prisoned?" " We heard it, captain, and savage it made us, as you may guess. Everyone spoke well of him; and being your father, of course we felt it all the more." " But that is not all, lads. A party of their cavalry went to my chateau in my absence, burnt it down, and brought my wife here a prisoner. Now, it is absolutely certain that they will both of them be condemned, for they have a personal enemy on the committee of public safety, ai\d they will be murdered unless we can get them out; and I and my brother Leigh, whom you all know, have come for that purpose." PREPARATIONS FOR A RESCUE. 199 '< Well, captain, you can count upon both of us, heart and soul. Uut I don't see how it is going to be done. The prison is a strong place, and well guarded, i have no doubt that W0 could count on getting twenty stout men along the whsfffj but that would not be much use. They have more than that On guard, and before we could get into the prison they would come swarming down, any number of them." " We have forty young fellows from my neighbourhood, who will by to-morrow be hidden away in the wood a mile and a half higher up the river." " That will be a help, sir; but even with two hundred we should not be able to do much." *' We shall have plenty of time to talk it over afterwards. Get the sail up and drop down the river. Keep close to the opposite bank. It is important that we should not be noticed as we pass the town." " Well, sir, there is hardly air enough to fill the sails. I should say that we had best tow her across to the other side in the small boat, and then drift till we are fairly beyond the town. We are safe not to be seen then." "Perhaps that will be the best plan, Rouget." The men went out, and in two or three minutes the sound of the oars could be heard. " I can't say that the look-out is very hopeful, Leigh." *' I did not think that anyone would think it so, Jean ; but it seems to me that it is just because everyone seems so confident that the prison is safe from attack, that we shall have a chance. The thing that is troubling me most is where we can get a barrel of gunpowder. We must have powder to blow open the gate. I expect that any of the doors we may find locked inside will give way if a pistol is fired through the keyhole, but to blow in the main 200 NO surrender! .vs not Know, ^jer with g to bribe nition to let gate of the prison we must get powder, and a good d^ it. That, however, is a matter in which we shall ^ money will be of use. There are too many offic" prison for us to hope to get anyone out witho' ten being in the plot, and as these, we hear, a) who are heart and soul with the Conventio possible to attempt it in that way. But when, the Blues succeeded in bribing a Vendean tc our guns, it ought not to be such a difficult one of these fellows who is in charge of am us have a barrel or two of powder." "That certainly seems to hold out a prospect of success so far, Leigh. I have never been able to understand your confidence in success, but certainly the first indication of your plan seems to promise well. Now let us hear some more of it." " Well, this is my idea, Jean. I will choose a windy night, and send Andre and Pierre with twenty of the boys into the worst part of the town. Each shall carry a ball of yarn dipped in turpentine, mixed with sulphur and other inflammable things. They shall also carry another ball, having but a thin coating of the yarn, and powder inside so as to explode. When the clock strikes two, we will say, each of them will smash the window of some store, light both balls, Piid put them in. I want the explosion of one ball to scare anyone who may be sleeping there half out of their senses and make them rush out of the house, which will leave plenty of time for the other ball to set on fire any- thing that it may light upon. Twenty fires starting at once at different spots will create a fearful scare. Many of the guards outside the prison— all of whom are drawn from the slums— will have come from that quarter, and as they have no idea of discipline, will, when they see the flames mount- PREPARATIONS FOR A RESCUE. 201 ing up, leave their posts and rush off to see to the safety of their homes. "Choosing a windy night, you may be sure that the fires would burn fast, and that the rest of the volunteers and the National C-uard would soon be so busy that they would not trouble themselves about the prison one way or the other. Thus I calculate that of the fifty men on guard round the prison, there would not be twenty left at the outside, and they would be so busy staring at and talking of the fire, that with a sudden surprise they could all be disposed of without difficulty. Then the gates of the prison would be blown in, and we should rush in, shoot down all the warders we meet, keeping one only as a guide, make straight for the rooms where your father and Patsey are confined, release them and as many others as the time will allow, telling them to rush down to the Avharf and seize boats, or to escape in whichever way they like; while you, with your father and Patsey, would make straight down to our boat, while I with the boys would follow you and cover your retreat if any of the Blues came up to pursue you." "Leigh, you are a genius!" Martin exclaimed, bringing his hand down on the lad's shoulder with a force that almost knocked him from his seat. "What do you think of that, Desailles, for a plan? I told you that I relied upon Leigh's head more than my own, and you see 1 had good reason for doing so. I doubt whether it could be done with his forty boys, but if we can get the powder, it seems to me that, with half as many sailors to help us, there is no reason why it should not succeed." "But you might burn half the town down!" Desailles said gravely. " If I was sure that it would burn the whole of it down nil 202 NO surrender! I should not mind," Leigh exchiimed. "But there is not much fear of that. If it cleared out the whole of the slums where the supporters of the gang of murderers they call the committee of public safety live, I should rejoice most heartily. As there are several wide streets between them and the business quarters, and as they will have all the soldiers of the town to assist in fighting the flames, I do not think that there will be any fear of the fire spreading very far." ° "Well, at any rate, Leigh, you have hit on a plan that offers a good chance of success. We shall find out in a day or two how many of the boatmen we can get to aid us and how far they will be disposed to go. We must learn in some way how long it is likely to be before it is absolutely necessa'y to act. If we find that there is time, we can send some of the boys off' to the army to bring their fathers and brothers back with them. The sixty might not be enough but with a hundred of our men I think we should be pretty rture of success. CHAPTER XL THE ATTACK ON NANTES. Tl/'nEN three or four miles down the river the boat was T T anchored, and the two men were called into the cabin and Leigh's scheme explained to them. " It is a big affair, sir," Medart said thoughtfully when Jean had concluded. "Now, there is no love lost between us and the ruffians who carry out the committee's orders. They call us river rats, we call them sewer rats, and there have heen many fights between the fishermen and these fellows as far backus I can remember, and lately these have THE ATl'ACK ON NANTES. 203 been much more frequent. If the plan was only to burn down their quarters there are a good many who would lend a hand, because it could be done quietly, and they would have no particular reason for suspecting that it was the work of the fishermen. But as for going into the jail, that would be different. We should not have time, by Avhat you say to hunt up and kill all the warders, and it would therefore be known at once that we were concerned. Five or six of our fellows have already had their heads chopped off on suspicion of having aided Eoyalists to escape. They don't mmd whom they lay hands on, and they don't trouble them- selves to search, but just seize the first they come to who, perhaps in a cabaret, has said a word against their doings. ' "As to the trials, they are no trials at all. One of their fellows comes in and says, 'I heard this man abusing the authorities, and I accuse him also of being concerned in the escape of so and so.' It is no odds what the prisoner says. The fellow who acts as judge looks at the jury, who are all their creatures; they say ' Guilty ! ' and he says ' Death ! ' and the accused are marched off again to the prison to wait until their turn comes for the guillotine. Well, you see, if this prison was broken into as you propose, and it was known ' that the sailors had a hand in it, the chances are that they would march a couple of hundred of us into the great square, which would be choke-full of the National Guard and volunteers, and just shoot us down." Jean was silent. The probability that things would go as the man said was so evident that he had no answer. 'I think the way to get over that difficulty," Leigh said, when he saw that Jean was puzzled, "would be for you all quietly to buy other clothes, or better still, for them to be bought for you by your wives. They should be such clothes as the poa.sants buy when they come into the town. 1 H H^^H HIIhH Hi ! I 204 NO surrendp:r! It would then be supposed that the attack was made by a par y of Breton peasantry. As a good many other prisoners would escape, in addition to Monsieur Martin and your captains w,fe, there would be no reason to suppose that the plot was specially arranged to aid their escape, or that any of the people of this town were concerned in the rnln^^'1 '' T' ^^''''' ^'''^'" ^""^^^ '^'^- " ^' ^^g^t be managed in that way. But I think that most of our chaps had better be told o« for firing the town. I think thaH good many might be willing to undertake that job, for I have heard it said many and many a time that they would hke to burn the sewer rats out. There are other men who would am sure, rather join in the attack on the jail, If they could do so without putting the lives of all of us in danger As to getting hold of an artilleryman, I don't know that that would bo difficult. The men employed on hat sort of work are all old soldiers, and many of these. though they dare not say so, hate what is going on just a fhTn.; 1 7\r " ^''" ''^^^""'S ''^''^'' h« has said things about the committee that would have cost him his neaa it he had been overheard. "I know that his chum is in charge of some stores, but , 't''.f^'^.,':^"« powder or not I cannot say. But at any rate Emile will be able to find out for me the names of several of them who have charge of powder, and he would be likely to know which of them had sentiments like his own, and how far they could be trusted. That would not take long, but to get hold of forty hands for the other work would take some anT... r ? ^" '"^^ '" "^'" ""^ ^^ ^''y ^"*i"^^t« with, and get them to approach men whom they know well- for THE ATTACK ON NANTES. 205 even among us there are fellows who take the committee's money to spy over the others, and to find out whether any trouble IS likely to come or Koyalists to be shipped off. One generally knows who they are, because they overdo their parts, and rail at the Convention more roundly and openly than an honest man would dare to do. Some of them one finds out that way; others, again, on« spots by their always having money to spend. If they are too shrewd to betray themselves in that way, our wives find them out for us by telling us that their women and children have new clothes and we know well enough that there is no buying ncvv clothes out of fish at their present price; besides, most of these fellows give up fishing altogether, anrl lounge about the wharves talking and smoking, and one knows that a man and his family cannot live on air. Still, there may be others who are too sly to let out their secret in either way and therefore one must be very careful whom one speaks to. One would not think of telling anyone about what is intended until, just as it comes off, one could simply say that one has heard that there is something in the air and that report says that every man who will lend a hand will earn — how much, captain?" "Two hundred francs." " When one sees how a man takes that, one can go a step or two further. Well, I should not think of letting out to a soul what the nature of the work would be, simply saying that every precaution will be taken to prevent its being known that any fishermen are engaged in it All that will take time. I should say that it might be nigh a couple of weeks before one could get the whole thing ar- ranged." ° " What do you think, Desailles ?' Jean said. " Shall we nave a fortnight?" 206 NO surrendkr! Desailles shook his head. " I could not say; you might have more than that, if the prisoners were taken in the regular order in which thev we.-e condemtied. The jails are crowded, and as fresh cap- tures are elfected room must be made for them. Of course the committee have a list, and they make a mark against the names of those who are to be executed eacb day It might be three weeks before your friends' t^irn comes it might be only a few days." "I tell you what, Rouget; you and your comrade had better land to-morrow morning and set to work You might say that three fishermen from St. Florent, finding their boat too small, hired yours fo.r- a week to try their luck. If they succeed ^hey will give you a fair price for her, If not they will simply pay the hire. You can say that the price is not much, but as it is as much as you can make at fishing, you thought that you might as well have an idle Aveek on shore. Leigh and I can work her As soon as day breaks you shall shoot your nets, so that we can see exactly how you work, and be able to catch an average amount of fish each day. I am sure that no one will know us in these disguises, and at any rate we sha'n't be clumsy either with the sails or oars. You can say that as we are strangers, you have agreed to sell our fish for us, which will be an excuse for your coming down to us with the news of how you are getting on each time that we come in." "That will do very well, captain; but in that case, as a good deal of the fishing must be done at night, we had better get out the nets at once and show you how they are managed." *^ For the next three days the work was carried on Desailles had undertaken to obtain from a friend of his on THE ATTACK ON NANTES. 207 the committee of public safety news of what was going on and an early copy of the names of the prisoners told off for execution on the followir.g day. On the third day after then- arrival Martin and Leigh rowed up to the wood where they had dn-ected the band to assemble, and found that with two or three exceptions, all had aiiived. Four or five of them were at once told to retiun to the estate and to the army with a message from Jean, begging all his tenants to leave and join the party in hiding. Many of them would no doubt have returned to their homes within a day or two of the capture of Saumur. Letters had al- ready been written to Bonchamp and la Kochejaquelein to say that they were intending to attack the jail, and deliver a number of captives besides Jean's father and wife, and to beg that they would pick out some fifty or a hundred deter- mined men and send them on. On the morning of the sixth day, when the two sailors joined them they were in a state of high excitement. "There is great news, captain," Rouget said; "the whole city 18 m a state of tumult. It is reported that Catheli- neau with his army is marching upon Nantes, and it is also reported-but this is not so certain-that Charette is march- ing to join them w'.th all his force." "That is grand news if true!" Jean exclaimed; "that would indeed favour our scheme! I doubt whether they will capture Nantes, for there is a big force here, and enough of them are seasoned troops to encourage the volun- teers and National Guard to make a good fight of it. How- ever, we can at any rate take advantage of the attack to carry out our own plans. When the fighting is at the hottest you may be sure that every armed man will be wanted at the work, and that there will not be many guards left behind afc the prison. Our band here can dis- I i 208 NO surrendkk! pose of them, and half a dozen men each with (lie -balls can add to the confusion by setting fire to warehouses and factories. The great thing now will be the i)owder." "That we have managed already, captain," Mcdart re- plied. ''As I told you, I spoke to Emile Moufflet the first morning I went ashore, and he said that it was at the magazine s that his chum was employed. Yesterday even- ing he came to us and said that if I gave him the two thousand francs that you had given me for the purpose, he would hand us over two barrels of powder at eleven o'clock last night. We got them, and carried them, as you told us, to Brenon's, and helped him to bury them in his shed. Wo also got, as you ordered, a couple of yards of fuse." "Bravo, Medart! everything seems going well for us." The news of Cathelineau's advance was confirmed on the following day by the return of the lads who had been sent to fetch assistance. They brought with them eight or ten men fron: the estate, and reported that la Eochejaquelein had remained at Saumur with a portion of his army to defend that town against a large force that Biron was assembling at Tours, while Cathelineau, having with him Bonchamp and Stofl^et, was marching with the man force along the north bank of the river. They said, however, that his force was greatly diminished, for that large numbers of his men, objecting to fight outside their own country had scattered to their villages. They, however, confirmed the news that Charette w\as reported to be marching north to join Cathelineau. "That is the worst part of the whole business," Jean said bitterly. "Our generals have no control over their men; they will fight when they want to fight, and return home when they choose. If Cathelineau had come along THE ATTACK ON NANTES. 209 with a big force he would have been joined by numbers of Bretons on the way, and, if he had captured Nantes, by the greater part of Southern Brittany. Now that so many of his men have left him, it is quite possible that his attack may fail, and in that case the result will be disastrous. His army would disperse, the Blues would turn their whole force against la Rochejaquelein, and the cause that a fortnight since seemed half won would be lost. It shows, at any rate, that the idea of marching on Paris could not be carried out, for if men refuse to march, when they would be separated from their own country only by the river, to take Nantes, by which La Vei.dee is constantly threatened, certainly a greater portion still would have gone off to their homes rather than join in what would seem to thorn 80 terrible an affair as a march on Paris. The peasants are good enough at fighting, but though they may win a victory by their bravery, they are certain to lose a campaign by their independent habits." Feeling convinced that the approach of the Vendean army would enable their enterprise to be carried out by a much smaller body than had at first appeared necessary, Jean Martin told the two sailors that they had better abstain from broaching the matter to any more of their acquaintances. They had already obtained the adhesion of those of Avhose fidelity they felt absolutely assured, and should one of the others whom they intended to approach turn traitor, it would overthrow all chances of success, and might cause such alarm to the authorities that the executions would go on more rapidly than before, and the fate of their friends be precipitated. Day by day the excitement in the city increased. Generals Beysser and Canclaux had under their command some ten thousand men. There was no chance of further reinforcements In A i (M572) O 210 NO surrender! reaching them, but they felt confident that they could successfully defend the town with this force. Had Charette marched to Ponts-de-C^ and, crossing there, joined Cathelineau, the danger would have been much more formidable, but instead of so doing he was advancing directly towards Nantes, on the south side of the river, the few places remaining in the hands of the Republicans being hastily evacuated on his approach. Here, however he could give but slight aid to Cathelineau, for the bridge crossing the Loire could be defended by a comparatively small force provided with cannon to sweep the approaches. In order to reassure the townspeople and encourage the troops the French generals, as the enemy approached moved out with a large proportion of their force and threw up some intrenchments a mile and a half outside the town feeling confident that they could withstand any attack in the open country. As many of the peasants fled into Nantes, especially those who in the villages had rendered themselves obnoxious by their persecutions of those suspected of Royalist leanings, or who were personally obnoxious to them, Leigh was able to gather the whole of his party in the town. They were, like other peasants, to sleep in the open squares or down near the walls. They were always to go about m pairs, and to meet Pierre or Andre at places and hours arranged by them. They were supplied with money sufficient to buy bread, and were warned on no account to make themselves conspicuous in any way. With them were the men from Martin's estates who had answered to his summons. Clothes had been bought for the twelve sailors engaged by Medart and Rouget. The fire-balls had been prepared in the cabin of the fishing-boat. Each of the fourteen fishermen was to carry two of these. Their THE ATTACK ON NANTES. 211 leaders had carefully gone round the quarter, and had picked out the stores or warehouses into which the fire- balls were to be flung. Among these were several wood- yards. No private houses were to be fired. That the flames would spread to these was likely enough, but at least there would be time for the women and children to escape. Having decided upon the places to be fired, the sailors were one by one taken round, and the two buildings assigned to each pointed out, so that there would be no confusion or loss of time when the signal was given. Only two stores near the water had been marked down for destruction, namely, those belonging to the Martins. This was Leigh's work. As a firm the business was extinct. It was now the sole property of Jacques Martin, and there was no probability that Martin senior or Jean would ever recover a share in it. As in each of the stores a considerable quantity of spirits in addition to the wine was housed, not only would the loss be very heavy, but the interest excited m the vicinity Avould increase the confusion and alarm that would prevail. Desailles was in daily communication with his friend. He learned that the list of prisoners was being taken now more in the order in which they stood. The farce of a trial had been gone through in the case of Jean's wife, and she had of course been condemned. She stood a good deal lower on the list than his father. There was not much chance of the day of her execution being settled before the arrival of the Vendean forces. The number of names, however, above that of M. Martin was rapidly decreasing, and there was imminent danger that he might be included in the fatal list before their arrival. On the twenty-sixth of June the Vend^ans arrived within a few miles of the town, and a formal sum- mons was sent in to the generals. It was briefly refused. 212 NO SURRENDER! General Canclaux believed that he had so strengthened his advanced position, which was occupied by his best troops, that he would be able to repulse Cathelineau's force there. The Vendeans, however, being informed by the peasantry of the formidable nature of the intrenchments, decided that it would be dangerous to attack them, and consequently moved round so as to threaten the town from the north. Charette on his side moved his force up within cannon-shot of the bridge. At eight o'clock on the evening of the twenty-seventh the sound of heavy firing was heard m Nantes.i A column of the Vendeans had attacked Nort, a place lying to the north of the town. It was defended by six hundred troops of the line and a body of the National Guard. They maintained themselves there during the night, but at daybreak fell back upon the town, leaving their cannon behind them. A considerable body of troops moved out to cover their retreat. Confident that the attack would begin that evening, every preparation for action was made by Jean and Leigh. The powder barrels were dug up, and holes bored for the fuses. The boys were all informed that the hour for action was at hand, and were ordered to lie down at nightfall in the open space facing the front of the })rison, scattering themselves among others who would be sleeping there, or, in expectation of the attack on the town beginning, would be standing in groups listening for it. Leigh would be among them. As the hour neared twelve they were to gather in a body. The sailors were not to begin their work until the attack on the town com- menced in earnest. Jean, with his twelve tenants, was to come up at twelve. The exact moment for the attack was to be decided upon by the progress made by the fires. When these had had their efi-ect, Leigh was to fall upon the) THE ATTACK ON NANTES. 213 guard round the prison, and Jean with his band to run iZT: ^ T' '''''' '""^ ^^°^^^- ^™J^ ^.--t " light the fuse, and run back. As soon as they had killed or driven away the guard with half the band, were to station themselves and to hold he gate against any armed body that might arrive whVle Le.gh, w,th the others, entered the priso^n and ILd necessary, to overpower the warders and blow open the doors of the cells. The prisoners were all to be told tha Charette s army was on the other side of the Loire and In the,r best plan was to make their way down to thT riv r seize boats, and get across. ' At five o'clock in the afternoon Charette's g.zns opened b idge. Caru^laux, seeing that the attack upon the north had rendered it useless for him to retain the adv^Jed post, ordered the troops there to fall back into he to ' at ten o clock n. the evening; and at eleven the .hole garrison were concentrated in Nantes Finding that, with the exceptior.'of the cannonade on both s,des across the river, all remained quiet, Leigh led t;^ and threes :^tLi;^:r;i::,::^ K V of he inhabitants had retired to rest. They knew that at any moment the storm mi-ht break .,u1 c. awaited the attack with hope that thfLeTf Ihe re a" from the tyranny «„der which they had for month g„a„ed geance that, if the tow,, were taken, wonld fall „n„n those who had been concerned i„ what had passed. Martin and fi w |:' m- 1^ ImI.: ill iP:l 214 NO surrender! Desailles presently joined Leigh. As the time went on they began to fear that for some reason or other the Vend^ans had determined to delay their attack until the next day. At half-past two Charette's cannonade redoubled in vigour, and the rattle of musketry showed that his troops were advancing. The batteries of the defenders opened with equal violence, and their musketry answered that of the assailants on the opposite bank. "I think that that must be the signal for Cathelineau to begin," Martin said. And ten minutes later the attack commenced with fury upon the gates of Yannes, Rennes, and that by the river. Every window was opened, and anxious faces looked out. The night was dark, and the few oil lamps alone threw a feeble light on the square. Suddenly a broad glare rose to the west, and the murmur, "There is a house on fire!" passed from mouth to mouth. In another few minutes flames were seen rising at a dozen points, and a cry of con- sternation arose. " The brigands have entered the town! They ara going to burn it to the ground." Man after man of the little group of National Guards who had been gathered talking in front of the door of the prison was seen to detach himself from it and to move quietly away. Then those at the windows noticed four or five parties of men move forward from among those who were standing talking; when within a short distance of the guard there was a sharp command, and these groups all rushed towards the gates together. There were shouts and cries, and then there was silence. Taken wholly by surprise, the guard had fallen under the knives of the Vend^ana without having had time to fire a shot. Then the majority of tlieir assailants ran off, half one way, half the other, follow- JEAN S..:i/,KD ONE OF THEM BY THE THROAT.' mg moi drei and int] witl forv and rum plos <( youi Ti wan first «' takii Tl mad( post "( woul Pii locks priso toget Leigl In a arran Patse six oi lease THE ATTACK ON NANTES. 215 ing the wall of the prison. Two pistol-shots were fired a moment later. The men who had remained at the gate drew back for some distance. There was a short pause, and then a tremendous explosion. All the people gathered in the place, save those who had carried out the affair, fled with cries of terror. Then Jean and his party dashed forward towards the shattered gates and entered the prison, and shot or cut down the frightened warders as these came running out dazed and bewildered at the sound of the ex- plosion. Jean seized one of them by the throat. " Where are the keys kept? Answer, or I will blow out your brains!" The frightened ruffian at once led the way to the chief warder's room. He had already fallen, being one of the first to run down. There were two bunches of keys. " These are of the doors of the corridors," the man said, taking down one bunch. " The others are of the cells." " Now, go before us and open them all— every one, mind." They were soon joined by Leigh with his party, who had made short work of the few guards who remained at their post outside the prison. "Set your men to blow in the doors," Jean said; "it would take half an hour to unlock them all at this rate." Pistols were at once applied to the key-holes, and the locks destroyed. There were a few separate cells, but the prisoners were for the most part crowded, twenty or thirty together, in the larger rooms. As he entered each room Leigh shouted the directions agreed on to the prisoners. In a short time he came upon Jean, who, as had been arranged, had gone first to the rooms where his father and Patsey were confined. Jean started with the seat once, with six of his men, leaving Leigh and Desailles to see to the re- lease of the lest of the prisoners. As soon as all rooms had 216 NO SURRENDiiR! been burst open or unlocked, he and his party, with that at the gate, hurried away. The streets were hght, as a sheet of flame rose from the stores of Jacques Martin. Ihe musketry fire on the wharves showed that there were troops stationed there. As they hurried along, the shouts of alarm which rose in the town showed that the news of the attack upon the prison had spread rapidly. As soon as the released prisoners knew that they were well above the bridge, and the silence on the wharves showed that none of the troops were stationed there, shouts of delight arose Ihere were a good many boats moored to the bank, and the tugitives threw themselves into these. "Get out your oars and row straight across," Leigh shouted "If you drift down the stream you will come under the fire of the troops there." Then, havi^i.g done their work, he and his band went up a hundred yards farther, where they knew that three large boats v.ere lying. In these they took their places and started to row across the river, and in five mhmtes r ached the opposite bank. They sprang out' with a shout of joy at finding themselves again in their own country. Most of the fugitives also gained the opposite bank, but some boats, in which there were but few capable of handling the oars, drifted down the river, and lost most of their number from the fire of the troops on the bank, before they could land among the men of Charette's army. Leigh with his boys soon joined the other party, who had landed a hundred L^ldtLT '' '"'' ' '''"' "^^"^"^ ''''''' '-''-- "Jean tells me it is all your doing that we have been got out, she said. I felt sure you would manage it somehow." Ihey had already arranged their plans. Jean, with his wife and father and his twelve men, was to sta t .t once THE ATTACK ON NANUS. 217 for Parthenay, where Lescure was in command. Leigh had determined to join Cathelineau with as many of his band as chose to accompany him. Desailles wouldgo with Jean The boys, on the choice being given them, almost all decidcl accomp,any e.gh. They were excited at the success tha h,.d attended them, and the tremendous roll of fire round he town showed how fiercely their countrymen were fl..ht- "g, and they longed to join in the contlict. Saying .-o„ . bye those who were going, Leigh and his pa'rtytCd one of the boats a mile up the river, and then crossing soon jomed the party engaged. The Vendtons had alredJ advanced some distance, but every house and garden w-I fiercely contested. Hour after hour passed, and the JoZ were begmn.ng to be discouraged. It was broad IS have become a disorganized mass, when a musket-ball fired ma window, struck Cathelineau in the breast, a^^^' w h inft?,! ^ '"" ™"''''""'''>' '"—'1 i" "»"> owing to the many gentlemen who h.ad joined him at rtrfrom tie"" 'r*"^°" "' '™'"- ^ ^^ »' "'""-ay rose from those who saw him fall, and the news spread like ddfire among the pea«.nts, who regarded him rth an almost superstitious reverence, and had a firm bel ef that he was protected by Heaven from the balls of his nen ies as loss seemed to them an irretrievable misfortl ne The fierceness of their attack diminished. Their ardour w s gie press the™ ? H"* T'"'" "' ""''^ »'™''«"^ -»-J ^ oZitfon ' L°°\ '"',*»-- They met with but little oppos tion. The Yende.,n army, lately on the point of beimr tered over the country, its retreat being undisturbed by the 218 NO surrender! enemy, who could scarcely believe their own good fortune at having succeeded when all had seemed lost. Cathelineau was carried off, but died a fortnight later from the effects of the wound. His death was a terrible blow to the cause. The failure to take Nantes had in itself been a great misfortune, but the Vendeans had suffered no more heavily than the enemy; and had Cathelineau been but spared, matters might still have gone well with them. The effect of his death, however, was for the time to dis- hearten the peasantry utterly; and hirl at this time terms of peace, which would have permitted them to enjoy the exercise of their religion and to be free from conscription, been offered to them, they would gladly have been accepted! Chai-ette, after he saw that the attack upon Nantes from the north side of the river ha-' foiled, fell back with his force, as before, into Lower Poitou. The Vendeans, nc w under Bonchamp, who had also been wounded, retired along the north bank of the Loire, crossing the river a,t various points as they could find boats. Before joining in the fight, Leigh had told his band that, in the event of failure, he should recross the river in the boat that had brought them over. They had all kept near him during the struggle. Eight of them had fallen, several others were wounded, and he himself had received a musket-ball in the shoulder. As soon aa he saw that the battle was lost, he withdrew from It, and made his way with the boys to the river bank, recrossed the stream, and struck across the country. After proceeding some six miles they entered a wood and lay down and slept for some hours, and then marched to Parthenay. Here the band broke up and proceeded to their homes, while Leigh made his way to Lescure's head -quarters, learned where his friends were lodged, and joined them. THE ATTACK ON NANTES. 219 Patoey gave a cry of alarm as he entered. Fugitive, had amved before hi,„ and it was already know^ tha t e atta k o„ Nantes had failed, and that Cathelineau Z mortally wounded. "What is it, Leigh?" "I am wounded in the sho.dder. It is nothing very senous thmk, though I suppose I sha'n't be able fo Zkl a sword for some time." A surgeon was soon fetched, the U-dl extracted, and the wouna l».,„hged, and they then sat down to talk over the events that had ocenrrod. Since they had been seated Monsieur Uartm had become a broken m.an. The fact hat h,s son, who assuredly had it i„ his power to protect him, had given h,m over to the terrible tribunal, ha 1 been a arder blow to "'"' *"" ">» P^pect of death and even the devotion that ha.l been shown by Jean scarcely sufliced to W tTd ■ ^'^'V"' ""'^ '"' '"'"■' •- 4ri »e must be »uffermg on her account, and her uncertainty as to the fate of her eh.id But even the twenty-four hours that fof hir 1""" '''\'""' '"" '-^^ I'*"" '>"'' done much fo. her. The news that the child was safe and well had token a load off her mind, an.l she felt proud indeed that her release and l,hat of so many other of her follow-prisouers, had been brought about by the devotion of her husband and chattuig as if nothing had happened h„™e *rf' "™« "•"■■""'K tl>»y started early, and reached home i„ the afternoon. They were received with delight by their people although many of these had lost relations in the recent battles. A house in the village was placed at thei disposal, Patsey riding straight on to see her child, «..h which, and lis faithful nurse, she soon returned 220 NO surrender! T 'i^lf "^7' ^'^"'" ^""^''y "'''^' ^^'^«"' ^^Jth the cur^ and Jules Desailles they sat down for a quiet talk that evenin.^ what IS to be the next thing?" "' "You should ask the Blues that," he replied. "So far as I can see it will be a repetition of what has taken place. Ihey wm mvade us again, and probably wc shall beat them back Each time they will come with larger forces, ar.d at last I suppose we shall have to endeavour to make our way to England. I am afraid there can be r,o question that withstand the whole strength of France." askld^^^ '^" '""^ "•^'^ ^y at once?" Monsieur Martin "The difficulty in reaching the coast, and of getting a passage, would be immense. Besides, so long as La Vendue resists, so long is it my duty to fight, and I am sure that Patsy woiUd not wish me to do others i.e. I have been in It from the first, and must stay until the end, if I am not killed before that comes. If it were possible to send you and Patsey and Leigh awny to England, I would gladly do so; but I am sure that she would nut go, and I think I may say the same f • Leigh." "Certainly, Jean; as long as you stay I stay. Mv life is far less important than yours, for I have no one dependent upon me. I quite agree with you that the war can end in only one way, but till that comes, all those m ho have been the leaders of these poor peasants ought to hold by " I agree entirely with you both," Patsey added , and there was no more to be said. A SERIES OF VICTORIES. 221 CHAPTER XII. A SERIES OF VICTORIES. MORE formidable foes than the peasants had yet met -LU. were approaching La Vendee M.v ^ ,^^^ ""^^ rendered to the allies t,d fhJ /^'"'^ ^^^ '»••- n- Joubt hrve i "77' """■ ""<■ ""■""'"i'ion would aouM have Wm sent; but unfortunately the leader, „f the insurrect on, occnmVrf =. .1,. ,)- "w icaaers of they were miki ml,^ . , " "^'^ "'"" *» ««»■■»» nienti L t t s of?. " "° "'P' '° ^^■"' ^ ''»'- ment " °' ""^ ""^'^ 'o "'o English govern. alttaghTr: lb" t ':"'^ °' '"^ '^P"""--. -^ «ruggfe the Britir "°" "' ™"c«'tr„u,( on the a- 'oll^taf S4°rrr"H7t;:'^;r l^- '"'°™''' of it, the terms grrntfdTL '" '"" "™ have been very differ nt and t/"™" u"' ''"^'="°'' ""'"^ held as nri.^Z '""^™»'. and they would either have been th y wou d r f„tl "", '"'"'^T "^ '''"' *^ -"■ *«' 'n ™= A?i:t:;ttr::r:'L'tt'" "-/ -^ and were ,*eady on 'the «areh l^ds La"ve'„"de^™S ™ - -- wea^eneJ by th! :::!l o';\r:rn"f: 222 NO surrender! their homes that he was obliged to evacuate Saumur, and this town was taken possession of by the division from Tours, consisting of twelve thousand five hundred infantry, sixteen hundred cavalry, and four hundred artillerymen, under General Menou. The division of Niort comprised fifteen thousand six hundred infantry, and thirteen hundred and eighty cavalry. It was commanded by Chalbos, having Westermann with him. At Sables were four thousand three hundred infantry, two hundred and fifty cavalry, and three hundred artillery. They were commanded by General Boulard. There was but small breathing time for the Vend^ans. Westermann had moved towards Parthenay with a strong force, and but a few hours after the Martins had left it Lescure was forced to fall back from the town. This was occupied by the Blues. They pillaged and burned a village near, although no opposition had been offered, and then sent oiF a force which burned Lescure's chateau at Clisson. The Martins were engaged in conversation when a mes- senger ran in, " I have an order from Monsieur Lescure," ho said. " The church bells are to be rung throughout the district." All started to their feet. "Already?" Jean exclaimed. "Why, what has happened f "We have fallen back from Parthenay. The Elues, under Westermann, eight thousand strong, have already occupied the town. The general's orders are that all are to join him at Moulin in two days' time. Messengers have been despatched all over the country, and Monsieur de la Eochejaquelein has been sent for to join General Lescure at Moulin." " That gives us twenty-four hours, then," Jean said with a sigh of content. " I will see that your message is carried A SERIES OF VICTORIES. 223 on to all the villages near, there are plenty of boys of twelve or fourteen about the place." But the bells rang that night to deaf ears. Many of the peasants were still absent, others had returned but a few hours before, worn out and dispirited. But when on the following day the news came that Westermann's troops were burning villages, and slaying all who fell into their hands, and that Monsieur de Lescure's chateau had been burnt fury and indignation again fired them, and that night the greater part of them set out for Moulin "I wonder what has become of our horses!" Jean said, as he prepared to start. "We shall never hear any more of those we left at Nantes. We must go on foot this time, and trust to getting hold of a couple of horses the firs time we defeat the Blues." He had that day been over with Patsey, her child, his father, the nurse, and Francois to the peasant's house, deep in the forest, to which he had before arranged that she should go in case of need. All the party were dressed as peasants. The man and woman from whom the house was hired removed to another hut a quarter of a mile away. Fran9ois was to go down every day in the cart to the village to get news and letters and buy provi- sions The cure had arranged to send off one of the village boys the moment that he heard that any party of the Blues were approaching, when the whole of the occupants of the village and the farms around it would be obliged to take to the woods, for it was evident that neither age nor sex was respected by Westermann's troops. «f mT '^Zl'''^ ''^'" •^'"'"' ^^'S^' ^"d I^««^"Ie8 arrived at Moulin^ They were warmly received by Rochejaquelein and Bonchamp, to whom Jean introduced DesaiUes as a new 224 NO surrender! "I know nothing of fighting," the latter said, "but gentlemen, I shall do my best." ' "That is all that anyone can do," Rochejaquelein said heartily. "We may say that none of us, with the excep- tion of Monsieur Bonchamp and a few others, had any experience in fighting when we began, but we have done pretty well on the whole." "Do you think that we have much chance of holding this place?" Jean asked. "They told us as we came in that at present there are not much more than eight thou- sand men here, and Westermann, they say, has about as many. "That is so," Bonchamp said, "and I do not expect that we shall beat them; but we must fight, or they will march through the country, wasting and destroying as they go It IS only by showing them that we are still formidable and that they must keep together and be prudent and cautious, that we can maintain ourselves; a succession of blows, even of light ones, will break a rock." At two o'clock the enemy's forces approached, and the engagement soon became hot. Every hedge was lined by the peasants, every position strongly defended, and only evacuated when the horns gave the signal. At the end of two hours Westermann, after losing a considerable number of men, approached ground where his cavalry could come into play, and the leaders of all the bands had been warned that when they fell back to this point the horn was to be sounded three times, and that resistance was to cease at once and the bands disperse, to meet at a given point two hours later. Seven of the ten cannon they had with them were safely carried off; and although compelled to retire from their position, the peasants were well satisfied with having withstood so long the attack of an equal number of A SERIES OF VICTORIES. 225 tr^op, supported by an artillery „,.ch superior to their Leigh had taken no part in the actual fiKhtins Hi, ,i„l,t "i tn "?" °"'^ " "'° 8"^'-'''' -■de-de.ca..p ' -."::x:"tL-'h::k"^;"i:r^^^^ pea....anatta:.::^:;:;r— ^-j^;;;^'^ about as if von wprp in th^ , • • i "^ "tUKing "mit to all things, and one must remenihpr th.t we are very short of officers inH fh., fV, '""^"^''^^ ^^^^^ as thev arP wnnl.i 1 y ^ ^'''' peasants, brave them " ' ^ ^' "'^'^^^ ^^^^^^"^ «««^«o"e to direct "I have no doubt but you are nVht Tpan " n -ii said with a laugh; "but in fact J lu \ '''''"'' a thought to the matte I " \ moTt VT^'T f "'"^ r:hfet^:^--°~"" "You will get over that," Jean laughed "but fhp c feeling is strong amons the niPn n ^"t the same they are for the order to charge Th ''" T- ^'" ''^'' but it is to use their bayonSat thev "" ''"• ""'^*^' (M672) ' "''■>^^"6^s that they are panting. They 2:6 NO surrender! will eet tn rVinf,-]] X y, -^^^ ''■^^ o^er. VVestermann "ill gee CO CJiatJiJon to-nifrht AA'hor. v.^ ^ ^i pose that I .ho,„d eve,. .Jtllll^:^ .tr,! affects me comparatively little. It is l„cl ^^ *'^ to set you both not a little sellh in the ^a teJ f™ ""' ™™ "'^' ^ "- the company of vour broth r? ^"""^"^ ' »'«=<' / , our brother.»,-hw greatly, and felt that 228 NO sukuender! coSe'^t:." "^ "^' '" '-' --^ ^"-^ '-«- and to oppose tt iTnc of 7 T "■" t""'™"' " S"*-"" they fought thef \l:' Li fs:':;"r •''^'''^' *'" retiim „f ,r , '•;'""'">"» '" "ttor confusion. On the "V^ e must admit another failnrp " ^s,W] p^ u • o< the eneXstv^rs/tfrrstr"? opposfng a determined f,4,t to th e:'™ L r" "a failure, but a fflorious nn^ Ti. "^ ca\airy— a tne plunder of then- head-quartcs, we should have won the d«wever, we shall have reinforcements up i., Z^^: aXr*itrr:ri^;"L?i^t^ ■.a.tin«-placetheheav,haggage:\vr;:r^^^^^^^^ A SERIES OF VICTORIES. 229 had been overpowe j '1 h™ ' '"^S""" '^'""'h".-] 'he -„,,. sa„t^...„, rt: ~ tT ^^^^^ *^°"«'' Kochejaquelein, who had ],„» , ?, ? °"'« ""mW by ""'Who ,h„,.gu ,;,:■: :r:'„ t °',™'"™'' "■■"' explosion „.„„id „„t,„,,|, ™ '-"f <>f the alarm which the 'erre's battalio,,, h„>vo rZ 1 . °"°" "'" '"™y- S™' «re drawn off. i„ ,^^ ' ""^ h™, and the Vend,!a„, the peasants a,rivo,l and r""' ""^ ""h, body of a'tack. Menou hi' i .u',? "»"'' "-' *'}' "ade tLir readily; bnt the rest of .h„ ,™v "d '•• "\ '""''"'■ ^'""^ veranee with which the Ve, ,d ^ ^ '""""' ''^ ""= P^'e- losses, were ever ready to ,.'"'"; '•" ''"''^ "' "'">« and heart. ^""^ '» '"""^ '1>«.- attack, speedily lost In two hours the nVht f„n i i . ^■"aO. and in a shortll'lL"";^, '" *'"*'-' '"" >»"- vam the officers en.kavourec 1 T'T «'"'™'- I" gioat was their terror that ,? I u ""• '"S"'™; » -Ob traversed the di'sit^^ ' .^ l^, "-'-^ Pa-ctric'lten Thus the second great invasion oi"v"T """ ■^■^"""'■•■ "o greater success than the fir^t \t '"'' ''"'' ""■'' '>'•* that had advanced in full confide 1 , " ''"""- «"'""•"« utterly discomfited. Westerl f J""""' >""^ «"'™ed hut annihilated, the arnvfll'J'"' *"'"'»" "uui heen all h™ of men, and h^ZZtlT"' 'f '°^' «^-' ""m- hody. TheBoeage ,rith L. °'"'"^ '° •«= •■' ■"ih-tary and its brave pop,', 1 1 ' "^f "°°*- '''' *ick hedges f- Of the R^Mr'ar:7t,ft-';° ''^'™--' -to .t was in itself sufl,c,-.nt to Tl 1 '"''''"' '" '«'™"« «ho boasted so loudly wheuat !dt " T"™*" "' "'o^" i »nen at a distance. It ,vaa the grave, 230 NO surrender! too of the reputation of the French generals. One after another they had tried, failed, and been disgraced Ihe first general, Marce, was superseded by Berruyer Berruyer by Eiron, who was recalled and guillotild Westermann was also tried, but. having powerful friends was acquitted. Generals of divisions had conie and go, e in numbers. Some had been dismissed, some, at t Jr ol" urgent request, allowed to return to the districts they com aTd" H had f", T '"''"f '' ''' ^^'^--^-^^ ^'^ - and all had faded; one and all, too, had never ceased from the time they joined the army of invasion to send reZ after report to the Convention complaining of the untrust^ o the officers, and the want of a sufficient staff to maintain d eiphne and restore order. Indeed, the bulk of the r vo hitionary troops possessed little more discipline than the V.ideans themselves, and being uninspired^ as were th a ter, by a feeling either of religion or of patriotic en- thusiasm, hey were no match for men who were willing to give their lives for the cause. ^ The Vendeans were far better armed than when thev commenced the struggle. Then the proportion of men who were possessed of muskets or firearms of any kind was which had been captured in the hands of prisoners, thrown a^vay by fugitives, or found in the storehouses of the towi there were sufficient to supply almost every man of the population with firearms, and in addition, thiy possessed a good many pieces of artillery. Unfortunately they had learned httle during the four months' fighting. The'r methods were unchanged; love of home overpowered all other considerations; and after a victory, as after a defeat, they hurried away, leaving with their generals only the A SERIES OF VICTORIES. 231 Officers and a small body of men, who were either emigres who had returned from England to take part in the stru^le or Royahsts who had made their way from distant parts oj France for the same purpose. i'<^^i^ oi After the capture of Saumur, too, a good many Swiss foreigners, had deserted and joined the Vendeaus. Thus wh?. "*".'"' u°^ ^"^ ^™^ ^^^^ ^°g«^b«^' s^^elling only when the church bells summoned the peasants tf take up a ms for a few days. But while the lioyalists of La Vend^^e remained quiescent after they had expelled the invaders, the Eepublicans, more alarmed than Lr, were s'urrectln" ""' '""""''" '^"'^ '' ^^^"^P °"^ ^^« -" tn!r''?Af ' ^^^^^"^"^^"ded at Nantes, was appointed to ucceed Menou. Orders were given that the foreL and hedges of La Vendue were all to be levelled, the crops des royed the cattle seized, and the goods of the insurgent onfiscated. An enormous number of carts were collated to carry faggots, tar, and other combustibles into La Vendue for setting fire to the woods. It was actually proposed to destroy he who e male population, to deport the women and children, and to repeople La Vendee from other parts of France from which immigrants would be attracted by offers of free land and houses. Santerre suggested that poisonous gases should be inclosed in suitable vessels and fired into the district to poison the atmosphere. Carrier. ^ he infamous scoundrel who had been appointed commis^ nlT'i ^!,^""^^^' P^°P°««^ ^" equ^^lly villainous scheme, «hZy'. !f' f '^"""'^'^'^ °^ ^^^^^' ™^^«^ ^^ith arsenic, should be baked and scattered broadcast, so that the starving people might eat it and be destroyed wholesale. This would have been carried out had it not been vigorously 232 NO SURRENDER 1 opposed by General Kleber, who had now taken the com- mand of one of the armies of the invasion. The rest of July and the first half of August passed comparatively quietly. Genci il Toncq advanced with a column into La Vendee and fought two or three battles, in which he generally gained successes over the peasants; but with this exception, no forward movement was made, and the majority of the peasants remained undisturbed in their homes. Soon, however, from all sides the flood of invaders poured in. No fewer than two hundred thousand men were now under the orders of the French generals, and advanced from different directions, in all cases canying out the orders of the Convention, to devastate the country, burn down the woods, destroy the crops, and slay the inhabitants. Five armies moved forward simultaneously, that commanded by Kleber consisting of the veteran battalions of Mayence. But everywhere they were met. Charette had marched to the aid of the Vendeans of the north, and the country was divided into four districts commanded by Charette, Bon- champ, Lescure, and la Rochejaquelein. Each of these strove to defend his own district. The war now assumed a terrible aspect. Maddened by the atrocities perpetrated upon them, the peasants no longer gave quarter to those who fell into their hands, and in their despair performed prodigies of valour. They had not now, as at the commencement of the war, the superiority in ruimbers. Instead of fighting generally four to one against the Blues, the latter now exceeded them in the same proportion. But the peasants had changed their tactics. Instead of rushing impetuously upon the enemy's lines, and hurling themselves upon his artil- lery, they utilized the natural features of their country. A SERIES OF VICTORIES. 233 As the Republican columns marched along, believing that there was no enemy near, they would hear the sound of a horn, and from behind every hedge, every thicket, every tree, a stream of musketry would break out. Y: ry soon the column would fall into confusion, the lanes would be blocked with dead horses and immovable waggons. In vain would the soldiers try to force their way through the hedges and to return the fire of their invisible f<»'^«. Then, as suddenly as the attack commenced the peasants would leap from their shelter, and with knife and bayonet carry havoc among their enemies. These tactics prevailed over numbers, even when, as in the case of Kleber's division, the numbers possessed military discipline, training, and high reputation. For a month fighting was almost continuous, and at the end of that time, to the stupefaction of the Convention, their two hundred thousand troops were driven out of La Vendee at every point by a fourth of that number of undisciplined peasants. Never, perhaps, in the history of military warfare did en- thusiasm and valour accomplish such a marvel. The second half of September was spent by the peasants at their homes rejoicing and returning thanks for their success; but already a heavy blow was bein^ struck at their cause. Charette, hot-headed, impetuous, and self- confident, had always preferred carrying out his own plans, without regard to those of the leaders in Upper Vendue, and he now quarrelled with them as to tbe course that had best be pursued, and left with the forces that he had brought with him, to renew the war in the south. But although the peasants rejoiced, their leaders knew that the struggle could not long continue. The number of fighting men —that is to say, of the whole male population of La Vendee capable of bearing arms— had diminished terribly; 234 -^0 surrender! indeed, the number that originally responded to the summons of the church bells was decreased by fully a half. Food was scarce; owing to the continued absence of the peasants the harvest had in many places not been garnered, and wherever the Kepublican troops had passed, the destruction had been complete. A largo portion of the poi)ulation were home- less. The very movements of the Vendeans were '. mipered by the crowds of women and children who, witli the few belongings that they had saved packed in their little carts wandered almost aimlessly through the country. Many of the towns were in ruins, and deserted; in al( save a few secluded spots as yet u.ivisited by the IJepublicans, want and misery were universal. There was no thought of surrender, but among chiefs and peasants alike the idea that as a last resource it would be necessary to abandon La Vendoe altogether, and to take refuge m Brittany, where the vast majority of the popu- lation were favourable to them, gradually gained ground. Generals Beysser, Canclaux, and Dubayet were recalled by the Convention for their failure to obtain success, and lEchelle was appointed to the command, having Kleber and Westermann as leaders of his principal divisions. Jean Martm and Leigh had joined their friends in their retreat in the forest after the repulse of all the Eepublican columns. They had heard, while engaged in the thick of the fightmg, of the death of Monsieur Martin. He had never recovered from the effects of his imprisonment at Nantes, and instead of gaining strength he had become weaker and weaker. The terrible uncertainty of the position, the news that constantly arrived of desperate battles, and the conviction that in the end the Vendeans would be crushed, told heavily upon him. He took to his bed and sank gradually. A SERIES OF VICTORIES. 235 "I am not sorry, my child," he said to Patsey the day before he died, "that I am going to leave you. I was wrong in not taking Jean's advice and sailing for England with my wife and daughter. However, it is useless to think of that now. I can see li.nM, 'imes in store for all here. It is evident that no mercy is ;:o be shown to the \endeans. It has been dec-e-J by ti' o Convention that they are to be hunted down like . ijd beasts. Hail I lived I should have been a terrible buruen to you; I should have hampered your movements, and destroyed any chance what- ever that you might have of escaping from these fiends. It would have been impossible for me to have supported the fatigues and hardships of a flight, and I should have been the means of bringing destruction on you all; it is there- fore better in every respect that I should go. I pray that Heaven will protect you and Jean and your brave brother and enable you to reach England in safety. You will bear my last message to my wife and Louise. You will tell them that my last thought was of them, my last feeling one of gratitude to God that they are in safety, and that I have been permitted to die in peace and quiet." " It is a sad home-coming this time, Jean," Patsey said, as her husband and Leigh rode up so the door. "It is indeed, Patsey; and yet, even when the news came to me I could scarcely grieve that it was so. I had seen how he was fading when I went away, and was not surprised when I heard that he had gone. For me it is one care, one anxiety, the less in future. Patsey, we will be together; I cannot leave you here when Leigh and I are away. The child shall go with us, and when all is lost, we will escape or die together." "I am glad to hear you say so, Jean. It has been ternule waiting here and knowing that you were in the 236 NO surrender! midst of dangers, and that even while I thought of you vou .It ""t'. '™'" "'' ""'^ P"'-'^ "-■"'l "■' '''•'»'» '0 »*-' ad Ma, the,, the.r chance of safety will be greater if tbev tte f;::r:f'° " "",*■' "' '^"^ -p '"^^ ^'^""^ -^ tue family of some woodman-or rather, Marthe's safetr wonid be g«ter. As to Francois, he ha'. Ion b e„ f r ojom ,„ the fighting, and it is only his fidelity tharS constrained h,m to remain in what he considers is a d's gmoeful position, when every other man who can b r anns .s fighting. We will therefore take him with "s Z -hen the day of battle comes he will join the fi^tinle ' and ,f we are defeated, mnst care for his own saffty. men away. You w,ll have the horse ready to mount, and we shall jom you at once if we are defeated » "We ought to be disguise,!, Jean," Leigh said. I would be well," ,!«„, said, "but I hardly see what se would be of use to us; certainly not tha o peasants, for in that dress we should be shl down "rith out ,„est,o„ by the first party of Blues we came a:. Even .f we succeed u, reaching the river and crossing it we may be sure that the authorities will be everywhere Tuilto'e " °"" """' '" "™' ■■" P"-' ''«''"' % 'he "I should say that it does not matter a bit how we are uiid A SERIES OF VICTORIES. 237 dressed till we reach the river. We know now pretty rt Z7 !'"' ^" '^' '^''''''y" L^'Sh said, "ind I should think that we ought to be able to reach the Loire " That IS where the difficulty will begin. In the fa'st place there will be the trouble of crossing, and then that of making our way through the country. Certainly we could not do so as Vend^an peasants." "I should say, Jean, that the best disguises would be those of fairly well-to-do town's-people, something like those we wore into Nantes, but rather less formal-the sort of thing that ordinary tradesmen without any strong political feeling either way would wear. I don't say that we shall not be suspected however we are dressed, because no one iri his senses would be travelling about j.ist at present; but when once we get beyond Tours, if we go that way, we might pass without much notice." " Which way do you think that we ought to go, Jean?" Jean shrugged his shoulders. " I don't see that there is any cho-ce. There would be very little chance of escaping rom any of the ports of Brittany, and La Rochelle would oe still more hopeless. As far south as Bordeaux we should be in a comparatively peaceful country, and I should hope to find friends there. The eastern frontier is of course the safest to cross, but the distance is very great, and in the owns near the border a very sharp Lloui is keptt p-e emigres escaping. There is a rumour that Lyons ha declared against the Convention, but if we got there t IS certain that it would be but La Vendue over again Lyons cannot resist all France, and a. soon as they have done wh us here they will be able to send any niJber of troops to stamp out these risings. Undoubtedly, if we could get there, Toulon would be the best place. I have heard for certain that they have driven out the extreme party 238 NO surrender! and have admitted the English fleet. Once there, we should be able to take berths in a ship bound somewhere abroad, it matters little where, and thence get a passage to England Most prol)abIy we should be able to arrange to go direct from Toulon, for there are sure to be vessels coming and gonig with stores for the Biitish fleet." "But that would be a terrible journey, Jean," his wife said. " Yes, I think that would be quite out of the question It seems to me that our best chance would be either to cross the Lou-e and then make for Le Mans, and so up through Alcn^on to Honfleur-that way we should be east of the disturbed district; or, if we found that a vast number of fugitives had made their way into Brittany, as is almost certain to be the case, we might bear more to the east and go up through Vendome and Chartres and Evreux, and then branch off and strike the Seine near Honfleur. In that case wo should be outside the district where they would be searching for fugitives from here. Once on the sea-shore, or on the Seine, it would be hard if we could not steal a fishing-boat and cross the Channel. However, one must of course bo guided by circumstances. Still, I do think that it would be as well to buy the disguises Leigh suggests without loss of time. I will ride over to Chatillon to-morrow and get them." CHAPTER XIII. ACROSS THE LOIRE. IITARTHE was filled with grief when she heard thnt it J.TX had been decided that it was better that she should return to her native village, but her mistress pointed out to ACROSS THE LOIRE. 239 her that if all went well she could rejoin them. If things went badly, and they escaped, they would send for her wherever they might be; but, in case disaster compelled them to fly, three persons were as many as could hope to travel together without exciting suspicion. The nurse however, begged that at any rate she might go with them to the head-quarters of the army. "Everyone is going," she said; "and they say that if we are beaten in the next battle they will cross the Loire and take refuge in Brittany, for the Blues will not loave a soul alive m La Vendue. I should have nowhere to go to here and will keep with the others whatever happens. If you are with them, madame, I can rejoin you; if not, I hope to be with you afterwards." It was indeed an exodus rather than the gathering of an army that was taking place. The atrocities committed by the invaders, the destruction of every village, the clouds of smoke which ascended from the burning woods, created so terrible a scare among the peasants that the greater portion of the villages and farms were entirely depertod, and every road leading to Chollet, which was the rendezvous where the fighting men were ordered to gather, was crowded with fugitives. Francois walked by the horae's head Patsey, the nurse, and the child, with a trunk containing articles of absolute necessity, occupied the cart. Jean and Leigh rode ahead. The company of Cathelineau's scouts no longer existed, more than half of them had fallen in the late battles, their services were no longer required as sco^jts, and the survivors had joined their fathers and brothers and formed part of the command of Bonchamp. On the fourteenth of October the enemy's columns were closing in upon Chollet. Those round Mortagne were marching forward, when the advanced guard under General 240 NO SURRENDER! Beaupuy were suddenly attacked by the Vend^ans w),-, entangled in the lanes. The head of 2,^^. \ ^^^^ to Mortaenp l^hn i °°' retired hastily a long a„^ ZZ^^^Z ^:^'''"7^- ^"- the w„«)s, and, the Kcprt ica' ar« it ''""'" ''"'" they were compelled to et " o CMr''H '"' "T "'^"•' made. Klcbcr h«l al,„ 1,7 » , ""'''' "" ''^'t «s though wH,;™:h dffle ; tputnt' '■ 'r "^^ *»■ next ™o„„„g the Kepubhi^sTttd C olLT !« th"^ found descited by the enemv On fi, ^^''•^ whole force bei,/n„„ m.t^ tteTv'T"*' f" to move forward toward, R„, !' " "'" "^""t guard was hot,, rc^d .a'" ^1: 1:''^™"^' became general. "'^ ^^^ ^o'^bat asfc :horofte'iT:p,dr 't ""^ ^" 'p^™-"-™. ^»' advance wa/i 1:/^ The '^arh'™' """ ""°" *^"- o'cloC, it raged without't™- -I^, Z^^ T the .e„ that Wcr^ta^: t S'rr'iih'f r "088 and di„ they could only be heard bfZ ,*"*• round them, and even these tblfil. ^ '"™ediatel. n.en who had forsev™ h ^ 1' u '° '■'="'"'"»''^> ""^ '' '^ reported, htc t^:Z^ ""'""' ^ '^''^^ »'"«" Le.c„re had fallen i„ the hghth,g on the fourteenth, ACROSS THE LOIRE. 241 panic, and they fell ^k VZm T" f°''" '" '^'^'^ "■« of peasants, who held tte tr '"'f 7-''««^>' -ith a band dV Leigh had eseo eS ;'" t '•. °" ""'"'■^"■™» she was established. ^^'^ ''^^^ '" ^v-'iich "We can hardly believe it ourselves" Tp. •, has been a terrible day indeed O T '''^- "^^ -cl I firmly beheve thlt 7 shouk^ b' "" '"'^'^' "^'^'^' not an unaccountable parn" e in wi"'' "'" '^' ^^^ '^^^^ not. We were doinL^ up ! , ""^ '''''''^ '' ^ ^^^o^v dn-ve them bade, t d'c ul, 7eT 7' \"' '^' '^^^"" ^« half-hour it was likelv th!^ \ '" "^^' '" ^°^ ^"^^'^^^ seized them. However vl IT'"" "" P'""'" ^''°"^^ have again stronger th n 4^ ^f ^f ^^ ^f '"'^ ^"^^^^^^ -me thing in the Ion; run ' No.r! '"^^ ^^^ ^« ^^e at once. We will hV dmvn f , '\P"' «" ^0"^ disguise Wo.da,h,.ea, lit Lt let :?' ^V^^ ^'T "'' "ho must now be corjsidp,..^ ; Eochejaquelein, Bonchamp are both d pe'ell °°"?';'' '""' '^™''' -"i to act as a .mr-g„a 7 jT , '^ "■""'"<'«'■ '"" ^"her a force I Oo not think that ev'en hislr """ ""^ "'* ''™. •"" any considerable body „f t' 'T "°"''' ^^^ '° '"'1^ vinced themselves thuth'^ ?"«"""''■■ ^" "■«'« »n. rate, the enen ; wi t J ' T " ''" '" ^""""y- ^t any They must have uL^d luitf ''\'"',''''°" ""^^ P»™« Tke night, how^tr X !oT^™^"'™''''^-'' (»672) ' '"^ ■">' 'o pass quietly. At two he %voods. Jean and Leigh had lain down in the cait to prevent any of the fugitives seizing it. The two women and the child were hurried down, and rook their places in it. Francois, who had escaped, had for- tunately found them, and took the reins, and the jourfsey was continued. Thei-e was no pursuit; it was only a portion of Westermann's force that had arrived, and these were so exhausted and worn out by the length of their march and by the fact that they had been unable to obtain food by the way, that they threw themselves down when they reached the town, incapable of marching a mile farther. At Beaupr^au there had been no fewer than five thousand Republican prisoners kept under guard. On the arrival of the routed Vendeans, the peasants, as a last act of retaha- tion, would have slain them, but Bonchamp, who was at the point of death, ordered them to be set free. " It is the last order that I shall ever give," he said to the peasants assembled round his litter. " %irely you will not disobey me, my children." I'he order was obeyed, and the prisoners were at one , ,. off; and as the Repu- 1" 'an column marched out :. t^^ ( .liet the next day they e v mtered on the road the". :p..,..)ted comrades. The sentiments with which the comaj oners ACROSS THE LOIRE. 243 of the Convention were animated is evidenced by the fact that one of them declared in a letter to the commander-in- chief of the army that the release of these prisoners by the Vendeans was a regrettable affair, and recommended that no mention whatever should l)e made of it in the despatches to Paris, lest this act of mercy by the insurgents should arouse public opinion to insist upon a cessation of the measures that had been taken for the annihilation of the Vendeans. The fugitives, a vast crowd of over one hundred thousand men, women, and children, reached St. Florent without coming in contact with the enemy. The Republican generals, indeed, had no idea that the peasants had any intention of quitting their beloved country, and imagined that they would disperse to their homes again, and that there remained only the task of hunting them down. A company had been left on a hill which commanded St. Florent, but they had no idea of being attacked, and had not even taken the precaution of remov- ing the boats across the river. As soon as they arrived, the Vendeans attacked the post with fury and captured it! Twenty boats were fotind, and the crossing was effected with no little difficulty. There were still two or three thousand, principally women and children, to be taken over when a party of Kepublican dragoons arrived. Numbers of the women and children were massacred, but the great bulk, flying precipitately, regaiiiud the country beyond the heights of St. Florent, and took refuge in the woods. The multitude were for the present safe. There was no strong force of the enemy between Nantes and Saumur, and they halted for the night, dispirited, worn out, and filled with grief. They had left their homes and all they cared foi behind. They were in a strange country without aim or purpose, their only hope being that the JJretons would 244 NO SURRENDER! rise and join them-a poor hope, since the terrible vengeance that had been taken on La Vendue could not but strike terror throughout Brittany also. Jean Martin and Leigh had seen Patsey and the nurse placed in one of the first boats that crossed. "Do not go far from the spot where you land," they said, "^^e shall stay here until all is over. If the Blues come up before all have crossed, we shall swim across with our horses; be under no uneasiness about us." Taking the horse out of the shafts of the cart and putting a saddle that they had brought with them on its back, they left the three animals in charge of Francois, and then aided other officers to keep order among the crowd, and to pre- vent them from pressing into the boats, as they returned from the other bank, in such numbers as to sink them All day the work went on quietly and regularly, until so comparatively few remained that hope became strong that all would cross before any of the enemy arrived. That hope was destroyed when suddenly the enemy's cavalry appeared at the edge of the slope and came galloping down The officers in vain tried to get the few men that remained to make a stand. They were too dispirited to attempt to do so, and the little throng broke up and fled, some one wa}^, some another. Fortunately an empty boat had just returned, and into this the other officers leapt, while Jean, with his two com- panions, led the horses into the water. They had already linked the reins. Francois was unable to swim, but at Jeans order he took hold of the tail of the horse in the middle, while Jean and Leigh swam by the heads of the two outside horses, and without difficulty the other side was gained. Patsey, who had had her eye fixed upon them all day, was standing at the spot where thev landed. They ACROSS THE LOIRE. 245 were near the town of Ancenis, and a portion of the Vendeans entered the place, which was wholly undefended Ihe inhabitants were in abject terror, thinking that the town would be sacked, and were surprised to find that the peasants did no one any harm, and were ready to pay for anything that they req.iired. So long, indeed, as any money whatever remained the XemUans paid scrupulously \\hen it was all expended the chiefs did the only thin- in their power, issuing notes promising to pay; and although these had no value save in the good faith of the Vendeans they were received by the Bretons as readily as the assi- gnats of the Republic, which, indeed, like the notes of the Vendeans, were never destined to be paid. Had the army plunged into Brittany after the capture of Saumur there can be no doubt that the peasantry would everywhere have risen; but, coming as fugitives and exiles, they were a w^arning rather than a source of enthusiasm and although small numbers of peasants joined them the accession of force was very trifling. Jean Martin, his wife, and Leigh held an anxious consultation that evenin- They had found a poor lodging, after attending a me^'etin- of the leaders, at which la Rochejaquelein had been un^ani- mously elected commander-in-chief, Bonchamp having died while d'Elbee, wounded to death, had been left at the cottas^e of a Breton peasant, who promised to conceal him. The young soldier had accepted the fearful responsibility with the greatest reluctance. He and those around him saw plainly enough that the only hope of escape from anni- hilation was the landing of a British force to their assis- tance. Unhappily, )'.:, vever, England had not as yet awoke to the tremendous .^ure of the struggle that was going on. Her army was a small one, and her fleet, as yet, had not attained the dimensions that were before many years 246 to render her the NO surrender! unquestioned mistress of the seas. The teeling that the Iie\ ohition was the fruit of centuries of od- pression, and that, terrible as were th :..,.... comnn-fted in the nam. of liberty, the cause of the Revolution was still the^ cause of the peoples of Europe, had created a party sufnoiently powerful t,. hamper the ministry. Moreover the govern:aont was badly informed in every respect by its agents in France, and had no idea of the extent of the rising m La ^ ,nd6e, or how nobly the people there had been de tending themselves against the whole force of France It IS not too much to say that had England, at this time, anded twenty thousand ti-oops in Brittany, or La Vendee the whole course of events in Eu-ope uould have been' changed, the French Revolution ^vould have been crushed before It became formidable to Europe, and countless mil- hons of money and millicns of lives would have been saved. Throughout France theie was a considerable portion of the population who would have rejoiced in the overthrow of the Republic, for even in the large Cowns its crimes had provoked reaction. Toulon had opened its gates to the Jinglish. Lyons was in a-ms a,-; Inst th Republic Nor mandy's discontent was general, and its peasantry would have joined those of Brittany and La Vendee had there been but a fair prospect of >.c ess. England, howevei, did nothing, but stood passive until the peasantry of La Vendee were all but exterminated; and, indeed, add^^' :o their mis- fortunes by promising aid that never was sont, and thus encouraging them to maintain a re., ,c. hat added to the exasperation of their enemies, ar to ..ir own mis- fortunes and suiferings. " ^\ uat are we going to do?" Patsey asked, as her hus- band and Leigh ret.irned from the meeting. " That is more than anyone can say," Jean replied. " We ACROSS THE LOIRE. 247 Shall for the present move north; we are like a flight of locusts wo must move since we must eat, and no district could furnish subsistence for eighty thousand people for more than a day or two. There can be no doubt that the impulse to cross the Loire was a mad one. On the other side we at least knevv die country, and it would have been far better to have died fighting tl.. than to throw our- selves across the river. It was well-nigh a miracle that wc got across, and it will need nothing short of a miracle to get us back again. Of one thing we nuiy be sure, the whole host of our enemies will by this time be in movement. We should never have got across had they dreamed that such wa. our mtention. Kow that we have done it, you may be sure that they will strain every effort to prevent us from retur.::ng. Probably by this time half their forces are marchin., to cross at Nantes, the other half are pressing on to ha. au. In three or four days they will be united again, and wi.' . bet.-een us and the river. ^Xere we a smaller body, « re we only men, I should say that we ought to march another twenty miles north, then sweep round either east or west, and while the enemy followed the north bank of the river to effect a junction, we should march all night without a halt, pass them, and hurl our- selves either upon Saumur or Nantes, and so return to La Vendee But with such a host as thi.s there would be little hope of success. I fancy that we shall march to Laval, and there halt for a day or two. By that ti.uo the whole torce of the enemy will have come up, and there will be another battle." "And we, Jean?" "I see nothing but for us lo march with them We know nothing of the movements of the enemy, and were we ,0 try to make our way across the country we might 248 NO SURllENDKli! run into their arms. Besides, Leigh and I have both agreed that, at present at least, we cannot leave Koche- jaquelein." "We could not indeed, Patsey," Leigh broke in. "If you had seen him this evening whe.i, with tears in his eyes, he accepted our choice, you would feel as we do. It was all very well for us before to talk of making off, but now that the worst has happened, if it wen; only for his sake I should stay by him, though I think that Jean, with the responsibility of you and your child, would be justified in going." "No," Patsey said firm'ly, "whatever comes we will stay together. As Jean said, you cannot deseit the cause now. As long as there are battles to fight we must stay with them, and it is not until fuither fighLing has become impossible that we, like others, must endeavour to shift for ourselves." " Well spoken, Patsey !" her husband said. "That must be our course. So long as the Vendeans hang together, with Rochejaquelein at their head, we must remain true to the cau^se that we have taken up. AVhen once again the army becomes a mass of fugitives we can, without loss of honour, and a clear consciousness that we have done our duty to the end, think of our safety. I grant that if one could find a safe asylum for you and our Louis in the cottage of some Breton peasant — " "Nn no!" she interrupted, "that I would never consent to. We will remain together, Jean, come what may. If all is lost I will ask you to put a pistol to my head. I would a thousand times rather die so than fall into the hands of the Blues, and either be slaughtered mercilessly or thrown into one of their prisons to linger until the guillo- tine released me." " I agree with you in that, Patsey. Well, we v ! regard ACROSS THE LOIRK. 249 the matter as settled. As long as the unny hangs together, so long will we remain with it; after that we will carry out the plans we talked over, and make for the coast by the way which seems most open to us." The next day was spent hy Kochejmiuelein and his officers in going about among the peasants. They did not disguise from these the extren)e peril of the position, but they pointed out that it was only by holding together, and by defeating the Blues whenever they attacked them, that they could hope for safet}-. "It was difficult to cross the Loire before," they said; "it will be tenfold more difficult now. Every boat will have been taken over to the other side, and you may be sure that strong bodies of the enemy will have been posted all along the banks to prevent our returning. You have fought well before, you must fight even better in future, for there is no retreat, no home to retire to. Your lives, and those of the women and children with you, depend upon your being victorious. You have beaten the Blues almost every time that you have met them; you would have beaten them last time had not a sort of madness seized you. It was not we who led you acioss the Loire; you have chosen to come, and we have followed you. At any rate, it is better to die fighting for God and countiy than to be slaughtered unresistingly by these murderers. " You saw how they fell upon the helpless ones who were unable to cross with us, how they murdered w^omen and children, although there was no resistur.ce, nothing to excite their anger. If you die, you die as martyrs to your faith and loyalty, and no man could wish for a better death. All is not lost yet. Defeat the Blues, and Brittany may yet rise; besides, we are promised aid from England. At any rate. La Vendee has been true to herself through over six months 250 NO surrender! il' of terrible struggle. La Vendee may perish. Let the world see that she has been true to herself to the end." The fugitive priests with the army seconded tne efforts of the officers, and by nightfall a feeling of resolution and hope succeeded the depression caused by the terrible events of the preceding thirty-six hours; and it was with an air of calmness and courage that the march was recommenced on the following morning. The instant that it became known that the Vendeans had crossed the Loire, a panic seized the Eepublicans at In^ antes, and messengers were sent to implore the commander-in- chief to march with all haste to aid them should, as they believed, the Vendeans be marching to assail the town. Kleber with his division started at once, followed more slowly by the main body of the army. Another column advanced to St. Florent, and, obtaining boats, crossed the river and entered Angers, to the immense rebef of the Eepublicans there, who had been in a state of abject terror at the presence, so near them, of the Ven deans. Kleber marched with great rapidity, passed through Nantes without stopping, and established himself at the camp of St. Georges. The news of what was termed the glorious victory at Chollet, although in point of fact the Eepublicans fell back after the battle to that town caused the greatest enthusiasm in Paris, and the Conventioii and the Republican authorities issued proclamations, which were unanimous in exhorting the army to pursue and ex- terminate the Vendeans. By the twenty-third, the whole of the French army was in readiness to march in pursuit Kleber was still in the camp of St. Georges, Chalbos was at Nantes \s'ith a corps d'armee, Beaupuy was at Angers. The Vendeans had marched through Cande and Chateau- ACROSS THE LOIRE. 251 Gontier, and had without difficulty driven out the Re- publican force stationed at Laval. L'Echelle, the com- mander-, n- chief, was profoundly ignorant, supine, and cowardly, and owed his position solely to the fact that he belonged to the lower class, and was not, like Biron and the other commanders-in-chief, of good family. Itemaining always at a distance from the scene of operations, he con- fused the generals of divisions by contradictory orders which vied with each other in their folly. On the twenty- fourth, Kleber marched to Ancenis, and on the following day he, Beaupuy, and Westerniann arrived at Chateau" Gontier. Cainiel's division from St. Florent had not yet come up. The troops were already tired, but ^\'estermann who, as Kleber in his report said, was always anxious to gain glory and bring himself into prominence, insisted on pushing forward at once, and prevailed over the more prudent counsel of the others, as he was the senior officer When they approached Laval, Westermann sent a troop of cavalry forward to reconnoitre. He was not long before he camo upon some Vendt'an outposts. These he charged and rlrova in towards the town. No sooner did they arri^-o there than the bells of the churches pealed out. It was now midnight, but before the army could form into order the Vendeans poured out upon them, guided by the shouts ot the Republican officers, who were endeavourin- to get their troops into order. The combat was desperate and sanguinary; the peasants, fighting with the fury of despair threw themselves recklessly upon the Republican troops,' whose cannon were not yet in a position to come into action, and whoso infantry, in the darkness, fired at ran- dom Fighting in tlio dark, discipline availed but little. Kleber s veterans, however, preserved their coolness, and for a time the issue was doubtful. 252' NO surrender! victory Had Westermann's cavalry done their d still have inclined towards them, but instead ^...^ when ordered, they turned tail, and, riding through a portion of their infantry, spread disorder among them. Westermann, seeing that it was hopeless to endeavour to retrieve the confusion, ordered a retreat, and the army fell back to Chateau-C4ontier, where they arrived in the course of the day. Here they found the commander-in-chief, who, disregaiding the exhausting march th.e troops had already accomplished, and their loss of spirit after their defeat, ordered them to return, to Villiers, half-way to Laval. It was nightfall when they reached this place, but Wester- mann pushed the advanced guard some two leagues farther. Kleber, seeing the extreme danger of the position, refused to advance beyond Villiers, and sent orders to Danican, who commanded the advanced guard, to fall back to a strong position in advance of Villiers. Danican had taken command only on the previous day, and the soldiers, believing that this order was but an act of arbitrary authority on his part, refused to move, and the bridge over the river Ouette, in front of Villiers, remained unguarded save by a squadron of cavalry. Kleber had just returned from visiting tb.e post, when he received a des- patch from I'Echelle, bidding him gi\e the order they had decided upon between them to the other two divisions. As no such arrangement had been made, Kleber was in ignorance of what was meant, but he sent a messenger to Beaupuy, who was at Chateau-Gontier, and to Bloss, who commanded a colimin of grenadiers, to join him as soon as possible. Bloss arrived early the next morning at the camp. Beaupuy moved forward, but as his whole force had not yet come up, he did not arrive at the camp at the same time. At eleven that night I'Echelle and the four generals now ACROSS THE LOIRE, 253 in the camp held a council. Westermann was extremely discontented at finding that the heights were not occupied; but, as Kleber remarked, the troops were utterly dissatis- fied at the way in which they had been handled, and at the unnecessary and enormous fatigues that had been im- posed upon them, and it Avas impossible to demand further exertions. Savary, one of the generals at the council, was well acquainted with Laval, and gave the advice that a portion of the army should follow the river for some dis- tance, and then take possession of the hills commanding the town. When Beaupuy arrived, his division moved forward at once as an advanced guard, but as the army was moving, a messenger arrived from I'Echelle, issuing orders in absolute contradiction of the plan that he had agreed to Avhen the council of war broke up. The orders were obeyed, but the generals again mot, and sent off a messenger to I'Echelle to remonstrate against the attack in one mass and a march by a single road, on a posi- tion that could be attacked by several routes, and to recom- mend that at least a diversion should be made by a false attack. WestermaiHi himself carried this remonstrance, but the commander-in-chief paid no attention to him. Advanc- ing, it was found that the Vendeans had taken up a position on the neglected heights. The cannon opened oti both sides, and Beaupuy was soon hotly engaged. Kleber ad- vanced his division to sustain him. L'Echelle coming up arrested the further advance of the division of Chrdbos. Savary rode back in haste to implore I'Echelle to order Chalbos to move to the light and attack the left flank of the enemy; but by this time the unfortunate wretch had completely lost his head, and instead of giving Chalbos orders to advance, ordered him to retreat, and himself fled in all haste. 2^* NO surrender! « Two columns that were posted a few miles in the rear received no orders whatever, and remained all day waiting for them. Kleber, seeing the division of Chalbos retiring m great disorder, felt that success was now impossible, and placed two battalions not yet engaged at the bridge to cover the retreat. But the panic was spreading, his orders were disobeyed, and the veterans of Mayence, as well as the division of Beaupuy, broke their ranks and fled. In vain the oflicers endoavoured to stay the flight the panic was complete. Their guns were left behind, 'and the Vendeans, pressing hotly on their rear, overtook and killed great numbers. BIoss, with his grenadiers, ad- vancing from Chateau-Gontier, tried in vain to arrest the flight of the fugitives, and he himself and his command were swept away by the mob and carried beyond the town A few hundreds of the soldiers alone were rallied, and pre- pared to defend the b.idge of Chateau-Gontier; but la Roche- jaquelein had sent a portion of his force to make a circuit and seize the town, so that the defenders of the bridge were exposed to a heavy fire from houses in their rear. Kleber, with a handful of men, held the bridge, and was joined by Bloss, who had been already wounded while passing through the town. He advanced to cross; Kleber and Savary in vain tried to stop him. "No," he said •' I will not survive the shame of such a day," and rush- ing forward with a small party fell under the fire of the advancing Vend.'ans. The pursuit was hotly maintained. Keeping on heights which commanded the road, the Ven- deans maintained an incessant fire of cannon and musketry It was already night, and this alone saved the Eepublican army from total destruction. Beaupuy received a ter- rible wound in the battle, and a great number of oflicers were killed in endeavouring to stop the panic. At last the ACROSS THE LOIRE. 255 pursuit ceased, and for a few hours the weary fugitives slept. Then they continued their retreat, and took up a strong position near the town of Angers, which was crowded with fugitives. L'Echelle came out to review the troops, who by the orders of their generals had already formed in order of battle, but was received with such yells of hatred and contempt that he was forced to retire. The representatives of the Convention offered Kleber the command of the army, but he refused, saying that Chalbos was of superior rank, and that it was he who should take the command. They agreed to this, and sent to FEchello, telling him to demand leave of absence on account of his health. A council of war was then held. The representatives of the Convention were favourable to a fresh advance of the urmy, but Kleber protested that at present there was no army. He said that the soldiers were utterly discouraged, that some battalions had but twenty or thirty men with the colours, that all were wet to the skin, utterly exhausted, many without shoes, and all dispiiited. Therefore he insisted that it was absolutely necessaiy that the army should be completely reorganized before undertaking a fresh forward movement. Their loss had indeed been extremely heavy, Kleber's division alone having lost over a thousand men. Bcaupuy had suffered even more heavily, Avhile the divisions of Chalbos and the grenadier^ of Bloss had also lost large numbers. The total Iocs ii-rnvling deserters, amounted to over four thousand. Tlie whole of the cannon of the two first divisions hr.d fallen into the hands of the enemy, the artillerymen having cut the traces. A large numbnr of ammunit)o,i waggons and a quantity of carts laden with provisions had also been capt'.ired 256 NO surrender! CHAPTER XIV. LE MANS. rPHE victory «•„„ by the V«,dea„s was one of the most J- .mportant of the war. Never had they f„„„ht ,vUh and promptly the orders of their generals. Napoleon after wards pronounced that the tactics pursued by la Kochejle em showed that he possessed the highest miLry gen s It was n,ght alone that saved the ronted army of the Re uM ' om ab«,l,.te destruction. It is probableVt at 2," ttorvtrrh'd '"^" " '"""' '"^ «°"p'-™« °'™ ™em7 H d- I """'f °' "■" '"»°'S'"'i-'"ion of the .nemy. Had .,e known it, he would doubtless i,ave attacked thorn aga,n on the following day, when he would have ex penenecd no resistance, could have captured Angers with- lc„ . ^''^^ <="'•"•■'"». "'""•ever, well content with their The crushing defeat that the Republicans had experi. need causcl an immense sensation at Paris, and uX ^wns Uuough which the Vendeans would p;ss on he way to the capital, which was at the time actually one "o t::oJT' '™ """«-"" '''■™ •'™" -' ^^•■«'> -".■-" " ^°» '«'"• seem to bear a charmed life," she said. "Leich has indeed once been hit, but it was not serious; you h!« eacaped altogether. What is going to be done nex ™ " e are going to rest here for ten days or so Thcr. - plenty of food to be had. and the rest wiH d„ wond:: LE MANS. for the men. Of rode back 257 Roche- course jaquelein. His opinion w.as, as it always has been, that a march on Paris Avill alone bring this terrible business to a close, but he knows that even his authority will not suffice to carry out such a plan. As long as they are in Brittany they are among friends and are still near their homes, but to turn their backs on these and march on Paris would appear so terrible an undertaking that, reckless as they are of their lives in battle, nothing would induce thorn to attempt it." After ten days' delay the Vendeans commenced their march towards the coast. The battle at Villiers was fought on the twenty-seventh. By the sixth of November they had captured the towns of Ern<5e and de Fougeres, defeat- Hig at the latter place three battalions. Dol Avas next captured, Mayenne opened its gates without resistance. The greatest efforts were made by the Republicans to place the seaports in a state of defence. Cherbourg would have been the best point for the fugitives to attack, as here they would have found an abundance of powder, of which they were in great need, and cannon, and hore they might have defended themselves until the promised help arrived from England. Granville, however, had been fixed upon by the British goverament; and the march thither was shorter, therefore it was against Granville that the attack was directed. A cc«8i.ierable portion of the force with the artillerj were left at Avranche.«. Although assured that th^ march to the sea A-as made in order t. obtain succour there- frow, England, there was much fear among the peasants that the intention of the chiefs was to embark"^ and to leave the array to its fate. Consequently they advanced against Granville witi less energy and enthusiasm (M672) _ 258 NO surrender! Ho\V( half a leagi lover, „„„ „ icciguo uuu or ine town they came a portion of the garrison, and repnised them so successfully that they entered one of the suburbs with them The garnson had for the most part shut themselves up in a fort Mdiich commanded the town, having erected a strong pal.sade across the streets leading to it. Four hurulred men occupied t us post. The Ycndeans had no axes to cut down the palisades nor powder to blow them in. They were therefore, obliged to content themselves with a musketr^; fire against it. As the garrison were well supplied with ammunition and kept up a constant fire, they sufTered heavily. When night came, the Vendeans scattered among the houses to find food, fire, and shelter, and all night the batt^enes on the heights played upon them. In the morning the Republicans redoubled their fire. It became evident that the town Itself could not be taken, and the mass of the Ven- deans without orders from their chiefs, began to retire, and in a short time the whole were in rapid retreat to Avranches. Ihere the cry was raised, "Ba.'k to La Vendee'" La Rochejaquelein, after halting his force on the main road a few hours, called upon the men to follow him to Caen but only one thousand did so; on arriving at a village he learned that the bulk of the army, instead of being behind him, had marched towards Pontorson. He was therefore forced to retrace his steps and to follow them and on overtaking them, found that they had already carried the bridge, driven away the enemy, and occupied the town The enemy were closing round them, but the capture of Pontorson deranged the plans of the Eepubli- cans. The place had been held by four thousand men and ten pieces of cannon, and as it could be approached only by a narrow defile, it was believed that it would be impossible for the Vendeans to force their wav intn it LE MANS, 259 was However, after three hours' fighting their desperate valour won the day, and the Republicans were routed with the loss of most of their cannon. The affair, indeed, appeared to the peasants to be a miracle granted ni their favour, and with renewed heart they marched the next night to Dol. Kleber was with a large force m this neighbourhood, but the impetuosity of Wester- mann again upset his plans. As soon as the latter heard that Fontorson had been carried by the Yendeans, and that they had marched to Dol, he pursued them with three thousand infantry, two hundred cavalry, and four cannon. He a.rived within a short distance of Dol at six in the evening and. without waiting for the infantry to come up, charged into the town, and for a moment spread confusion among the Vendeans. They, however, soon recovered from their surprise and drove the enemy out with loss. Westerman's infantry took no part in the action. Kleber was occupied in closing eA^ry route by which the Vendeans could leave Dol, but Uestermann, who had held no communication with him and knew nothing of his plans, marched with Marigny's division, with six thousand men, to attack the town. This he did at two o'clock in the morning. The Vend«^ans at once rushed to meet them, and first tried to turn the right, but they failed here, and also in an attack on the left- they fought, however, so fiercely that Westermann withdrew his troops to the position that they had occupied before attacking. The Vendeans, however, gave them no time to form in order of battle, but, heralding their charge with a heavy musketry fire, rushed down upon them. The enemy at once broke, and leaving their cannon behind them, con- tmued their flight till they reached Pontorson. In the mean- time Marceau was advancing with his division by another road, and the Vendeans, hearing this, ceased their ^^ suit of 260 NO SURRENDER! ^ estermanns rout^^d division and moved against him, and at four oclock m the morning atUicked him when within a league of Dol. A combat ensued tl>at lasted for three ho.n-s The \ endeans then drew off on lear.iir.g that the division of Muller was on the point of joining that of Marceau. Together these divisions could have forced their way into Dol, but Muller was hopelessly drunk, and, being the senior officer the greatest confusion arose, an^ <^ >A^ "S. 262 NO SURRENDER! prisoners they had taken in the battle. The victory seemed to open the way to the Loire, and the Vendeans steadily marched south through Mayenne and Laval and arrived i'^ f 1 ont of Angers. But the city was no longer in the defence less state m which it was when they firstiossed the Loire As soon as it was perceived to be the point for which the V ndeans ,ere marching, four thousand troops were thrown into It and all preparations made for a stout defence If they defend themselves as they ought to do" la Rochejaquelein said to two or three of his officers amon^ town. We have neither cannon to blow down the walls nor means of scaling them. Thirty-six hours is the utmo thl iiT ^^^^^^^P^^-'-^tions, Kleber and the rest of them will be up by that time. However-it is our so^e hope-possibly a panic may seize them when we attack- but even cowards will fight behind walls, and after our' allure at Granville, I have little hope of our taking Angers specially as they must know how soon their arnfy will be up. The affair was a repetition of that at Granville. The su'burbr T T '^'""'f P°^^'^^^°" '^ «"« ^^ the suburbs. Twenty pieces of cannon opened fire upon it rom the walls, while from the houses the Vendeans repHed iabouied to undermine the wall by one of the gates and partially succeeded. But day broke before the work was completed, and the defenders planted several cannon to beariipon them. The Vendeans were too much discouraged to make any further effort, and when, a few hours later, news came that the Republican army was fast approaching, and would reach the ground in an hour's time; they agat got into motion and pursued their hopeless joirney in eafch of some point where they could cross the river, if only to LE MANS 263 •y seemed 3 steadily rrived in ! defence- he Loire, '^hich the e thrown ;e. ) do," la s, among king the he walls 3 utmost •■ rest of our sole attack; fter our Angers, will be 3. The of the upon it replied of men es, and rk was non to uraged c, news ig, and lin got search nly to die in their beloved land. On the following day Kleber was reinforced by a column eight thousand strong from Cherbourg, and a reconnaissance was made along the road by which the Vendeans had retreated. They found every- where the bodies of men, women, and children who had succumbed to cold, fatigue, and misery. Westermann's cavalry set out in pursuit, Muller following with his division to support him Marceau was now appointed commander in-chief, pending the arrival of Turreau and Rossignol. The latter had, almost from the commencement of the war, intrigued against every general concerned in tho oi)erations, especially against Kleber. He was himself utterly without military talent, and owed his position simply to his devotion to the Convention and his readiness to denounce the men who failed to satisfy its anticipations of an easy victory, or who showed the slightest repugnance to execute its barbarous decrees. With the exception of some three thousand men who marched at the head of theVendean column, the fugitives were now utterly disheartened. Many hid their muskets, and, cutting sticks, thought that, being no longer armed,' they would not be molested by the enemy. Each night numbers stole away in groups of twos and threes in the hope of finding a boat on the bank of the river. Others scattered among the villages, their appearance exciting compassion; but fear of the troops was more powerful, and the men for the most part were seized and held prisoners. Of the hundred thousand men, women, and children who had crossed the Loire more than half were dead. Of those who remained, fully fifteen thousand were women and children. On the march Leigh always rode by the side of his sister, generally carrying the child before him. Jean, as one of I 264 NO surkendek! the leaclitig officers, now rode with Rochejaq.ielei.i at the than on that of the poor people who had to jom-ney o„ foot The cold was intense, and except whea they entered a town uH Jnf ' 'r V'^'' ^^•■^^••^'^"^- The horses wer: ™ out and half-famished, a great proportion of the fugitive in 01 de, to spare her the sight of the misery prevailiL among those who marched in the rear of the cohimn Le h dS/tet'' ';; r'''; '^ ''' ^-^^^^ °^ ^^^ ^^ aivision He himself, for the most part, walked on font lenc^^^ng his horse to some wounded man^r exhantd "^^^^^^^ march to Saumur and cross there, but the news irrivo.l hat a strong Kepublican force hid gathered he" Ii through La Fl^che to Le Mans. By this sudder nd unexpected movement Koehejaquelein Lped to ga^tin irhowL';"""? '"^ ''''' ''''■ ''^ ^---"" lesu t, however, was to excite a feeling of despair amoni. •, gn.at portion of them. Their backs ^ere now t 17. La \endde, and it seemed to them that their last ho. 1 c^f reaching their homes had vanished. Rochejaquele ' dea. however, was that in their present state of exhaustion was at eveiy point, and with over one hundred thous-u.d S eaud in t "^"'^■"-'^^^^^ ''''' '^ "^^^^h round through ^hateaudun, to come down on the Loire above Orleans and so to make his M-ay back into Poitou. ' X seemed, might possibly have been accomplished. Un- embarrassed by baggage-trains or cannon, ^the . asants could have outmarched their pursuers; but.' hamperrC LE MANS. 265 the crowd of wounded, sick, women, and children, the move- ment must be regarded as the inspiration of despair Ir eed, even the fighting men were no longer in a state to bear the at.gue. Bad and insufficient food had phiyed havoc with them. Dysentery was raging in their ranks, and many^could scarce drag themselves along. "We cannot conceal from ourselves that it is nearly over " Jean said, when he told his wife and Leigh that the route was changed. " We shall get to Le Mans, but the Kepub- hcans Av, 1 be on our heels, and one cannot doubt what the issue wdl be. Doubtless a small body will hang together and stdl try to regain La Vend.'.e; but we shall have done our duty. After our next defeat I will leave the army I shall not go without telling la Rochejaquelein of my inten- tions. He has more than once spoken to me of you both, and It was but two days ago that he said 'o me: 'Martin, you are not like the rest of i;s; you have an English wife, a.ul your brave young brother-i,i-law is English also. You have 10 thmk of them as well as of La Vendee. You can make your home m England, and live there until better times come '" Jt IS no longer a question o2 defending our country, it IS lost. ..harette is there now, and still fighting ; out as soon as we are disposed of, all these troops that have been hu.itmg us down will be free to act against him, a,.d he too must be crushed. The peasants have nowhere else to go, and It IS not with a desire to defend their homes which no longer exist, but to dio in their native land, that they seek to return. You have from the first done your utmost for La Vendee, but there can be no occasion that you should throw away your life, and those of your ^^ih and brother, now that the cause is utterly lost and all hope is at an end. Think this over. I do not say that iL is possible for you to escape, but the longer you stay with us the more difficult will it become.' 266 NO surrender! th.tl^'''' '''', """^ 'T ^^"^ ''^'" ^ <^«" '^i"^ that, feeling that V can no longer be of use. I am determined Jo makf approt."" "''' '' '"''^^ ^"^^''^"^ ^^^^^ y«"' h« ^i» haveVo^'f ^' '"' "?^'' '^'""- ^'" ""^ ^^" «^y that you can bl- 1 r' ^"? '" ^""^ '^'^""^^^^ ^« the\,tmost or ju tTr r" "'T t'"^' "^"' ^^" ^'■^" ^- ^-"•- f-'^iiy-" cavnl . f. I^^ "''f ^' *^^'^^' '^ ^^l"''^^^'^" ^f the enen.y's cavahy fell upoa the rear of the column. They killed many of the fugitives, but were too small in number to threaten the safety of the column, which kept on x n H it th?l .r °^''"'^^ -'^Sainst the cannon planted on the other side, the gun-boats that were guarding the river tTvo 1^' r?^' ";V' '''''' "^^''"^ ^^ ^h« '-k foS Eonn i^ r •' 1^ ^'^^"" '" ^^■"^■^- A detachment of lie, ubhcar.s hurned to attack them, but the Loir, an affluen of the Loire, was narrow, and the musketry fire of the mam body drove them away until t.o or three hundred men had crossed. La Kochejaquelein went over and took the command, and on their advance the Eenublicans TovelVtb^'^ '""f- J^-^^M-^--" then recZ d "and drove off the cavalry that were harassing the rear. Work ing desperately, a strong party threw beams acros the d vbreak fh '"' '"'^'''^''^^^ occupied the town daybreak. The weary fugitives slept till mid-day, when he enemy's cavalry reappeared, but Kochejaquele^ , w TurueTthem f'"'^"T ^^"'"'^' ^"^ ^^^^^^^ ^^em Ind pursued them for some distance towi; but ZTv^ I ^"''' T^'' ^^'^^'' ^PP^oached the thrm ^^T^V .i' r"i' '""^'^ ""' '-^"^ «P««dily scattered them. They then broke down the bridge that they had rep-ed, and started for Le Mans, whidi they captured after three-quarters of an hours fighting. Two'^dljs later LE MANS. 267 Kleber was m front of the town. Westermann and Mailer's divisions first approached. The two days' rest had re- animated the Vend^ans, a.id Midler's infantry were driven back three miles; but large reinforcements came up, and the peasants were forced to fall back again. Then AVestcrmann's cavalry charged into the town, carrying dismay among its defenders; but la Kochejaquelein and his officers soon reanimated them, and the cavalry were driven out of the town itself. They and the infantry that had come up were able, however, to maintain themselves in the suburbs. By this time la Kochejaquelein was aware that the armies of Brest, Cherbourg, and the west were all upon him. All through the night the battle went on without interruption. The Republican columns could gain no ground, and were frequently obliged to give way, but be- hind the Vendean line of defence panic was gaining ground among the fugitives. Three or four thousand escaped by the road to Laval, but the retreat of the rest was cut off by the cavalry. In the morning Kleber's division came up. Ihey at once relieved Marceau's division, which had been hghting all night, and renewed the attack. The resistance was feeble. A few hundred men disputed every foot of the way, and died with a consciousness that they had at least covered the retreat of the rest. A hot pursuit was at once organized, and v.hile all taken in the town were massacred at once, Westermann's cavalry pursued the fugitives in all directions, covering the plain with corpses and pressing hard on the rear of the force that still held together. Jean Martin had, the day before the Republican attack, gone with Leigh to la Rochejaquelein's quarters, and told him that he intended, if the town was captured by the enemy, to endeavour to save the life of his wife by flight " You are quite right," Rochejaquelein said warmly. " I h \ 268 NO SritKKNDER! entirely approve of your determination. As long as ten of my men hold together it is my duty to remain lith then' tor 1 have accepted the position of their commander' and I must share their fate to the end. But it is different with you. As the caiise of La Vend.^e. for which yo^fw fought, IS lost, your first duty now is to your wife. I trust that you will all three succeed in making your way to England, and enjoy there the peace and rest that none can have m unhappy France. I thank you for your gallant ser-vices. And I thank you in the nLe of L vtndde Leigh for the manner m which you have fought for her and also for the companionship that has so often cheered me dunng our last days. As for myself, I have no wish to Jive. I should feel dishonoured were the army I led to be exterminated, and I, who accepted the responsibility of leading it, to survive. We have the consolation at^Jeast that never in history has a people fought more bravely against overpowering odds than La Vend.5e has done: and though at present we are called brigands, I am sure that the world will acknowledge that we have fought like heroes for our country and our faith. Unfortunate as we may be I am proud to be one of those who have led them so often to victory. When will you go, my friend V "wi '''Ir'^J^ ^ '""'^^ ^°" ^^ ^^« ^^< Jean said. U hen the fight begins, Leigh and my wife will be ready at a point agreed on in the rear of the town. When all is lost I shall join them there. We shall ride until beyond pursuit, and then put on our disguises." . "'^,^^" ^.]'''^^ "°^ say good-bye to you now," Roche- ]aquele,n said. " Good-bye, Leigh - May Heaven keep you, and take you safely home again!" Leigh was too much affected to speak, and after a silent grasp of the hand of the gallant young soldier, he returned witn dean to the quarters they occupied. LFJ MANS. 269 " Now for our plans," Jean said. " They are as vague as ever, but we must settle now. It is (,uite evident that the alarm is so widely spread here in the west that it will be well-nigh impossible to pass through even a viUage without being questioned. Alen^on on the north has a strong garrison, at Mayeniie on the west is a division, and the whole country beyond will be alive with troops on the search for fugitives. It is only to the east that the road is open to us. I should say that the safest way will bo to travel so as to cross the Loir between Chateaudun and Nogent, and then come down on the road running south from Fontainebleau through Montargis. Travelling south through Nevers we should excite no suspicion. If ques- tioned, we can say that we are going to visit some friends at Macon. The unfortunate thing is that we have no papers, and I think that our story had best be that we belong to Le Mans, and fled in such haste when the town was captured by the Vendeans that we escaped just as we stood, and omitted to bring our papers with us. "Fortunately we all speak French without accent, and there is nothing about us to give rise to suspicion that we belong to La Vendee. If we can think of a more likely story as we go along, all the better. When we get as far as Macon, if we ever get there, we can decide whether to endeavour to cross the frontier into Switzerland or to go down to Toulon. Now remember, Patsey, my last in- junctions are that when you perceive, from the rush of fugitives, that all is over, and that any firing that may still be going on is but an attempt to cover the retreat, you must not wait for me, but as soon as the sound of combat approaches you will ride off with Leigh. You need not siippose, because I do not join you, that I am killed Ihe enemy may have pushed so far through the town that 1 may find it impossible to join you. But from whatever 270 NO SURUENDEll ! cause I tiirry, you are not to wait for mc. If I am shot It will bo a consolation to mo to know that yon will 1)0 away under your brother's protection. If I cscapo, I shall, ,f I make my way to England, have the hone of nieetn.g yo,i there, and shall not be haunted with the fear that you have delayed too long an.l have sacrificed your lives uselessly. I want you and him to give me your solemn pronu-se that you will act thus, and will, as soon as he considers that further delay "ill bo dangerous, ride off Icemembor that this is my last wisii, this is n.y last order." ^^ 1 wdl do as you wi.h, Jean," his wife said firmly, (^od has preserved us three thus far, and 1 trust that He will contuuio to do so. I shall have the less hesitation, because I think that alone you will have perhaps a better chance of escaping than with .is. At any rate, we will carry out your instructions. JJut should we miss each other, IS there no place where we can arrange to moot?" "I do not see that it is possible to make any arran-o- ments, Patsey. You may l)e turned out of your course by circumstances which it is impossil^lo to foresee, and the same may be the case with myself. Suppose we name