t as a whole army was opposed to him, the success was but brief.
After a desperate struggle the village was again lost, and the
Huguenots fell back, contesting every foot of the ground, along a
raised causeway.

The enemy were, however, fast outflanking them; and they were on
the point of destruction when Conde arrived, with three hundred
knights with whom he had ridden forward, leaving the infantry to
follow, as soon as Coligny's message for help had reached him.

He himself was in no condition for battle. His arm had been broken by
a cannon shot and, just as he reached the scene of battle, his hip
was fractured by the kick of a horse ridden by his brother-in-law,
La Rochefoucault. Nevertheless he did not hesitate but, calling on
his little band to follow him, rode full at a body of eight hundred
of the Catholic cavalry.

For a time the struggle was a desperate one. The Huguenots
performed prodigies of valour; but the Royalists were reinforced,
and the devoted band melted away. One Huguenot nobleman, named La
Vergne, fought surrounded by twenty-five of his kinsmen whom he
brought into the field. He himself, and fifteen of his followers,
fell in a circle. Most of the others were taken prisoners.

At last Conde's horse was killed under him and fell, pinning him to
the ground. Conde raised his visor, and surrendered to two knights
to whom he was known. They raised him from the ground respectfully;
but as they did so Montesquieu, captain of Anjou's guards, rode up
and, drawing a pistol, shot Conde in the back, killing him almost
instantaneously. Several other Huguenot nobles were killed in cold
blood, after they had surrendered.

But Conde's magnificent charge had not been without effect, for it
enabled the Admiral to draw off from the field, without further
loss. The accounts of the number of killed and wounded differ, but
numerically it was very small. The Huguenot infantry were not
engaged at all, with the exception of a small body of the regiment
of Plupiart. But of their cavalry nearly four hundred were killed
or taken prisoners, and of these a hundred and forty were nobles
and gentlemen, the flower of the Huguenot nobility. Among the
prisoners were La Noue, Soubise, La Loue, and many others of
distinction.

Coligny's retreat was not interfered with. The satisfaction of the
Catholics at the death of Conde was so great that they were
contented to rest upon their success. There were great rejoicings
throughout