etreat 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
approach, 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 therefore fell back to May and
Beaupreau.

The garrison that defended the chateau of Bois-Groleau repulsed the
repeated 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 Chemille, where he had
left his magazines. On hearing however that Leigonyer, on his
arrival at Vihiers, 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 Doug, Berruyer wrote to him to endeavour to
gather his forces together again, and to return to Chemille.

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 Gauvillier. That general had
already heard of the defeat of Leigonyer, and the retreat of
Berruyer. His force was greatly dispirited at the news, and offered
but a feeble resistance to the fierce assault. The Blues were
driven out of the town with the loss of their five cannon, and were
hotly pursued to Saint Florent, losing a large proportion of their
numbers on the way.

The news of this fresh disaster convinced Berruyer that he must
fall back without delay, and he accordingly retreated with his
whole force to Saint Lambert, whence he wrote to the Convention to
declare the impossibility of doing anything without large
reinforcements of regular troops, as no dependence whatever could
be placed upon the National Guards and volunteers and, if the
insurgents marched against him, he would be obliged to march to
Ponts-de-Ce in order to cover Angers, where the alarm of the
inhabitants was intense.

Thus the invasion that was to crush the Vendeans failed altogether,
except that some advantag