as given his freedom,
without conditions. Although he knew well that neither his long
services, nor the efforts that he had made, would save him from the
fury of the Convention; he returned to Paris where, after the
mockery of a trial, he 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 Vendeans either to march against Leigonyer--the remnant of
whose army was in a state of insubordination at Doug, 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
threatened by the presence of the Blues at Fontenay, Parthenay, and
Chataigneraie, were so strongly in favour of the other 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 continued 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 Republicans were strong in cavalry, and a
portion of these fell on the flank of the Vendeans, while the
remainder charged them in rear. They fell into disorder at once,
and the cavalry captured a portion of their artillery.

The Republican infantry, seeing the success of their cavalry,
advanced stoutly and in good order. In vain the leaders of the
Vendeans strove to reanimate their men, and induce them to charge
the enemy. The panic that had begun spread rapidly and, in a few
minutes, they becam