ounded; but a body of the
Vendean infantry, coming up, took the cuirassiers in flank with
their fire, and they fell back into Saumur.

General Menou 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 Vendeans,
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 "Treason!" and galloped back to the town.

The line regiments and gendarmes, pressed more and more hotly, and
finding themselves without support, withdrew 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 handful of
cavalry was to ride to almost certain death, Weissen 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 cavalry were almost annihilated, and Weissen
was desperately wounded, two or three of his men alone riding back.

The main force of Coustard's 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 Rochejaquelein, by whose side Leigh and a small party of
gentlemen rode, had made a succession of desperate charges into the
midst of the fugitives; and he now said to Leigh and three other
gentlemen:

"Come along, we will see what they are doing in the