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 l'Echelle, 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 army, 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 dispirited.
Therefore he insisted that it was absolutely necessary 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. Beaupuy had suffered even more
heavily; while the divisions of Chalbos, and the grenadiers of
Bloss had also lost large numbers. The total loss, including
deserters, amounted to over four thousand.

The whole of the cannon of the two first divisions had fallen into
the hands of the enemy, the artillerymen having cut the traces. A
large number of ammunition waggons, and a quantity of carts laden
with provisions, had also been captured.

Chapter 14: Le Mans.

The victory won by the Vendeans was one of the most important of
the war. Never had they fought with greater bravery. Never did they
carry out more accurately and promptly the orders of their
generals. Napoleon afterwards pronounced that the tactics pursued
by la Rochejaquelein showed that he possessed the highest military
genius.

It was night, alone, that saved the routed army of the Republic
from absolute destruction. It is probable that, at the time, the
Vendean general had no idea of the completeness of the victory that
he had won, or of the disorganization of the enemy. Had he known
it, he would doubtless have attacked them again on the following
day; when he would have experienced no resistance, could have
captured Angers without firing a shot, and could, had he chosen,
have recrossed the Loire. The Vendeans, however, well content with
their success, returned to Laval, and there enjoyed a week's quiet
and repose.

The crushing defeat that the Republicans had experienced caused an
immense sensation at Paris, and in the towns through wh