south towards Cognac; while the Duc d'Anjou moved in the same
direction.

Both armies reached the river Charente at the same time, but upon
opposite sides. The Royalists seized the town of Chateau Neuf,
halfway between Jarnac and Cognac; and set to work to repair the
bridge, which had been broken down by the Huguenots. Their main
army marched down to Cognac, and made a pretence of attacking the
town.

The Huguenots were spread over a long line; and the Admiral, seeing
the danger of being attacked while so scattered, sent to Conde, who
commanded the most advanced part of the army opposite Chateau Neuf,
begging him to retire. Conde, however, with his usual rashness,
declined to fall back; exclaiming that a Bourbon never fled from a
foe.

The troop of Francois de Laville was with a large body of horse,
commanded by the Count de la Noue. Life had passed quietly at the
chateau, after the repulse of the attack; for the occupation of
Niort by a large force, under the Admiral, secured Laville from any
risk of a repetition of the attack.

The garrison and the whole of the tenantry, after they had erected
huts for their families, devoted themselves to the work of
strengthening the defences. Flanking towers were erected at the
angles of the walls. The moat was doubled in width, and a work
erected beyond it, to guard the approach across the drawbridge. The
windows on the unprotected side were all partially closed with
brickwork, leaving only loopholes through which the defenders could
fire. The battlements of the wall were raised two feet and pierced
with loopholes, so that the defenders would no longer be obliged to
raise their heads above its shelter to fire; and the narrow path
was widened by the erection of a platform, so as to give more room
for the men to use their weapons.

A garrison, composed of fifty of the younger men on the farms, took
the place of the troop when it rode away.

Anjou had prepared several bridges, and suddenly crossed the river
on the night of the 12th of March; the movement being so well
managed that even the Huguenot divisions in the neighbourhood were
unaware, until morning, of what was taking place. As soon as the
Admiral was informed that the enemy had crossed in great force,
messengers were sent off in all directions, to order the scattered
divisions to concentrate.

The operation was a slow one. Discipline was lax, and many of the
commanders, instead of occupying the positions assigned