Monsieur d'Elbee said to him; for now that the duty assigned to him
had been performed, Leigh thought that he would be justified in
joining in the attack, with what remained of his band. "If I were
to get directly in their rear they would, on finding their retreat
cut off, fight so fiercely that I might be overpowered. Even the
most cowardly troops will fight, under those circumstances.
Therefore, while threatening their line of retreat, I still leave
it open to them. It is a maxim in war, you know, always to leave a
bridge open for a flying foe."

In a few minutes they reached the town. None had observed their
approach, the troops being assembled round the church. These were
at once thrown into confusion, when they found themselves attacked
with fury by a large force, of whose existence they had no previous
thought.

The Vendeans fought with desperate valour. The new levies for the
most part lost heart at once and, in spite of the efforts of
Berruyer and his officers, began to make for the line of retreat.
The movement was accelerated by an outburst of shouts from the
other side of the town, where Cathelineau's force poured in,
burning to avenge their former losses; and as they fell upon the
enemy, Bonchamp led out the defenders of the church, by a side
door, and joined in the fray.

Berruyer saw that all was lost. By great efforts he kept together
the gendarmes and regular troops, to cover the retreat; and fell
back, fighting fiercely. Bonchamp and his musketeers pressed hotly
upon them. The peasants made charge after charge and, as soon as
the force issued from the town, many of the peasantry set off at
full speed in pursuit of the fugitives, great numbers of whom were
overtaken and killed. Berruyer continued his retreat all night, and
entered Saint Lambert before morning; having lost the whole of his
cannon, and three thousand men, in this disastrous fight.

The joy of the Vendeans was unbounded. The stones were speedily
removed from the shattered doors of the church, mass was
celebrated, and the peasants returned thanks for their great
victory.

The gains were, indeed, considerable. Three thousand muskets had
fallen into their hands. They had recaptured the guns that they had
lost, and taken twelve others. Their own losses had been
heavy--eighteen hundred men had been killed, and a great number
wounded. But of this, at the time, they thought but little; those
who had died had died for their country and the