ch the Vendeans, in
spite of failure and losses, were ever ready to renew their attack,
speedily lost heart.

In two hours the right fell back in disorder, the panic spread and,
in a short time, the rout became general. In vain the officers
endeavoured to check the fugitives. So great was their terror that,
in three hours, the panic stricken mob traversed the distance
between Vihiers and Saumur.

Thus the second great invasion of La Vendee had met with no greater
success than the first. The two strong columns that had advanced,
in full confidence of success, had returned utterly discomfited.
Westermann's division had been all but annihilated. The army from
Saumur had lost great numbers of men, and had for the time ceased
to be a military body. The Bocage, with its sombre woods, its thick
hedges, and its brave population, seemed destined to become the
grave of the Republican army; and the order to advance into it was,
in itself, sufficient to shake the courage of those who boasted so
loudly, when at a distance.

It was the grave, too, of the reputation of the French generals.
One after another they had tried, failed, and been disgraced. The
first general, Marce, was superseded by Berruyer; Berruyer by
Biron, who was recalled and guillotined. Westermann was also tried,
but having powerful friends, was acquitted. Generals of divisions
had come and gone in numbers. Some had been dismissed. Some, at
their own urgent request, allowed to return to the districts they
commanded before the outbreak of the insurrection. But one and all
had failed. One and all, too, had never ceased, from the time they
joined the army of invasion, to send report after report to the
Convention, complaining of the untrustworthiness of the troops, the
bad conduct and uselessness of the officers, and the want of a
sufficient staff to maintain discipline and restore order.

Indeed, the bulk of the revolutionary troops possessed little more
discipline than the Vendeans themselves and, being uninspired, as
were the latter, by a feeling either of religion or of patriotic
enthusiasm, they were no match for men who were willing to give
their lives for the cause.

The Vendeans were far better armed than when they commenced the
struggle. Then the proportion of men who were possessed of muskets
or firearms of any kind was extremely small; but now, thanks to the
immense quantity which had been captured in the hands of prisoners,
thrown away by fugitives,