you die, you die as
martyrs to your faith and loyalty, and no man could wish for a
better death.

"All is not lost, yet. Defeat the Blues, and Brittany may yet rise;
besides, we are promised aid from England. At any rate, La Vendee
has been true to herself through over six months of terrible
struggle. La Vendee may perish. Let the world see that she has been
true to herself, to the end."

The fugitive priests with the army seconded the efforts of the
officers and, by nightfall, a feeling of resolution and hope
succeeded the depression caused by the terrible events of the
preceding thirty-six hours; and it was with an air of calmness and
courage that the march was recommenced, on the following morning.

The instant that it became known that the Vendeans had crossed the
Loire, a panic seized the Republicans at Nantes; and messengers
were sent to implore the commander-in-chief to march with all haste
to aid them should, as they believed, the Vendeans be marching to
assail the town. Kleber with his division started at once, followed
more slowly by the main body of the army.

Another column advanced to Saint Florent and, obtaining boats,
crossed the river and entered Angers; to the immense relief of the
Republicans there, who had been in a state of abject terror at the
presence, so near them, of the Vendeans. Kleber marched with great
rapidity, passed through Nantes without stopping, and established
himself at the camp of Saint Georges.

The news of what was termed the glorious victory at
Chollet--although in point of fact the Republicans fell back, after
the battle, to that town--caused the greatest enthusiasm in Paris,
and the Convention and the Republican authorities issued
proclamations, which were unanimous in exhorting the army to pursue
and exterminate the Vendeans.

By the twenty-third, the whole of the French army was in readiness
to march in pursuit. Kleber was still in the camp of Saint Georges,
Chalbos was at Nantes with a corps d'armee, Beaupuy was at Angers.

The Vendeans had marched through Cande and Chateau-Gontier, and had
without difficulty driven out the Republican force stationed at
Laval. L'Echelle, the commander-in-chief, was profoundly ignorant,
supine, and cowardly; and owed his position solely to the fact that
he belonged to the lower class, and was not, like Biron and the
other commanders-in-chief, of good family. Remaining always at a
distance from the scene of operations, he confused th