ieving that this order was but an act of arbitrary
authority on his part, refused to move; and the bridge over the
river Ouette, in front of Vihiers, remained unguarded save by a
squadron of cavalry. Kleber had just returned from visiting the
post, when he received a despatch from l'Echelle, bidding him give
the order they had decided upon between them to the other two
divisions. As no such arrangement had been made, Kleber was in
ignorance of what was meant; but he sent a messenger to Beaupuy,
who was at Chateau-Gontier, and to Bloss, who commanded a column of
grenadiers, to join him as soon as possible.

Bloss arrived early the next morning at the camp. Beaupuy moved
forward but, as his whole force had not yet come up, he did not
arrive at the camp at the same time.

At eleven that night l'Echelle and the four generals now in the
camp held a council. Westermann was extremely discontented, at
finding that the heights were not occupied; but as Kleber remarked,
the troops were utterly dissatisfied at the way in which they had
been handled, and at the unnecessary and enormous fatigues that had
been imposed upon them, and it was impossible to demand further
exertions. Savary, one of the generals at the council, was well
acquainted with Laval, and gave the advice that a portion of the
army should follow the river for some distance, and then take
possession of the hills commanding the town.

When Beaupuy arrived, his division moved forward at once, as an
advanced guard; but as the army was moving a messenger arrived from
l'Echelle, issuing orders in absolute contradiction of the plan
that he had agreed to, when the council of war broke up. The orders
were obeyed, but the generals again met, and sent off a messenger
to l'Echelle to remonstrate against the attack in one mass, and a
march by a single road, on a position that could be attacked by
several routes; and to recommend that at least a diversion should
be made, by a false attack. Westermann himself carried this
remonstrance, but the commander-in-chief paid no attention to him.

Advancing, it was found that the Vendeans had taken up a position
on the neglected heights. The cannon opened on both sides, and
Beaupuy was soon hotly engaged. Kleber advanced his division to
sustain him. L'Echelle, coming up, arrested the further advance of
the division of Chalbos. Savary rode back in haste, to implore
l'Echelle to order Chalbos to move to the right and attack the left
fl