which commanded the town; having
erected a strong palisade across the streets leading to it. Four
hundred men occupied this post.

The Vendeans had no axes to cut down the palisades, nor powder to
blow then in. They were therefore obliged to content themselves
with a musketry fire against it. As the garrison were well supplied
with ammunition, and kept up a constant fire, they suffered
heavily.

When night came, the Vendeans scattered among the houses to find
food, fire, and shelter; and all night the batteries on the heights
played upon them.

In the morning the Republicans redoubled their fire. It became
evident that the town itself could not be taken, and the mass of
the Vendeans, without orders from their chiefs, began to retire,
and in a short time the whole were in rapid retreat to Avranches.

There the cry was raised, "Back to La Vendee!"

La Rochejaquelein, after halting his force on the main road a few
hours, called upon the men to follow him to Caen; but only one
thousand did so. On arriving at a village he learned that the bulk
of the army, instead of being behind him, had marched towards
Pontorson. He was therefore forced to retrace his steps and to
follow them and, on overtaking them, found that they had already
carried the bridge, driven away the enemy, and occupied the town.

The enemy were closing round them, but the capture of Pontorson
deranged the plans of the Republicans. The place had been held by
four thousand men and ten pieces of cannon and, as it could be
approached only by a narrow defile, it was believed that it would
be impossible for the Vendeans to force their way into it. However,
after three hours' fighting, their desperate valour won the day,
and the Republicans were routed, with the loss of most of their
cannon.

The affair, indeed, appeared to the peasants to be a miracle
granted in their favour; and with renewed heart they marched the
next night to Dol. Kleber was with a large force in this
neighbourhood, but the impetuosity of Westermann again upset his
plans. As soon as the latter heard that Pontorson had been carried
by the Vendeans, and that they had marched to Dol, he pursued them
with three thousand infantry, two hundred cavalry, and four cannon.
He arrived within a short distance of Dol at six in the evening
and, without waiting for the infantry to come up, charged into the
town, and for a moment spread confusion among the Vendeans.

[Illustration: Westermann's cav