Insurrection in the Vendée 1793

Map of insurrection in the "Vendée militaire," comprising la Vendée, les Mauges, and the north part of Deux-Sèvres. From Ormières, Histoire d'Anjou

With its strong religious loyalties, it should come as no surprise that Anjou was the focal point of resistance to the anti-Catholic, anti-royalist policies of the Revolution. Edicts of the new government had slowly chipped away at the power of the Church, not only in the institutions of power, but in the course of daily life. The old calendar was replaced with a new one, based on the same decimal system that was the basis for a unified system of weights and measures, and thus Church holidays disappeared along with other familiar dates. Church and royal property was confiscated and either dedicated to a new use, or razed completely. For example, the préfecture of Angers came to be housed in the monastery church of Saint-Aubin, and noble tombs were destroyed. People who had taken holy orders were released from their perpetual monastic vows (February 1790), and clergy were asked to swear loyalty to the new Constitution (July 1790). A breaking point came when King Louis XVI was executed in January of 1793.

Insurrection erupted in the Mauges, where 90% of the clergy refused to take the loyalty oath and parishoners continued to worship with their local priests. Cathelineau was the first general to command the organized forces known as the "Grande armée catholique et royale", the Great Royal and Catholic Army. Fighting was heavy in the summer of 1793, and in August 1793, Committee of Public Safety member Barère vowed the total destruction of the Vendée. The insurrectionists rested briefly in Angers in June before heading west toward Nantes. After receiving a mortal wound there, Cathelineau was succeeded by Bonchamps, who did not survive the disastrous Battle of Cholet in October 1793. On his deathbed, Bonchamps pardoned 4000 prisoners, among them the father of sculptor David d'Angers. It is this gesture that is remembered in the extraordinary memorial of the leader designed by David and erected in Saint-Florent-le-Vieil in 1825. Fighting continued into 1794, and beyond; binding treaties could not be negotiated and guerillas continued the struggle. Late in 1799, Napoleon Bonaparte proposed amnesty for the Vendéens, and freedom of Catholic worship. On 18-19 January 1800, a peace accord was signed in Montfaucon.

David d'Angers, Tomb of Bonchamps, plaster cast in Galerie David d'Angers

Numerous memorials of this period can be found throughout Anjou. Martyrs to the cause were created when the military tribunal was established in Angers in July 1793, and loyalists were guillotined in the Place du Ralliement. A Field of Martyrs (Champ des Martyrs) is remembered in Avrillé, where another guillotine was set up in 1794. Here, the Chapel of Saint-Louis-des-Martyrs houses a memorial to these dead, beatified by Pope John Paul II in February of 1984. Large numbers of bound prisoners were drowned in the Loire when the bridge at Ponts-de-Cé collapsed . Their memorial cross can be found at la Prée de Sainte-Gemmes.

Champ de martyrs, at Avrillé. From http://gvendee.free.fr/.

On the other side, martyrs for the new Republic were made at Roche de Mûrs when 600 soldiers jumped off an escarpement into the Loire rather than face 10,000 Vendéens.

Much of the history of nineteenth-century France involves the changing balance of power between two sides: atheist, republicans on one hand, and royalist catholics on the other. In a kind of compromise, a constitutional monarchy was in power from 1815 to 1848. 1825 marked the enactment of a law granting indemnity to former emigres (the nobles who had left France during the Revolution and plotted treason against the government.) In the same year, the monument erected to Bonchamps emphasized reconciliation. Sculptor David d'Angers was an avid republican, and himself a member of the government, but wrote in his notebooks praise for "la leçon de générosite à tous les partis qui se dévorent dans les guerres civiles.", "the lesson of generosity for all those who destroyed themselves in the civil wars."


Personalities of the Period

La Marseillaise vendéenne
 
On the body of a parish leader, killed 16 May 1793, this Vendéen version of La Marseillaise was found.
 
Allons, armées catholiques,
Le jour de gloëre est arrivé.
Contre nous de la République
L'étendard sanglant est lev.é (bis)
Ontondez-ve dans quiés campagnes,
Les cris impurs dos scélérats !
Gle venant jusque dans vos bras
Prondre vos feilles et vos femmes.
Aux armes, Poitevins !
Formez vos bataillaons;
Marchez, marchez, le sang dos Bllus
Rogira vos seillaons ! (bis)
 
Published in l'indicateur de la Vendée on 24 Jully 1881, A.D.V., 52J4

CATHELINEAU (Jacques) Colporteur de métier, Cathelineau (Le Pin en Mauges, 1759-Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, 1793) est nommé généralissime de l'armée "catholique et royale" par les autres chefs vendéens. Alors qu'il attaque Nantes, il est mortellement blessé le 24 juin 1793. Sa droiture, son désintéressement, sa piété le feront surnommer "le saint de l'Anjou".

BONCHAMPS (marquis Charles de) Un des grands chefs vendéens, Bonchamps (Juvardeil, 1760-Saint Florent-le-Vieil, 1793) est grièvement blessé à la bataille de Cholet en 1793. Il meurt le lendemain après avoir gracié 4.000 prisonniers. Sa statue, sculptée par David d'Angers dans ce geste de pardon, trône dans l'abbatiale de Saint-Florent-le-Vieil.

ELBÉE (Maurice Gigost d') Général vendéen, d'Elbée (Dresde, 1752-Noirmoutier, 1794) accorde, comme Bonchamps plus tard, la grâce à des prisonniers républicains que ses soldats veulent, par vengeance, massacrer. Pour les inciter au pardon, il leur fait réciter le Pater. En juillet 1793, il succède à Cathelineau comme généralissime de l'armée "catholique et royale". Blessé le 17 octobre à la bataille de Cholet, il est fusillé par les Bleus en 1794.

LA ROCHEJAQUELEIN (comte Henri de) Né en Vendée en 1772, La Rochejaquelein s'impose dès mars 1793 comme l'un des principaux chefs de l'insurrection vendéenne. Celui qui avait lancé avec fougue aux paysans venus le chercher: "Si j'avance suivez-moi! Si je recule, tuez-moi! Si je meurs vengez-moi!", succède à d'Elbée comme généralissme de l'armée "catholique et royale". Battu à Savenay, il se livre à la guérilla, mais tombe, tué par un fuyard bleu, le 28 janvier 1794.

STOFFLET (Jean Nicolas) Originaire de Lorraine, Stofflet (1758-1796) arrive dans les Mauges en tant que garde-chasse et va devenir l'un des chefs de la résistance vendéenne. Après avoir participé à la bataille de Cholet (1793), c'est l'un des rares généraux à suivivre à la dramatique virée de Galerne. Quand, en 1794, La Rochejacquelein meur, c'est lui qui le remplace. Début 1795, il s'oppose à Charrette, lui reprochant de signer le traité de pacification de La Jaunaye. Mais en mai, il traite à son tour avec le Directoire en échange d'une certaine reconnaissance de son autorité sur les Mauges. En janvier 1796, il rompt la trêve et reprend les armes. Il sera arrêté quelques semaines plus tard et fusillé à Angers.

Part 5: Napoleon, Director, Consul, Emperor

Websites of Interest

La Vendée
Regional site of the department. See especially the pages on History, where the Vendeen version of La Marseillaise is found.
Les guerres de Vendée
A very full site by Marie-Pierre, including survey of churches and stained glass devoted to the subject. In French. Permission has been granted to reproduce a few images and materials from this site.

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