HISTORY OF EUROPE. 



83 



no longer able to contain them- 

 selves wthin the bounds of discre- 

 tion, necessary to gain time suffici- 

 ent to prepare for the bold deisign 

 they instantly formed, and deter- 

 inined without delay to execute. 

 This design was, to rise in a general 

 mass thoughout '.hi whole depart- 

 ment, and attack the republican 

 party in every quarter. Tiiis da- 

 ring measure was suggested to them, 

 by the numerous individuals, of 

 tonrage and character, who had 

 suffered for the royal cause, and 

 taken refuge among them. These 

 men no longer concealed them- 

 selves ; they appeared in public, 

 avowed their purpose, and openly 

 encouraged the multitude to join 

 them. They succeeded to the 

 utmost of their wishes. The pea- 

 santr)' of the whole province una- 

 nimously submitted themselves to 

 their direction, and immediately 

 proceeded to action. Armed with 

 clubs, pitchforks, scythes, axes, and 

 similar instruments, they fell upon 

 the municipal soldiery with such 

 fury, that these were unable to 

 resist so sudden and unexpected an 

 attack. They were compelled to 

 resign their arms to the insurgents, 

 who supplied themselves from the 

 public magazines with all the war- 

 like utensils of which they stood in 

 need. Elated with their success, 

 they spread themselves over the 

 whole country-, inviting all men to 

 follow their example. They broke 

 open the prisons, and set at liberty 

 all those who are detained there 

 for adhering to the royal cause. 

 Numbers of the noblesse and clergy 

 were thus delivered from confine^ 

 ment, and became a powerful ad- 

 dition to the Vendcaus, from the 

 weight of their character, an;i the 

 ft iperiority of ibeir abilities. Tli<ey 



organized those raw but resolute 

 multitudes, and by these means ad- 

 ded immensely to their strength, 

 and inspired them with fresh vi- 

 goar. These transactions took 

 place in the beginning of March. 



This insurrection, which had in 

 its commencement appeared no 

 other than a mere ebullition of po- 

 pular phrenzy, which timely firm- 

 ness would easily suppress, assumed, 

 in a short time, an aspect of the 

 deepest alarm. An extent of coun- 

 try, more than a Imndred miles^ 

 had openly thrown off obedience 

 to the Convention, and taken up 

 arms against it. What was still 

 more terrifying, all the discoiitent- 

 ed hasted from ever)' part of France 

 to their assistance ; and these were 

 the more formidable, that they con- 

 sisted in a large proport:on of offi- 

 cers and militar)' men of all ranks, 

 who had cither been discharged on 

 suspicion, or had quitted the service 

 out of disgust. The order and ar- 

 rangement introduced by their 

 means among the numerous and 

 fierce peasantry that received them 

 with open arms contributed in a 

 short time to reform them to a de- 

 gree of discipline and subordLna- 

 tion sufficient to qualify them to 

 meet any troops that could at first 

 be opposed to them. The regular 

 forces of the nation were occupied 

 on the frontiers against the coa- 

 lesced powers; and die Convention 

 could provide no otlier troops 

 against the Vendeans than such as 

 were as inexperienced as them- 

 selves. Against armies of this na- 

 ture the Vendeans marched with a 

 confidence and resolution tliat con- 

 stantly procured them the most de- 

 cisive victories. 



Among other measures adopted 



by the insurgents to preserve them- 



' f 2 selves 



