86 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1794. 



been rescued by them from prison, 

 or had after'Aards joined them. 

 Out of thofc gentVmcn a selection 

 was formed of excellent officers ; 

 at the head of whom was placed as 

 commander M. Delbee, a person 

 of long itandns and experience in 

 the service. 1 he vigorous frame 

 of bod}' of the numerous peasantry 

 of which the Vendean army con- 

 sisted, and the lofty sp rit and in- 

 vincib!ecour.ige of those inultitudes 

 of the young noblesse who flocked 

 from all parts to the in urgents, 

 gave an appearance of strength and 

 of lustre to their cause, which in- 

 spired its defenders with the warm- 

 est hopes. 



In the mic^st of these arrange- 

 ments, they still remained alarm- 

 ingly deficient in the most neces- 

 sary articles of war. TJiey wanted 

 arms, and could procure none, but 

 by taking them from their enemies: 

 tliey wanted also ammunition, and 

 every species of warlike stores. 

 The first ouject, therefore, that en- 

 gaged their attention, was to ob- 

 tain these in a sufficiency to supply 

 the vast nuinbers of their people. 

 Herein they succeeded through in- 

 cessant attacks on the repuhlicau 

 troops, wliom they constanil) dis- 

 comfited. In a short time, through 

 repeated \ictc;rie^, they became 

 possesL,ed of immei'.se quantities of 

 military necessaries; and at the 

 same time struck a panic into the 

 enen\y, from which it was long be- 

 fore he recovered. 



The plan they first adopred was 

 entirely detensive. Swayed hy those 

 among thetn who.-e knowledge and 

 experience in the conductin.^ of 

 ■war entitled them to pro;.er defe- 

 rence, ti)cy avoided ail unneces'ary 

 risks, and keptwithin theliinitsof 

 their own country, saliyiug forth 



only to procure arms, ammunition, 

 and such implement; of war as 

 they ab-iolately needed. T'.e face of 

 theircountry being rugged, uneven, 

 vVoody, intersected by marshes, and 

 altogether difficuh of access, se- 

 cured them sufficiently against any 

 suddi n surprize from the enemy. 

 The three divi-^ions of their iirmy 

 were .so advantagrou ly po ted, as 

 easily to as isl each other m case of 

 need; and the many defilesand nar- 

 row passes, enabled men of i;eniu8 

 to thiow continual obstacles in the 

 way of the nio t numeJ^ous foe. 

 Notwi.hstanding the superi rity of 

 an enemy re,,ularly supplied with 

 all he might want for carying on 

 hisojje atio:)S,orto repair hi> losses, 

 such \\as the activity and igilance 

 of those wlio commanded the Vep- 

 deans, that during the space of 

 more fliaii five months, from the 

 middle of March to the end of Juh', 

 they led them to perpetual victo- 

 ries, that succeeded each other witl> 

 daily rapidity. History can hardly 

 fnr ish a parallel to the career of 

 success that so long attended this 

 obstinate and spirited insurrection. 

 Whi'e the Vendeans wt-re ihu5 

 trinmpharit in the fie'd, they en- 

 deavoured to cstabli.-h a govern- 

 mentamong themselves.on the same 

 plai. thdthad pri vaileduncier the old 

 monarci.y. 'I'he alfairs of ilie pro- 

 vince ^vcre managed by a st,ipreme 

 council acting under the autlionty 

 of the crown, and acknowledging 

 the late king's brother, the Count 

 of Pnnence, the rc-gei!t of the 

 kingdom. I'he political views of 

 this council extended no farther 

 than to secure tiie country from 

 the attempts of the repub ican go- 

 vernment, and to protract the stand 

 they w-re m.iking against it, long 

 er,oii"h to afford lime to tho.se 



among 



