The Republican commander, as
soon as he saw his first orders admirably executed, changed the
direction of his battery so as to sweep, successively, the valley of
the Nancon, the Queen's Staircase, and the base of the rock of
Fougeres. Two guns posted at the gate of Saint-Leonard scattered the
ant-hill of Chouans who had seized that position, and the national
guard of the town, rushing in haste to the square before the Church,
succeeded in dislodging the enemy. The fight lasted only half an hour,
and cost the Blues a hundred men. The Chouans, beaten on all sides,
retreated under orders from the Gars, whose bold attempt failed
(although he did not know this) in consequence of the massacre at La
Vivetiere, which had brought Hulot secretly and in all haste to
Fougeres. The artillery had arrived only that evening, and the news
had not reached Montauran; otherwise, he would certainly have
abandoned an enterprise which, if it failed, could only have bad
results. As soon as he heard the guns the marquis knew it would be
madness to continue, out of mere pride, a surprise which had missed
fire. Therefore, not to lose men uselessly, he sent at once to all
points of the attack, ordering an immediate retreat. The commandant,
seeing his adversary on the rocks of Saint-Sulpice surrounded by a
council of men, endeavored to pour a volley upon him; but the spot was
cleverly selected, and the young leader was out of danger in a moment.
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