Battle of La Tremblaye

Lescure wounded during the battle, stained glass by Jean Clamens, Le Pin-en-Mauges, c.1890.

Date	15 October 1793
Location	Cholet
Result	Republican victory

Belligerents

First French Republic

Vendéens

Commanders and leaders

• Jean Léchelle
• Antoine Bard
• Michel de Beaupuy
• Jean-Baptiste Kléber
• François-Séverin Marceau-Desgraviers

• Maurice d'Elbée
• Louis Marie de Lescure†
• Charles de Bonchamps
• Charles de Royrand

Strength

15,000 men

25,000 men

Casualties and losses

1,200 to 1,500 dead

The battle of La Tremblaye (15 October 1793) took place near Cholet during the war in the Vendée, and was a Republican victory over the Vendéens.

The republican Army of Mainz continued its progress and burnt down everything in its way. On 13 October it took Clisson, then Tiffauges and Torfou on 14 October. On 13 October, Charles de Royrand and his 3,000 men of the Catholic and Royal Army of Centre took refuge in Mortagne after having been pushed back by the Luçon division of general Antoine Bard, strong of 3,500 soldiers who had burnt down Les Herbiers and La Verrie.

Nevertheless, the Vendéen generals decided to evacuate the town, to fall back on Cholet and sent the artillery to Beaupréau. The order was rapidly executed, on 15 October the troops of general Kléber entered in an abandoned Mortagne, where they found 1,500 republican prisoners whom the Vendéens had forgotten in their cells.

In the mean time, general Alexis Chalbos had regrouped his troops at Bressuire and headed on. The three republican armies converged towards Cholet where the decisive battle seemed to have to take place.

Vendéen generals D'Elbée, Lescure, Bonchamps and Royrand deployed their troops at Saint-Christophe-du-Bois. D'Elbée had sent a letter to Charette asking of him to attack the republicans by the side but he hadn't received any response.

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Wikipedia