First Battle of Châtillon

Part of the War in the Vendée

Date	5 July 1793
Location	Châtillon
Result	Vendéen victory

Belligerents

First French Republic

Vendéens

Commanders and leaders

François-Joseph Westermann

Henri de La Rochejaquelein

Jean-Nicolas Stofflet

Louis Marie de Lescure

Charles de Bonchamps

Gaspard de Marigny

Units involved

Army of the Coasts of La Rochelle

Catholic and Royal Army

Strength

6,500 men
8 cannons

25,000 men

Casualties and losses

2,000 killed
3,000 prisoners
(of which 2,000 wounded)

approximately 2,000 deaths, unknown injuries

The First Battle of Châtillon (5 July 1793) during the War in the Vendée saw the Vendean Royalists defeat a French Republican raiding force led by François-Joseph Westermann. The rebel Catholic and Royal Army virtually destroyed the Republican column, only Westermann and a few hundred cavalrymen escaping the disaster. The Vendée revolt was a bitter civil war waged between those who supported the French Revolution and rural farmers who resented the new government's anti-Catholic laws and conscription decrees.

The general François-Joseph Westermann had managed to reach the heart of Vendée. Châtillon, the capital of the Vendéens, had been taken. Most of the Catholic and Royal Army had been pushed back during the Battle of Nantes, and the chief general Jacques Cathelineau was severely wounded. Nonetheless, the Vendéens had to react to the upcoming raid, Charles de Bonchamps, Nicolas Stofflet and Gaspard de Bernard de Marigny grouped their troops at Cholet. On the morning of 5 July, they joined Henri de La Rochejaquelein and Louis Marie de Lescure in front of Châtillon.

At 10 in the morning, the cannon of Marie-Jeanne gave the signal of the attack. After having approached silently, a first column of Vendéens led by Bonchamps, Lescure and La Rochejaquelein attacked the republicans on the Western plateau of Château-Gaillard. Taken by surprise and frightened by the shouts and the number of their enemies, the republicans fled and ran in disorder down the steep plateau. While pulling back to Châtillon, they fell on the second column of Vendéens, led by Stofflet and Marigny, and soon the battle spread into the town. The general Westerman didn't have time to organize his troops, he took his horse and joined the cavalry, fleeing towards Bressuire.

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Wikipedia