Henri du Vergier,comte de la Rochejaquelein(French pronunciation:[ɑ̃ʁidyvɛʁʒjekɔ̃tdəlaʁɔʃʒaklɛ̃];30 August 1772 – 28 January 1794)[1]was the youngest general of theRoyalistVendéan insurrectionduring theFrench Revolution.At the age of 21, he served ascommander-in-chiefof theCatholic and Royal Army.
Henri du Vergier de la Rochejaquelein | |
|---|---|
 Henri de la RochejaqueleinbyPierre-Narcisse Guérin,c. 1816 | |
| Born | 30 August 1772 Mauléon,Kingdom of France |
| Died | 28 January 1794(aged 21) Nuaillé,French First Republic |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of FranceRoyalist rebels |
| Service | French Royal Army |
| Years of service | 1790–1794 |
| Rank | Generalissimo |
| Commands | Catholic and Royal Army |
| Battles / wars |
|
Biography
editEarly activities
editBorn in the Château de la Durbelière,Saint-Aubin-de-Baubigné,nearChâtillon,La Rochejaquelein joined the Royal Polish Regiment, of which his father was colonel, in 1787.[2]In February 1789 he became a member of the Flanders regiment of chasseurs.[3]In March 1792 he became a member of theConstitutional Guard,charged with protecting theKing of France.[4]He fought for the first time defending theTuileries Palaceon the10 August 1792 attack,as an officer of the Constitutional Guard of KingLouis XVI.
Returning to his home province, he refused to comply with thelevée en massecalled by the outbreak of theFrench Revolutionary Warsand joined his cousinLouis Marie de Lescureon the latter'sestatesinPoitou.
Rebellion
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Resistance to conscription soon escalated into a full rebellion, known as theWar in the Vendée.Soon after, De la Rochejaquelein and his compatriots started fighting the troops of theFrench RepublicwithMaurice d'Elbéeand theMarquis de Bonchampsfrom April 1793. There, he gave his famous order, "Mes amis, si j'avance, suivez-moi! Si je recule, tuez-moi! Si je meurs, vengez-moi!"(literal translation:" Friends, if I advance, follow me! If I retreat, kill me! If I die, avenge me! ").
Leading a few thousand Vendéan peasants, De la Rochejaquelein gained his first victory over theFrench Revolutionary Armyon 13 April, took part to the taking ofBressuireon 3 May,[5]in theBattle of Fontenay-le-Comteon 25 May and in theBattle of Saumuron 9 June. At Fontenay he was famous for his contempt for danger, wearing three red handkerchiefs; on his head, around his neck and at his waist to defy the Republican gunners.[6]After Fontenay his companions decided that they would also wear three red handkerchiefs so that De la Rochejacquelin could not be singled out.[7]
In August, after theBattle of Luçon,he regrouped the Vendéan army, which was on the verge of being disbanded, and won theBattle of Chantonnayon 5 September. On 13 September the thumb of his right hand was shattered by a bullet during an engagement with Republicans atMartigné-Briandbut he continued to fire at his opponents. His famous portrait byPierre-Narcisse Guérinshows him with his right arm in a sling, shooting with his left hand.[8]He had to retreat across theLoireafter being beaten in theSecond Battle of Cholet,on 17 October.
Final months
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On 20 October, De la Rochejaquelein was unanimously elected ascommander-in-chiefof theCatholic and Royal Army,replacing D'Elbée who had been severely wounded in Cholet. However, his bravery did not compensate for his lack of experience and strategic skills. He marched ontoGranville,tookAvrancheson 12 November but failed to seize Granville and retreated toAngersin order to cross the Loire.
Larger forces underFrançois Séverin Marceau,Jean Baptiste Kléber,andFrançois Joseph Westermanngave chase, defeating him once inLe Manson 12 December and again, more severely, on 23 December inSavenay.After this decisive rout, the Catholic and Royal Army was no longer a fighting force; De la Rochejacquelein had to take to the woods disguised as a peasant.[9]He managed to save the remains of his army by crossing the Loire, and left under the criticism of his fellow companions.
While trying to pursue aguerrilla waragainst the Republicans, he was killed by a Republican soldier nearNuailléon 28 January 1794. On a reconnaissance mission he had spotted two Republican soldiers whopretended to surrenderto him, but then shot him in the forehead.[10]His brother Louis became the head of the royalists inVendéein 1813 and furthered the royalist cause there during theHundred Daysperiod. He fell in battle at Pont-de-Mathis on 4 June 1815.[11]
Notes
edit- ^George J. Hill,The Story of the War in La Vendée and the Little Chouannerie(New York: D. & J. Sadlier & Co. n.d.), pp. 154-155.[1]
- ^Chronicle of the French Revolution p. 43 Longman Group 1989.
- ^Chronicle of the French Revolution p. 83 Longman Group 1989.
- ^Chronicle of the French Revolution p. 256 Longman Group 1989.
- ^Chronicle of the French Revolution p. 336 Longman Group 1989.
- ^Pernoud, G. & Flaissier, S. The French Revolution, p. 300 Secker & Warburg 1960.
- ^Chronicle of the French Revolution p. 338 Longman Group 1989.
- ^Chronicle of the French Revolution p. 367 Longman Group 1989.
- ^Schama, S. Citizens p. 788 Penguin 1989.
- ^Chronicle of the French Revolution p. 367 Longman Group 1989.
- ^Chambers's encyclopaedia
References
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- .Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 27 (11th ed.). 1911. pp. 980–981.